What is your favorite effect/pedal?

[onedrop]

I only have 2 pedals: an Ibanez Tube Screamer and a Boss DS-1 distortion pedal.  I like them both, but would like to try some other things.  There are so many options I thought I'd see what the favorites are here.  So If you had to pick just one or two, what would they be?

Volume pedal.
My favorite was an old Ernie Ball one that was given to me years ago and then played a vanishing act, so someone else is enjoying it now.
As long as its solid and has a long smooth sweep to it.

Second pick I guess would be a wah, I have a VOX reissue, I know there are better ones. I replaced the pot and the switch in it.

I like effects that add to the expressiveness of the guitar, rather than "FX".

I good delay pedal, or a looping pedal can also be a really good investment.
Especially if you practice a lot on your own (who doesn't), a looping pedal can be awesome. Record a few bars of rhythm, loop it, and practice leads or scales or a second rhythm part or vocals on top of it.
I had a Gibson/Oberheim digital echoplex, which unfortunately I had to sell.
There are also smaller cheaper units that do virtually the same thing. Roland has one I believe.

The combination of volume pedal / looping opens up almost endless possibilities. It's like getting a new instrument rather than just an effect.

 

[dbw]

The Boss RC-2 is a nice tool.  I had one for about a week but I returned it because I thought it was noisy... turns out it was my power supply.  I'm thinking of buying it again.    :doh:

 

[David]

The loop or delay effect is something I had been thinking about for a while.  Seems like it might be fun to practice with.

 

[dbw]

Get a nice looper and not a delay... that would be a headache.  The Boss I had could make very natural-sounding loops despite my imperfect timing on the stomp switch.  I assume higher-end loop pedals are even better that way.

 

[Fish Out of Water]

Not a big effects fan although I carry  a Wah, Chorus, Tube Screamer, Flanger, Digital Delay & tuner in my pedal board.  I love the way my Les Paul sounds straight through my Marshall Vintage Modern half stack.  That amp is so versitile that I almost feel band runnig my signal thru my pedal board.  The tuner gets the most use as well as the chorus pedal.  I use the chorus to widen my guitar sound and it's almost always on.  I think that it helps my guitar sound fuller and richer.  I use the tube screamer for a boost for solos.  The others I just use when I'm noodling around during the song verses with my volume backed down.  Just kinda kept things interesting while the singer was doin his thing...

 

[riverbluff]

I use a GNX4 when ever I am not playing through my Marshall.  When playing through my Marshall I use the MXR ZW-44 for the extra overdrive when needed.

The GNX4 has some great features, but does take a while to learn.  The recording feature and drum tracks are pretty good as well.

 

[dbw]

Chorus is a killer effect.  My Warmoth seems to make its own chorus when both pups are on!  It's awesome.

 

[jimh]

Chorus is a killer effect.  My Warmoth seems to make its own chorus when both pups are on!  It's awesome.

Did you get the wiring wrong?
:icon_tongue:
:redflag:
:rock-on:

 

[spauldingrules]

I don't understand the appeal of chorus.  I can't stand it - it just ruins a nice clean tone and complicates (in a bad way) a sweet overdriven or distorted tone.

 

[GoDrex]

like most effects it can be good if you run it very dry in your guitar's "mix" - - what I've noticed with chorus is a lot of people have it turned up and that's all you hear - instead of using it for a little flavor. I like to think of modulation effect like a spice - too much and your ruin it. Unless you're going for certain extreme effect. Even still it should be minimal IMO.

 

[DocNrock]

like most effects it can be good if you run it very dry in your guitar's "mix" - - what I've noticed with chorus is a lot of people have it turned up and that's all you hear - instead of using it for a little flavor. I like to think of modulation effect like a spice - too much and your ruin it. Unless you're going for certain extreme effect. Even still it should be minimal IMO.

+1

 

[guitlouie]

Actually one of my favorite things about my chorus pedal is not even the effect.  It has stereo outs! 

 

[dbw]

like most effects it can be good if you run it very dry in your guitar's "mix" - - what I've noticed with chorus is a lot of people have it turned up and that's all you hear - instead of using it for a little flavor. I like to think of modulation effect like a spice - too much and your ruin it. Unless you're going for certain extreme effect. Even still it should be minimal IMO.

I like chorus, as I've said... so I have a high tolerance for chorus.  Though I don't use it myself (not my style).  What you said exactly describes how I feel about flange.

 

[blue313]

like most effects it can be good if you run it very dry in your guitar's "mix" - - what I've noticed with chorus is a lot of people have it turned up and that's all you hear - instead of using it for a little flavor. I like to think of modulation effect like a spice - too much and your ruin it. Unless you're going for certain extreme effect. Even still it should be minimal IMO.

QFT  :toothy10:

Too much, wrong kind, or bad frosting will ruin the best cake.

 

[SrDeMaFp]

like most effects it can be good if you run it very dry in your guitar's "mix" - - what I've noticed with chorus is a lot of people have it turned up and that's all you hear - instead of using it for a little flavor. I like to think of modulation effect like a spice - too much and your ruin it. Unless you're going for certain extreme effect. Even still it should be minimal IMO.

Definitely. I run my CE-5 with all knobs at 12 o'clock and the bass freq. knob at around 1o'clock. Adds a nice touch of the effect but, it's not overpowering.

 

[Dietrich]

 

[dbw]

...

 

[nathan a]

I'm gonna go ahead and burst into this old almost dead thread. I don't often use pedals, but my favorite is the less-than-popular Boss DS-2 (with "turbo" aka "extra mids" on all the time)

 

[Dietrich]

Oh.  Damn.  Well, that's what I get for hot-linking anyway:

 

[T.L.]

I have both a DS-1 and a Tube Screamer, but  I don't consider distortion or "overdrive" to be an effect.

My favorite "effect" pedals are Chorus, Delay, Wah, and Whammy...