There are many lists of the so-called “Best Guitar Pedals of All Time”. We all know the classics, and a short-list wouldn’t be complete without pedals like the Maxon built Ibanez Tube Screamer, Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face, Thomas Organ/Vox Crybaby, Klon Centaur, Digitech Whammy WH-1, Electro Harmonix Big Muff Pi & Deluxe Memory Man, ProCo Rat, and the original MXR Phase 90 & Dyna Comp. Many of these guitar pedals (and countless others) have helped create some of the greatest guitar sounds of all time.
But we’re not here to hammer home the undeniable reputation of the past classics. If all the best guitar pedals had already been made, we wouldn’t be experiencing the golden age of guitar pedals we’re having today.
To keep music moving forward, it’s important to draw upon all the history that came before and forge ahead into uncharted territory. Sure, many of us will always want to grab our favorite vintage guitar and just plug right into our favorite old amp, but even the most traditional guitarists can find inspiration from adding an exciting new pedal to the mix.
This list focuses on the most innovative guitar pedals available today – pedals with a proven reputation among modern guitarists and pedals that may be signaling where the industry is headed. Many modern interpretations of iconic pedals are featured here, but this article aims to be more of a testament to the kind of bold creativity that sets apart the creative visionaries from the cloners (with a few exceptions of clones done exceptionally well). Some of these pedals create new sounds unlike anything heard previously, and some pedals utilize modern technology in creative ways.
You’ll notice multiple pedals here from several MVP builders who’ve been advancing guitar pedal design well beyond the status quo. Strymon arguably reigns supreme in the eyes of many guitarists when it comes to primarily DSP based guitar effects. Chase Bliss Audio is currently leagues ahead of other analog pedal builders with their fusion of digital control and 100% analog effects. Eventide holds the key to the future of digital effects and may continue revolutionizing how guitarists use and interact with pedals. Electro Harmonix is another long-running company who still maintains an innovative edge in a crowded market place. EarthQuaker Devices creates a wide range of great guitar pedals ranging from traditional sounds to the fringes of sonic exploration. Empress Effects just changed the game with an expandable DSP masterpiece. Source Audio has revealed themselves as another big player in digital effects. Xotic Effects is a leader in recreating classic tones for discerning guitarists. And TC Electronic remains a key company to watch as they continue offering high quality effects at very competitive prices.
This list has been 3 years in the making. It will continue to evolve and expand to include more great pedals that deserve recognition. The idea is that if it’s truly an innovative pedal, it should be included here. If you think we missed a great guitar pedal or think something not listed here should be brought to other guitarists’ attention, please leave a comment and voice your opinion.
A “best of” list such as this shouldn’t be regarded as the final word on what you should be playing. Consider this a starting point of where to look for your next guitar pedal. If you just want to sound like Clapton, Hendrix, or Gilmour, a different resource may better suit your needs. But if you want to venture into uncharted musical territory with your guitar, some of these innovative guitar pedals may be right for you. Use your own ears and your best judgement when buying guitar pedals and try keeping the GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) in check while you decide which pedals will best serve your music.
“The Next Level?”
I’ll provide a brief commentary for each pedal with ideas for design improvement. These are more so notes to builders and other guitarists who often think, “What if…?” While these are the best guitar pedals of today, the best of tomorrow is yet to come.
Now here they are, the Top 75 Best Modern Guitar Pedals!
Eventide H9 Harmonizer
Builder: Eventide, Pedal: H9, Effect Type: Multi-Effects
Eventide has been a reputable name among professional studio engineers since the 70’s. Their H910 Harmonizer forever changed music with real-time pitch shifting. In the 80’s the H3000 become one of the premier guitar multi-effects rack units, used to legendary effect by Steve Vai on Ballerina 12/24 from Passion and Warfare. Eventide later shook up the stompbox world with their TimeFactor delay & ModFactor modulation pedals, followed by the PitchFactor Harmonizer & Space reverb.
The Eventide H9 Harmonizer is arguably the company’s most revolutionary product to date. The H9 starts with a compact stompbox foundation that features sounds from their entire lineup of pedals. You can get an H9 Core with their iconic H910/H949 algorithm preloaded. The standard H9 Harmonizer has 9 effects from their range of pedals including the H9 exclusive Ultratap. (You can buy additional algorithms via the H9 Control app.) Or you can get the H9 Max and have access to the entire collection of Eventide stompbox effects including the aforementioned Ultratap and other H9 exclusives like Resonator, EQ Compressor, CrushStation, & SpaceTime as well as any new effects that are released. I’d recommend getting the H9 Max. You can then add up to 3 other H9 Core/Harmonizer units to your Eventide account and have all units “Maxed” out with all effects.
Aside from the massive library of Eventide guitar effects there’s a wealth of other features that make the H9 an essential modern guitar pedal: Stereo I/O, Pre/Post effects routing in mono, 99 presets, extensive MIDI functionality, exp pedal control, true bypass, tap tempo, and the H9 Control app.
The Next Level? More algorithms! While Eventide takes their time with the quality H9 exclusive effects they create, it would be nice to see more risky & obscure effects. How about bit-crushers, insane granular delays, choppy pattern tremolos, synth-style high/low pass filters, modern plugin style synthesizers (oscillators, baby!), organ effects that outdo everything else, and more. There’s just so much untapped potential. How about an open source platform, so the world’s best VST effects creators can bring DAW effects to pedals? Also, an expanded double or triple H9 would greatly expand the possibilities.
Read the Eventide H9 Harmonizer review.
Strymon TimeLine
Builder: Strymon, Pedal: TimeLine, Effect Type: Digital Delay
The Strymon TimeLine was the landmark pedal release that sealed Strymon’s reputation as one of the cutting edge pedal companies of today. Despite numerous attempts by other builders to dethrone this digital delay champion, the TimeLine is still the pedal to beat.
The TimeLine starts with 12 immaculately crafted delay machines ranging from classic analog delay, tape echo, and digital delay flavors to shimmering octave delays (Ice), reverse delays, lo-fi delays, and more. You can run it in mono (with the option to affect your delays with other effects) or stereo. It has 200 presets, tap tempo, optional delay trails, true bypass or buffered bypass, and more.
This pedal’s MIDI functionality is especially well integrated, making it very convenient to use with a MIDI effects switcher or automate from a DAW like Ableton Live. Strymon has been diligent with firmware updates to ensure that the TimeLine remains reliable in all situations. The TimeLine’s Looper also performs well and can have all its functions controlled externally via a MIDI controller.
In a classic Microsoft vs. Apple style battle, Boss tried to overtake the TimeLine with their DD-500, ditching their typical retro enclosure designs and stuffing in an equal number of delays while checking the boxes with similar tech specs to rival Strymon’s delay masterpiece. But the Strymon TimeLine has proven tough to beat, and Strymon will most likely be the builder to take the all-in-one digital delay concept to the next level if a “TimeLine 2” ever arrives.
The Next Level? I’d like to see the Looper be quantizable to MIDI Clock with Global Quantize settings for more precise external control. Also, it would be great to see Strymon’s flagship pedals encompass the full range of sounds from their similar smaller pedals (i.e. TimeLine’s dTape machine vs El Capistan dTape Echo). It’s also worth mentioning that some of our readers would really like to see a “Strymon H9” all-in-one pedal. That would be something.
Read the Strymon TimeLine review.
Chase Bliss Audio Tonal Recall
Builder: Chase Bliss Audio, Pedal: Tonal Recall, Effect Type: Analog Delay
The analog delay pedal game has changed forever. Pedals like the Electro Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man and the original Boss DM-2 are iconic analog delay pedals based on MN3005 BBD chips. The Chase Bliss Audio Tonal Recall brings that legacy of tone into the 21st century with presets, MIDI control, unbelievable parameter modulation (Ramping), a Tone knob, 6 tap divisions, a Warped Vinyl style mod section, tap tempo, a Hold oscillation function, and, yes, a super cool pedal name.
The Tonal Recall (you can call ‘im “Tony”) went through a surprising metamorphosis. It originally seemed like it would be the DMM/DM-2 killer everyone expected. Then it seemed to venture into a different, more lo-fi kind of delay. At the last moment, Chase Bliss Audio designer, Joel Korte, decided to make it more like the crowd pleaser everyone was expecting and hoping it would be. Good call as this pedal nailed it. Simply one of the greatest analog delay pedals ever created.
To speak of its subtleties, the Tonal Recall is noticeably quieter than most analog delays with a lower noise floor than the classic and modern units I’ve heard it compared to so far. The Tone knob is another draw as you can have a reasonably open and bright delay tone or roll it back to a dark and murky “oil can” style foundation beneath your playing. The Ramping is fun and novel, giving the pedal a more experimental vibe as well. But for many guitarists just having a quality analog delay with presets will be enough to make you want to “get your a– to Mars!”
The Next Level? It’s almost too early to say as Chase Bliss Audio is still far ahead of the curve. I expect any improvements to this pedal coming in the form of very minor revision tweaks. But we can still dream about a stereo version, no?
Empress Effects Reverb
Builder: Empress Effects, Pedal: Reverb, Effect Type: Digital Reverb
Been a huge fan of Empress Effects for years. Their excellent Vintage Modified Superdelay, Heavy, & Compressor pedals have shown their wide range of engineering expertise in the analog and digital realms. The Empress Reverb pushes the boundaries of everything they’ve done and further changes what we can expect in multi-algorithm guitar pedals going forward.
The Empress Reverb features 24 studio quality reverb algorithms grouped in 12 onboard categories. As you turn the type selector knob to scroll through reverb categories, you’ll sometimes see the LED change to multiple colors on a given category. Each color indicates an entirely different reverb effect. For example, the Spring type has 3 stock types of reverb. Blue is base on a Fender Twin Reverb spring tank. Green is a Fender Deluxe inspired ‘verb. Red gives you an overdriven 60’s surf type sound. The Room type has a single Blue type called L.A. Studio that emulates a small room with dense early reflections. The “Beer” type is where uncategorizable ‘verbs are stored. Expect weird and crazy sounds to come. You have to hear the Ghost type for yourself. Hauntingly good!
New reverb algorithms will be freely available, and you can easily update the pedal via SD card. Empress Reverb owners can vote for new algorithms in the Empress Effects forums, so you can contribute to the creation of the pedal’s new sounds. The future is in your hands.
The Empress Reverb sounds incredible so far, easily earning a place among the best reverb pedals available. And it’s got MIDI, presets, tap/hold functions, exp pedal control, cab simulation, stereo, and more. Can’t wait to hear where Empress (and you!) take it.
The Next Level? Put my vote in the hat for a Plate mode that expands on the Catalinbread Talisman and a Beer mode for an EQD Afterneath/Adventure Audio Whateverb style ‘verb with reverb pitch warping.
DigiTech Whammy V
Builder: DigiTech, Pedal: Whammy V, Effect Type: Pitch-Shifter
The DigiTech WH-1 Whammy is an all-time classic effect, and the latest iteration holds strong to that legacy. The Whammy V has 2 modes, Classic & Chords, which take you from a WH-1 Whammy flavor to a more stable modern polyphonic tracking that’s great with chords as the name implies. Actually, the Classic mode is noticeably more stable than the WH-1, so there’s been big improvements all around.
Aside from the pitch-shifting “Whammy” effects that let you send your guitar screaming up +1 or +2 octaves or descending down to a quaking -3 octaves on the Dive Bomb setting, there’s also a range of musical Harmony intervals to choose from. You can get that 5th up harmony for playing Rage Against the Machine’s “Know Your Enemy” intro or take it down a 5th for Steve Vai’s “The Animal”. The expression pedal will even let you shift between 2 preset harmony intervals.
While DigiTech’s The Drop and Whammy DT have more drop-tuning options, you can still use the -2nd, -4th, or -5th settings for solid drop tuned playing. There are also Shallow & Deep detuning settings for chorus-like effects.
When the Whammy IV hit the scene it brought along MIDI functionality, and that’s present here as well. You can use a CC message to control the Whammy sweep and program changes to activate and bypass the pedal in any mode with either Classic or Chords tracking. This works exceptionally well in use as you can control the Whammy V remotely via a MIDI compatible effects switcher or MIDI controller or even sequence impossible Whammy automation.
The Next Level? DigiTech rules this arena as the Whammy V, Whammy DT, The Drop, and recently released Whammy Ricochet all testify. Tracking improvements are always welcome, and having all jacks top-mounted on the Whammy VI would be nice. I’d also really like to see a complete compact Whammy series pedal similar to the EHX Pitch Fork with a MIDI in & exp pedal jack. Also, DigiTech, please give us an updated Space Station XP-300 with MIDI control, and make our wildest dreams come true.
TC Electronic Ditto Looper (series)
Builder: TC Electronic, Pedals: Ditto, Ditto X2, Ditto Stereo, Ditto X4, Effect Type: Looper Pedal
The TC Electronic Ditto Looper revolutionized audio looping for guitar. Surprisingly, it did so by making looping as simple to use as possible, contributing to why the Ditto Looper is one the best selling guitar pedals currently in production. The success of this pedal spawned countless companies to try to emulate the formula TC Electronic nailed with this modern classic pedal.
But it would be TC Electronic to again push looping forward with the Ditto X2. Stereo I/O is a big draw for this update as are the Half Speed & Reverse looper effects, accessed from a dedicated 2nd FX foot-switch. The Stop FX function gives the Ditto X2 the edge and makes it especially useful for live performance. There’s even the option to export a loop for DAW processing, and you can store a loop to the pedal.
The Ditto Stereo Looper is a middle ground between the previous units. Housed in a PolyTune 2 sized enclosure, it gives you the single foot-switch control of the original Ditto Looper and the stereo I/O from the Ditto X2. The Import/Export loop functionality is also present.
The TC Electronic Ditto X4 Looper is the flagship unit, housed in a massive enclosure you’ll recognize from the Flashback X4 Delay. Essentially, this pedal is like having 2 Ditto Loopers you can use in Serial mode or synced together. They’ve also split the X2’s FX and Stop functions to separate foot-switches. The dedicated Stop function is invaluable, and there are now 7 total effects that can be assigned to the FX foot-switch including Half-Speed, Double-Speed, Reverse, the super fun Tape Stop, and more. A Decay knob will set a rate at which previous layers fade out so that you can evolve your looping soundscape in new directions. The X4 also has MIDI sync to lock the loops in time with MIDI Clock.
The Next Level? Give the Ditto X4 a firmware update for MIDI control of all functions like the Strymon TimeLine, including MIDI CC’s for each FX type. Also, it would help if looper triggering was quantizable to MIDI Clock for super accurate MIDI Clock sync.
Builder: Dr. Scientist, Pedal: The Elements, Effect Type: Drive/Boost/EQ
Dr. Scientist’s The Elements is one of the ultimate Swiss Army Knife guitar pedals. It’s supremely useful as a boost, overdrive, distortion, or EQ pedal. For a long time I kept one in my chain for various needs and particularly favored it for tonal coloring in my signal chain. It has a ton of functions, none of which are tacked on, and the wide range of possible applications for this pedal makes it a defining modern guitar pedal that more guitarists need to experience first-hand.
The left flip-switch selects between high gain, for distortion and hotter overdrive sounds, and low gain for clean boosting, EQ’ing, and milder overdrive tones. The next flip-switch selects between no clipping and 2 clipping options, particularly useful for adjusting your drive character. The third flip-switch gives you a full open sound or 2 degrees of bass reduction for thinning out your sound. The far right slip-switch adjusts the mid-range frequency center for the Mid EQ knob, letting you scoop your mids in a particular band or carefully boost midrange for the perfect overdrive tone.
The EQ section can apply a significant presence to the lows, mids, and highs or reduce frequencies in those ranges. This is great for general EQ’ing and tone enhancing in your rig or for coloring your drive sounds when stacking The Elements with other pedals. I’ll often use it in conjunction with other distortion & fuzz pedals that don’t have deep tone controls. A killer pedal all around. Also, you’ve gotta love how each run has an entirely different look and visual appeal.
The Next Level? Being drive obsessed, I’d like to see variations with different drive/fuzz circuits. Also, I’d prefer a “smart” relay bypass that remembers if the pedal was on or off last time it was powered, useful for guitarists who use effects switchers.
Read the Dr. Scientist The Elements review.
Builder: Effectrode, Pedal: PC-2A, Effect Type: Guitar Compressor
The Effectrode PC-2A Compressor is such a tonal treasure that I’m surprised it isn’t more sought after than a Klon Centaur. Of all the pedals I’ve tried that supposedly have some kind of “magical” tone-enhancing quality, the PC-2A is the pedal I just never want to turn off. Recently, I found myself suddenly thinking this pedal was sucking my tone before realizing the PC-2A was bypassed, meaning my guitar was sounding worse without it than with the pedal simply engaged. I promptly engaged the pedal, and all was right in the world.
The PC-2A is inspired by the Teletronix LA-2A Leveling Amplifier, one of the all-time great rack compressor units. The PC-2A uses a military grade subminiature vacuum tube and audiophile grade components (including a silver plated circuit board!) in its uncompromising pursuit of beautiful and immaculate compression. It has a simple 2-knob interface for setting the “Peak Reduction” threshold and output level “Gain”. A Limit switch applies heavier compression and rounds out the LA-2A style control set.
Under the hood are an Attack & Knee trimmer for further tweaking the PC-2A to your liking. These are “set-and-forget” trimmers in most cases, but I’d highly recommend tuning them at least once when you get your hands on this pedal… if you can. Guitarists often find themselves on long waiting lists to get Effectrode pedals, and the PC-2A is their most popular pedal. Rightfully so, as it’s one of the best guitar compressor pedals ever created.
The Next Level? Guitarists with an ear for tone won’t have a problem dialing in this pedal by ear, but still, a gain reduction LED (or VU Meter?) would be useful. Also, external Attack/Knee controls would be useful for fine-tuning it with different guitars or when using it with bass & vocals.
Read the Effectrode PC-2A review.
Ibanez TS808HW Hand-Wired Tube Screamer
Builder: Ibanez, Pedal: TS808HW, Effect Type: Overdrive
The Ibanez Tube Screamer is an all-time classic, yes, we all know. Today you can find countless clones and variations from nearly every guitar pedal builder out there. From original builder, Maxon, to companies like Keeley Electronics, Electro Harmonix, and countless others, there is no shortage of great pedals out there that are derived from the classic TS-808, including the affordable Ibanez TSMINI.
The Ibanez TS808HW Hand-Wired Tube Screamer is a premium boutique grade iteration that remains true to the heritage of the original Tube Screamer while offering a consistent sound that recalls the iconic mid-boosted overdrive tones made famous by guitarists like Stevie Ray Vaughan. While I also highly recommend auditioning the various mods and Tube Screamer variations by Robert Keeley (especially the higher-gain, limited run KE808), the Ibanez TS808HW is the defacto version to get if you’re simply chasing classic Tube Screamer tones. Once you plug in a Strat, select that neck pickup, hit the pedal, and start busting out the SRV riffs, you’ll understand why.
The Next Level? Kudos to Ibanez for keeping this pedal gem in production, but I’d still like to see the 1/8” power jack (and accompanying cable) replaced with a modern Boss-style barrel jack.
Read the Ibanez TS808HW review.
Source Audio Nemesis Delay
Builder: Source Audio, Pedal: Nemesis, Effect Type: Digital Delay
The Source Audio Nemesis Delay is one of the more unique and incredibly versatile delay pedals to come along in recent years. It also sounds stunning, rivaling Strymon & Eventide in the audio quality department. It has 12 onboard delay machines and 12 more available via the Neuro app. This pedal is simply awesome and delivers quality performance well beyond its humble size.
The Nemesis forgoes menu-diving for a knob based approach. It can be simple enough to dial in if you just need one perfect delay. Or you can use the pedal with a MIDI compatible effects switcher to save & recall up to 128 presets (8 can be accessed via onboard controls). This pedal also offers some of the deepest MIDI functionality seen in a pedal in addition to it’s stereo operation, tap tempo, and plenty more features than I have room to mention.
The pedal’s classic delay types – Analog, Digital, Slapback, Tape, & Noise Tape – are excellent, and even the outlandish Degrade, Helix, Shifter, & Rhythmic variations are worth the sonic exploration. It’s essential to use this pedal with Source Audio’s Neuro App to access the 12 “secret” delay types, including the great Double Helix, Complex Rhythmic, Lo-Fi Retro, Compound Shifter, Oil Can, & Warped Record delays, among others. The Nemesis really has a unique vibe compare to other digital delay pedals and is filled with great delays & unique sounds you won’t find anywhere else.
The Next Level? Deeper onboard preset management and access to more Neuro App functionality from the pedal itself would be handy.
Builder: Xotic Effects, Pedal: XW-1, Effect Type: Wah Wah
Clyde McCoy was a trumpet player who experimented with a mute that would create a “wah wah” type sound. He actually had nothing to do with the guitar pedal design, but his name was used for marketing and further became synonymous with the “wah wah” pedal. While many companies including Dunlop & Fulltone have admirably attempted to reproduce the earliest wah sounds, the Xotic Wah XW-1 is one of the very best at capturing the classic vibe while pushing boundaries. Sure, Xotic Effects may not hold the “Clyde McCoy” & “Crybaby Wah” trademarks, but man, is this pedal amazing at capturing the iconic tones of those early Crybaby pedals while providing a modern feature-set for today’s guitarists.
An array of 4 knobs on the side of the pedal for adjusting Wah-Q, Bias, and Treble/Bass frequencies let you sculpt the perfect wah tone for your rig. The pedal is also 20% smaller than the classic Crybaby pedals for a little more pedalboard economy while still retaining a familiar wah feel. There’s also reliable true bypass relay switching, an LED Active/Bypassed indicator (a Godsend if you’re tired of wondering if you left your wah on or not), and fuzz pedal friendly buffering. An internal trimmer lets you set the Input Gain.
The Next Level? It doesn’t get much better than this, sound-wise. Making that Input Gain trimmer external would make it even closer to perfect. I’d personally love to see a Morley style switchless version.
Read the Xotic Effects Wah review.
Effectrode Blackbird
Builder: Effectrode, Pedal: SR-71, Effect Type: Tube Preamp
The Effectrode SR-71 Blackbird is life changing. Taking its name after the Lockheed SR-71 “Blackbird”, an aircraft that could fly at Mach 3+ and outrun missiles, this builder has released what is perhaps the ultimate amp-in-a-box pedal. It’s essentially an all-tube preamp sporting a trio of 12AX7s that draws heavily upon the “blackface” Fender Twin Reverb amp in the clean channel (with similarly voice tone controls). And the Blackbird soars past other amp-emulating pedals when you kick on the Dumble inspired Overdrive channel.
The Overdrive channel has 2 distinct voicings, Classic & Creamy, that go from vintage rock overdrive and bluesy saturation to very aggressive, yet surprisingly articulate and focused high-gain distortion. While I was expecting a primarily “classic” range of tones from the Blackbird, the molten lava saturation and Gain control that remains usable throughout its range won me over big time. In fact, within less than 5 minutes after plugging in the Effectrode SR-71 Blackbird for the first time, I concluded it was one of the best drive/distortion pedals I’d ever played based on tone alone.
But that Clean channel may be all you ever need. It’s got a glassy sheen and high headroom that proudly lives up to its Blackface roots. Frankly, I never want to turn it off, and it’s like to become a foundation of your tone, also. The Blackbird is impeccably low-noise and playable in any situation.
Also, it’s worth mentioning that you can change tubes and re-bias the pedal to customize it to your liking. Track down some vintage tubes and have fun making it your own. There’s also a separate direct out with a transformer that sweetens the signal, perfect for direct recording and using with a cab simulation plugin. The Blackbird is the ultimate all-tube preamp. It’s also a brainer for being a top pick among amp-in-a-box pedals as the Blackbird is essential an amp’s front-end lovingly stuffed into a stompbox.
The Next Level? Those foot-switches might be a little close to the knobs for some guitarists (extra incentive to use a 2-button remote switch, maybe). Also, I’d like to see an internal volume trimmer on the Classic side to assist with level matching for those of us who want to configure the pedal for switching between all 3 channel options.
Builder: Strymon, Pedal: Mobius, Effect Type: Modulation
The Strymon Mobius is arguably the desert island modulation pedal. If you were going to get just one mod pedal, the Mobius really does just about everything you could ever want a mod pedal to do. In its 12 effect type groupings you’ll even find multiple uncompromising variations (For example: 5 Chorus modes & 3 Vintage Trem modes). Aside from being able to use the Mobius’ great effects in stereo, the “Pre/Post” routing allows you to use effects either earlier in your signal chain or later, an ideal way to make the most of this pedal in a mono, single guitar amp rig. The Mobius also gives you a whopping 200 presets, tap tempo, full MIDI implementation, and a user friendly menu interface.
The Next Level? Really wish the Rotary had all the features of Strymon’s Lex pedal. Also, it would be great if the Filter had synth-style high & low pass filtering modes will full range Frequency control. Otherwise, it’s near perfect and stands as the mod pedal to beat.
Read the Strymon Mobius review.
