Guest Post: 4 Things To Consider Before Buying a Guitar Pedal

If you are a serious guitar player, you should know already that the basic setup is not enough. Having the standard rig is okay. But if you want to get the most out of your instrument, you should invest in a stomp box, better known as a guitar pedal.

There are different guitar pedals that you can opt. Depending on your needs and playing style, you might be required to get all these pedals in your pedalboard. Of course, that is not a waste of money. Trust us. Having a complete set of stomp boxes just innovates the overall sounding of your rig. They can provide your instrument with the sonic presence that it needs to stand out in the mix. Moreover, they provide the maximum versatility, as these pedals will let you hop into different genres.

But of course, there are some things that you have to consider before buying a guitar pedal. After all, you should realize that not all pedals are created the same. All of them can affect your signal chain differently. Therefore, it would be better if you contemplate for a bit before you hit the market.

Here are some of the key considerations before you get a guitar pedal:

Things to Consider Before Buying a Guitar Pedal

1. Knowing the Sound Effects

It is pretty essential that a guitar player knows what kind of sound he/ she wants to get. As we mentioned earlier, there are a plethora of guitar pedals out there. Each of them is capable of producing unique effects, which might vary from one another.

Because of this particular nuance, the guitarist should be somehow familiar with the common effects and the corresponding genre they are applicable. Specifically, here are some of the prevalent pedals that you can see on the market today:

• Distortion – It provides a fuzzy and growling tone to your instrument.
• Wah – This effect generates a particular escalation to the note, which usually results in the “wah” sound.
• Chorus – As its name suggests, a chorus pedal creates the illusion that your guitar has multiple instrumental accompaniments.
• Phase Shifter – It gives your signal chain fast or slow ripples of tone.

 

These are among the guitar pedals that you would encounter sooner or later. For us, it would be great if you will explore all the types of effect pedals. In this way, you will quickly determine which of them would fit on your playstyle. For example, it is recommended for a metal and rock guitar player to get an overdrive and distortion pedal!

2. Analog vs. Digital Pedals

This particular debate has been a constant in the annals of guitar history. Both seasoned guitarists and youngbloods are constantly arguing which of these circuitries work best for a guitar pedal. And up until know, this issue doesn’t have any closures at all.

Analog circuitries are the first system that pedal manufacturers have used. They have been with us as early as the 1970s. Specifically, the sound that they create is vivid and continuous. They are pure and natural, which makes them a favorite of many professionals. The manner in which they do not affect or “flavor” the sound of your instrument makes them great. If you are guitar purist, your inclination would be probably towards analog pedals.

On the other hand, digital circuits are complex systems. Usually, they involve mathematical computations to derive sampling rates and intervals. Well, we will not go deeper into that aspect that it is a quite a jargon, even for us. In application, digital pedals tend to sound artificial and “crafted.” They do not have the organic sound that should complement your guitar.

But don’t get us wrong. There is nothing wrong with this, as the sounds they create are still effects. In fact, many pedals today are using digital circuits. After all, technology has made them almost equal with analog pedals. It is still your choice which among these options you’ll choose.

3. Construction

Aside from the quality of effects, you should also be wary about the construction and design of the pedal. There is a reason why this device has a moniker “stompbox,” and that is because you stomp it with your feet. By all means, pedals are created to be abused on the stage. They are always exposed to the physical detriments of your performance. Of course, such predicament is natural and should not be feared in any way possible.

Because of this, there is a need for you to get a pedal that can withstand any of these repercussions of your endeavor. The pedal should be durable enough to last for a long time. Moreover, it should also be rugged to ensure that it won’t crack and break.

The exterior of the pedal should be a sturdy case. Even the wirings and accessories that come with it should have the same physical impregnability as well. In this way, you can be confident that all the internal components of the pedal are safe and sound.

4. Presets

Not all of us are born experts. In fact, there are no born experts, to begin with! People will start from the ground. Even legends like Hendrix came from scratch. It is undeniable that a guitar pedal can be operated easily. They are not as complex as your guitar. However, this still doesn’t mean that you can get familiar with them from the get go.

It is ideal for a guitar pedal to have integrated presets on its system. Particularly, these presets are a congregation of default setups which beginners can use to learn the pedals. With them around, you can play the pedal easily without even tweaking. Presets also help players to discover the explore the pedal. This would be a great feature for multi-effects pedals!

Conclusion

These are the essential considerations that you have to take into account before you buy a guitar pedal. They are your mandatory guidelines to ensure that the pedal you will get is suitable and applicable to your playing style. Pedals, even with their modest price, are still a considerable investment. Therefore, you have to avoid bad products at all cost!

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About me:

Hello, I am Monica, and I am self-confessed guitar geek. Since I was a child, I have been fond of this stringed instrument. Although I didn’t pursue a music career, I still have my free time allocated on studying songs and different musical gears. Of course, the experience that I have in this field is quite vast already. The reason I created Guitar Trance is to share this knowledge with any interested fellows. I hope that our enthusiasm will get syncopated along the way!