8 Must-Have Guitar Effects for Your Pedalboard
Compressor Pedal
This pedal mirrors almost everything you hear in music today and runs the gamut of compressed sound. A compressor pedal ensures that every note that you play will virtually be at the same amplitude. This pedal can increase the sustainability of a note and the resonance of that note will remain at the exact same volume until the string stops. Wampler Ego Compressor model is considered one of the best.
Volume Pedal
This additional effect on your pedalboard acts like an external volume, but instead, you work it with your foot. There really is not a better way to control the volume of your rig. It can also be placed at different locations in your guitar chain. Ernie Ball EB6180 VP-JR is one of the greatest models.
Overdrive Pedal
The overdrive pedal allows the sound to be as subtle as you want, or just as distorted as you can take it. It gives the flavor of a more compressed tone with deeper saturation. Boss BD-2 is a model with great tone.
Distortion Pedal
This pedal produces a hard clip sound. It maximizes the clip of a wave from optimum distortion when you need it. The Boss DS-1 which was created 30 years ago is still the best one.
Boost Pedal 
It will boost your guitar’s signal. A player can hit the front end of an amp with more signal to supply more gain. They can also color your tone or just boost your signal and not have too much effect on tone. The Xotic EP Booster will probably be the best guitar booster you will ever own.
The Wah Pedal 
Wah’s are known for their funkiness. Their association is with the most widely known guitar players like Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix who brought the “wah” to the forefront in music. It can enhance your sound tenfold or just make it a little quirkier. The Dunlop Crybaby GCB95 is the most popular as well as considered the best model on the market today for this effect.
Chorus Pedals
Chorus pedals are great for adding fullness to any guitar sound, but if they are not used correctly, the “wall of sound” effect you will be trying to achieve will be a wall of pain for the person listening. When the user knows how to use the pedal to its full effect, it can sound like three guitars playing the same part instead of just one. A high quality chorus pedal is the TC Electronic Corona Chorus known for its great tone.
The Looper Pedal 
This pedal takes your recorded, repetitive sounds and repeats them. Many guitarists love these just to use for practicing, but they are also used in many ways during on-stage performances. The Digitech JamMan Stereo was one of the original Looper models and still one of the best.
About George Katsanos
George is the bassist of Mobvibe and a avid fan of Rock music and Fender Telecasters. When not practicing his bass lines he is busy writing code for web applications.
Contact George Katsanos at georgekatsanos@musicngear.com
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