Builder: Chase Bliss Audio, Pedal: Spectre, Effect Type: Analog TZ Flanger
The Chase Bliss Audio Spectre is the CBA pedal I’ve been most critical of, yet it also happens to be Mr. Joel Korte’s best and most inspired work aside from Tonal Recall (…so far). The Spectre is a true through-zero (TZ) analog flanger that uses twin BBD delay lines in addition to a mixable dry(ish) voice to achieve some truly awe-inspiring tones. Some people find it a little noisy, think the “whale songs” at higher Regen settings are too intense, and have trouble wrapping their heads around how “TZ” flanging works exactly. But if you click with this pedal, you’ll be mesmerized. It sounds particularly amazing after dirt, so try placing it after your fuzz, distortion, and overdrive pedals or in your amp’s effects loop. Also, after the uniquely colored “dry” sound grew on me, I found myself doulble-tracking with just the dry voice added on a second guitar track. Toanz for days.
And, yes, all the Ramping, ModuShape, presets, 16 dip-switches, MIDI functionality, CV/Exp control, etc., you’d expect from Chase Bliss Audio are all here.
The Next Level? I got a reasonably quiet unit, but noise level improvements are always welcome. Wish the Mix was rampable, too. And maybe a dedicated Volume knob. Curious what CBA could do with a slightly larger enclosure and an extra knob or two.
Read the Chase Bliss Audio Spectre review.
Builder: ZVex, Pedal: FF7, Effect Type: Fuzz
The original Fuzz Factory and newer Fat Fuzz Factory have attained classic status in the fuzz pedal arena, and the limited edition Fuzz Factory 7 is the current pinnacle of this circuit design. Using a pair of rare 1956 Amperex black glass germanium transistors, the FF7 has a slightly more distinctive tonal character in comparison to the standard Fuzz Factory & FFF. (See the demo in our ZVex FF7 review for a comparison.) But what really makes this pedal stand out is its 9-position “FAT” knob that lets you change the sub oscillation range for ridiculously huge low-end or very trebly and brittle tones (in a good way). A foot-switchable Tone knob lets you roll of the high-end for taming any excess harshness and rounds out what is one of the most tonally versatile and best fuzz pedals you’ll ever play. It’s complex and can get crazy but well-worth the amazing sonic journeys it’ll inspire. Get one before ZVex runs out of NOS transistors.
The Next Level? Presets, just presets. Imagine a diverse Fuzz Factory style pedal complete with FF7 style Tone knob & FAT modes with presets. Ultimate fuzz pedal right there.
Read the ZVex Fuzz Factory 7 review.
Builder: DryBell, Pedal: V-2, Effect Type: Vibe Pedal
The original Shin-ei Uni-Vibe was a phase shifter effect that attempted to emulate the “doppler” sound of a rotating Leslie speaker cabinet. While it didn’t quite nail that sound, an all-new effect was born and made famous by guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour, Robin Trower, Stevie Ray Vaughan and countless others.
The DryBell Vibe Machine V-2 was a labor of love from a small Croatian builder to create the ultimate “Uni-Vibe” inspired guitar pedal. While the Vibe Machine V-1 was already the most advanced compact vibe pedal around, the V-2 takes it to the next level with features like Tap Tempo, a Custom input impedance option, and the convenience of no longer needing to open the pedal to adjust the bonus parameters. In short, it doesn’t really get any better than this pedal. The Vibe Machine V-2 nails the fat pulsing throb and gives your guitar that huge, liquidy texture and oily presence in the mix.
The Speed & Intensity control the rate and depth of the effect, respectively. There are switches for the expected Vibrato (wet only) and chorus modes as well as a Bright/Custom/Original switch for a classic “Uni-Vibe” tone, a more modern sound, or your own sweet spot in between. There’s also an expression pedal jack, essential for achieving real-time Speed control. (The Mission Engineering EP-1 works great.) The new DryBell F-1L is an essential companion for unlocking Tap Tempo or jumping between 2 speeds. There are several additional parameters including an output Volume side trimmer, Range & Symmetry trimmers to adjust the throb feel, and more.
The Next Level? Not sure what more could be done with this one. Presets, maybe? This is the vibe to get.
Read the DryBell Vibe Machine V-2 review.
Builder: Strymon, Pedal: BigSky, Effect Type: Reverb Pedal
We can’t go any further down this list without mentioning the Strymon BigSky. This mind-blowing reverb pedal comes in the familiar TimeLine/Mobius sized enclosure denoting its status as Strymon’s flagship reverb pedal. It has 12 immaculate reverb machines ranging from the expected Room, Hall, Spring, & Plate modes to more unique Bloom, Swell, Shimmer, & Chorale modes. There’s also the great multi-head echo of the Magneto machine. The BigSky produces some of the cleanest and most detailed reverbs you’ll hear in a guitar pedal.
Expected features like 200 presets, MIDI functionality, stereo I/O, and more are present, including a unique Cab Filter that’s great for using in conjunction with an amp-style pedal if you’re running your guitar direct.
The Next Level? I’ve been playing the BigSky since its release, and I still can’t really find any serious room for improvement. Maybe a Global setting for changing different Cab Filter voicings. But I’ll toss in another vote for Strymon to release an all-in-one effects processor featuring all of their cutting edge effects machines from BigSky, TimeLine, Mobius, & their other compact DSP pedals.
Read the Strymon BigSky review.
Bogner Ecstasy Red/Blue
Builder: Bogner Amplification, Pedals: Ecstasy Red, Ecstacy Blue, Effect Type: Overdrive/Distortion
There’s arguably no one more qualified to attempt an amp-in-a-box pedal than the amp’s creator, so it’s no surprise that Mr. Reinhold Bogner was able to produce a very convincing reproduction of his classic Ecstasy amplifier head in pedal form. The Ecstasy Red & Blue pedals seek to replicate the 2 distinct channels of that amp, and they come as close as you could probably ever get without vacuum tubes and massive transformers.
The Ecstasy Blue covers clean and low-gain tones but can get pretty mean on the Blue mode with the Boost kicked in. The Plexi mode offers a great take on classic Marshall tones. The Variac mode is particularly useful if you want to increase the touch sensitivity and responsiveness of the pedal. The Pre EQ and Structure options let you further tweak the subtle characteristics and sound of the pedal with the Structure modes letting you emulate the vibe of various iterations of Bogner’s Ecstasy amp heads.
The Ecstasy Red picks up where the Blue leaves off and can take your guitar into even more heavily saturated territories. The mode options vary from a subtle Mellow, to a looser Full, and to a more focused Tight setting, adding to the myriad ways to create the perfect saturated tones. It’s important to emphasize that on both the Red & Blue pedals, these parameter options don’t stray too far from the Ecstasy’s core sound; these subtle options are present to let you refine the response of the pedal(s) to take your guitar playing ever closer to the pure land of sonic Shambhala and discover your own tonal Ecstasy.
The Next Level? I love the Remote input for activating the Boost/On foot-switch functions from a compatible MIDI effects switcher (using a TRS cable). I keep hearing a version in my head that’s a cross between the Red & Blue pedals. Ecstasy Purple, anyone?
EarthQuaker Devices Avalanche Run
Builder: EarthQuaker Devices, Pedal: Avalanche Run, Effect Types: Delay/Reverb
The EarthQuaker Devices Avalanche Run is a standout digital delay with tap tempo and also features a simple and great sounding reverb built in. It takes the concept of their Dispatch Master delay/reverb to the next level in every possible way. The Avalanche Run is incredibly easy to use while offering plenty of great sounds. And those sounds are gorgeous thanks to EQD’s new high-end DSP template.
The 6 available tap divisions are easily selectable from a dedicated knob as are the different expression pedal options; these are signs that the Avalanche Run is about convenient use for live performance first and foremost. There’s also Normal, Reverse, & Swell modes for a solid selection of ambient focused delay options.
Be sure to try setting the pedal to Reverse mode with an expression pedal set to Toggle between Normal & Reverse. This lets you retain access to the Tap accessed oscillation when pressing and holding the foot-switch. If you’re using Normal or Swell modes with an expression pedal, you can still access the oscillation function; in Reverse mode with no exp pedal, the tap will toggle back to Normal delay mode while the Tap switch is pressed and held. A rad performace delay and arguably the best EarthQuaker Devices pedal to date.
The Next Level? I wish it had “smart relay bypass” and a TRS input for remote tapping and activating/bypassing the pedal from an external switch.
Dwarfcraft Devices Twin Stags & Happiness
Builder: Dwarfcraft Devices, Pedals: Twin Stags/Happiness, Effect Types: Tremolo & Filter
The CV pedal takeover continues! The idea of using pedals is a modular approach to creating a single chain. Dwarfcraft Devices’ various CV compatible pedals take this to the next level, letting parameters of these pedals modulating parameters on other pedals. So meta, right?
The Twin Stags is a dual tremolo pedal. Each tremolo has controls for Rate, Shape, & Depth. Rate sets the speed of the trem effect. Shape adjusts the waveform from saw to triangle up to ramp. The Depth adjusts the intensity and further tweaks the feel of the trem in conjuction with the other parameters. (That’s putting it simply.) Things get more interesting when you flip the 2Mod1 switch as this lets the 2nd tremolo’s LFO modulate the 1st tremolo’s LFO for crazy polyrhythmic effects. External CV sources can be patched in to control either or both LFOs, and the LFO’s can output CV to other destinations. Expression Pedals inputs also allow control of either or both LFOs.
The Happiness is a massively powerful filter pedal built on a similar modular framework as the Twin Stags. Its Rate, Shape, & Depth knobs are similar to the Twin Stag’s controls, except in the Happiness the LFO is modulating the filter’s Frequency. The Rez controls the resonance, and you better keep this at noon or below until you’re ready to play with self-oscillation (cut the Master output down first, then crank the Rez and go nuts). The State switch selects High Pass, Low Pass, or Band Pass filtering. The Scramble switch activates a smoothed sample and hold random filtering, the rate of which is set by the Speed knob. You can also input CV to control the Filter or Scramble speed. You can output the LFO as well. And there’s exp pedal control of the LFO or Filter.
Okay, that might seem like a lot to take in unless you’ve already ventured into the land of modular synths. The good news is that this becomes pretty intuitive once you get a basic understanding of what each pedal does. Then just grab a few 1/8” patch cables and start syncing them up. The fun is endless and opens up a whole new world of inventive sound design.
The Next Level? Just give us more CV pedals! These pedals become much more fun when you connect them to other CV compatible pedals.
Builder: Empress Effects, Pedal: Compressor, Effect Type: Compressor
The aptly named Empress Effects Compressor is the innovative Canadian builder’s excellent take on a stompbox FET guitar compressor. It has incredibly low noise (be sure to mind your Input & Output levels for best results) and an intuitive studio style knob layout with a Ratio switch (2:1, 4:1, & 10:1) and Mix knob for parallel compression blending. The Meter LEDs can monitor the Input, Gain Reduction, or Both at once, which if anything, just looks cool even if you don’t typically monitor the response.
What really sets the Empress Compressor apart is the Sidechain Input, a feature I’d really like to see on more compressors. You can use a TRS cable to send your signal to a filter/EQ and have the pedal only respond to certain frequencies, maybe ducking when too much low-end is present, for example. Also, you can send a kick drum to the compressor for side-chain triggering for that “pumping” effect heard in electronic dance music to make your guitar move and breathe with your tracks. Very cool.
The Next Level? I’d like to see an amazingly clean VCA or FET analog compressor with Sidechain like the Empress Compressor, but with presets. Aside from having multiple compression settings for different instruments and styles of playing, this would be the ultimate compressor for electronic music if it were possible to instantly recall different Attack, Release, & Ratio settings for a different “pumping” feel with various BPMs.
Read the Empress Effects Compressor review.
Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret
Builder: Catalinbread, Pedal: DLS, Effect Type: Overdrive/Distortion
The secret is out. The Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret is one of the best amp-in-a-box pedals you’ll ever play, particularly if you like Marshall flavors of grit and drive. The default sound is based on the early 70’s Super Lead amps, but you can also coax out some “Plexi” style sounds at lower Pre-Amp levels. The real secret of this pedal is its Super Bass mode, accessible via an internal flip-switch. This reconfigures the sound and tone controls for a deeper, more open sound that’s less compressed. And it begs to be stacked with other dirt and fuzz pedals, fitting considering that Catalinbread refers to this as a “foundation overdrive” pedal. In addition to the Marshall-style tone controls, you’ll find a Presence trimmer inside for tweaking the high-end to suit your rig. A killer pedal all around that never fails to impress.
The Next Level? The DLS is currently in its MKIII iteration, so it could be redesigned again. I’d like to see the Presence trimmer be external. Also, as tough as it may be to implement, the Super Lead/Super Bass switch needs to be outside so that guitarists can more easily explore those great hidden tones.
Read the Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret review.
Builder: Electro Harmonix, Pedal: HOG2, Effect Type: Octave/Guitar Synth
The Electro Harmonix HOG2 expands the range of tones available from the classic EHX POG2 with a massive 10 voice polyphony. In addition to octaves that span from -2 to +4, you’ll find intervals of +5th, +1 oct & a 5th, and +2 oct & a 3rd. There’s also a wealth of modes including the “Whammy” style Octave Bend, a (whole) Step Bend, Volume, Freeze+Vol, Wah Wah, & Filter. Also, the awesome Freeze+Gliss mode is an expression pedal controllable version of the effect that inspired the standalone EHX Superego guitar synth. (The HOG2 is also the platform from which the B9 Organ Machine, C9 Organ Machine, Key9 Electric Piano Machine, and Mel9 Tape Reply Machine, a Mellotron simulator, are all derived.) The HOG2 also has an awesome resonant low pass Filter and an Envelope section for shaping the Attack & Decay of the upper and lower octave frequencies. There’s even complete MIDI implementation that allows some unbelievably wild control possibilities from external MIDI controllers and DAWs/sequencers like Ableton Live. If you’re going deep with the HOG2, grab the HOG2 Foot Controller for preset selection.
The Next Level? Tracking is excellent, but improvements are always welcome. I wish the awesome MIDI controllable Filter was routable for separate use on the Dry Signal or other audio sources. And is there any way to shrink it while retaining all functionality?
Read the Electro Harmonix HOG2 review.
Builder: Xotic Effects, Pedal: RCB-V2, Effect Type: Clean Boost
The Xotic RC Booster was the best clean boost pedal I’d heard. The Xotic RC Booster V2 is even more versatile. It’s impeccably pure and true to your guitar’s tone when engaged. If you need to bring out the upper or lower frequencies of your instrument, simply apply a mild boost of the Treble or Bass, respectively. Or cut them both and raise the Volume a bit more for a mid boost. If you crank the Gain you can get a bit of mild overdrive from the pedal, but even that sounds more uncolored than most so-called transparent overdrive pedals.
Essentially, the V2 is the production version of the limited edition Scott Henderson variations. Hitting the 2nd foot-switch brings in an additional 2nd Gain knob for a bit more grit. Even the original RC Booster still outclasses just about any boost pedal you stack it up against, but the V2 is a most tempting upgrade.
The Next Level? Sounds flawless. The foot-switch spacing might be too close for some guitarists.
Read the Xotic RC Booster review.
Origin Effects Cali76 (series)
Builder: Origin Effects, Pedals: Cali76-CD/Compact/TX & TX-L, Effect Type: Compressor Pedals
The Origin Effects Cali76 changed expectations of modern guitar compressor pedals by delivering a circuit and sound inspired by the iconic Urei 1176 FET rack compressor. While some companies throw around references to the “1176” in hopes of selling their wares, the Cali76 has been expertly derived from the schematic topology of the venerable rack units with painstaking attention to detail by an experienced engineer, Mr. Simon Keats. His long-standing history in guitar compression helped Origin Effects achieve a similarly iconic sound in guitar pedal form.
There have been several versions of the Cali76, including a few limited editions that have unique tonal characteristics. (See our Origin Effects Cali76 & Cali76 Compact & Compact Deluxe review for more.) The Cali76-CD is the ultimate compact version of the pedal, featuring a full parameter set and parallel compression Dry signal knob. Although, don’t discount the Cali76-C as its simpler design somehow produces a higher output level. The bigger TX & TX-L units maintain the larger circuit topology and utilize either Origin Effects’ own Iron-Core transformer or a Lundahl transformer, respectively, and can produce higher-gain transformer saturation if you’d like a little extra character. These pedals are modern masterpieces in guitar pedal design through and through.
The Next Level? I’d be curious to see a mid-sized Cali76 that brings the transformer (and germanium?) options to a smaller compact format.
Read the Origin Effects Cali76-CD & C review.
Chase Bliss Audio Warped Vinyl MKII
Builder: Chase Bliss Audio, Pedal: Warped Vinyl MKII, Effect Type: Chorus/Vibrato
Chase Bliss Audio shattered the paradigm of analog guitar pedals with the lo-fi Warped Vinyl. Fusing digital control with analog design, this pedal ushered in a bold new perspective in guitar pedal design. Then they took it even further with the Warped Vinyl MKII by adding a Tone knob and lowering the noise, simple design tweaks that make this the ultimate analog chorus pedal. You can still get those dark and murky, lo-fi warped record sounds, or you can brighten up the sound for more conventional chorus and vibrato sounds. The lo-fi noise is still available at the flick of a dip-switch. The Warped Vinyl (and MKII) also introduced guitarists to Chase Bliss Audio’s unique ModuShape modulation waveform interface as well as their trademark Ramping functionality that lets you set parameters to modulate in real-time. No company does analog modulation like Chase Bliss Audio, and the Warped Vinyl MKII is a modern masterpiece in guitar pedal design.
The Next Level? Anyone with me on wanting a stereo version in a slightly wider enclosure to accommodate top-mounted stereo I/O and a Ramp-able Tone control?
Read the Chase Bliss Audio Warped Vinyl MKII review.
Builder: Strymon, Pedal: Deco, Effect Type: Doubletracker Pedal
There really isn’t any other pedal out there like the Strymon Deco. Yes, some pedals offer some variation of simulated double-tracking using digital delay and modulation, but nothing comes close to the sounds of the Deco.
A range of tape style flanging, chorus, slap-back, and tape echo effects can be achieved by adjusting the spatial timing difference between the Deco’s 2 virtual tape reels. The sounds are beautiful to behold in mono and stereo, and modulating Deck 2 via an expression pedal lets you morph between the different tape effects in realtime.
While traditional in its inspiration and general application usage, the Deco represents the boldest release yet from Strymon and is alone its class as the best guitar pedal to capture the essence, sound, and feel of making music with reel to reel tape decks.
The Next Level? I’d just like to see MIDI functionality and presets. There are simply too many great sounds available in the Deco. It would be fantastic if Strymon made a few hardware/software tweaks to get more out of their compact guitar pedals.
Read the Strymon Deco review.
Builder: EarthQuaker Devices, Pedal: Palisades, Effect Type: Overdrive
The EarthQuaker Devices Palisades threw the Tube Screamer from a steep cliff and rebuilt it from the ground up to redefine the definitive rock ‘n roll overdrive pedal. Legendary guitar pedal engineer, Robert Keeley, put it best in saying, “Tube Screamers weren’t punk until the Palisades.”
This monster overdrive pedal has 2 channels, each with their own Gain controls, and a separate foot-switchable Boost section. There’s overall Volume & Tone knobs as well as a unique 5-position Bandwidth control that thickens or thins out the sound and provides unique results depending on how other parameters are set. A 6-position Voice knob lets you choose from No diodes, LED, Mosfet, Asymmetrical Silicon, Symmetrical Silicon, and Schottky Diode clipping for a range of tonal variation that eclipses any TS-808 derived pedal to date. There’s also Normal & Bright modes as well as an optional Buffer. The Palisades could be the only overdrive pedal you need and is one of the best guitar pedals to come from EQD yet.
The Next Level? I like that the Boost applies only when the pedal is activated. Some guitarists would prefer it to be independently switch-able for pushing your amp into overdrive without the TS flavor. An extra flip-switch to give guitarists the choice of operation would be an ideal solution.
Read the EarthQuaker Devices Palisades review.
WMD Protostar
Builder: WMDevices, Pedal: Protostar, Effect Type: Envelope Filter
I love filters – all kinds of filters – from Mu-Tron style envelope filters and the high & low pass filters of a vintage Korg MS-20 to basic wah pedals. Filters offer dynamically expressive ways to alter the tonality of your audio signal, and the WMD Protostar is the most unique and widely applicable filter pedal released.
The Protostar was first unveiled back at Winter NAMM 2015 as the new iteration of the WMD Super Fatman, complete with a modular synthesizer inspired CV patch bay. At Winter NAMM 2016 the Super Fatman got a snazzier inverted paint-scheme and an even cooler interstellar name. After some final tweaking, the Protostar finally reached the hands of guitarists.
This pedal offers a wormhole of options. The 70’s funk auto-wah effects are the most basic and sound killer; the Protostar’s built-in Compression circuit tames resonant peaks for the smoothest textures. The LFO can also modulate the filter from an extremely slow glacial churn to a warp speed pulse that folds time and space into oscillating overtones. 4 filter modes give you high pass, low pass, band pass, and notched filtering. A Send & Return even loop lets you apply another effect to the mix.
The Protostar’s biggest draw is the CV (control voltage) patch bay, and the Protostar takes CV/Exp control into bold new frontiers where no pedal has gone before. You can route the EXP OUT to control LFO Rate, LFO AMT, FREQ, or Feedback (Resonance). Or you can have the envelope (that responds to your pick attack & guitar signal) dynamically control one of those 4 parameters. You can also get crazy and have the Protostar control your other pedals with CV compatible exp pedal inputs. I’ve been a long-time advocate for pedals having expression pedal jacks that are CV compatible, and this pedal is arguably the best reason to have a few extra CV compatible pedals around. Imagine dynamically controlling your phasers, flangers, pitch-shifters, bit-crushers, and other CV compatible pedals. Suddenly, your other pedals have a host of new ways to be played. The other surprises the Protostar has in store are yours to explore.
The Next Level? There are so many crazy sounds in here that you’ll wish for presets.
Keeley Electronics Dark Side & Loomer
Builder: Keeley Electronics, Pedals: Dark Side/Loomer, Effect Types: Fuzz/Delay/Modulation & Fuzz/Reverb
Keeley has been on unleashing a slew of great all-in-one “Workstation” pedals, each containing a plethora of fun and inspiring effects. One of the more successful Workstation releases was the Monterey, a classic style fuzz combined with various Jimi Hendrix inspired effects. While that pedal is a great pedal in its own right, Keeley & Co. really outdid themselves with the Dark Side & Loomer, pedals respectively inspired by David Gilmour of Pink Floyd and Kevin Shields of My Bloody Valentine.
Both the Loomer & Dark Side feature the same Big Muff inspired fuzz section. It’s a seriously killer fuzz that’s even more versatile than Keeley’s Psi Fuzz, one of my personal favorite Muff variations. The Level, Filter, & Fuzz let you dial in the output level, tone, and amout of gain. The fuzz section’s Flat, Full, & Scoop flip-switch lets you dial in the perfect foundation for coloring with the Filter control.
The Dark Side is the more versatile of the two pedals. Its biggest draw (aside from the awesome fuzz) is its multi-head tape delay with 12 selectable tape head configurations for great pattern delay effects. Then there’s selectable modulation variations: Flange/Rotary & Phase/U-Vibe. When the Mod flip-switch is set to either of those 2 options, the Blend knob will select from one of the two Mod choices in either extreme position. What’s extra interesting is that you can set the Blend knob in the middle to blend between the two Mod effects for hybrid modulation sounds.
The Loomer takes that great fuzz foundation and adds a reverb section with 3 unique modes. The Focus option recreates the Soft Focus patch from the Yamaha FX500. It takes a dense reverb and adds two delays (250mS & 380mS) and a 4 voice chorus. Sounds very lush. The Reverse mode gives you a backwards reverb sound in the style of the Yamaha SPX90 & Alesis Midiverb II. In Reverse Mode the Depth knob controls the depth of an envelope controlled trem bar detuning effect. The Tone knob emulates a Fender Jazzmaster’s rhythm pickup tone control. The Hall mode is a hall reverb with ascending shimmer. It’s serene and gorgeous.
The Next Level? Each of these pedals originally shipped with a TRS jack that allows you to patch other effects between the Fuzz & Mod section or route the 2 effects to different areas of your rig. Keeley recently replaced this option with an Order switch (particularly useful on the Loomer for feeding the reverb into the fuzz, shoegaze style). The verdict is out on which option is better. Perhaps we could have them both. 😉
Hologram Electronics Dream Sequence
Builder: Hologram Electronics, Pedal: Dream Sequence, Effect Type: Octave/Other
It feels like I had been waiting forever for a pedal like this to come along. The Hologram Electronics Dream Sequence is a programmable rhythmic octave pedal that allows you to create sequenced octave patterns. You can record and automate knob movements to save as presets or even use a DAW like Ableton Live to control the Dream Sequence in real-time via MIDI. And yes, you can save externally sequenced patterns as presets, too. This pedal unleashes the kind of music making potential that I’ve been dreaming about.
