How to choose the best guitar effects pedal

Finding the best guitar effects pedal can make a world of difference in the sound of your guitar playing. These small boxes of electronic wizardry produce almost magical transformations of your sound into another world of sonic experience that has to be heard to be totally understood.

They take an ordinary electric guitar sound and completely change everything.

Best Guitar Effects Pedal - What are effects pedals?

A guitar effects pedal is an electronic device that is added to the signal pathway of an electric guitar. It alters that signal to produce a whole different sonic qualities to the signal hitting the electric guitar amplifier.

This alteration of the signal imparts variety and character to an otherwise ordinary sounding guitar sound.

The type of effects pedal determines the type of alteration of that signal and the sound of your amplified electric guitar.

The best guitar effects pedal will take your straight guitar signal and mold it to the sound that causes the maximum emotional effect that is just right for the song, riff or solo that you are playing.


Types of guitar effects pedals.

There are hundreds of different effects pedals on the market today. Each one having its own sound personality. Most are just a different spin on one of the basic types of pedals.

Here is a list of the basic types of pedals with a brief description.

Each one will lead to a page dedicated to that type of pedal.

Guitar Delay Pedal

The guitar delay pedal seems simple enough but don't let that deceive you when it comes to sonic mayhem this pedal delivers.

What does it do? It creates multiple signals of the same sound creating a 3-dimensional quality to your sound.

Guitar Distortion Pedal

Guitar distortion pedal choices have hit an all time high.


A distortion pedal takes your signal and tweaks it so it sounds like it's coming out of a speaker that have been ripped to shreds. In fact, that is how the sound was discovered. Somebody blew up their speaker, liked the sound and the rest is history. The destroyed speaker is now in the form of a tiny box with some electronic stuff in it.


This is one of the standard sounds of Blues guitar, Rock And Roll, Country and probably a few types of music that haven't been invented yet.

Wah Wah Pedal

One of the most recognizable and fun effect pedal is the wah wah. There are quite a few wah wah pedals out there made by different companies that lend their own particular twist to the Wah sound.

The Wah Wah pedal adds a human-like voice to your guitar signal that is varied with the position of the pedal and activated by the movement of your foot.

The guitar player that really popularized the sound of the Wah Wah was Jimi Hendrix.

Guitar Compression Pedals

Compression pedals are a more subtle tool to not only boost the signal to the amp but smooth out the signal and extend the sustain of your guitar. It takes out some of the imperfections of the highs and lows and mellows your sound.

It takes the sound of your guitar and sends it on a sonic flight of sustain and grind.

Guitar Noise Gate Pedals

Guitar noise gate pedals limit hiss and noise from high gain distortion situation. Crank up the gain on an amp and you will get all kinds of noise, turn on the noise gate and it goes away.

They are great with single coil pickup guitars to keep the hiss down that they pick up from any electronic equipment, lights etc that might be in the room with you.

Guitar Chorus Pedals

A chorus pedal doubles your guitar and gives is a warble. This is great for ballad type songs and is great on an acoustic guitar.

The Best Guitar Effects Pedal

So What is the Best Guitar Effects Pedal? There is no one best pedal. The pedal, or a combination of effects that is best is the one works with you, with the song, with your audience. You are an artist. These are your brushes. Paint a masterpiece.

Links to effects pedal company websites

Boss - http://www.bossus.com/

Marshall Amps - https://marshallamps.com/products/pedals/

Electro-harmonix - http://www.ehx.com/

Roy Barnett

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