I thought I'd post this here rather than in the 'from here to there' forum as it's obviously an opinion thing (and in a way a silly question). But maybe it does belong there, I'll have to leave it up to the mods.
Anyway, one of the things that led me to want to try electric (when arguably I should just get on with learning to actually play a guitar first) is the range of sounds you can get. Right now I've only got a little overdrive (on top of the overdrive on a Vox Pathfinder 10), but I can also run it through rakarrack on my computer, though so far overdrive is about the only thing I can get to do what I want. Still it's a learning process. What I thought would be interesting to know is what are people's favourite effects? For whatever reason; whether because they're fun to play with or just because it's part of your favourite tone.
Obviously multi-fx pedals are out. If you want to nominate a tuner, well, that's up to you.
wa-waa
I think it depends on what you're trying to play. If it's funk, I'd agree with the wah. But if you're going for more of a general rock sound, a fuzz might be a good investment. If you mix picking and tapping, a compressor helps bring everything up to the same level.
Me... well, I hardly ever use pedals. But there are certain sounds you can't get without one. And while I've got some boxes of pedals I've acquired for those special uses, if I've got a gig that's going to need any effects, I'm just as likely to bring a multi-effect board (I've got a GNX2 that I've had for years) - they're programmable, so you can store the sounds you need, and there's no more cabling needed than for a single stomp box.
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Multi-FX boxes definitely get my vote, but if I've got to go for one stompbox then it has to be distortion.
I have a Danelectro Black Licorice distortion. Sick sounds. Sexy.
A :-)
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If I could only have one, it would have to be an analogue delay. Distortion and tremolo, I can get from the amp and I can live without the rest.
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Usually I don't use pedals. I have several ones and I like them. It is always funny play with them.
I am very happy with my Fulltone OCD. My guitar amp only has clean channel and the OCD is like a second channel for me. Even if you low a little bit of gain, it improves the tone.
I also have some bass pedals but I only use them when I want to get a specific tone.
But if I could only have one, probably it would be a delay as well.
It would be my Ibanez AD-9 analog delay. I routinely gig with no pedals at all, but I love a short delay on amps that don't have a reverb.
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After giving some thought...I would have to say delay as well, chorus a close second. As others mentioned, I can get distortion & reverb from my amp.
Lots of interesting answers, thanks! Keep them coming.
To be honest, I've never felt the need to buy any pedals - I can get all the FX I want from my Cube amp. However - I only play at home, and, very occasionally, jam at a friend's house. I can see why a gigging musician would need, say, a fuzz box, a wah-wah, delay, tremolo, and so on, or a multi-FX pedal....
IF I was gigging on a regular basis, or even jamming regularly, I think I'd invest in some kind of distortion pedal - it'd be handy to go from a fairly low-gain setting to a higher setting without having to take your hands of the guitar and alter the settings on your amp!
And having said that, I honestly wouldn't know where to start looking for what I'd want!
:D :D :D
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