The Dream Sequence’s 5 LED grid provides an indication of the volume levels of the 3 voices (-1 octave, middle octave, & +1 octave), the Tap Tempo rate, and the Hold status for the sample function. This lightshow display gives you an intuitive view of the octave sounds you’ll hear.
Aside from the rhythmic octave effects, you can use the Auxillary Modes to play the octaves as an accompaniment to your dry signal and set the volume manually. Whether you play with the octaves in a traditional manner or create tremolo patterns for the various octaves, all of these sounds can be saved as presets for recalling in the future. You can even save the settings of the digitally controlled analog Drive & Tone parameters.
The Dream Sequence is a new kind of instrument. By combining elements of classic effects like octave synthesis, tremolo, and analog drive with powerful rhythmic programming potential, guitarists who take the plunge into Hologram Electronics’ debut release will discover surreal dreamscapes of melody beauty.
The Next Level? In isolation the octaves sound a bit wobbly. Would love it if they could be even smoother. Not really an issue though when sequencing patterns. Also, top mounted jacks would be nice.
Neunaber Immerse Reverberator
Builder: Neunaber, Pedal: Immerse, Effect Type: Reverb
The Neunaber Immerse Reverberator has the most gorgeous sounding reverb algorithms you’ll hear in a compact guitar pedal of this size. Seriously, this pedal sounds amazing and easily rivals the offerings from Eventide, Strymon, & Empress. In fact, Neunaber’s ethereal shimmer effects are the best I’ve heard in any pedal to date.
The Immerse essentially takes the great sounds of the Expanse Series of pedals and makes them easily accessible via an 8-position rotary knob. There’s even reverb+detune and reverb+echo multi-effect modes in addition to the 2 immaculate shimmer modes and equally great spring, plate, hall, and wet modes. Each of these reverb effects stands out, and there isn’t a filler sound in the Immerse.
Functional perks include mono/stereo I/O that can also handle mono to stereo and stereo to mono signals, even allowing use of TRS cabled signals on the input and/or output side. A Kill Dry gives you an all-wet signal for running parallel signal paths. The Trails switch gives you reverb spillover when bypassing the pedal. Also, the Immerse has a smart relay bypass that’ll remember if the pedal active or bypassed when last powered up, using in rigs with effects switchers.
The Next Level? I think we’re all hoping Neunaber releases a reverb pedal with onboard presets and MIDI functionality at some point. Fingers crossed.
Builder: Electro Harmonix, Pedal: Pitch Fork, Effect Type: Pitch Shifter
The Electro Harmonix Pitch Fork is one of the most versatile and affordable pitch shifter pedals you’ll find. You can either plug in an expression pedal or use the foot-switch in momentary mode for pitch bends up to +/- 3 octaves. There are 11 pitch intervals for transposing or drop tuning. Also interesting is the Dual mode which gives you several presets of dual harmonies selected via the shift knob. The +1/-1 harmony setting also gives you sounds pretty close to EHX’s own Micro POG, although the levels of these 2 voices can only be blended together instead of individually. Still, the POG-like sounds add to the overall utility value of this pedal. Most importantly, it sounds great for the price and is a worthy pitch shifter pedal for budget-minded guitarists. Also, the CV control works incredibly well if any modular synth manglers want to add this to their hybrid pedal/synth rig.
The Next Level? Tracking improvements are always welcome. Knobs for blending Dual voices and adjusting output level could be useful. While using a MIDI to CV converter works well with the Pitch Fork (I tried one), I’d love to see a compact pitch-shifter with MIDI functionality built in.
Read the EHX Pitch Fork review.
Builder: Chase Bliss Audio, Pedal: Gravitas, Effect Type: Tremolo
A tremolo pedal like the Chase Bliss Audio Gravitas seemed like an obvious offshoot to the successful Warped Vinyl & Wombtone pedals. Chase Bliss Audio already had a great modulation template going, so why not release a tremolo pedal? But what seemed like an add-on pedal to fill the lineup actually turned out to be an amazingly beautiful vintage inspired tremolo pedal.
Gravitas brings all the parameter modulating Ramping, ModuShape waveform editing, tap tempo, presets, MIDI, and more to a compact tremolo. The big surprise of the Gravitas is the beautiful Harmonic mode that applies the LFO to the Tone knob and the Both mode that combines the Harmonic mode with Standard tremolo. The Gravitas became a sleeper hit and is the best and most original analog tremolo pedal I’ve seen since the discontinued LightFoot Labs Goatkeeper GK3.
The Next Level? For smooth, classic tremolo, it doesn’t get much better than this.
Read the Chase Bliss Audio Gravitas review.
Old Blood Noise Endeavors Dark Star V2
Builder: OBNE, Pedal: Dark Star V2, Effect Type: Reverb
Old Blood Noise Endeavors is a perfect example of a pedal company that has an entirely unique vibe that comes through in everything they do. From the art, to the packaging, and the beautiful circuits in between, you can probably tell by a glance if this pedal or this builder might be for you.
The OBNE Dark Star V2 is the second iteration of company’s unique “Pad Reverb” pedal. That effect designation should give you a starting point about what to expect. The Dark Star creates lingering pad-like soundscapes. It’s about moving people and evoking emotions through the mesmerizing journeys this pedal can take you on.
There are 3 effects types onboard – Pitch, Delay, & Crush – that alter the sounds of the Dark Star greatly. Pitch gives you dual pitch-shifted harmonies that span from a -1 to +1 octave range. Crush trades one harmony for a sample rate deduction, bit-crushing control. Delay puts a delay after the reverb that’ll carry your sound to what lies beyond eternity. V2 brings in a soft-touch bypass foot-switch and expression pedal input. An internal switch let’s the exp pedal and momentary foot-switch alter either the Reverb or CTRL 1 parameters.
The Next Level? Just needs smart relay bypass switching. Brilliant otherwise.
Seymour Duncan Palladium Gain Stage
Builder: Seymour Duncan, Pedal: Palladium, Effect Type: Distortion
Since Seymour Duncan got back in the pedal game, they’ve been killing it with great pedals like the Vapour Trail Analog Delay, Pickup Booster, & 805 Overdrive. The Palladium Gain Stage is their take on the ultimate amp-style distortion pedal, and man, does it deliver the goods big-time.
The Palladium is all about gain and giving you complete control over defining your perfect distortion sound. It excels at medium to higher gain tones and is one of the best pedals you could use to add an extra crunch or lead channel to your rig. The pedal has a very tight & responsive feel that really lends to the amp-like vibe, and it’s great for both lead and rhythm playing in a variety of styles.
The Palladium rules over lesser amp-in-a-box distortion pedals thanks to its in-depth tone controls that include Presence, Treble, Mid Level & Mid Freq, Bass, and a unique Resonance knob that increases gain in the lower frequencies to emulate the massive thump of playing through a 4×12 cabinet. This versatile EQ section gives the Palladium the ability to cover a wide range of classic to modern rock, prog, & metal guitar sounds. It’s also surely no accident that this pedal can be contoured for any pickup combination considering it’s made by the world’s premier builder of guitar pickups; from single-coils to humbuckers and everything in between, you’ll have no problem pairing this pedal with any distortion hungry guitar.
The 805 Overdrive inspired Boost section (the Palladium’s icing on the cake) lets you add a little extra grit and cut for solos and adds even more versatility to an already great foundation. Also, the pedal’s “smart” true relay bypass switching remembers if the Palladium was engaged or disengaged when last powered, making it a great addition for pro guitarists with effects switchers and/or rack rigs. Now which color combo do you want, matte black & silver or glossy white & dark green?
The Next Level? A built-in gate might help tame this monster when using the more extreme gain sounds.
Source Audio Reflex Universal Expression Controller
Builder: Source Audio, Pedal: Reflex, Pedal Type: Expression Pedal
There’s no shortage of expression pedals out there. I’ve used plenty and still have several from various builders. But the Source Audio Universal Expression Controller is different and changes the way guitarists control their effects in realtime.
The big draw is the Reflex’s 3 expression outputs. Each of these 3 outputs can be configured for Normal, Reverse, or CV by adjusting a few dip-switches on the bottom of the pedal. You can also program the sweep range and shape of the sweep and save your configurations as presets.
Using a MIDI switcher with MIDI-enabled pedals? A MIDI compatible lets you conveniently change presets. You can also control up to 3 MIDI parameters on your MIDI pedals in realtime. Class compliant USB-MIDI interfacing even lets you take control of your DAW. Time to fire up Ableton Live! There’s even a Sensor Out that interfaces with other Source Audio pedals (Nemesis Delay, anyone?) for control of parameters.
If you need to control more than one pedal via exp pedal, the Source Audio Reflex is the pedal to get. Bottom line: it really is the most advanced expression pedal you’ll find.
Next Level? The Reflex is amazing. The only thing I wish it could do is allow MIDI-to-EXP/CV control, but that might be for another product altogether.
Electro Harmonix Mel9
Builder: EHX, Pedal: Mel9, Effect Type: Guitar Synth
Electro Harmonix has become the modern leader in compact, affordable polyphonic guitar synthesizers. The huge success and reliable polyphonic tracking of EHX’s POG, POG2, HOG, & HOG2 pedals led to them adapting that platform to create new sounds & textures with the Ravish Sitar, Superego, and more recently, the B9, C9, & Key9 pedals. But their latest offering is the boldest yet, and dare I say, the best of the “9” series pedals so far.
The Electro Harmonix Mel9 Tape Reply Machine produces sounds inspired by the Mellotron, a unique keyboard instrument where each key controls the playback of a single pre-recorded sound from magnetic tape. Think of it as an early example of a sampler. The Mel9 features 9 preset banks of sounds with many classic Mellotron inspired settings including Orchestra, Cello, Strings, & Flute among others. The Mel9 will take your guitar to Strawberry Fields, Kashmir, and the Court of the Crimson King.
While the 9 presets and dedicated Attack & Release are adequate for shaping the Mel9’s tones, more flexibility opens up if you split the signal via the Effect & Dry outputs and process your guitar and the Mel9 voices separately. While additional tone sculpting controls would have been welcome, you can’t argue with how easy it is to get great sounding Mellotron style sounds with this one simple pedal. Maybe consider adding a guitar compressor up front to even out your dynamics for a more consistent volume level. This will give you the smoothest results.
The Next Level? Electro Harmonix has been milking the “9” synth pedal format for a while. While we’re waiting on a MIDI & user preset enabled all-in-one pedal, I’d like to see a “Har9” with harps, harpsichords, and… harmonicas maybe?
Malekko Scrutator
Builder: Malekko, Pedal: Scrutator, Effect Types: Bit-Crusher/Filter
The Malekko Scrutator is incredibly innovative for a number of reasons. First, this pedal utilizes Malekko’s new DSP platform which is already leading to other crazy pedals such as their Charlie Foxtrot & Sneak Attack.
In addition to the Scrutator’s awesome sample-rate and bit-reduction effects (aka “Bit-Crushing”), the Scrutator has a 2-pole resonant filter with Bandpass & Lowpass modes. You can essentially use this pedal as a bit-crusher, a filter, or both at once.
Things get even crazier when you add in an expression pedal or control voltage source. You can program the sweep range of the Rate, Filter, Q, & Bit, controlling up to all 4 parameters at once in either direction. This is what really pushes the Scrutator over the top as the ultimate compact bit-crusher/filter pedal.
Rounding it out are a Mix knob for keeping the Nintendo Power’d tones in check and an analog Preamp with level knob & clipping LED to attenuate input gain.
The Next Level? The power jack could be more conveniently located. Also, it would be handy if the relay switching remembered if the pedal was active or bypassed, very useful for effects switchers and MIDI rigs. But wherever Malekko goes with their DSP effects will be worth keeping an eye on.
EarthQuaker Devices Rainbow Machine
Builder: EarthQuaker Devices, Pedal: Rainbow Machine, Effect Type: Elven Sparkle Magic (aka pitch-shifter/modulation)
The EarthQuaker Devices Rainbow Machine is the pedal that established EQD as a builder that embraces the fringes of sonic exploration by jumping into the rabbit hole of mind-melting guitar pedal psychedelia. The Rainbow Machine is a pitch-shifting modulation pedal that hearkens back to some of the crazier sounds I remember from the Boss PS-3.
The Rainbow Machine has controls for Primary & Secondary voices and a master Pitch knob that’ll tune the harmony voicing from a 4th down to a 3rd up. Tracking adjusts the delay time of the harmony, and a Tone knob rolls off high-end to tame the overtones if necessary.
The Rainbow Machine is all about the Magic, activated with a dedicated foot-switch and dialed in via the Magic knob. It essentially takes this pitch oscillating spice trip into even crazier otherworldly dimensions.
The Next Level? If EQD added CV control, it would be the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. But if they include the relay switching that they’ve rolled out on other recent pedal releases, it’ll be like someone picked all the marshmallows out of my box of Lucky Charms.
Read the EarthQuaker Devices Rainbow Machine review.
Builder: Rivera, Pedal: Sustain Shaman, Effect Type: Compressor
The Rivera Sustain Shaman is a pro-grade 2-channel VCA guitar compressor. It has a familiar expanded Ross-style control set but differs from a Ross-style comp in that it’s quieter and more transparent. The Tone & Blend let you set the amount of compression while brightening or darkening the compressed sound as you turn the Tone from a flat response at noon. Attack lets you make room for your pick attack or squash it while Sustain dials in the overall amount of compression.
Aside from the convenience of having 2 channel operation in a guitar compressor pedal, Channel B has an additional Super Sustain switch that takes the sustain over the top for killer “Fernandes Sustainer” or “Sustainiac” types of sounds without the need for a special pickup. For clean tones you’ll want to use this effect with restraint as the noise floor and volume rises (as with any compressor) as you increase “sustain”. But for screaming leads that sustain and feedback with ease, this mode is indispensable. Try using Channel A for a normal compression setting and kicking in Channel B with “Super Sustain” just for certain notes or moments when you need it. Without a doubt the most under-rated and under-appreciated pedal I’ve played.
The Next Level? A jack for switching channels via an external foot-switch could be handy. Also, some guitarists might want a smaller single channel version.
Read the Rivera Sustain Shaman review.
Builder: Death By Audio, Pedal: Apocalypse, Effect Type: Fuzz Pedal
The Death By Audio Apocalypse is a monster fuzz pedal and will likely be a staple on this list and our best fuzz pedals list as long as it’s in production. The Volume & Drive controls are self-explanatory, letting you set output level and gain. The Sweepable Frequency Equalizer knob gives you a super wide range of tonal variation and is musical throughout its range, rare in a single “tone” knob.
The 5-position mode selector is where things get interesting. The “Twin-T Scoup” gives you a heavy fuzz that’s greaty for palm-muting. The “Gainiac/War Fuzz” is a variation of what you’ll hear in the Fuzz War and discontinued Thee Ffuzz Warr Overload pedals. “Dual J-FET/Square Wave” is similar to the previous setting but with dual J-FETs and a clipped waveform for a “balls to the wall” sound according to Death By Audio. The “Octave Rect/Octavious” setting creates monster octave fuzz tones. The “Gain x1000/Wave Form Shifter” setting is an extreme and gnarly sounding fuzz for terrorizing your unsuspecting audience. (Or maybe they know what’s coming?)
The Next Level? Would be nice if it were in a somewhat smaller guitar pedal enclosure. Don’t touch the sounds… unless more modes can be added.
Read the Death By Audio Apocalypse review.
TC Electronic Sub’n’Up Octaver
Builder: TC Electronic, Pedal: Sub’n’Up, Effect Type: Octave Pedal
The TC Electronic Sub’n’Up Octaver is a one of newer entries to make the list, but the incredible tracking stability and sound quality of this pedal earns its inclusion. TC Electronic has included pitch-shifting & octave effects in their flagship Nova System guitar effects processor units, but this is the first time TC Electronic has brought us a compact digital octave pedal. They obviously spent a lot of time ensuring that the Sub’n’Up can handle single notes and chords with ease.
The Sub’n’Up’s Classic mode emulates the tones and feel of classic monophonic sub-octave pedals. The Polyphonic mode is an ultra-modern take that sounds great with just about anything you throw at it. The TonePrint mode gives you a default “guitar organ” sound with modulation out of the box. This mode seems aimed at giving the EHX B9/C9 a run for their money considering this pedal offers a great organ-like sound with the regular octave modes for an incredibly affordable entry fee. Also, with the TC Electronic TonePrint Editor app, you can create a whole suite of amazing sounds with flange, chorus, and other modulation while also completely tweaking the tonality and sound of each octave voicing. This is one of TC Electronic’s most impressive offerings and hopefully a sign of more great things to come.
The Next Level? An “Up 2” voice would be nice even if you could only add it in via the TonePrint Editor. Would like to see an expression pedal input and MIDI with more available TonePrint presets for the Sub’n’Up X2 if TC Electronic should release such a pedal.
Builder: Free The Tone, Pedal: TA-1H, Effect Type: Chorus
The Free The Tone Tri Avatar Multi-Dimensional Chorus is a stereo tri-chorus pedal that recalls the famous Roland Dimension D & Dyno-My-Piano TSC rack units in concept but offers an all-new digital tri-chorus sound. The 3 chorus voicings are staggered 120 degrees (sequentially, not in a circle) and have individual depth controls to create an incredibly lush and vibrant chorusing effect that sounds equally great in mono or stereo. The Tri Avatar also has 4 on-board presets, an expression pedal input, and MIDI functionality for integration with professional grade effects switchers and complex rack rigs. A killer chorus with impeccable design and build quality.
The Next Level? Some guitarists will have wished for vibrato sounds, but digital chorus doesn’t get much better than this.
Read the Free The Tone Tri Avatar review.
Sonic Research Turbo Tuner ST-300
Builder: Sonic Research, Pedal: ST-300/ST-300 Mini, Pedal Type: Guitar Tuner
The Sonic Research Turbo Tuner ST-300 & ST-300 Mini are the successors to the company’s successful Turbo Tuner ST-200. The ST-300 pedals feature zero latency true strobe displays driven by your guitar’s analog input signal, not to be confused with the simulated strobe tuning display of other guitar tuners with so-called “strobe” modes. Both pedals feature the same unparalleled ±.02 cent accuracy of the ST-200 and are fully programmable for alternate tunings and temperaments. The pedals feature 6 tuning presets including a default chromatic mode. The reference pitch can be shifted from A=440Hz down to A=300 or up to A=599.9 in .1 Hz increments, letting you create an A=432Hz guitar tuner preset or just about any other elusive tuning.
The noteworthy changes from the ST-200 to these pedals as follows. The ST-300 Mini is smaller and more compact. The bigger ST-300 has optional Pass-through Modes, letting the signal always pass through the pedal; the foot-switch can then be set to either turn the tuner on and off or mute the output. The ST-300 has an extra power output for daisy-chaining other pedals when using an external power supply. Both pedals feature a new relay bypass that fades the signal in and out to prevent clicking, a very handy feature. While I was initially concerned about the pedal defaulting to “bypassed” when powered on via external power supply, you can set both pedals to default to “on” (even though it’s not currently mentioned in the ST-300 Mini’s manual). This is extremely useful in rigs with MIDI effects switchers.
The Next Level? Some will wish the ST-300 Mini had the Pass-through modes of the larger ST-300. But these are arguably the best guitar tuner pedals currently available.
Spaceman Orion
Builder: Spaceman, Pedal: Orion, Effect Type: Analog Spring Reverb
I fell in love with this pedal back at Summer NAMM 2015. Pedals don’t always live up to the hype after NAMM, but I came to view the Orion as something even more special once I has able to spend more time with it. Now don’t assume this pedal is an emulation of the spring reverb found in your Fender Twin Reverb or your favorite old amp-top unit. The Orion is an all-new spring reverb design that should be judged on its own merits.
Spaceman built the Orion first and foremost as a live performance reverb. It’s size is evidence of that as this pedal is much smaller than any clunky amp-top reverb relic. The spring unit inside is also suspended within the pedal so that stage vibrations don’t cause disruption to the smooth ‘verb sounds. (You can give the pedal a kick if you want to get a pan-crash effect. It’s solidly built and can handle some unabusive bumps.) The switching is also very quiet, so activating the pedal doesn’t yield an unpleasant reverb pop.
The controls are practical and essential, with Volume, Blend, Tone, & Dwell fulfilling their self-explanatory functions. The Tone is particularly useful for dialing in dark and brooding reverb tones or very bright reverb. Some settings can be a bit noisy, particularly if you go for those super bright reverb sounds. The noise shouldn’t be an issue in a mix, but guitarists who’ve been spoiled by pristine digital spring reverb emulations might be taken aback by the Orion’s old school analog charm. But those who love real analog spring reverb will surely get what the Orion is all about and love it for what it is.
The Next Level? Any improvements to the noise floor would be appreciated. Top mounted jacks would make it even more pedalboard friendly.
Keeley Electronics Compressor Pro
Builder: Keeley Electronics, Pedal: Compressor Pro, Effect Type: Compressor Pedal
The Keeley Electronics Compressor Pro is the Oklahoma based builder’s flagship compressor pedal. Keeley is one of the definitive names in guitar compressors, and this is the company pulling out all the stops. It’s incredibly transparent (as a good VCA comp should be), and it’s got a range of studio-style controls, including a rarely seen Knee control for a Soft or Hard attack curve. The Auto mode is incredibly useful as this bypasses the Attack & Release knob settings to let the compressor (with true RMS level detection) respond naturally to your input source material, basically giving you a quality compression sound without needing to painstakingly tweak it to dial it in just right.
On a side-note, the Keeley GC-2 Limiting Amplifier is in essence a simplified version of the Compressor Pro. If you need an all-purpose comp, the Compressor Pro may be the best choice, but the preset hard knee and Threshold, Ratio, Gain setup of the GC-2 make it excellent for brick-wall limiting duties in a complex rig with a lot of pedals. It’s great for taming volume spikes anywhere in your signal chain. While I personally favor the GC-2, the Compressor Pro can cover these duties and more, making it a more versatile pedal overall.
The Next Level? Some guitarists may like to see a dedicated Blend control for parallel compression. I’d just like to see a Sidechain Input for letting an external audio source trigger then compression of this excellent pedal.
Read the Keeley Compressor Pro review.
Totally Wycked Audio Great Divide 2.0
Builder: TWA, Pedal: Great Divide 2.0, Effect Type: Octave/Synth Pedal
The TWA Great Divide 2.0 is an all-analog monophonic octave synth pedal. It lets you blend 5 voices (including your dry signal). It has a -1 Oct, a Sub that’s tunable from -1 octave to -2.6 octaves, a screaming Octavia style +1 octave, and a Syn voice that gives you various chopped, squared, & modulated tones and is also tunable down to -2.6 octaves. There’s an Envelope switch as well as a slew of internal trimmers for customizing the sound and response of the pedal. While the EarthQuaker Devices Bit Commander is another favorite and a worthy cost-effective alternative, the Great Divide 2.0 surpasses it in its sheer range of sounds and options.
The Next Level? The Great Divide 1.0 prototype had presets but would have been too costly to produce. If a builder could nail sounds & tracking this good in a smaller enclosure with presets, minds would melt & heads would explode.
Read the TWA Great Divide 2.0 review.
Chase Bliss Audio Wombtone MKII
Builder: Chase Bliss Audio, Pedal: Wombtone MKII, Effect Type: Phaser Pedal
The MXR Phase 90, the EHX Small Stone, the Mu-Tron Phasor II & Mu-Tron Bi-Phase – all classic phasers, but the Chase Bliss Audio Wombtone eclipsed everything that came before. The Wombtone MKII sweetened it even more. Starting with a Mu-Trun inspired foundation, the Wombtone takes it to luscious sonic extremes and adds all the signature CBA features like presets, MIDI implementation, Ramping functionality that modulates parameters, and the ModuShape waveform editor. The MKII also adds an extra 2-stage phasing mode to go along with the 4 & 6 stage modes from its predecessor. You can use an expression pedal to control any Ramped parameters or manually sweep the phase or create notched phase effects when no parameters are set to Ramp. This pedal is dripping with mojo. If you want the ultimate analog phaser pedal, nothing comes close to the Wombtone MKII.
The Next Level? It’s hard to imagine improvements here except maybe a stereo version or even more stage options.
Read the Chase Bliss Audio Wombtone MKII review.
Builder: Strymon, Pedal: DIG, Effect Type: Dual Digital Delay
The Strymon DIG isn’t to be confused with the great Dual mode from their flagship TimeLine. The DIG features 3 all-new digital delay machines inspired by classic 80’s digital delay rack units. The 24/96 mode comes the closest to the TimeLine’s pristine dual but adds some dynamics processing for a very consistent and smooth sound. The adm mode offers a sound that favors rhythmic playing. 12 bit offers a warmer, more lo-fi digital delay than the other 2 variations. A plethora of tap divisions lets you create ultimate dual delay ambience while tap tempo keeps things in sync. The DIG is yet another fantastic delay pedal from Strymon.
The Next Level? Really wish this one had onboard presets and MIDI. Like with the Strymon Deco, there are just too many great sounds in this pedal.
Read the Strymon DIG review.
Dr. Scientist BitQuest
Builder: Dr. Scientist, Pedal: BitQuest, Effects Type: Multi-Effects
The Dr. Scientist BitQuest is one of the most fun and uniquely inspiring pedals I’ve ever played. It’s filled with 8 cool effects: flanger, HP/LP filter, bit crusher, infinite reverb, notch filter, ring mod, pitch shifter, and delay. Also, there are two modes of operation – clean & fuzz – making this pedal a killer “fuzz + other effect” in addition to using it to mangle other dirt pedals or whatever else you want to destroy/alter. Between pedals like BitQuest, The Elements, and nanotechnology-infused Heisenberg Molecular Overdrive, Dr. Scientist is one of the more avant-garde and exciting effects pedal builders to keep an eye on.
The Next Level? Maybe a slightly bigger enclosure with more effects (i.e. crazy sounds), stereo, presets if possible, an extra exp jack for manipulating another parameter, and MIDI since we’re dreaming here. That would be the ultimate BitOdyssey.
Fairfield Circuitry Randy’s Revenge
Builder: Fairfield Circuitry, Pedal: Randy’s Revenge, Effect Type: Ring Modulation/Low Pass Filter
The Fairfield Circuitry Randy’s Revenge is primarily a ring modulator, an effect that creates inharmonic, bell-like, often metallic sounding tones. The Freq knob controls a fast LFO that generates these frequencies. When set to the range of Hi speeds, it generates screaming pitching overtones; when set to low speeds, its sounds range from soothing tremolo to inducing bell-like, resonating frequencies. Square & Sine wave options further adjust the character of these strange tones and when dialing in trem sounds, they’ll give you either a smooth vintage tremolo or hard choppy sound. There’s also a built-in Low Pass Filter which can be used to tame the higher frequency tones or apply a general high frequency roll-off to your sound.
Perhaps the most intriguing aspects of this pedal are its connectivity possibilities. You can use an expression pedal to control the Freq, LPF, or both at once. Furthermore, you can route CV sources to control either or both of these functions and even control the oscillator from the pedal or an external CV source while outputting the VCO to another device. The modular synth pedal takeover continues.
The Next Level? This pedal is already too good the way it is. Maybe a resonance control for the LPF could be interesting.
Atomic AmpliFire
Builder: Atomic Amps/Studio Devil, Pedal: AmpliFire, Pedal Type: Amp-Sim/Multi-Effects
The Atomic AmpliFire is one of the more surprising pedals I’ve played in the past year or so. I’ve been disappointed by digital amp emulators more times than I can count, but a few companies like Fractal, Kemper, and now Atomic Amps & Studio Devil have defied expectations. Also, while Boss, Line 6, & others have been doing the amp-sim/multi-effect floorboard thing for a while, the reasonably compact Atomic AmpliFire is finally a product that can more easily integrate with the guitar pedals you already have instead of attempting to replace your whole pedalboard.
The AmpliFire has dual ¼ & XLR stereo outs for running directly into a mixer or audio interface. There’s also a mono/stereo effects loop for placing delay, reverb, or modulation pedals between its virtual pre & power amps. And the AmpliFire having its own onboard effects means it can replace redundant pedals on your pedalboard if you need it to. The AmpliFire’s 3 foot-switches are fully programmable and can be used for activating a boost, engaging onboard effects, or even activating the effects loop, among other things. Full MIDI implementation means you can use it from a MIDI compatible effects switcher as well, so you can change AmpliFire’s amps & onboard effects along with external guitar pedals all at once.
AmpliFire originally started with 10 amp models, but Atomic have already been rolling out software updates with more, including an awesome Friedman BE-100 inspired model that’s a great Marshall Plexi alternative. You can mix & match cabs and load 3rd party speaker impulses for more customization. Also, more guitar effects including a quad-tap delay are on the way. Atomic’s commitment to advancing this already great product through continuous software development is what really impressed me and makes the AmpliFire worthy of consideration. It’s become a staple of my grab’n’go gig rig.
The Next Level? Just keep giving us software updates with more amps, more effects, and maybe more options for bank/preset selection from the foot-switches. A larger screen for easier effect editing would be helpful if there’s ever a hardware update.
Builder: Xotic Effects, Pedal: EP Booster, Effect Type: Boost Pedal
The Echoplex EP-3 become as highly regarded for its preamp as its delay echo tones after guitarists such as Jimmy Page, Eddie Van Halen, and later Eric Johnson among others took notice of the tone-enhancing effects the Echoplex’s preamp had on their overall sound. The Xotic EP Booster has been the most successful attempt at recapturing the vibe of plugging into an EP-3 for its tonal magic. I’d say there’s arguments to be made for just how accurately it reproduces the sound of a given vintage example of an EP-3, but regardless, modern guitarists have decided by and large that the EP Booster is something special in its own right.
In addition to providing up to 20dB of boost via the single knob, there’s an internal dip-switch for lowering the minimum boost from 3dB down to 0dB if you just want some magic sprinkled on your guitar tone without a signal boost. You can also activate a “Vintage” mode which cuts a little high-end for what some guitarists argue is a more authentic Echoplex preamp style sound. The EP Booster is a definite modern classic guitar pedal.
The Next Level? Come on, Xotic Effects, give us a version with at least the “Vintage” mode accessible via an external flip-switch. That would be worth paying a few extra bucks for.
Read the Xotic EP Booster review.
EarthQuaker Devices Afterneath
Builder: EarthQuaker Devices, Pedal: Afterneath, Effect Type: Reverb
The Afterneath is one of the best EarthQuaker Devices pedals and one of the most unique reverbs ever devised. The Drag knob controls the spread of a bunch of short delays, creating stuttering, “pingy” effects. Turning this knob while letting notes and chords sustain creates mind-warping sounds that must be experienced to be understood. Well, you still may not fully comprehend what you’re hearing, but few would deny that the sounds of the Afterneath are indeed awesome. You can Diffuse and smear out the tones and Dampen the reverb for darker sounds. Pushing up the Reflect will make it oscillate into an endless expanse of reverb. One of EQD’s crowning achievements so far.
The Next Level? The limitations of the reverb chip used disallows expression pedal Drag control, but if that could somehow happen, more amazingness would ensue.
Read the EarthQuaker Devices Afterneath review.
Morley Steve Vai’s Bad Horsie 2 Contour Wah
Builder: Morley, Pedal: Bad Horsie 2, Effect Type: Wah
It doesn’t get more modern than optical & switchless. If you’ve had an old wah get worn-out pots, this may be the wah for you. If you hate not being sure if you’ve clicked the wah on or off, again, this may be the wah for you. I’ve been a long-time fan of Morley’s wah pedals with the Bad Horsie 2, Mark Tremonti Wah, & Maverick being solid contenders, especially for live performance. I gravitate towards the bigger units for “lively” stage shows although you can get by on the smaller Maverick if you have a cramped board or don’t move much on stage. Between the Tremonti & the Vai, I don’t just recommend the Vai model over the Tremonti because I’m more of a Vai guy; it’s the expanded options that edge the Bad Horsie 2 as the winner in Morley’s lineup.
The default Bad Horsie 2 wah sound is voiced to the maestro, Steve Vai’s tonal preference. If you want to carve out your own sound, the pedal gives you an extra foot-switch that activates the Contour Wah mode with dedicated Contour & Level knobs for dialing in the tone and loudness.
Also, just in case you’re not sold on the whole “Optical Is Better” spiel, and want classic pot-based wah tone, Morley just upgraded their line-up with the M2 pot-based switchless wahs. Will keep you posted if one of them can top the Bad Horsie 2.
The Next Level? The only possible issues would be tone or size related, but Morley has several wahs that sound different and are smaller if your needs call for something else.
Pigtronix Infinity Looper
Builder: Pigtronix, Pedal: Infinity Looper, Effect: Looper Pedal
The Pigtronix Infinity Looper was groundbreaking when it first came on the scene several years ago, and it’s still one of the best looper guitar pedals available. What makes it so enduring? Forget the marketing hype. The bottom line is that the Infinity Looper gives you two sync-able stereo recording loops with no noticeable latency and sounds immaculate thanks to its pristine 24-bit / 48kHz high-definition sound quality. The sound quality alone puts Infinity in a class of its own. You also get the expected Reverse mode and a unique “Stutter” mode for glitchy fun. Varispeed allows you to play back loops in half-time or double-time. You can also store 50 presets (100 Loops!) and export HD audio via USB. I’m a big advocate for MIDI integration, and Pigtronix made great effort to allow complete external MIDI control and MIDI clock syncing with quantizing for using Infinity Looper with a DAW such as Ableton Live. That’s not even scratching the surface. And big props to Pigtronix for consistently improving the Infinity Looper via firmware updates, a testament to their commitment to excellence.
The Next Level? Individual MIDI CC control for Record, Overdub, Play, & Stop functions on both loops that override the “Infinity Rules” would make sequencing via DAW or playing with an external MIDI controller much more intuitive.
Builder: J.Rockett, Pedal: Archer, Effect Type: Overdrive/Boost
The Klon Centaur is a modern legend regardless of the hype or if it suits your particular guitar playing style. Its mild overdrive tones and great clean boosting give the Centaur some very desired sounds in conjunction with the right guitar and amp. The J.Rockett Archer gets pretty darn close to sounding like an actual Klon Centaur. J.Rockett worked with Klon designer, Bill Finnegan, when he was initially setting out to build the Klon KTR Overdrive, the Centaur’s successor. When the partnership ended J.Rockett decided to create what some consider the ultimate “Klone”.
The differences between this unit, the Archer “iKon”, KTR, Wampler Tumnus, an actual Gold or Silver Centaur, and even the EHX Soul Food along with any other reasonably accurate Klone aren’t “apples to oranges” – it’s more like comparing Granny Smith apples to red delicious or Fuji apples. Ultimately, if you’re that sensitive about your tone, you may need to try a few variations of this “iKonic” circuit to pick the one you like best. Either way, it’s hard for most sensible guitarists to argue that the second-hand Centaurs on eBay are worth their inflated prices in comparison to the strikingly similar tones you can achieve for far less with the Archer.
The Archer gets listed here over other Klones for its spec-accurate (and compulsively response measured) circuit, very Klon-ish tones, and its efficient design with top-mounted jacks.
The Next Level? Give us a flip-switch for Silver & Gold “iKon” diodes in a single pedal. While I like the sturdy steel enclosure, a lighter folded aluminum enclosure would be nice for minimizing weight on flight gig boards.
Read the J.Rockett Archer review.
Builder: Wampler, Pedal: Ego Compressor, Effect Type: Compression
The Wampler Ego Compressor is hands-down the best Ross Compressor/MXR Dyna Comp inspired comp I’ve heard. It wins for 2 reasons. It’s incredibly low-noise, surprising for an OTA style comp. And the Tone knob & Blend help to create a sense of transparency, more so than with most other MXR/Ross style compressors. Wampler recently announced a Mini Ego Compressor that supposedly delivers the same great sounds in a smaller pedal enclosure, but many will still appreciate the greater control of the full-sized Ego along with the space-saving top-mounted jacks on the latest hardware update.
The Next Level? Since the Ego Compressor doesn’t use “smart” true relay bypass, I tend to always grab either the Xotic SP Compressor or equally quiet Free The Tone Silky Comp instead. Really wish Wampler would update their relays to make their pedals more effects switcher friendly.
Read the Wampler Ego Compressor review.
Builder: Menatone, Pedal: The King., Effect Type: Overdrive/Distortion
Menatone is one of the more surprisingly obscure boutique pedal builders out there although Mr. Brian Mena has been on the scene for 20 years building point-to-point wired classics such as the Red Snapper, Workingman’s Blue Overdrive, and King of the Britains. Utilizing a new through-hole design to alleviate costs, Menatone’s The King. is arguably the current pinnacle of Brian’s Marshall inspired dirt pedals. (Yes, that’s “The King *period*”)
6 knobs give you a wide range of tonal variation with the Drive & Gain being essential to dialing in cleaner JTM45 inspired clean and bluesy tones to Plexi crunch and more modern high gain sounds. The internal trimmer and Modern/Vintage switch are also essential to tuning this pedal to suit single coils or humbuckers.
The Next Level? It would be handy if the internal controls were accessible without having to open the pedal.
Read The Menatone’s The King. review.
Builder: EHX, Pedal: Soul Food, Effect Type: Overdrive/Boost
Okay, one more “Klone”. The Electro Harmonix Soul Food is the company’s take on the famous (or infamous) Klon Centaur. While the mega hyped Klon sells for ludicrous amounts on the second-hand eBay market, the Soul Food produces a similar vein of sounds for a tiny fraction of the cost. This budget friendly pedal can be used for overdrive tones or simple clean boosting and even has optional buffering and true bypass modes. A great value and an important reminder that great tones can be found in affordable pedals.
The Next Level? Would love to see a premium “Made in NYC” version that uses boutique grade components while still priced within reason, the fine dining experience if you will. Come on, Mike Matthews, give us a second helping!
Read the EHX Soul Food review.
Pigtronix Keymaster
Builder: Pigtronix, Pedal: Keymaster, Pedal Type: Effects Loop
The Pigtronix Keymaster is a wildcard. It does a lot more than a guitarist may need it to, like impedance matching between all kinds of audio sources and letting you use microphones with guitar pedals. Okay, those things can actually be quite useful. But what’s really unique about this pedal is that it allows you to combine 2 guitar pedals or 2 separate chains of guitar pedals in parallel. This means you can blend 2 different effects on your pedalboard or 2 entirely different pedalboards full of pedals. I once spent an afternoon combining dozens of distortion, overdrive, and fuzz tones into all sorts of interesting hybrid dirt sounds. Imagine running 2 modulation pedals in parallel. Crazy potential here. Hook an expression pedal up to the Keymaster for maximum fun. There’s also a Series mode for letting it act as a simple dual effects loop switcher, but it’s really all about the Parallel mode. In Boost & Out Boost knobs let you adjust levels to compensate for lower volume effects.
The Next Level? It might be neat if the Crossfade knob could be controlled via CV & MIDI.
Strymon El Capistan dTape Delay
Builder: Strymon, Pedal: El Capistan, Effect Type: Delay
The Strymon El Capistan is notable for 2 primary reasons, and I’m not talking about the fact that its name is a portmanteau of El Capitan Beach, a Southern California locale, and a “capstan”, an essential component of a tape deck’s transport mechanism. No, ole El Cap has 2 other big things going for it. One, it’s one the best sounding emulations of tape echo you’ll find in a pedal or anywhere else, and two, it has tap tempo. It would be a mistake to understate how these two simple aspects of the El Capistan have changed the way guitarists achieve delay sounds reminiscent of real tape echo. No more cleaning tapes, rollers, spindles, and performing other maintenance to keep your tape echo machine running. Just get an El Capistan, and amaze your fellow guitar playing buddies when you invite them to the studio and do a double-blind test between your classic analog unit and this little pedal. And to be able to get the El Cap’s luscious tape echo repeats perfectly in time with your music via a few simple taps seals its reputation as an essential modern guitar pedal. Leave your real tape echo at home; gig and tour with El Capistan.
The Next Level? While Strymon does allow use of their favorite switch to recall a preset, I’d love to see MIDI integration if there’s ever a hardware update.
Read the Strymon El Capistan review.
Builder: Red Panda, Pedal: Particle, Effect Type: granular delay/pitch-shifter
Does it get more modern than the Red Panda Particle? Forget about tape echo, bucket brigade chips, and digital delays. The Particle chops your signal into bits and warps your guitar beyond recognition in the most beautiful and dissonant ways imaginable. Sure, it’s digital, so you can get a simple digital delay sound out of this little pedal. There’s also some cool reverse delay sounds in here. (Tip: use an expression pedal to switch between forwards and reverse delays!) But with all the crazy pitch-shifting possibilities and LFO modulated & random settings (in addition to plenty of other modes), the Particle is a must play for guitarists who like to tread new ground. And seriously, hook an expression pedal to this thing or get it into your modular synth rig via control voltage. Every noise making experimental musician needs to experience what this Red Panda Particle can do.
The Next Level? Presets & MIDI. That’s it. Make it happen, Red Panda! Maybe CV inputs for all knobs while we’re getting crazy.
Builder: JHS Pedals, Pedal: Muffuletta, Effect Type: Muff Fuzz
This is the pedal we all wish Electro Harmonix made years ago. Seriously, a whole collection of tones inspired by the Big Muff Pi’s most sought after incarnations, what fuzz loving guitarist wouldn’t want that? Luckily for gearheads, JHS & the wizard behind Cusack Music made this idea a reality.
The JHS Pedals Muffuletta is a veritable history lesson on the EHX Big Muff Pi. It delivers modes based on 5 legendary BMPs: the early Triangle Muff, the ’73 Ram’s Head Muff, the late 70’s “Pi” Muff, the Civil War era Muff, & the Russian Muff. JHS even included their own new take on the Muff circuit. People talk about cloning like it’s a dirty word, and JHS Pedals has a received a lot of criticism over the years for copying circuits. But this is an example of how to do it right. Make something inspired the originals, but present it in an all-new form.
The Next Level? The Muffuletta is great the way it is, but wouldn’t it be weird if EHX released their official take and sold it for 1/3 the price?
EarthQuaker Devices Bit Commander
Builder: EarthQuaker Devices, Pedal: Bit Commander, Effect Type: Guitar Synth/Octave
There’s no justification for not including the EarthQuaker Devices Bit Commander on this list. It doesn’t matter if we already have the Great Divide 2.0 on here. Every time I hear this pedal, its massive tones and sheer simplicity inspire me. If you ever catch EQD at NAMM, any other convention, or at their HQ in Akron, Ohio, check out one of the display pedalboards. Give this pedal a stomp, and it’ll always grab attention. But put it on your own board, and wield the massive, earthquaking power yourself to wreck havoc upon your band’s own audiences.
While the Bit Commander gives you heavy -1 & -2 octave options, it also has a mean octave up, and the Base tone is squared for a more aggressive sound. A Filter tames it, but you may not want to. And I’ve gotta mention, this is my personal favorite all EarthQuaker Devices pedals.
The Next Level? I dream of a version of this pedal with a CV controllable LPF section.
Builder: Free The Tone, Pedal: FT-1Y, Effect Type: Digital Delay
The Free The Tone Flight Time quickly grabs attention thanks to its Back To The Future “DeLorean” interface. That’s right, no knobs, all buttons. But it’s what’s under the hood that makes the real difference, and the Flight Time gives you some of the most articulate and customizable digital delays you’ll ever hear. Maybe that’s why Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour added 2 of these pedals to his live rig.
Among the noteworthy features are the expected Tap Tempo & plenty of subdivisions. There are also high & low pass filters that let you fully contour the tonality of your delays. Modulation is present with tweak-able Rate & Depth. There’s also an Offset parameter that lets you adjust the fine timing of the delays for a more rushed or laid-back feel. And the Flight Time’s unique BPM Analyzer option will make real-time adjustments to its tempo if your drummer’s groove speeds up or slows down a little. Yes, it surprisingly seems to work pretty well. I’m a big fan of the MIDI implementation and automating the Hold function for stuttering glitch effects. And of course there are 99 preset slots to save & recall your delay sounds. Optional Spillover is savable per preset, too.
The Next Level? Just make it stereo and maybe include some unique panning options.
Read the Free The Tone Flight Time review.
Builder: Xotic Effects, Pedal: SP Compressor, Effect Type: Guitar Compressor
This pedal is a gem. The Xotic SP Compressor is one of the best “always on” compressors you’ll find for adding a little squash and even-ness to your sound. It’s also one of the more minimally colored Ross-style compressors. There’s dip-switches inside for further tweaking the sound and feel of the compression, and the flip-switch on the outside gives you 3 different levels of compression. The value for money is certainly worth mentioning, but I think Xotic could’ve charged at leave $20 more for it, and the SP Compressor would still be a great value.
The Next Level? I’d like to see the flip-switch on the top replaced with a variable mini-knob. Maybe add some premium components to reduce the noise floor even further.
Read the Xotic SP Compressor review.
Source Audio Programmable EQ
Builder: Source Audio, Pedal: Programmable EQ, Effect Type: EQ
The the Reflex Universal Expression Controller, the Source Audio Programmable EQ is a utility pedal, only an EQ is technically an effect and can have considerable influence on your tone and overall sound. It provides easy access to 7 EQ bands including 125Hz, 250Hz, 500Hz, 1K, 2K, 4K, & 8K. An optional extra band for 62Hz give you additional low-end flexibility, particularly useful for bassists.
A big draw is the fact that the Programmable EQ gives you access to 4 presets. This lets you shape your sound around certain songs or different guitars. There’s also a MIDI input for selecting presets via MIDI, activating/bypassing the pedal, or even directly controlling parameters. An Output mini-knob lets you apply additional clean volume boost if necessary. The Programmable EQ could essentially be your ultimately boost pedal for carefully defining the frequencies that interactive your amp when you push it into overdrive.
Also, if Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour added 2 Programmable EQ pedals to this live rig, you know it’s gotta be good.
The Next Level? More presets & more EQ bands!
Black Arts Toneworks Pharaoh Supreme
Builder: Black Arts Toneworks, Pedal: Pharaoh Supreme, Effect Type: Fuzz
The original Pharaoh fuzz was a big, wooly, Muffish fuzz pedal with a serious stone rock and doom metal vibe. The Pharaoh Supreme kicked it up a notch with a variable Input control replacing the Pharaoh’s Hi/Lo switch. It also gives you 6 different clipping options, dwarfing the Pharaoh’s 2 options. It’s a big mean fuzz with tonal presence throughout the frequency spectrum. Even if you boost the highs, the Pharaoh Supreme still lets you beef up the low-end. The full mid-range is another hallmark of this pedal. It’s the ultimate version of the signature offering from Black Arts Toneworks, and it’s the kind of modern guitar pedal that offers way more flexibility than your old 2-knob fuzz pedal.
The Next Level? The more I play this pedal, I do find myself wanting even more mid-range control and a way to tighten up the lows even more.
Eventide Space
Builder: Eventide, Pedal: Space, Effect Type: Reverb
Space – the final frontier in multi-algorithm reverb pedals. The Eventide Space sought to boldly go where no pedal has gone before. While the Eventide H9 includes all of Space’s algorithms (including the new H9 exclusive SpaceTime reverb delay), this pedal still gets special mention because it’s just that good.
After the success of the Eventide TimeFactor, PitchFactor, & ModFactor, reverb was obviously one of the next effects arenas to conquer. But Eventide pushed the boundaries of their “Factor” platform, dropping that word from the name and adding a bigger, easier to navigate digital display. It’s all about the incredibly high-quality sound reverbs, many of which were derived Eventide’s acclaimed rack processors. And there’s one included effect that’s a real standout: BlackHole. This effect puts your guitar (or any source material) in a sonic vacuum and must be heard to be appreciated.
I could argue against the H9, considering it relies heavily on an app for in-depth control. The Space remains crucial due to its intuitive interface and tactile hands-on control on your pedalboard or in the studio. The Space is definitely one of the “big 3” of the best reverb pedals around, and until Eventide releases a BlackHole plugin, some studio engineers will keep one of these pedals on hand for external processing.
The Next Level? Eventide has already gone there in a lot of ways with the H9. I’m imagining a future platform with all the effects of H9 (including Space) and their famous rack units – everything! – with more tactile knob control like the Space.
Electro Harmonix Glove
Builder: Electro Harmonix, Pedal: Glove, Effect Type: Overdrive
It’s no secret that the Electro Harmonix Glove is this builder’s take on the classic Fulltone OCD. But the Glove is half the price and sounds arguably as good, although maybe a little darker or warmer. The Glove overdrive sports a simple 3 knob layout of Gain, Tone, & Vol. The Tone is a high end rolloff. The Gain is versatile enough to allow the Glove to function as a boost when set to minimum. Pushing the Gain higher brings in a mild to medium crunch. Taking it past noon brings is a hot-rodded distortion that instantly adds a second channel to any clean amp.
The Shift switch takes your tone from a flatter sound to having a bit more presence in the mids and upper mids. The Shift also works well for helping maintain brightness with cleaner settings. Be sure to open the pedal and try flipping the Internal Voltage Switch. This bumps up the voltage from 9 to 18 volts (be sure to use only a 9-volt power supply) and gives you a more open, less compressed sound. A lot of versatility for a very reasonable price makes the EHX Glove a worthy consideration for budget minded guitarists.
Next Level? I think guitarists would be willing to pay a little extra for a premium “Made In NYC” version.
Diamond Compressor (Series)
Builder: Diamond Pedals, Pedals: CPR1, CPR-JR, CPR-SL, Effect Type: Guitar Compressor
The Diamond Compressor is one of the most noteworthy pedals to come from this Canadian builder. The idea was to make a “channel strip” for a guitar with studio grade optical compression, EQing, and Level adjustment. The original Diamond Compressor was a success and won over the hearts of guitarists. Then they wanted it smaller, so the Diamond Comp Jr was made. It captures a similar sound & feel of the larger version but in a compact pedal with top-mounted jacks. Diamond also once released a Comp SE, a special edition with premium components. The Compressor SL is the production version of that pedal with similar components and the regular wiring of the original Diamond Compressor. Which should you get? Most guitarists like the way the original and JR slightly enhance your guitar sound; I prefer the more transparent sound of the SL. The choice is yours.
The Next Level? The next level is enlightenment. They are already perfect. Well, maybe top-mounted jacks on the bigger units.
Keeley Electronics 30ms Double Tracker
Builder: Keeley Electronics, Pedal: 30ms Double Tracker, Effect Types: Double Tracker/Chorus/Reverb
The Keeley Electronics 30ms Double Tracker is an exceptionally special pedal. It’s all about capturing the vibe of classic double-tracking techniques used in the studio and having them on your pedalboard.
The 30ms Double Tracker gives you 3 modes: Dimension, Abbey Mode, & Slapback. Dimension is a chorusing effect with 2 voices that are tuned with the Tuning knob. The Abbey mode adds a modulation that’s inspiring by a tape machine. The Slapback mode extends the Time to 30ms-120ms. In all 3 modes the Reverb knob adds ambience inspired by a 1960’s chamber reverb.
The biggest draw is probably the Double Tracking Pro Mode, accessed via an internal dip-switch. This changes the control layout to give you individual tuning control over the 2 double tracked voices. It sounds good, very good. You can even use a TRS cable on the pedal’s output to achieve lush stereo double-tracking. You’ve gotta play this pedal if you dig gorgeous clean, chorused or double tracked guitar. Definitely a modern classic.
The Next Level? Will let you know if I think of anything. Maybe a second output to make stereo operation a little easier to use.
That concludes our roundup of the Top 75 Best Modern Guitar Pedals currently available. If there are some effects pedals that you think should be included in a future update, please let us know in the comments.
Gabriel Tanaka
COMMENTS
Johne321
April 6, 2019 at 11:11 pm
You are my inspiration , I have few web logs and very sporadically run out from to brand. ecddceaedgba
Chet
March 25, 2019 at 12:35 pm
Amazing! Its really awesome article, I have got much clear
idea concerning from this paragraph.Paul Ewing
December 2, 2018 at 8:42 am
The depth of the reviews are stellar but pedals are missing that my opinion blow some of your choices out the water!
For one …Surprise Sound Lab HVO an overdrive that uses 9 volts boosted up to 250 v and indistinguishable to the sound of gourmet preamp in a gourmet amp. It’s gain is variable from low to high.
The headroom is unreal. The transient response is instant so the attack is instant which not only gives you killer definition it connects the ‘feel’ of playing thru it as immediate as an acoustic instrument!!!Pedals like PIOD Effects RAZOR from the Ukraine, TRITONLAB Labyrinth from Estonia, Dawner Prince Red Rox from Croatia are all European pedals from countrys making one or more pedals that are so good they hit you immediately when hearing them.I was ordering the Red Rox as the demo was still playing and when I got it I found that the sustain was the longest of any OD I have or had (I have and use 20 ..and live too) There are mind blowers from South america too….the US and Japan make great pedals but where is the remainder of the world. If the listings here were cars the Ferrari would be missed.
Alejandro
June 6, 2018 at 7:40 am
This list needs an urgent update. Some of these pedals no longer exist. (Spaceman Orion and Dwarfcraft Twin Stags, for example)
Joseph Joestar
April 9, 2018 at 5:09 am
I think this list needs an upgrade.
What do you think about tremolo and new phasers of Subdecay?
Evgenii K.
December 18, 2016 at 8:53 pm
Hi! It’s me again xD I like that you had updated this list! Good choices btw.
Parnell Fredrickson
October 1, 2016 at 5:17 am
nice
Nils
October 1, 2016 at 1:03 am
Good list!
Sean Dyer
October 1, 2016 at 12:45 am
That’s a great list. We’re so spoiled these days – most pedals have a great sound and tone it’s just choosing what fits.
For me the H9 is the most outstanding release of the decade though. It’s going to change the game over time I just think everyone is years behind!
Michael Best
September 30, 2016 at 10:31 pm
Tone, like taste, is a highly individual (and delicious!) journey. Some pedals are a necessary step along the path of discovery; some are a revelatory experience, helping to express exactly what is required for that moment in time; and even fewer still feel like they become instantly essential to the expression of my art. These pedals call for new songs to be created, new melodic pathways to be discovered and do so with a playful effortlessness that is addictive. Discovering these pedals feels like finding a musical companion that understands what I’m trying to do and helps me express with more power, drama and sincerity than I ever thought possible. With the sheer number of available options, finding pedals that fit in the last category may seem like searching for a needle in a haystack.
But on the other hand, what haystack is more fun than this?
Henry Gale
September 30, 2016 at 9:31 pm
The harmoniser with delay and reverb would be awesome!
HYUN IL KIM
September 30, 2016 at 7:27 pm
Definitely would love to get my hands on a few of those reverb pedals!
Jim
September 30, 2016 at 7:11 pm
I’d love any of these pedals
Justin applegate
September 30, 2016 at 7:08 pm
I cannot get enough (videos ) about the Keeley compressor! That pedal seems to be just what I need. One day I hope to own one. Haha. One pedal I cannot live without and probably doesn’t add up to the goodness on this list , but I love my BBE Sonic Stomp… Boosts my tone to where I want it:) I couldn’t play without it :):):) if there is something better out there though….. I’m all ears;)
The Dude
September 30, 2016 at 6:14 pm
These would really tie the room together.
Matt Gerken
September 30, 2016 at 5:42 pm
My favorite modern guitar pedal is the Chase Bliss Audio Gravitas. Unbelievable range of sounds from a tremolo pedal. The tweakability is just wild, I have owned the pedal for about 6 months now and I still am figuring out different sounds from the thing. On top of that it’s packed into your standard stomp box case.
Bruce Rainier
September 30, 2016 at 5:30 pm
Wow Best Guitar Effects always has the best reviews to go along with their Giveaways. The best place to learn about my favorite toys, One of my faves is an old Electro Harmonix fuzz wah volume pedal that a friend gave me. would love to read a review of that pedal.
Tyler Ott
September 30, 2016 at 5:29 pm
This is a great list. I bought a Cali compressor based on the reviews of bestguitareffects. I was so happy with it, I grabbed a big box SlideRig too. The Effectrode PC2-A is catching my eye… so many pedals on this list that are high on my own personal list as well. Great article for tonehounds!!
nick duba
September 30, 2016 at 5:14 pm
Favorite pedal that I own is probably my chase bliss womb tone. But I can’t help lusting after the strymon deco. I am also super impressed with earthquaker devices, so practical and creative!
Jang-Woo Park
September 30, 2016 at 5:12 pm
I only have 12 of them. Still long way to go 🙂
Marshall Chaney
September 30, 2016 at 5:10 pm
This list really does represent a lot of creative Innovation and effects pedals that just hasn’t been there until recently. I definitely want to try some of these out just based on the info here
J R
September 30, 2016 at 5:00 pm
In all seriousness,
the combo of Chase Bliss: Tonal Recall and Spectre with the EQD Afterneath. Unbelievable.First time I used the 3 of them together it was like a kid’s first experience going into chuck e cheez. So many noises and weird things you have no idea what they are. Then 4 hours goes by and you’re like, even though this is creepy i dig it i dig it. The best
Ken FLood
September 30, 2016 at 8:33 am
To this list I would add to a neunaber expanse series pedals with the exp controller. The reverbs are fantastic; the modulations are under-praised but brilliant also – love the phaser and flanger. I’d also add the pigtronix echolution 2 to the list. Both these pedals are doing their own thing and not trying to copy a particular vintage sound – a good definition of a “modern” pedal. Put them together in stereo and you are in sonic heaven.
Kurt Loewen
September 29, 2016 at 11:12 pm
MXRCARBONCOPY4LYFE.
Clark Yost
September 29, 2016 at 11:38 am
So many pedals that I like here. Strymon is an adventure!
Jan Carr
September 29, 2016 at 10:40 am
Strymon’s Timeline has to be the best pedal(not only as a delay) but best pedal of all time!!!!!!!
Roberto Burgos
September 29, 2016 at 8:59 am
I own an Empress Compressor that I was fortunate to buy off of a co-worker for a really good price, and it has become my “always on” effect on my pedal board. Man, this thing is clean, responsive, smooth, and what a difference it makes to the overall guitar tone and performance. The biggest plus for me aside from all the control you get is the wet/dry knob that allows me to blend the dry signal with the compress signal for an even more natural sound. My only gripe is that, being so good that it could be used for other purposes other than guitar, that it only has a mono in and out.
Andy
September 28, 2016 at 5:22 pm
Man, this is a cool list! I’ve never seen those Chase Bliss or Dr. Scientist pedals before, they look wicked. I like lots of buttons 🙂 I’m really trying to come up with pedals that I miss here, but I think you covered most of the cool stuff that came out recently
Mike Hilliker
September 27, 2016 at 11:00 am
I’ve got lots of mixing experience but have only been listening/learning about pedals for the last couple of years. Really love a couple of multi-purpose pedals on my board and figured I’d contribute a little something.
Strymon FLINT (Verb/Trem)
Great multipurpose pedal that really creates some feel and is an inspiring pedal. It’ll will literally change how you play as you’re listening to it’s effect on your sound.Boss DD20 (Delay)
Awesome delay that requires a little bit of manual reading to get the most use out of it but great if you work with bpm’s a lot.JHS Prestige (Boost or Buffer/enhancer)
Adds a little extra and preserves the top end. As you boost, can give a good overdrive effect as well if you want a flexible pedal to mess with in different places on your board.EHX Micro Pog
Awesome organ or octave effects. I use this with guitars and also with violin as a cello effect. The tracking is amazing and I will never sell this pedal. Can’t ever imagine finding a better pedal for my purposes.Just a few thoughts…
Jacob Maggart
September 27, 2016 at 7:53 am
Awesome list!
Didie
September 26, 2016 at 11:59 pm
Thanks for these reviews. It just add more to my wishlist 🙂
James H
September 26, 2016 at 9:51 pm
Glad to see this list include a bunch of pedals that aren’t necessarily subtle. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good “transparent” drive that can boost your guitar and amp juuuust right, or a nice simple analog delay to add a bit of thickness and ambience, but I also love making my guitar sound nothing like a guitar. Wacky pedals, extreme settings, destroying the signal beyond recognition, making people turn their heads in search of whatever instrument is capable of making those sounds… that’s what I like.
Also, somebody looked at my pedalboard this weekend and asked what I would use if I could only use one… I pointed to my tuner and he laughed. So, I’m glad a quality tuner made this list.
Gokhan Macal
September 25, 2016 at 10:53 pm
Hello there,
Thank you. You helped me a lot while choosing my pedals. Always stay independent!
Andrii Dmytrenko
September 25, 2016 at 1:00 pm
Hi!
My name is Andrii and i’m from Ukraine.
Guitar effects in our country are very expensive and unfortunately we don’t have our national guitar effect producer 😉
I play on my Ibanez acoustic guitar with nylon strings, it has 2 outputs: one I use like standard output and second one I use like SUPRESSOR – I just put it in my boots and in this way i remove the extra feedback and noise by grounding electricity. So in my pedalboard the best guitar effect is my body 😉
There are many amazing pedals in this list! I got many new information-thank you!Slawomir Bilanicz
September 24, 2016 at 1:11 pm
Consistently I come across the Big Muff as a great pedal and also, the Tube Screamer in commentaries and ratings. I enjoy big, heavy sounds in music and would likely buy either based on their laurels. That said, I am not in a position to do so and like the idea of winning a pedal to drive forward my musical experimentation and creativity. Please consider this entry as a way to make a humble musician’s life a little better. Thank you and have a nice day.
Infernocraft
September 24, 2016 at 9:20 am
Thanks for these pedal ideas ! 😉
I specially like the design of the Dr. Scientist BitQuest , very uncommon.brian
September 24, 2016 at 8:27 am
Salivating. So many of these are on my highly unrealistic wish list. Make my dreams com true.
Masato Tachi
September 24, 2016 at 8:01 am
Too many great pedals to buy, too little money to afford…
Emily
September 23, 2016 at 1:16 pm
Sick article!
Marc Brule
September 23, 2016 at 4:48 am
Father-son pedal envy:
It all started when I was a kid. My brother played in a band and built his own guitar amp. He was 14 and I was 5. It was 1968. I started playing in a band as a teenager with his LesPaul and his home made amp. It performed well — but was limited. Got in the gear game when rack mounted gear was all the rage.
Now, the pedals easily outperform the rack gear of the 80’s. How things have changed. My son, also a guitar player, has a pedal board that would rival most. I drool evenly out of both sides of my mouth (as the guitarist joke goes) when I see his board. Whatever pedal I have, he has a higher end one. How many dads are out there celebrating their own kid’s success while internally wishing they had the same gear?
Not that I’m trying to pedal a sad story (cue groan). I would just like to stomp on his ego a bit. That would help keep in him line and buffer some of the emotional pain I have from seeing how ‘board’ he is with my gear. The demeaning tone of his voice reverberates in my mind. Such a distorted view! Again, not trying to overdrive my point, but at this phase of life, he should get a sample of my experience and see if it drives him loopy! So, without further delay…
I would love to deco-rate my board with the Strymon Deco.
Or, have one of the great Elements (Dr. Scientist). Even with an element as fancy as Palladium (Seymour Duncan).
And if this post even-tide (H9) with another, that would be great!And with all these puns it’s enough to make a groan man cry! Mwahahaha!
Kamil Tomek
September 23, 2016 at 1:51 am
Please, let me win DigiTech Whammy V, Dr. Scientist BitQuest or any other whacky pedals so I can enhance this world with godly crazy music. For your effort, I promise my bass to be dropped hard on the newest CD of our band. It would be dropped as Flubber – jumping back up, smashing everything and making you fall in love with it.
And I would also send you one of the CDs.. 🙂
Jeff
September 22, 2016 at 12:08 pm
Have had the soul food for a few months now and I absolutely love it. My favorite drive pedal so far. I have also used the h9 extensively and it is by far the best multi effects processor available. Eventides sounds are incredible and it’s very easy to use when you get the hang of it.
Tammy
September 22, 2016 at 6:41 am
I have to be honest. I don’t play the guitar or any other instrument. My husband plays a guitar. He has one pedal that he says is a fuzz pedal. He has a lot of fun with it. But, I think he needs to branch out a little and get some other pedals. So he told me to come to this site and tell him what to get. I still don’t know what I am looking at. I watched your video about the Eventide H9. I would like my husband to sound like Gabriel for Best Guitar Effects playing the guitar with this pedal. I told my husband this and he said I would have to win this pedal and practice a lot to sound like him. So, please consider my entry for this pedal. I need to have more in my life than a lot of fuzz.
Ryan Carbary
September 21, 2016 at 11:50 pm
Great stuff. Love the EP boost.
Chrisian Varner
September 21, 2016 at 11:44 am
I love everyone of these pedals. I think that one missing is the Xotic effects Paramount EM drive. It’s nice has a crisp clean crunch.
Rich
September 21, 2016 at 10:48 am
Hey, I just found your site. Just started playing guitar recently and was searching for pedals to help me get “That Sound”. That’s when I found your site. Thanks for all the great reviews and I especially like the videos…Since visiting your site and researching various pedals, I bought my first pedal off of eBay: The Electro Harmonix Soul Food pedal. I plan on adding a new pedal each month to my fledgling rig and bestguitareffects.com will be my go-to source for info 🙂 Keep up the good work.
Greg
September 21, 2016 at 9:54 am
You should check out the Hudson Electronics Broadcast and Earthquaker Devices Nightwire – both awesome pedals.
Damian
September 21, 2016 at 8:09 am
Good write up. Thanks!
Jose Aybar Martinez
September 21, 2016 at 7:49 am
I was searching information about Strymon timeline and voila! Found this page I feel in parafise … some strymon for all your prooblems
Christopher C.
September 20, 2016 at 11:54 pm
Nice list! Now make it 51… the Bondi Sick As is one of the best overdrives out there.
Candy Rendon
September 20, 2016 at 7:21 pm
The ZVex Fuzz Factory 7, Xotic RC Booster, Warped Vinyl MKII, and Xotic EP Booster pedals just made my list, thanks to your reviews. Thx for the updates, I’m glad to find your site and reviews.
Josh
September 20, 2016 at 3:58 pm
Source audio nemesis looks awesome
Joe Youkers
September 20, 2016 at 10:08 am
So I unfortunately got to the guitar scene later then I wish I had (27 years old). When my motorcycle was stolen last year, I replaced that hobby with electric guitar. I’ve always wanted to learn, but my family wasn’t/isn’t musically inclined to say the least. I struggled for a while trying to master little techniques and things here and there before actually trying to learn licks and parts of songs.
When I wasn’t playing, I was focused on my normal over-the-top OCD style of research. I would read articles for hours trying to understand anything/everything that is electric guitar. The one thing that was really hard for me to learn was electric guitar pedals. I’m talking what does each do? What order do they go in? Which can be used with which? How many is too much? How do you power them? What type of cables do I need? What do all the knobs on each pedal do? How the heck do you do the “pedal dance”? What is a pedalboard loop? What is an amp effects loop?
I was instantly overwhelmed with questions that weren’t answered for months. I eventually went out and purchased a Boss GT-100 multi-effects board. It has a very steep initial learning curve, but once you get used to navigating around in it, it’s not bad. I learned how to set it up with my amps’s effects loop utilizing the 4-cable method. It helped me learn how changing pedal order could effectively change the tone/sound. I started tweaking to my hearts desire until I found cool combinations I liked and saved them as patches.
I’ve now been playing for a year now and I’m getting the itch to get my first real guitar pedal, but I’m not sure where to start. I really like spacey-sounds and have been eyeing the Chase Bliss Audio Spectre pedal. I could see myself noodling around with that for hours.
Magnus Christensen
September 20, 2016 at 5:56 am
Really would like a couple of these on my board
Louisin
September 20, 2016 at 3:33 am
Subscribed and liked. Love your coverage on the more obscure of the stompbox kingdom, now it’s time for you to give me one of ’em!
dotan bergman
September 20, 2016 at 12:34 am
POG and TimeLine are pretty damn crazy
Tom Doyle
September 19, 2016 at 10:13 am
+1 for the TC Sub n Up – tracks incredibly on bass and delving into the editor allows for some really synthy tones by driving the ‘up’ octave.
Hugely versatile and offers a lot of control in terms of octave levels and drive on those.
Don’t have a huge amount of use for the ‘sub 2’ but imagine that is great for guitar to get some real low end beef.Travis Alexander
September 18, 2016 at 6:59 pm
Strymon Timeline or Strymon BigSky!!! Or both!
Ben Brock
September 18, 2016 at 4:18 pm
As I have started to play at the church I attend and have quickly discovered that the little Zoom Mulit-Effects Pedal that I use isn’t going to cut it anymore. I have been looking into effects pedals for a few weeks now, but have been a little overwhelmed by all the pedals out there. I so grateful I stumbled across this page, it has been so helpful. I’m working on a tight budget like most people, but I would love an amazing delay pedal to add to the setup I have started to create. Thanks for all of hard work and care has been poured into this page, it’s awesome to see the passion for quality music here. There are some great reviews and references on here that has helped shape the ideas of what I need to continue in my build. Win or not, this page is an astounding wealth of knowledge and I will definitely be useing it as guide!
Jonny Taylor
September 18, 2016 at 4:06 pm
Lots of great pedals on this list – many of which I feel lucky to have in my collection (Strymon Timeline, Earthquaker Devices Palisades, Electro-Harmonix Pitch Fork, Xotic EP Booster). My personal top pick of all of them would be the Eventide H9 – such a versatile and expandable tool with stunning sounds, all in an incredibly compact package. I completely agree with your assessment that there is a real opportunity in the H9 for Eventide to add some really groundbreaking and/or unusual algorithms, and the idea of opening up the platform to outside developers would just take this pedal way over the top. I would also love to see them develop something like Positive Grid is doing with their Bias software: allowing users to customize their sounds on a component/modular level to create effects that have never been heard before. The possibilities seem endless with the H9, and I look forward to discovering new sounds with it for years to come!
One pedal I might add to this list: Disaster Area Designs’ SMARTClock. A utility pedal for sure, but one that I find indispensable for a rig that features several time-based effects (delay, tremolo, etc). The ability to sync multiple pedals (and pretty much any device with MIDI Clock or Tap Tempo capabilities) makes this pedal an extremely valuable tool for centralizing tempo control and creating some amazing rhythmic soundscapes.
Thimios Papakyriakopoulos
September 18, 2016 at 12:00 pm
Thanks for the indepth reviews of the best effects. Awesome site overall!
Jayvis Magno
September 18, 2016 at 5:29 am
I need these in my life.
marcin kalinowski
September 17, 2016 at 11:43 pm
there’s nothing like a new pedal in your rig. Looking forward to getting one, or two, or three, or….
Ken
September 17, 2016 at 11:02 pm
My favorite pedal was always the Electro-Harmonix Micro Synth. I used it on guitar to cover bass lines, and on a cheap little Casio synth to greatly expand its range of sounds.
D Hanson
September 17, 2016 at 6:56 pm
Xotic was one of my first boutique type of pedal. They create some of the best overdrives.
Simon Zion
September 17, 2016 at 2:36 pm
One more pedaljunkie looking for a free fix!
I’m a happy owner of a bunch of Fuzz/gain pedals, and Im fortunate to use both Timeline and bigskye, however some color and wackiness could be inspirational for composing on the next album, example rainbow machine. All the best and Cheers on a good list of pedals!Kevin Case
September 17, 2016 at 1:50 pm
Rocking
Mary: H9 lover
September 17, 2016 at 7:40 am
H9 harmonizer!!! Been eyeing you since 2014. Hope Best Guitar Effects will give me one. Thank you so much! #claimingit God bless 🙂
Mark
September 16, 2016 at 12:03 pm
Love this page – I can’t get enough!
I really need to save some $ for a Timeline!Daniel Pam
September 16, 2016 at 3:18 am
great review. I think though, a few pedals should be added… The Scarlet Love series pedals are really great ones. The V2 and V3 are VERY popular here in Australia They were designed by Nigel Hendroff from Hillsong Worship and made by the Effects pedal company, ‘Selah”. Such great pedals.
Jean LLerena
September 15, 2016 at 9:26 pm
Those Chase Bliss pedals are so damn pretty! a shoegarzer’s wet dream to stomp
Jereme badham
September 15, 2016 at 8:27 pm
I need an empress reverb in my life
Seth Horney
September 15, 2016 at 4:16 pm
Im all about some strymon!
Cody Rathman
September 15, 2016 at 1:46 pm
I have the Strymon Bigsky and the Ditto x4 on my board and I must say that I certainly agree on the choices made in this list! Many of these are on my wishlist.
Chris Brewer
September 15, 2016 at 12:26 pm
I think the biggest advance in modern pedals is the wide range of usable sounds. The best builders are expanding control and adding new stuff while keeping things fairly predictable (and sometimes predictably unpredictable). Strymon, for example, are pretty much nothing but great sounds, no matter how you set them.
The worst pedals have a great features list and endless options, but end up having one or two setting that are even a little bit usable.
I could get behind most of this list (even though I don’t like loopers and you have, criminally, left the EHX Deluxe Memory Boy off of the list).Nick
September 15, 2016 at 12:23 pm
My head is spinning
Gregorio Negri
September 15, 2016 at 10:52 am
WOW they are so beautiful i want alla the pedals in this list but i can’t buy this
Gabriel Hasser
September 15, 2016 at 8:23 am
Great choices! Surprised Strymon’s El Capistan didn’t make the cut!
Aaron Goldberg
September 15, 2016 at 7:53 am
It’s awesome to see so many newcomer pedal-makers sit along side many of the veterans. We really are living in the golden-age of effects with so many new pedal makers with really innovative circuits challenging the long time makers and its causing a lot of challenges to traditional designs in the best way!
I personally just have the EP Booster and the Archer on my board right now, and they are some of the best ever and definitely deserve their spot on this list.
Special shoutout to one of my personal favorite pedals to make it on the list, the Soul Food. I know sometimes there’s a lot of hype associated with all the Klones out there and its sound, but I truly love the tone the circuit imparts into a rig and with the Soul Food being one of them at the price point they go for, I recommend them to almost everyone who asks!
I can’t wait to get my hands on the Empress Reverb and a Warped Vinyl. I play mostly in church right now so I lean heavily toward washy and ambient sounds and these would be excellent additions.
I’m starting to build a second board for a band I’m beginning to play in as well for some old school Rock and I’m in the market for an excellent compressor and a fuzz that I may grab from this list! I may also grab an Afterneath while I’m at it. Definitely the most unique take on probably the oldest type of effect and I’ve yet to see anything like it that does its job so well.
Benjamin Burnette
September 14, 2016 at 8:38 pm
I must say, all the giveaway pedals are amazing, especially as a broke teenager who has considered selling organs on the black market (not human organs, that has been done before. I’m talking full on pipe organs, for cathedrals and stuff, which should give me a fairly unique space in the market). Okay, so maybe that last part was a joke, but in all seriousness the Spectre would be an amazing pedal to have, although they are all pretty great. With regards to the top 50 pedal list, I feel the need to say that I feel like Xotic is currently one of the best all around pedal companies. It just seems like everything they do is awesome. The EP booster is one of my favorite pedals.
Danny Slye
September 14, 2016 at 7:47 pm
I’ve been using The Sonic Research Turbo Tuner ST-200 for years now. It’s the perfect tuner. If it ever dies, I’ll get Sonic Research Turbo Tuner ST-300 or whatever Sonic Research is making
brandon ibe
September 14, 2016 at 1:34 pm
Just ordered a wampler Comp/Sus. Can’t wait for it to get here. Also, here for the giveaway XD
nick
September 14, 2016 at 12:15 pm
this giveaway is insane!
Dan Hall
September 14, 2016 at 11:54 am
There’s so much good stuff going on at the minute when it comes to pedals. People are improving on old classics with a modern and unique twist where as others are finding something g completely new and unique. The Chase Bliss Audio and Dr Scientist are the leaders in this for me. They are both coming out with unique sounding gear that inspires players to write in new ways and find sounds that you’ve never heard on record before.
The ones that are improving the classics for me are ThorpyFX and JHS and Catalinbread (even though they do some killer unique pedals like the discman). Thorpys take on the big muff is next level in both sound and build quality that I haven’t seen matched.September 14, 2016 at 11:37 am
This giveaway is insane!
I could finally build the board of my dreams.Bart
September 14, 2016 at 10:36 am
So, so many cool pedals in this list! I’d love to try an H9 to get started on controlling pedals via MIDI!
Drew
September 14, 2016 at 10:30 am
I have been really impressed with most of the pedals the TC Electronic has been putting out lately. This is a great article , and I see a lot of pedals on here that I would love to get my hands on.
joe vanmyers
September 14, 2016 at 8:52 am
Thank you for this invaluable guide to the last frontier of acoustic pioneering!
Ryan McRae
September 14, 2016 at 3:24 am
Strymon is the winner for me and hopefully Strymon will be a winner for me!
Kevin Grieco
September 14, 2016 at 1:26 am
2 tra questi pedli hanno sicuramente cambiato il mondo dell’effettistica: il Timeline della Strymon e lo Spectre di Chasse Bliss.
il Timeline ha portato all’apice il delay/eco per qualità e quantità, è la scelta sicura da fare quando si vuole un delay.
Lo Spectre invece ha completamente ridisegnato il mondo del Flanger, portano ad un livello mai visto prima.Oliver Jakl
September 14, 2016 at 12:56 am
There should definitely be some “Dr. No” mentions, because this guy builds his Pedals with all his heart and souls and they’re sounding insane! I own the “Evil Motherfuzzer” and it rocks!
Dlaiton Maculan
September 13, 2016 at 4:48 pm
Maybe you forgot the greatest pedal of all times: The Industrialelectric 4046-M.
Great List!Josh wambeke
September 13, 2016 at 4:19 pm
Awesome!
Scott
September 13, 2016 at 9:55 am
Great list!
September 13, 2016 at 8:52 am
Most of the time my “pedal board” consists of a Sonic Research Turbo Tuner ST-200. I’ve had it for years and I use it on every gig. If it ever dies, I will get a Sonic Research Turbo Tuner ST-300 or whatever Sonic Research has at the time.
ANDRE M
September 12, 2016 at 10:48 pm
Mind blowing
Jeremy Pittard
September 12, 2016 at 9:44 pm
I could definitely use a malekko scrutator in my life or a rainbow machine! Sooooo many pedals such little time/money
September 12, 2016 at 9:43 pm
If you are looking for a budget friendly nearly perfect Klon clone check alchemy audio out. They most the soul food up and it sounds nearly identical!
Alex Siniari
September 12, 2016 at 9:25 pm
Chase Bliss Warped Vinyl and Tonal Recall are right at the top of my list but I’m also thinking about and EQD Avalanche Run, which I’m surprised didn’t make this list. It’s a bit more musical than the Afterneath. I was also blown away by the demo of the Empress Reverb!
Devin Applegate
September 12, 2016 at 8:16 pm
If there is a pedal that I would like to see here, it’s the Friedman BE-OD. After hearing some of the demos, it seems to replicate a tube-amp sound really well. Also the Pro-series from Amptweaker are worth mentioning as they come with enough features to boggle the mind with sonic-possibilities.
Rick
September 12, 2016 at 1:54 pm
PEDAL BLUES …in the style of:
DEACON BLUES by STEELY DAN
This is the way to the triumphant pick
This board that I build
Cannot delay a lick
Oh, How can I repeat bass sounds
I have no Timeline
No Echo, no Deco
That Strymon’s not mineThat song is by Tool
[Chorus]
That echo is crazy keen
This one’s by Rush
The delay is like a dream
Some pedals I can rely
Some I lack and cannot buy
That Strymon’s so fine
My pedalboard needs a TimelineI have no way to make delay
I play just single sounds
Hearing echos in my head
And loops are out of bounds
You’ve got a game for the players on your site
And I’d like a pedal from you
It’s the Monthly Guitar Gear Giveaway time
I’ve got pedal blues (…pedal blues)Jared
September 12, 2016 at 1:10 pm
I love that after all these years, you’ll still find (a current iteration of) the Whammy pedal. Could be one of the best effects ever made, at least after the Talk Box!
It’s on my list, shortly after the Strymon Timeline and the Suhr Rufus Reloaded.
Great publication, highly informative and usable.
Chris Aguilar
September 12, 2016 at 11:19 am
I really want that EQD Afterneath. I need an out of this world reverb and it fits the bill! Plus, EQD is the most innovative pedal mfg. on the market.
George
September 12, 2016 at 7:38 am
After reading these reviews I’m thinking it might be time to get a bigger pedal board.
Tony Smith
September 12, 2016 at 3:44 am
Some great pedals in this list! I’m lucky enough to have a few on my board – Strymon DiG and Big Sky, EHX Pitch Fork…I’d really like to replace my Cry Baby with the Xotic Wah after hearing so many great reviews and add in an EP Boost, just because. If that’s ok?
Gerard
September 12, 2016 at 12:28 am
I want it
Jtblipp (Jason)
September 11, 2016 at 9:45 pm
I was glad to see Pigtronix in the line-up. Although I don’t own any of his pedals (yet)….Chase Bliss pedals have made a heavy hit in the accumulation of the Top 50 pedals. I think that is quite impressive and I look forward to seeing more of his work. In regard’s to Pigtronix…..I really dig the the Philosopher King pedal. The grouping/arrangement of features makes it a cool invention. Does anyone out there dig this pedal and if so, please share your settings!
Trench Lab
September 11, 2016 at 6:06 pm
I daily update my twitter and Facebook page with guitar and effects giveaways, just posted yours so I do hope I win something !!! Good luck to all
Zack Simpson
September 11, 2016 at 6:20 am
Digititech Whammy V is incredibly fun but I really need to get my hands on some of the earthquaker pedals!
Matt
September 11, 2016 at 5:50 am
The introductory disclaimer did not adequately explain the narrowness of this article. Chase Bliss and Strymon make fine gear, but listing much of their respective lineups (10 pedals total), while leaving out a huge range of great pedals, seems extremely myopic. Throw in two spots inexplicably given to Klones, and the top 50 list is missing an awful lot of entries. Nothing from Amptweaker, function f(x), Caroline Guitar Company, and so many others. Empress gets the Reverb (great pedal) on the list, but no mention of the very distinctive Multidrive. Tunnel vision, IMO.
Ali
September 11, 2016 at 5:04 am
Food fur thought there. Looking for a good boost and flanger, really glad I’ve found this site
Rachel
September 10, 2016 at 6:52 pm
There are definitely a few pedals on this list I’m dying to try!
I personally love MXR pedals – the MXR Phase 90 and the MXR Microamp are probably my top 2 on my pedalboard. Both give a nice something something without sacrificing the sweet warm tones from my SG’s Burstbuckers.Steven
September 10, 2016 at 11:43 am
I love the Dirty Little Secret! It gives such a variety of tone with lots of control yet it has a clean look and feel.
Bryan
September 10, 2016 at 10:35 am
Hey all!
A little over a year ago, I sold off my pedals due to a nasty car wreck I had. I wanted to make sure I had enough cash to replace my totaled car, and eventually did. Since then, I’ve bought the girl of my dreams a ring and have saved for a honeymoon, but have not replaced my board. As a bartender/college kid, you only have so much to go around I kept my two favorite guitars, but playing an acoustic is a far cry from what it feels like to play through beautiful pedals. I really, really miss it. I’ll eventually be able to rebuild my board, but being young and entering into marriage prohibits me from spending on pedals like I want to. If you all have any left that could help re-establish what I once had, that’d be a dream.
Thanks for considering me,
BryanRob
September 10, 2016 at 10:06 am
Loads of knowledge and is keeping me on my toes about pedals. My poor wallet but who cares when it’s food for the soul.
Brad
September 10, 2016 at 7:37 am
So many amazing pedals, so little money…
Richard Harries
September 10, 2016 at 5:54 am
i use a Boss distortion DS-1 simple but effective. I also use a Jim Dunlop Cry Baby Wah Wah pedal. I like the robust solid feel to it.
Would love to try some more up to date pedals but waiting for the boat to come in I guess.Noah
September 9, 2016 at 5:32 pm
BigSky is second to none!! Flip! I want one.
Arik Lemon
September 9, 2016 at 2:52 pm
I’m positive that DigiTech Whammy V pedal has my name engraved on the side.
Sashien
September 9, 2016 at 2:24 pm
But srsly if I win that Timeline or Palladium I would be so stoked!
September 9, 2016 at 2:21 pm
That Fuzz Factory 7 though!
Matt Call
September 9, 2016 at 11:13 am
Agreed – if Origin made a smaller Cali with a transformer… oh boy!
sean smith
September 9, 2016 at 10:31 am
Great list, can’t wait to try a few of these.
Craig Hrinda
September 9, 2016 at 9:30 am
After a 25+ year hiatus from playing guitar, I came back. Left a beginner, still a beginner. Figured I had disposable income (at least a little) so I could buy some good (decent enough) gear. I was wrong. Mid level guitar, budget effects. Good enough for the 16 year old me, the older me wants more. My playing is improving but my sound would be (might be?) better if I had more than Joyos, Donner, and Boss. I am amazed at technology today and the sound you can get. In the end, it comes down to the talent in the fingers and not the gear but damn I would love to test the theory by getting something better.
Josh Pike
September 9, 2016 at 6:44 am
There’s so many that I could put on the first board that I’m building. The eventide or Timeline…any worship music board needs a solid or should I say aiiiiiiirrry… sound that those are known for. The wampler ego is fantastic! That definitely deserves to be on there. They are putting some great stuff out! For the price point of Tonal Recall, it deserves to be up at the top. Got a buddy that uses it in every set. By far the BEST analog delay out there! As far as overdrives, I feel like either/both Walrus Audio Voyager and Mad Professor Little Green Wonder need to be on there. As far as tone, those have a raw crisp crunch to them without being too bitey. Actually surprised the RC Booster isn’t on there. Seems like almost everyone has one. I’m interested in hearing the Seymour Duncan Palladium. I LOVE what JHS did with the built in tuner! SAVES SOO MUCH real estate on the board. The VP’s are already so big…clever little devils they got over there! Great list guys! Great list!
Bill Siepierski
September 8, 2016 at 7:30 pm
May luck and a pedal come my way
Robert
September 8, 2016 at 7:13 pm
Any of them!!!! Each one has something special to offer and i will be happy to have a new friend(pedal) to create music!!!! For me is a new opportunity to be creative and experiment!!!
Jeromy N.
September 8, 2016 at 12:48 pm
I know far too much about Strymon’s fantastic pedals to have never owned one. While my pedal board would be sooo happy to have these great effects, my wallet has some other ideas about them…
Drew
September 8, 2016 at 12:08 pm
Pedals aren’t just good for guitar! I play the keys and only recently have started using some of these pedals with my keyboard. I have bought 4 pedals based on your recommendations so far! What an awesome way to spice up your playing! Thanks for the recommendations! Keep ’em coming!
Jack Sossman
September 8, 2016 at 11:11 am
I triple dog dare you to give me a pedal. UNLESS YOU ARE A CHICKEN, YOU WILL GIVE ME A PEDAL. COME ON! I DARE YOU! DO IT!
Daniel Yeh
September 8, 2016 at 9:55 am
I love all these pedals! Let me win please!
Austin Wilson
September 8, 2016 at 5:16 am
This is a comprehensive list, thanks for pulling it together! I love reading about (dreaming about) these awesome pedals. The Xotic EP Booster, Wampler Ego Compressor, and Ibanez TS808HW would be welcome additions to my pedalboard…
Norris Higdon
September 8, 2016 at 3:43 am
I want all of the Strymon and Chase Bliss effects so I can transcend into other dimensions and ponder life’s many questions!
Manny Azinge
September 8, 2016 at 2:42 am
I would love to get my hands on an Eventide H9! It’s such an amazing pedal! The EQD Rainbow Machine elicits the same fascination in me, but I can’t see myself having any practical applications for it. It would be a fun pedal to screw around with, nonetheless! The EHX Pitchfork is a dream. It allows me to emulate so many classic pitch shift sounds, it inspires me to write all kinds of catchy tunes, and you just can’t beat the price.
This list was likely made prior to it’s release, but the EQD Avalanche Run definitely belongs on here. You can achieve a lot of the sonic ambiance you find in pedals like the Empress Reverb, and the Strymon BigSky/Timeline, but it’s more affordable and pedal board friendly when it comes to size. The Avalanche Run is literally my favorite pedal right now!Tanner Hopfauf
September 8, 2016 at 12:31 am
Would be great to get my hands (or feet) on some of those Strymon and Chase Audio products!
Ryouta Usami
September 7, 2016 at 11:40 pm
I will be getting a strymon soon!
Christiano Alberto Schaff
September 7, 2016 at 2:42 pm
All my favorite on the list. Can’t complain!
David Krauss
September 7, 2016 at 12:41 pm
WOW! What an awesome giveaway! I would be in effects heaven if I won this contest.
Joss Cool
September 7, 2016 at 12:25 pm
I Love how many companies are making weirdo pedals. I have drive pedals coming out my ears, but I’m always looking for an interesting delay, modulation, or wave manipulation pedal. Stoked to see so many of those on this list. Earthquaker and Old Blood stuff is great, Dwarfcraft is even better!
Remington Jensen
September 7, 2016 at 11:31 am
I don’t have a pedal yet but I hope to get one soon!
Tino Villalovas
September 7, 2016 at 11:23 am
I think the Big muff deluxe takes it to a whole new level. can’t wait to get one!
Andrew Ailey
September 7, 2016 at 9:15 am
There should be more cases of innovative clones like caitlinbreads excellent karma suture or some of the great analog treble/bass boosters. People with vintage clone tube amps will vouch for the absolute necessity of pedals that change the amps ‘notch’ or its texture. And lots of digital effects produce crowed overly busy results especially if their algorithms don’t stack well.
Chris J.
September 7, 2016 at 7:30 am
I currently own an original Chase Bliss Warped Vinyl, and Eventide Space (know it’s not on this list but still worth mentioning by relation to H9), an EHX Pitch Fork and a Dr. Scientist Bitquest and love them all. Would love to upgrade to a WV mkII for added tone control as the original gets a bit too dark for my tastes sometimes, esp. when in series with a dark analog delay (i.e. 1970’s MXR Analog Delay). Can’t wait to eventually get a hold of a Strymon Timeline and a Chase Bliss Gravitas; been eyeing those two for a while cuz they’re both at the top of their respective games, but other purchases have snuck past them in line. Tonal Recall would be nice too but I don’t REALLY need more than 2 delays for my synth rig, (3 if you count the oddball delay on the Bitquest!), do I?
Alan Jenkins
September 6, 2016 at 10:08 pm
lots of Earthquaker, which is excellent.
Booth Willson
September 6, 2016 at 4:30 pm
Though I’ve only really gotten into using pedals as a central part of my sound in the past couple of years, I’m really drawn to those pedals that spark creativity and lead to new song ideas. I’ve loved my Chase Bliss Gravitas for that reason (and will one day get the Warped Vinyl) as well as my new El Capistan.
Currently looking for a more versatile OD than the one I’m using. Anyone with knowledge of The Elements care to make an endorsement?
Jason Wilcox
September 6, 2016 at 2:44 pm
I wouldn’t choose to be without my Fulltone Fulldrive 3. I use the clean boos all the time, and the dirty side is highly adaptable. While Fulldrive offers a fairly limited selection, they do what they do well ! Id also love to mention the Plimsoul has a really great sound for lead, and my Empress Tremolo is just fantastic, surely the best Ive ever had.
Sam Pena
September 6, 2016 at 1:53 pm
This is a great informational page full of amazing sounds and flavors in terms of pedals! Awesome to know that there are so many sound possibilities I haven’t even learnt of. It would be a privilege to win that giveaway as well for a wider perspective and experimentation of new sounds!
Michael Tomlinson
September 6, 2016 at 1:08 pm
So glad you included the Warped Vinyl MKII and Gravitas on here. Insaaaaaaaane pedals.
I would, however, like to advocate for JHS’ Double Barrel. While OD pedals aren’t typically thought of as flashy, fun, or “innovative” as some of these others, this specific pedal changed my entire board. If you’re looking for a versatile OD that can go from crisp and cool to absolutely filthy with a touch of a button, I cannot recommend this pedal enough (and it’s made by an amazing company to boot).
Jeff G.
September 6, 2016 at 12:55 pm
Wishing that Dry Bell was a little more affordable.
ThVH
September 6, 2016 at 11:28 am
That is a nice selection!
I like how the pedal market opens up to more and more kinds of users with devices like the keymaster. hat is a nce development. I switched from guitar to synth as a main instrument and am enjoying pedals a lot 🙂Matt Davies
September 6, 2016 at 10:04 am
Strymon can do no wrong in my eyes
Iñigo Pagazaurtundua
September 6, 2016 at 9:27 am
I have the Neunaber, Timeline and EP. Huge pedals!!!! Well, not the EP…
Andrew
September 6, 2016 at 9:14 am
The Empress reverb pedal looks like a winner.
Scott Brancel
September 6, 2016 at 8:33 am
Ah, joy…. I can almost taste that Xotic Wah sonic goodness!!!
Nick
September 6, 2016 at 7:51 am
The Protostar might be the greatest pedal ever made.
Filipe David
September 6, 2016 at 7:41 am
I love the Whammy so much, best pedal ever, I got one myself with the detune thing, just amazing
michael krukowski
September 6, 2016 at 7:29 am
These are some awesome pedals that help create a wide variety of music. I hope to play the all over time!
Brandon Arnold
September 6, 2016 at 5:37 am
WOW< some nice pedals here. I see a few things I'd like to try…
Roy Verges
September 6, 2016 at 5:04 am
Anything that can make me sound like Bill Frisell is OK with me. I’ve got a couple of Alesis Wedges but they’re getting long in the tooth…
Sarvasaha Ashton
September 6, 2016 at 3:21 am
All of the Strymon pedals qualify for greatness.
But the two pedals that went onto my pedalboard thatmade me go “wow” were the Keeley 30 ms and the Effectrode Tube vibe (and the Blackbird come to that)julian perezchica
September 5, 2016 at 10:57 pm
Hologram dream sequence pedal would be a great add on if you don’t already have it. It’s one of the few pedals other than a Strymon Blue Sky i wouldn’t mind paying over $400 for. It’s a gonna be on my future board for a good long while. Oh and the Avalanche from EarthQuaker and the DL-4 delay pedal by line 6.
Aaron Johnson
September 5, 2016 at 9:42 pm
Yes! Pre-made Youtube binge playlist right here. I’ll be occupied for at least a week drooling over video reviews of these! And look at that, hand dandy links to reviews for each pedal. Perfect.
I’d like to see one or two pedals by Dwarfcraft Devices show up on this list. They are so unique and sound great to boot! I have the Dwarfcraft ARF, sweet pedal, looks great and is a total time sink but in the best possible, creativity inducing way.
The Death By Audio and ZVex pedals look sick!
Anthony
September 5, 2016 at 8:07 pm
Love the Timeline delay and how it syncs with ableton!! Always a fan of TC Electronics too!! This list has a lot of great pedals that I’d love to try!!
Abby MacDonald
September 5, 2016 at 7:51 pm
I’m a huge fan of TC Electronic pedals personally. My HoF is by far my most versatile pedal. Love this list btw.
Jeff Jordan
September 5, 2016 at 6:21 pm
I love pedals. I only one on the list and I’ve only ever played through one other. There are so many its hard to decide. this article is really good.
Brett
September 5, 2016 at 5:25 pm
Great Article! There are so many new and exciting pedals out there, this is an excellent list and shows many of the new soon to be classics. I want them all! Pedalosis, effectitis I don’t know the name of my addiction but it’s getting worse especially with lists like this!
Hiram Suarez
September 5, 2016 at 4:15 pm
Give me some pedaaaaaaaaaaaals!!! Hahaha. I could really use some of those…
Owain Parry-George
September 5, 2016 at 3:52 pm
Got to get me a Ditto. Surprised the TC Polytune isn’t on here.
Seth
September 5, 2016 at 3:49 pm
Some coolio stompers ya got right there fellas.
Chuck
September 5, 2016 at 3:29 pm
So many awesome pedals these days. When I started getting into pedals the only options were the wide Boss range and a few from EHX. I remember playing a Fulltone Fulldrive (the blue one) at my local store and have been chasing tone and experimenting with sounds ever since. Given this, I have to say though that the loopers available today are awesome. Not only for live use but as a practice tool. I used to play progressions into a noisy old 4 track to practice pentatonic boxes over. Awesome tool guitarists have right on their boards today. Currently I am digging the TC Ditto.
Jared Bontrager
September 5, 2016 at 2:38 pm
So many great pedals! What to try next?
Tulio Andrade
September 5, 2016 at 2:30 pm
Got to win this time.
Paul
September 5, 2016 at 11:54 am
This is a great list! The only things I didn’t see that I thought might show up were the Red Panda Particle and the Montreal Assembly Count to 5!
Adrian
September 5, 2016 at 11:04 am
I love them all 🙂
Márcio Almeida
September 5, 2016 at 10:44 am
I need all these. Excellent!!!
Bill
September 5, 2016 at 10:35 am
So many great options. I need more feet!
Eric
September 5, 2016 at 10:02 am
I’m sad to not see any Industrialectric or smallsound/bigsound. Both are such innovative and creative companies. Also no Count to 5?!
Michael Kocheran
September 5, 2016 at 9:42 am
Well if I didn’t have gear lust, I do now! Awesome guide to sort out what cool pedals to save up for next. Some of these pedals are straight ridiculous, and it’s rad to see(and hear) how awesome these effects are.
We the consumer just keep winning.
Nathan Huesmann
September 5, 2016 at 9:03 am
I am thankful the EQD Palisades and almost the whole line of Chase Bliss pedals made the list. For me, guitar pedals have a way of drawing out creativity and helping me form new songwriting ideas. I’ve bought at sold hundreds of them and the Palisades is one of the survivors, the primary drive I use on my board. Its got such a broad selection of sounds that its applications are endless. I’ve actually recently had two new potential song ideas just from finding some bonecrushing new sound in that pedal. And for the Chase Bliss pedals, I’m currently rocking the Gravitas, Warped Vinyl, and Tonal Recall. These pedals are bullies, they just keep coming and kicking pedals off my board! I can’t help it though. They are a new breed of guitar pedal. The tone, build quality, and tweakability are all unparalleled. And if you ever get to meet the man behind the pedals you’ll see why- Joel is a phenomenal person, the sweetest guy you could meet. He cares so much about the craft and that caand and creativity come out the first time you hit a note while running through a Chase Bliss pedal.
All in all, good selections on the top 50 list, I could write about many more of them that I own or have owned!
Timothe Catlin
September 5, 2016 at 9:00 am
Beautiful list. Maybe if I win the contest I will finally be able to create the sound of the alien synthesis I hear in my mind’s ear.
Rick Rice
September 5, 2016 at 8:18 am
My vote for best amp in a box goes to the new Freidman BE-OD.
Carlos Angulo
September 5, 2016 at 8:15 am
orgasm, need them all!!!
Thom
September 5, 2016 at 8:12 am
Would love to try the Big Sky…and the H9…and so many others.
Michael Norton
September 5, 2016 at 7:34 am
lots of great pedals there – thanks 4 the chance 2 win a few of them
Marshal Tofte
September 5, 2016 at 7:20 am
Surprised the Bit Commander wasn’t present.
Magnus Thor Asgeirsson
September 5, 2016 at 7:20 am
I was all-in with the rack rig power and preamps, digital effects and multi effects back in the days but now I´ve gone lo-tech again, guitar to tube amp and no bullshit. I must confess though that I miss some of the sounds I was able to dial in back then I would love me some pedals to play with while keeping true to basic tone.
brett black eagle
September 5, 2016 at 7:08 am
great info here!
Ernest Woods
September 5, 2016 at 6:17 am
All these pedals are amazing!! Would love to add them to my arsenal!!!!
September 5, 2016 at 6:08 am
Tube screamer! Need I say more?
Peter Kunert
September 5, 2016 at 5:22 am
It’s a really impressive collection. I’m glad the Neunaber Immerse reverb is on the list, it’s an amazing pedal indeed. I’m also a big fan of Electro-Harmonix, I currently own four EHX pedals and three TC Electronic pedals, but you know, you just can’t have enough of these beauties 🙂
Stanley Thomas
September 5, 2016 at 5:18 am
I am so happy the Tonal Recall ended up here–truly an outstanding pedal on all fronts, the delay for delay junkies. The only improvement I could want is an effects loop, that way I can add even more crazyiness. I’m kinda sad Mr. Black’s Supermoon didn’t end up on here–and while I’m glad the Fuzz Factory 7 is here I wish the Instant Lo-Fi Junkie was too. Oh well!!
Matt Garofolo
September 5, 2016 at 4:44 am
I love pedals! It’s nice to see some simple pedals on your list. I use a Catalinbread DLS MkIII everyday and love it.
I have always stayed away from digitally based pedals and amps. I suppose it’s my fascination with the 50 and 60’s. Recently I did buy a Trio+ and a SolidGoldFx Stutterbox, both of which are at least partially DSP based. They sound authentic and great so I suppose that the digital side of pedal design has come along.
I have to be open-minded going forward. Next on the list is a pitch shifter and a pedal board amp…maybe the Quilter Tone Bloc 201.
Now I just need my kids to leave me alone so that I can play guitar more! Those Buzzkillers!
Nutshell
September 5, 2016 at 4:36 am
Many pedals I’m interresred in up there. The red bogner, the strymons, warped vinyl…
All awesome stuffs.Dave
September 5, 2016 at 3:34 am
A fantastic list. So here is my addition. Now I am not a fan of BOSS pedals…but,truly, they created something special when they put the RE-20 Space Echo into production. I could babble on and on about it but yeah….ill just leave this right here.
Daniel Brøndberg
September 5, 2016 at 3:25 am
Great site I go to when I’m lost in the pedaljungel!
Craig
September 5, 2016 at 3:24 am
I highly recommend the Strymon pedals….
The best i’ve used in 23 years of playing guitar…
& the ‘Death By Audio Apocalypse’ is mind-blowing!
I was lucky to meet the ‘Death By Audio’ crew last year & there are seriously nice guys!
keep up the great work…zoe lane
September 5, 2016 at 3:11 am
i can’t live without my industrial electric RM-1N
the best reverb/drive/fuzz pedal i have ever used, i pretty much never turn it off
can set it for a nice clean ambient wash, dirty grungy verb, all out fuzz, crumbly decaying verb or full droneRoss Slater
September 5, 2016 at 2:50 am
Not long ago, the future was the Boss Xtortion, and seven strings were were a traveling orchestra… now I love that modern pedals are bringing flavor like micro breweries to the beer scene! But I don’t drink, and only have a small rig of BYOC standards and an Aroma harmoniser… which I recommend listening to if you don’t understand why people talk about tracking issues…. now that I’m out of my swim suit… world peace! world peace! world peace!
Tom Mycock
September 5, 2016 at 1:59 am
To be honest I’m a bit aroused now, having read to the end of that. This glimpse of pedal heavens is making me twitch and giving me the feelings.
Bob ‘Skippy’ Blechinger
September 5, 2016 at 1:56 am
Back when I started playing guitar – 1974 – I think there were probably about 50 different effects pedals TOTAL (OK, maybe a few more…)
To see how the market has grown and changed in all these years is AMAZING!
Some of the stuff you showed in this list is stuff that I don’t think anybody could have IMAGINED back 40 years ago, much less BUILT!!!
What I’m wondering now is what comes NEXT!
Morten Leerhøy
September 5, 2016 at 1:15 am
I would have put the black arts toneworks pharaoh on there – best fuzz pedal ever imo. Still a good list though!
George Panagopoulos
September 5, 2016 at 12:37 am
the new reverb from empress was big suprise for me
Ryan
September 4, 2016 at 11:49 pm
Thanks for continuing to bring my attention to awesome pedal I didn’t know about!
Andrew Bishop
September 4, 2016 at 11:40 pm
I like the inclusion of the ditto loopers. I’ve played with them before and they are useful in a ton of applications. My friends band only has one guitarist right now and they prerecord a specific section for one of their songs live and get away with one guitarist. They’re awesome, and don’t necessarily come to mind when you think of guitar/bass pedals.
John Voyles
September 4, 2016 at 11:05 pm
Great compilation of pedals right there! Def have added a few to my wish list. Cheers!
Gary Plaus
September 4, 2016 at 10:06 pm
Great read! I love stomp boxes. Keep up the good work.
Derek Sasaki
September 4, 2016 at 9:05 pm
I love your website and user reviews ! Great information and I am learning about new pedals all the time !
Alexander Engelhardt
September 4, 2016 at 8:56 pm
A great list of pedals. I like the TWA a lot.
I think J. Rockett Boing should also be on the list. Simple and beautiful tone.
Bill
September 4, 2016 at 8:34 pm
I need new pedals because looking at your Top 50 list caused me to drool… all over my current pedals.
Thanks for all the fantastic reviews.
Dan
September 4, 2016 at 8:22 pm
Great list.
Strymon stuff is super amazing. I have a couple of their single units and they are fantastic for being digital. Its a shame they are so expensive that it makes it restrictive for people on a budget, but man they are worth the cost.
Christian McDuffie
September 4, 2016 at 8:16 pm
Every single one of these pedals are beautiful.
Dennis Keller
September 4, 2016 at 7:59 pm
The Electro-Harmonix Mel9 Tape Replay Machine!
Have you heard it? You’ll feel like you’re in the Court of the Crimson King!
Really nice Mellotron simulation, and if you’re not familiar with the Mellotron, the Beatles, Moody Blues, King Crimson and others used it. It was a keyboard, with each key controlling playback of a prerecorded sound.
In a perfect world, though, someone would recreate the world’s greatest pedal, the Maestro Fuzz Phazzer, which I bought many moons ago on sight alone, simply because it looked kind of trashy and because of the apparently intentional misspelling of “phaser”, which strongly indicated this pedal was going to sound incredible.
It was wah-wah trash-fuzz heaven!
Now, does anyone know who’s currently making something like it?
Todd Della Bosca
September 4, 2016 at 7:56 pm
Great review and selection of pedals, but for me its definitely anything STRYMON! Awesome pedals with an unique sound. Would love to have one in my collection.
Justin S.
September 4, 2016 at 7:31 pm
Free the Tone is great. Hayashi-san is at the top of his game.
Dave Warren
September 4, 2016 at 7:27 pm
Strymon has been consistently impressive with everything that they put out. The Timeline and Bigsky are two of the most amazing pedals that I’ve ever tried. Earthquaker Devices have been putting out some great pedals too. The Rainbow Machine is one of my favorite noisemakers.
Bob Schilling
September 4, 2016 at 7:21 pm
A long list of great pedals. You need to add the Boss RT20 Rotary to the list. Not the newest but certainly one of the sweetest sounding pedals out there.
Robert A Herrmann
September 4, 2016 at 7:16 pm
Kind of a newb when it comes to pedals, so I don’t have much to add. My next purchase will most assuredly be one of the loopers you’ve got listed there. Something with the capability to import/export tracks to my laptop.
Rob Stein
September 4, 2016 at 7:12 pm
Anything from Chase Bliss. That company has a unique ‘signature’, and their stuff sounds sublime.
David
September 4, 2016 at 7:06 pm
I was sad to see that the Amptweaker pedals made by James Brown didn’t make the list. I got one of his latest Fat Metal Pro pedals and it is far and above anything I would have ever expected or experienced. I think the James Brown line of Amptweaker pedals is one of the most under rated pedal engineers of our time. The stuff he makes has just be phenomenal tone wise. I encourage anyone looking for a mind blowing distortion pedal to check out the Tight Metal Pro or the Fat Metal Pro.
Brian W.
September 4, 2016 at 7:05 pm
Great selection, i’ve been following the pedals below for some time and they are on my most wanted list..even watched the videos…Pick me and you can date my sister 😉
Eventide H9 Harmonizer
Strymon TimeLine
DigiTech Whammy V
TC Electronic Ditto Looper
Strymon Mobius
Strymon BigSky
Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret
EarthQuaker Devices Afterneath
J.Rockett Archer
Electro Harmonix Soul FoodStanton Doyle
September 4, 2016 at 7:04 pm
I love them all! Love this site – I spend hours fantasizing about being rich.
Jay
September 4, 2016 at 6:59 pm
There are a lot of good pedals on this list. Haven’t gassed out in a while; I’m back. Here are a couple that I’d add:
Red Witch Medusa
Ehx 720 looperRob Stein
September 4, 2016 at 6:56 pm
God, what a list. The Timeline and Warped Vinyl would do it for me (!), particularly for processing steel guitar.
Kleanthis
September 4, 2016 at 6:52 pm
Great pedals and giveaway guys!!!cheers
Kieran
September 4, 2016 at 6:26 pm
Life isn’t real until you get your hands on one of these, unbelievable sounds, unbelievable list
PaulL
September 4, 2016 at 6:20 pm
Very nice pedals!
Chris
September 4, 2016 at 6:20 pm
I guess the Palladium, H9, Tonal Recall and the BitQuest would be my favourites.
My pedalboard is quite basic at the moment, but it would be nice to add some new flavours to the effect palette.September 4, 2016 at 6:17 pm
Would love to get my hands on a Big Sky to give it a try…the H9 also!
Vince
September 4, 2016 at 6:10 pm
OH my Golly !!Gee Wizz!! Gosh ,, what ever wouldah dooo!???
Johnny Huynh
September 4, 2016 at 6:02 pm
soooooooooooooooooo much GAS for these!
Daai Adam
September 4, 2016 at 5:50 pm
i Really Love Eventide H9 Harmonizer and Strymon BigSky
Clint Dye
September 4, 2016 at 5:45 pm
Please choose me and I will demo each pedal that I am awarded and give credit to you guys in each each video made!!!! I love guitar effects!!!! Hopefully one day we’ll have some nice synth options with no latency issues!
Kieran Devlin
September 4, 2016 at 5:34 pm
Can I have all the pedals plz :p
Brett R
September 4, 2016 at 5:29 pm
Excellent group of pedals. Would be nice to own a few of them
Daniel Jackson
September 4, 2016 at 5:28 pm
Love idiotbox effects. Love anything WMD or Malekko. I am jonesing for Strymon and Eventide pedals hardcore. Love my Crybaby wahs.
Central Scrutinizer
September 4, 2016 at 5:13 pm
That’s fine list of pedals but there is one that’s missing. When we speak of “Modern” pedals there’s a pedal that is currently produced (but often sold out) and I guess that’s the only thing truly modern about it besides the technology behind it. The missing pedal is a pedal that produces the sweet tube sounds of a late 1950’s Fender Tweed DeLuxe, a high power Fender Twin or a combination of the 2 with Channel One controlling the output and saturation of the effected signal and Channel Two acting as a Pre-amp Volume which adds a second stage of saturation if you need it. This pedal will get you a perfect Stones or the break-up of Neil Young on Cinnamon Girl or Cortez The Killer. If you haven’t figured it out yet, it’s the Les Lius pedal made by Lovepedal. It works equally well with single coils or humbuckers and if you have a tube amp, you are there ! It might be good through solid state amps, I don’t know. I only have tube amps. I’m not snobby about it but to me, a tube amp on the verge of breaking up or going full break up when I put the hammer down is what I need to reach Nirvana–the place, not the band. Maybe its the glow of warm glass inside a birch ply cabinet and 1 or 2 Alnico magnet speakers moving the air that reaches my ears that does it. All I know for sure is that dialing in my Les Lius makes my Telecaster sing,. As a player, I suck. I suck more as a singer which is why I defer to the guitar. The Les Lius makes me suck less . I’m not all that complicated . You put too many knobs on a pedal and my head starts to smoke. An amp with a simple circuit, a basic guitar and the Les Lius and I sound as good as I get. Put that pedal on the list !
Sam K
September 4, 2016 at 5:08 pm
Ditto is revolutionary in its simplicity, I’m obsessed.
Maritza Rivera
September 4, 2016 at 5:07 pm
I have only a few of these, but I’m eyeing the strymons!
Sid Johnson
September 4, 2016 at 4:59 pm
Depends on the song which is the best pedal. I love a good wah though.
Sam Novak
September 4, 2016 at 4:46 pm
Strymon only puts out gold 🙂
I remember reading that they’d put out a distortion pedal, if they could all agree what distortion types to put in it!
Chase Bliss and Dr Scientist are also putting out some really great stuff; looks like I need a bigger pedal board 🙂
bill
September 4, 2016 at 4:40 pm
Always awesome pedals to drool over in these contests! GL everyone!
Rodrigo
September 4, 2016 at 4:39 pm
So many amazing pedals! This site is the ultimate review for buying pedals, cant go wrong.
Rob
September 4, 2016 at 4:33 pm
Too Awesome!! Pedal Candy for everyone 🙂
William Burk
September 4, 2016 at 4:30 pm
Strymon time line is one amazing pedal!
Simon Denivry
September 4, 2016 at 4:27 pm
Hey !
I think Empress is really under represented on famous guitarists pedalboards.
Their products are solid.I love Earthquaker too. What do you guys think of the Palisades ?
Some days I find it perfect and easy to play with, and other I can’t get a proper sound out of it….with the same setup !! Wouldn’t mind trying the Afterneath of the Cloven Hoof, in another genre.Bye
John Cho
September 4, 2016 at 4:17 pm
great list
Mathias
September 4, 2016 at 4:14 pm
I’ve always loved the sound of old arcade machines, and I’ve come to notice that I often try to use guitar pedals in a combination that makes every string ring out like a super crunchy synth from a gameboy. Slam it down with compression, add a healthy ton of fuzz, bitcrush the lot of it and compress it again to let all the effects resonate through. Sometimes distortion/overdrive after the bitcrush for extra harmonics, then bitcrushing again to retain the low-fi sound, or adding a metallic sounding phaser before compression to take you into industrial-alien territory. I love it!
Perhaps ironically, I tend to take most of my arcade-sounding synths and make them sound like heavy electric guitars, using loads of overdrive and distortion, cabinet simulations (or running it through my own cab), some ”wah” action and funky delays.. Ready to jam out a wacky solo!
I suppose I like making my instruments sound like completely different ones, heh.
Oh, and love destroyed sounds. Controlled noise!I do most of this in-the-box, but oh how I’d love to get my hands on a real pedal. 😀
Great list, got plenty of inspiration from reading the reviews on these beauties.JamesB
September 4, 2016 at 3:54 pm
So many knobs…
…so little time.
Alec
September 4, 2016 at 3:49 pm
The Eventide H9 Max has to be one of the best pedals ever made. Nevermind revolutionising the Eventide brand, it’s revolutionising multi-effect pedals completely. I mean you can even emulate sparkly effects….as a cellist using effects pedals, I know that I would probably never use a sparkly after-effect, but knowing that I have that option is amazing. I’d love to have a proper go of it to see the max potential that this pedal could have on the cello.
Glad to see the Xotic X-1 on the list though. I think the size of the pedal really makes it for me. There aren’t many wah pedals used on cellos that I can compare it to…but when I saw the size of the jawn I knew it was perfect for me. The sound out of it is so incredibly versatile! If I had to sell my board, which I probably would if I had a H9, the Whammy V and the X-1 would be the keepers.
Greg Rockwood
September 4, 2016 at 3:45 pm
Such a great time for pedals!
Jim Lipscomb
September 4, 2016 at 3:40 pm
What a great synopsis on a lot of pedals I have been dreaming about! I initially wanted to read about the TC Electronics Ditto looper iterations, but the Xotic Effects Wah has me considering idling my Dunlop Crybaby.
Craig
September 4, 2016 at 3:24 pm
Wow what a great bunch of Pedals
Andrew Rigsby
September 4, 2016 at 3:21 pm
Great group! I have owned many of them and find them inspiring!
Thanks
ACraig
September 4, 2016 at 3:19 pm
Good lord, a wet dream of pedals…
Dirk Schierenberg
September 4, 2016 at 3:13 pm
I like the list, and I have got many of this Pedals, but sorry my English is very bad.
Alan Zaragoza
September 4, 2016 at 3:13 pm
Nice pedal list. Maybe you need to add the Empress Tape Delay, its a very very vesatile delay pedal. And it is cheaper than Strymon!!!!
Sunny
September 4, 2016 at 3:09 pm
C’mon rc booster!
Sean Fear
September 4, 2016 at 3:03 pm
Awesome list and awesome give away!
Daniel S.
September 4, 2016 at 3:00 pm
The Digitech Obscura is one of my favorite pedals that I have used. The tape delay setting is very versatile, especially with the tap tempo mode engaged. I use it a lot with my synths and my vintage Korg CX3 organ keyboard. There is just so many options in the newer Digitech pedals like the Obscura and others in that form factor, and at the price point they offer they all seem to sound great to my ears.
Conor
September 4, 2016 at 2:51 pm
I had a big huge dong of a pedal board full.of stuff, and then I got a H9 Max! Whammy 5, Radial Vocoloco and H9 work so well on FLUTE when it’s time for business.
Joe Lemire
September 4, 2016 at 2:27 pm
I love this selection of pedals. Each one can stand alone and stand up for quality.
Brett Crump
September 4, 2016 at 2:16 pm
I love analog but I’d love to try the Eventide H9
Brent Mason
September 4, 2016 at 2:14 pm
There are a lot of great pedals on that list but there is one pedal that I have had on my board since the early 2000’s that has never left (only to be modded by JHS), the Fulltone Full-Drive 2 Mosfet. I think it is one of the best distortion pedals out there and very affordable. With the JHS mod it basically makes in two pedals in one. I don’t see it leaving anytime soon.
Rob
September 4, 2016 at 2:02 pm
Fantastic list! I’m using an Xotic BB preamp on my board for a boost and i love it. I would really like to hear how the RC boost compares. And i know there are so many incredible delays out there, several of them on this list, but i’m a huge fan of the TC Electronics Alter Ego V2. I picked one up for $100 from Pro Guitar Shop, and for that price you can’t get better delay sounds.
Austin Cooper
September 4, 2016 at 1:59 pm
New phone. Who dis?
Nicolas Sentenac
September 4, 2016 at 1:57 pm
All this stuff looks good!!
Change your tone is the best way to find new idee for sure.
That why I love électric guitar, cause it Could be all kind of psychic landscape,
With this electron people who translate in magical air vibration.
Thank to all this wonderfull manufacturer/creator for opening the Pandora box.David Carlsson
September 4, 2016 at 1:53 pm
Whoa, nice lineup! Already have the TimeLine, but any of the other stuff would be great on my BASS! 🙂
Luke Inglis
September 4, 2016 at 1:46 pm
That Proto, I thought that the WMD was Immense
Dan Kucera
September 4, 2016 at 1:41 pm
H9…best pedal I have ever owned, by far!
props
September 4, 2016 at 1:36 pm
I own 3 of these 50 amazing boxes.
Now I’vegot to go on the way for getting the 47 missing ones.Deke
September 4, 2016 at 3:26 pm
I’d love to see the size of your pedalboard!
Christopher Daniel
September 4, 2016 at 1:25 pm
Two of the best pedals I could recommend, (not just the pedals but the companies too) are the Bearfoot Model Hs (5 knob) and the Effectrode Blackbird. These are two pedals that nearly any guitar player, I would dare say any guitar player could and would love.
Each is extremely versatile and offers tone that I have had numerous musicians (not just guitar players) say “that sound/tone was amazing” and ask, “what is that?” or “what are you using?”
Why?…because they cut through the sounds that most of us who follow gear are used to hearing and seeing on everyone’s board. I can’t say enough good things about these two brands, all of their pedals are amazing, I mean all of them.
If you are not familiar with Bearfoot Effects or Effectrode, do yourself a huge favor and check them out. You will not be disappointed and I don’t say that lightly.
The Bearfoot Model Hs is their version of a classic HiWatt at its finest. Let me tell you, it does the job nicely! I havent had so much fun with a pedal in a while. I ran it through an AC15 normal channel, it was great but through a cranked amp its on another level.
The guys at Effectrode are amazing; I love their commitment to quality and products. The Blackbird all tube preamp is always running on my board, I do not ever play without it. It gives an extra oomph to my sound and can be configured in many ways. It is designed after a modified Fender Blackface and sounds great.
One of the best pedals out there, so I have heard, that I do not have yet is a Strymon Timeline. I am hoping to acquire one soon and will be happy to leave a detailed and glowing review.
Jay Lawrence
September 4, 2016 at 1:23 pm
Blah, blah, I like the good sounding one that will cover up all my crappy guitar playing
Jon Moy
September 4, 2016 at 1:19 pm
Whammy, Ditto, Tube Screamer all day and all night. Killer pedals.
Nicholas Akam
September 4, 2016 at 1:18 pm
Generic entering the competition comment
Bill Davis
September 4, 2016 at 1:11 pm
Lots of great pedals on the list! H9 is killer, DLSIII, The King, and the list goes on and on. I’ve been wanting to try the Ego comp. now might be the time. Surprised that there’s no love for Lovepedals. Current Purple plexi pedal is sweet! His teaming up with Hermida has led to some killer Zendrives and time based effects as well.
Martin
September 4, 2016 at 1:07 pm
So many awesome pedals … I think I build my own …
Paulo Barone
September 4, 2016 at 1:06 pm
Hi! My 8 year old son started to play electric guitar since some months. He’s pretty enthusiastic and already playing some rock / metal tunes, we are having loads of fun. I have always loved guitars and effects, but didn’t know much about it. With my son now I have the opportunity to learn. I bumpped on Best Guitar Effects when I started looking for his upcoming birthday gift. I was like rally impressed by all the quality material I found here. You have definitely contributed to my education on the matter. On September 15, Matteo will get a tuner pedal, polytune mini, a ditto mini looper, and a EVH phase 90.
Cheers to you all! PBPatrick McLean
September 4, 2016 at 1:02 pm
Digitech dirty robot…tc sub’n’up…DD500!!!
Avled Oliveira
September 4, 2016 at 12:58 pm
I would love to get my hands on the Effectrode PC-2A Compressor, I think that one is amazing.
But I think you could have includes a Wilson Wah on that list, common! Impressive quality, fully flexible and customizable.Kevin Armstrong
September 4, 2016 at 12:58 pm
I would love to see some more of the other wmd line up in your list. The geiger counter and the acoustic trauma are fantastic pedals and their euro rack stuff is quite notable along with malekko. Some of the old snazzy fx pedals are absolutely insane though they’re no longer in production. Also i think that the lit could benefit from a ehx pog 2 though you did include their hog. Not to ramble on but since some fuzz was included black arts toneworks really deserves to be in the list. Their Pharoah fuzz has replaced most of the fuzzes on my board, not to mention their destroyer and black forest are utterly fantastic as well.
Graeme Wilson
September 4, 2016 at 12:55 pm
Good list.. The Chase Bliss are the business.
Ed
September 4, 2016 at 12:53 pm
Awesome list!
Thorg
September 4, 2016 at 12:51 pm
Great list and what a superb giveaway! “Add generic reason” for why just I should be the lucky person to win one of these great pedals. Woho!
Dante Lamusta
September 4, 2016 at 12:37 pm
I am a bass player that loves to use effects. This list is top notch and would agree with everything said on this page. Three in particular that have been on my radar are warm gooshy sounds of the Chase Bliss Audio Wombtone MKII, the crazy intergalactic capabilities the WMD Protostar can expell, and the unexpected Spectre Flanger by Chase Bliss Audio. I have thought flangers were very silly sounding and somewhat of a “one trick pony” effects over used in the late seventies and eighties, but after obsessively observing the YouTube instructional video of the Chase Bliss Audio Spectre Flanger and the wide “spectre-um” of sounds included within this tiny box of flangelical hymns, the name of the flanger game has been changed. Another pedal from the same genius incepted from the womb of his mind, called the Wombtone. This phaser stretched the limits further than any other phaser on the market. And the sound!!!!! uhhhh…. the sound! So malleable that you can morph your bass/guitar into whatever style phaser you want. I really place the sound quality next to the Moogerfooger MF-103 12 Stage Phaser! There are more capabilities to this blissful which raises the bar above other phasers. Expensive you say? I say more than likely WORTH IT! And lastly the WMD Protostar! I have been on the search for a envelope filter pedal that can stretch beyond our own galaxy. THIS IS IT! This envelope filter can go from classic Mu-Tron III style envelope to spacey LFO to ring modulation with it’s on board patch bay! AND also a feedback looper…. AND and a post signal compressor so you don’t destroy your rig! A brilliant design, I must say!
Thomas Heaney
September 4, 2016 at 12:30 pm
Huge fan of Strymon TL, Big Sky & Möbius. Looking forward to adding Cali76 dlx compression. Also curious how it might handle my Taylor acoustic.
John Splitt
September 4, 2016 at 12:27 pm
Out of the pedals you listed for me the WMD Protostar would be the next pedal I’d contemplate purchasing. That being said, I know what the #1 modern guitar pedal is. I’m just going to keep that info to myself for the time being. However if I win I’ll divulge the name of it out of gratitude.
September 4, 2016 at 12:26 pm
This list needs Montreal assembly CT5
john j pioli
September 4, 2016 at 12:22 pm
I need to win something once in my life. How about now.
Shaun Jordan
September 4, 2016 at 12:17 pm
I wish I could afford some of these. Damn.
Bob
September 4, 2016 at 12:17 pm
great list – LOVE t win the NINE – I’d add Pigtronix Ultra Pro Delay, maybe the Stone Deaf Fig Fumb which is a whole new dimension in FUZZZ w the parametric EQ combined!
indra
September 4, 2016 at 12:15 pm
fuzz factory off course..
like the mod etc
be unique,…be fuzz factoryNathan Mumford
September 4, 2016 at 12:11 pm
Alter Ego x4
Rudi
September 4, 2016 at 12:09 pm
Awesome pedals! 🙂 Sometimes I wonder, if I will ever be able to make enough money in my life to buy all the pedals, that I like! 😉
September 4, 2016 at 3:31 pm
Or a big enough house.
David Alexandre Casenave
September 4, 2016 at 12:07 pm
wow, indeed this are the best of the best!
Johannes
September 4, 2016 at 12:03 pm
Those pedals seems like The perfect toy
Would love to win so i Can start playingAlekksander
September 4, 2016 at 11:59 am
So many awsome pedals, so little time.
Jay kirgis
September 4, 2016 at 11:59 am
I don’t know about a lot of these pedals, because their prices put them out of my budget, however, I’ll say that I have enjoyed the heck out of encore orating new effects into my rig this past year. So much is changing and growing in my sound, and I’m rekindling my love of what I do. I have Smiletone pedals ( specifically Mark Smilor) to thank for a lot of it. PEDALS ARE AWESOME !!!
Dilip Venkateswaran
September 4, 2016 at 11:57 am
Rad list (uninspired comment), but hell, I would love to get one of these to experiment and play with.
Brian Kretschman
September 4, 2016 at 11:52 am
WHY!!!! Every time I am content with my pedals I see a new article for you guys. Now that contentment is gone due to involuntary hyperGAS syndrome. I love playing with new gear, pedals especially. On a real note. Thanks for the detailed write ups of the pedals. It is nice to ponder how different sonic characteristics will mesh with my current setup. Well, now I must head down to my basement to fall back in love with what I am currently blessed with….
Thomas DiSanto
September 4, 2016 at 11:52 am
This is the absolute definitive list here! Love it! My goal is to own every single pedal on this list!
Jason Asimakis
September 4, 2016 at 11:46 am
Great list of pedals here.
Mike Freed
September 4, 2016 at 11:46 am
I love the Empress Reverb and just about anything by TC Electronics rocks!!
Alec A. Head
September 4, 2016 at 11:40 am
I am very happy for all The Strymon love! These pedals have been like the old friends I never knew I needed! The Timeline, Blue Sky, and El Capistan are all over my imminently released debut album, two songs of which can be heard at https://www.ghostbound.bandcamp.com
Albert Ceva
September 4, 2016 at 11:36 am
I’m an old fart now, suddenly at 63, so I am more into modulation sounds than heavy distortion or fuzz. I still like a good overdrive pedal like the J. Rocket Archer though.
Desmond
September 4, 2016 at 11:29 am
I’ve got the Ditto Looper but that’s it. Impressive list of pedals there.
Erle Townsend
September 4, 2016 at 11:27 am
Amazing list, how do you guys have enough time to play them all? I’d get into the first two or three and the next thing you know it would be three weeks later and I’m still fiddling with them. I love the versatility of the Chase Bliss and Earthquaker pedals, and Dr. Scientist has some crazy stuff too. Can’t get enough! Thanks for the chance to win one of these awesome pedals!
Chris
September 4, 2016 at 11:27 am
I’ve got the Eventide H9 Max. It’s fantastic, but being digital, it doesn’t bump all the analog pedals off my board. Plus, most of the H9 effects are singular, so I can add to the mix with my analogs. It’s all good.
Ryan Eastwood
September 4, 2016 at 11:22 am
I’m still loving the Line 6 M9. For the price it’s hard to beat 3 effects that can be played at the same time and it’s fully midi controllable.
Michael Berndt
September 4, 2016 at 11:19 am
Great list! Don’t forget to include the Endangered Audio AD4096 Delay, Red Panda Particle, Flux Liquid Ambience, Hologram Dream Sequence, Keeley Caverns, McCaffrey Run Rabbit Run and the EarthQuaker Avalanche Run, to name a few! Cheers!
Gary
September 4, 2016 at 11:16 am
Wow. I don’t have even one of those pedals. Impressive list. Now where do I start?
Scott
September 4, 2016 at 11:15 am
Great list. A lot of my fav’s on there, and more than a couple that I need to find and demo. Cheers!
Daniel Arganda
September 4, 2016 at 11:15 am
Great List, I’d love to own an Xotic RC Booster. I own the Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret, I wish they’d make a modern high gain amp emulation pedal. I also own the Wampler Ego Compressor, I love the blend feature.
Roger Ribas
September 4, 2016 at 11:13 am
Sooo many pedalss!
– _____ –Stewart Siegel
September 4, 2016 at 11:17 am
Cool list!
Gabriel W
September 4, 2016 at 11:11 am
Out of this list I only have the smallest Ditto Looper so I can’t really comment on the rest. This pedal is pretty awesome for home practice and has improved my improvising and soloing. This is especially useful when you are weighting your own songs with unique chord progressions.
I think the designs of these pedals is one of the biggest improvements over the years though it’s debatable how important that is.
I recently hand wired a little tube amp so now I need a reverb pedal(my other amp has a decent reverb effect. The Empress Reverb, Bigsky, Immerse, and Afterneath all sound amazing but I think the Immerse is the perfect amount of features and options in a regular sized pedal.
Claudio Silva
September 4, 2016 at 11:06 am
Mind blowing, it’s awesome how effect companies keep on improving and surprising us with new and creative pedals really driving forward modern guitar sound. Great times to be a musician.
Roger Cloud
September 4, 2016 at 11:05 am
Where is the Wampler Velvet Fuzz?!
Dan
September 4, 2016 at 11:02 am
Chase bliss I’d a madman! I need some Strymon in my life.
Joao
September 4, 2016 at 10:59 am
So many nice things… Thanks!
Sterv
September 4, 2016 at 10:56 am
So many gems from so many awsome builders. Destined to embarke on a Bitquest.
Matt
September 4, 2016 at 10:51 am
Entered
Favorite fuzz – black arts toneworks pharaoh fuzz
Super versatile and easy to dial in.
Favorite reverb I’ve used – eqd levitation though I’m wanting a vanamps sole-mate for actual tank reverbSteve Bilodeau
September 4, 2016 at 10:49 am
This list is better than the list of 50 most attractive women on earth. #pedalporn
MattWS
September 4, 2016 at 10:48 am
One of the earliest ‘effects’ may of us try as kids is humming into a fan, right? That’s the kind of thing that keeps you entertained and amused for quite a while. Then you grow up, discover drugs, and start hearing all sorts of sounds around you both real and imagined, beautiful and terrifying. Then you really grow up, give up the drugs, and develop a deep in interest in ‘sound’. I don’t mean ‘effects’. I mean sound… diatonic, non-diatonic, atonal, drones, choirs, scrapes, taps, etc. Exploring sound is essential to any good musician. This is art, after all.
Enter the world of effects. I love this list and I personally have a couple of these pedals. A few are of the type that you probably can’t fully explore w/out years of use. And we can debate the benefits or dry kill, spill over, bypass types, digital, analog, etc. But at the end of the day, you gotta just come back to being that five year old kid humming into a fan. Are you engaged in what you are hearing? Do you want to play some more? If so, play and create, even if you are the only one who will hear that masterpiece.
David ernst
September 4, 2016 at 10:46 am
I have heard a lot of good things about the Digitech whammy
Angel Lopez Moya
September 4, 2016 at 10:45 am
I´m looking forward to have in my hands one of these. It would be my first pedal.
Allan Zack
September 4, 2016 at 10:38 am
Love my Wampler Ego and my Zendrive. Coupled with my TC Flashback, I’m a happy camper. Always room for more though..!!
MAXIME LABES
September 4, 2016 at 10:37 am
I’m still dying to put my hand and test the EarthQuaker Devices Palisades and the Seymour Duncan Palladium.
Richard Boyer
September 4, 2016 at 10:37 am
I truly enjoy discovering new pedals. It’s an endless adventure that soothes the soul…rock on people & good luck to everyone !!
Kevin Fanning
September 4, 2016 at 10:35 am
I remember in the late 60s, Nils Lofgren used a “Moan Tone”
Stephen Heil
September 4, 2016 at 10:34 am
I think the JHS Colorbox is one or the great new pedals out there. Also, the Electro Harmonix Crayon, Earthquake Afterneath and the Malekko Sneak Attack all look like “keepers”.
Jono
September 4, 2016 at 10:33 am
Pretty pretty good.
George
September 4, 2016 at 10:30 am
That electrode compressor looks pretty cool.
craig
September 4, 2016 at 10:27 am
Tomkat pedals out of NYC is making some pedals. Not only do they make some spot on versions of classic fuzz boxes (with improved guys), they also have a great reverb/delay pedal that’ll give the Dispatch Master a run for its money (holding down the footswitch engages runaway oscillation). Alexander Pedals and Old Blood Noise Endeavors are also upping the ante with new twists on classic sounds.
James
September 4, 2016 at 10:26 am
I wish I could get my hands on any of these great effects! My goto sounds right now are from my Red Witch Deluxe Moon Phaser, mainly since it sounds so thick and luscious after any kind of dirt box – mainly my EQD Hoof or Blakemore effects Deux Ex Machina fuzz, hey, I love Big Muffs!!
If I had to add a contender in there, I’d have to say the Hall of Fame reverb – especially with toneprint it sounds just as good as the bluesky’s out there for a quarter of the price!!
Elliot Ryland
September 4, 2016 at 10:26 am
The Big Sky makes me moist and wanting
Kevin
September 4, 2016 at 10:25 am
I think the Wampler Ego Compressor will have to be one of my next buys. Too many good things being said about it to ignore…
tom
September 4, 2016 at 10:24 am
Strymon should have everything they make on this list. Or A list for themselves. It’s not even fair how good those pedals sound. I a/b’d the Capistan with an EP3 and a Roland Space Echo for the guys at my local uppity vintage shop. Noone could tell the difference, except less noise and more control. Just stunning
Alejandro Calderon
September 4, 2016 at 10:23 am
So many great effects here. Hard to say which one is best! But I’m sure I could do pretty much and gig with a timeline and bigsky!
Xavier KEREVEL
September 4, 2016 at 10:20 am
I’m more than pleased with my Empress Pedal. They are sturdy, build with high quality component and the possibilities are endless.
The integrated buffering system preserve my signal, and they works great with electric guitar, acoustic guitar and basses.
Definitively a great asset in your studio or on live performances.
thomas t
September 4, 2016 at 10:18 am
would be sweet to get my hands on any of this gear I’m keeping it simple with a ditto looper and HOF reverb. One day I’ll build an epic pedal board.
ctyler
September 4, 2016 at 10:17 am
Great list would love to have these. Keep up the good work.
Tym W
September 4, 2016 at 10:14 am
Man, if I ever got an Eventide I’d end up missing work for a week, just trying all the awesome effects. Two pedals that I think are missing from this list: EHX Mel 9, and DBA Fuzz War. The Mel 9 has sort of limited applications, but sounds absolutely fantastic–exactly like a melotron. And the Fuzz War is hands down the best basic-ish fuzz pedal around, and is used by most big garage/psych bands these days: Ty Segall, Thee Oh Sees, Wand, Meatbodies, etc. amazing fuzz tones from that thing.
Mark Hampton
September 4, 2016 at 10:13 am
So glad the afterneath is on here, it’s incredible. I would add the earthquaker dispatch master too.
Mike Ray
September 4, 2016 at 10:12 am
Free pedals!!
Dave Hogan
September 4, 2016 at 10:10 am
Cool list. Modern effects have changed the game on so many different fronts. With loopers like the Ditto, it’s possible for a solo artist to create music with depth in a live situation. Pedals like the Organ Machine series from EHX toss in a whole other sound palette to play around with. So, much to explore.
Robert Rabinowitz
September 4, 2016 at 10:09 am
Great list. I’ve built a pedal board with nothing but delays & reverbs & loopers. I would love to add some of the ones you have here to this board. What an amazing wall of sound I could build!
Brett Harrison
September 4, 2016 at 10:08 am
Yes please !
Zsolt Dubravcsik
September 4, 2016 at 10:08 am
Nice list! I own a few already. Let’s collect them all!!!
Marc Cochrane
September 4, 2016 at 10:04 am
Would love to own a nemesis delay, to nail gilmour tone!
September 4, 2016 at 10:04 am
Would love to own a nemesis delay, to nail gilmour tone!
Brandon
September 4, 2016 at 10:03 am
Awesome list!
Justin TenCate
September 4, 2016 at 10:01 am
It’s hard to argue with this list. I’d like to add function(fx) Third Rail overdrive as well. Super innovative stuff.
Chris C
September 4, 2016 at 10:00 am
Amazing list guys. Definitely saving for reference. Thanks again for helping me with the research for my next $200+ pedal. Although that Timeline doesn’t need any help getting on my wish list.
Joe Cartwright
September 4, 2016 at 9:49 am
I’m a huge fan of the Malekko diabolik. It certainly stands apart from other fuzzes I’ve used on bass. Never gets lost in a mix, huge low end, plenty of versatility, what more could you want?
Grzegorz Giedrys
September 4, 2016 at 9:44 am
🙂
Jefferson
September 4, 2016 at 9:34 am
All tonal possibilities are covered here…
Kirsten Ray
September 4, 2016 at 9:30 am
I have the H9 (Max, Regular, and Core) I use two on my guitar board and one on my bass board. I can’t tell you how much I love this pedal. Since I have one Max pedal they are all Max pedals. You cannot beat that! So much packed in there and still more stuff is coming. This is my favorite pedal on my board.
The original ditto is a perfect addition to any board. I use it for practicing leads and when I feel like creating. Since the ditto came out that whole line has gone wild! Definitely worth having any one of the ditto on your board.
Sonic Research’s ST-200 is an amazing pedal that I keep in my box of tools when setting up my guitars. I didn’t even know the new ST-300 had come out. AND a mini version! I will be getting that mini version ASAP!
There are so many pedals on this list I want to try, but the one that has been on my list for a while is the Apocalypse fuzz, which seems like a dream come true for a fuzz hound like me. Since I try to keep a tight small board I’m always on the look out for multi tone pedals like this one.
Awesome list and great reviews/demos. Thanks for sharing and making me want to spend more money!
September 4, 2016 at 9:22 am
You’re reviews blow me away . Seriously one of the greatest sites around!!! I would love to test out that photo compressor !
Carl Martin
September 4, 2016 at 9:07 am
Awesome review on some pretty amazing pedals. I’m a reverb/delay junkie and would love to try all of those in your review. The Empress Reverb is sounds like a dream pedal for reverb junkies.
Laurent de COUESBOUC
September 4, 2016 at 9:02 am
nice list! indeed all great pedal designers are included. love the Wampler design as well as chase bliss and source audio…
Kevin Clayburne
September 4, 2016 at 8:52 am
Enjoying my Xotic SP Compressor which was purchased based on your review, keep up the good work!!
Mike M
September 4, 2016 at 8:47 am
A lot of folks say it’s not about the gear. And I agree. Being a great player has nothing to do with gear. Great players can make any gear sound great. But I will say that gear is such a great part of being a player. Finding the gear, researching, acquiring and learning how to make the gear your own – so much fun! These pretty little boxes of joy can be inspiring, stimulating bursts of creativity and journeys into sound exploration that keep playing fun and exciting year after year. Keep up the great demos and reviews!
Matt O
September 4, 2016 at 8:43 am
some pricey pedals on here, ive only had the chance to own a few. really like the soul food as a low to no gain booster
Randy Creath
September 4, 2016 at 8:34 am
I love everything that Robert Keeley builds. I’ve had his 2 knob comp and his 4 knob comp and look forward to getting his pro-comp as soon as $$ are available. The right comp just sets up the rest of the tone of the chain!!
Ryan Worthley
September 4, 2016 at 8:28 am
I can’t wait to make whale sounds with the Spectre some day!
Marc T. Sato
September 4, 2016 at 8:11 am
Had my eye on the Free the Tone Tri Avatar. Hope to win it!
Kieron McKindle
September 4, 2016 at 7:47 am
Catalinbread and Keeley are my top two favorites pedal companies. There are others of course, but these two just blow me away! Catalinbreads RAH and Keeley’s Monterey are must-haves in my book. I’d love to have all of the 9 offered here so that I can expand my tonal and textural reach; especially the Strymon offerings.
don beckett
September 4, 2016 at 7:43 am
I love pedals more than you do.
Bob Robins
September 4, 2016 at 7:04 am
Thats alot of very cool pedals! Count me in.
rich b
September 4, 2016 at 6:50 am
I have been very lucky in that most of my primary pedals are 30 plus years old. I finally bought my first “boutique” pedal the grand orbiter v2 from eqd. The jury is still out on that decision.
Mark Nason
September 4, 2016 at 6:42 am
There are really some stellar pedals listed here. I was especially taken aback by how small the Empress Reverb was when compared to other pedals.
Also, this seems to be the year for the Cali 76 compressor as I keep hearing about them over and over again from people who love them on their boards!
I think the overall “winner” (if there was one) for best modern guitar effect company it’s have to be Strymon for their feature-laden (without having too many surface controls) pedals that rule-the-roost when it comes to usefulness.
Alex
September 4, 2016 at 6:40 am
Damn those would make a good pedalboard!
Enrique Mancía
September 4, 2016 at 6:35 am
I’d say Chase Bliss Audio’s Warped Vinyl is still my dream pedal, but that Empress Reverb looks wicked!
Craig Leaser
September 4, 2016 at 6:11 am
At this point I’m just starting into pedals and playing guitar. But as of right now I’m definitely liking the ditto looper pedals.
Mark Walker
September 4, 2016 at 6:08 am
For me as far as digital does the H9 is the hands down
winner. Sure you can slag on it for quick hands on editing, but that’s not the point. We all have these little devices in our pockets and it’s brilliant to be able to use that for deep editing access and I find a touch screen quicker and more accurate. I have a
Tablet on a mic stand and it’s right there at standing height for adjustments. Brilliant. Not to mention it sounds great and letting H9 Max users add more core pedals and share Max capabilities is also generous.As for analog, I’m torn between my favorite drive the Swart Atomic Boost and the Moog MF-104m. Both add such a distinct flavor and mojo to the guitar I can’t choose just one. With two H9s and these two pedals I could be set for life. But, let’s be honest we are all gear whores who want more of a good thing. We will never stop!
Thanks for the chance to win any of these amazing pedals.
Giovanni Frau
September 4, 2016 at 6:07 am
MXR EVH 5150 overdrive pedal is also a great modern pedal
Tyler Brady
September 3, 2016 at 9:01 pm
Man, I wonder what Chase Bliss’ next pedal is going to be. What next perfect pedal they could pump out…
Ryan O
September 3, 2016 at 5:04 pm
Fantastic list! Very valuable resource here!
Thom
September 3, 2016 at 4:08 pm
Sweet list.
I didnt know some of these! Definitely I’m going to try them asap.
Thanks for this great job!Claudio Rodriguez
September 3, 2016 at 11:34 am
Best site and great reviews, its cool that one helps us to confirm the good stuff… very proffesional, best regards from Switzerland
Gabe
September 3, 2016 at 9:16 am
I too think some of the Catalinbread stuff is missing – i love their trem and the Echorec – great pedals that have narrow scopes but can get weird within their ranges and don’t take uo much real estate
david rodrick
September 2, 2016 at 10:40 pm
i just replace my Empress VM super delay with a chase bliss tonal recall, and i am in love! i never thought i would be able to top the VMSD but this thing makes me remember why i started using delay in the first place. it makes everything sound musical
Jon
September 2, 2016 at 5:29 pm
So many good pedals! How do you choose?
Stanislav Evmeshkin
September 2, 2016 at 2:22 pm
Awesome giveaway!
John Lawrie
September 2, 2016 at 4:36 am
Probably the most underrated pedal of recent past is the Context by Red Panda. It’s by far the best reverb I’ve ever played through and I’ve tried out a few in the search of that perfect huge reverb tone. I basically just leave it on the cathedral setting and change the blend with my foot as I need it. Anyone else had a go with it? Only problem is it doesn’t have midi so I’ve gotta memorise my settings
Greg Pentecost
September 2, 2016 at 3:05 am
Absolutely loving this site! Just started playing guitar and while I avoided pedals at first I am now hooked on new toys! Looking forward to picking up some Mr. Black, Earthquaker, Tone City, Seymour Duncan, MXR, and others!!!
Tim
September 1, 2016 at 6:40 pm
Thank you.
Sam Raymond
September 1, 2016 at 3:37 pm
Thank you! This list is a handy resource in navigating he pedal market. Lots of great offerings here.
Rhafael Larrubia
September 1, 2016 at 8:44 am
I’m really glad I stumbled into this site! These reviews are amazing and everything is so organized!
Effects, at least in my opinion, is a big part of playing guitar. Not in the sense of how good you are, but for the fact it’s yet another way in which artists show the creativity and style.
There is no doubt we should always remember the classics, but with the amount of companies creating new things, it’s good to have a site with this kind of resources.
Considering things like time available time to try pedals, the fact that in some parts of the world it’s virtually impossible to buy equipment due to import rules in some countries, as well as the financial factors, it’s great to have a place where we can keep up with everything that’s new.
Thank you guys for the initiative and dedication in organizing everything.
Gavin McNutt
September 1, 2016 at 8:02 am
I’m very big on simplicity and quality. Something does not have to be complicated to be effective.
Specifically the quality of a brand like TC Electronic. I have always admired the precision of their products and specifically their corona chorus and flashback x4 delay.
The TC Electronic SubNUp is I’m sure packed with the same consistent build quality and tonal quality that all of their other products are packed with! Plus being able to in your computer design your own sound is incredibly creative!
Niall Morley
September 1, 2016 at 4:46 am
Damn… now I’ve spotted at least 2 pedals I think i ‘need’! 😉
Still a nice variety too – showing you don’t need to spend the earth to get something good (i.e. EHX Soul Food which you can get for £60/$80), although some of the pedals are maybe a bit unnecessary such as Hardwired TS and the TS Mini is more of a great modern innovation given the compact size!!
Robertino
August 31, 2016 at 10:26 pm
I begin to think I’m a little old fashioned. I built my setup a couple of years ago. The newest pedal I have is the ehx cathedral. I have several delay pedals but it was not until I tried the Strymon of a friend that I did not understand that I needed a delay pedal with tap tempo and presets. Unfortunately in Argentina these are very difficult and expensive to get.
Good article!
Christopher Jacques
August 31, 2016 at 8:49 pm
My H9 has totally turned me around on digital pedals. They used to be the things that made my sound muffled and noisy, but now there’s just so much innovation in digital processing that it’s ridiculous to come down on one side or the other of the digital/analog divide. And I think that that progress has led to some fresh ideas and more complicated sounds coming out of the analog world (looking at you, Chase Bliss). There are so many companies out there, and it’s great because that competition is leading to fresh, new sounds on some tired ideas.
Paul McCallion
August 31, 2016 at 6:07 pm
OMG the Eventide H9 Harmonizer must join my pedal board along with delays. Can never have enough delays. MORE DELAYS!!!!!
Nathan Blache
August 31, 2016 at 2:33 pm
The omission of at least one Red Panda product is a glaring oversight, especially with the Soul Food being included….. weird. Multiple Klon clones? The Particle should be on here and the Context as well. Death By Audio Reverberation Machine, Echo Dream, etc.are awesome combo dirt/modulation/time based effects that are killer, too.
Mark
August 31, 2016 at 2:13 pm
Lots of great pedals. Send them to me. All of them!
Frederic
August 31, 2016 at 2:02 pm
First of all i would like to thank you guys fpr this a ma zing opportunity, even if i dont win and any other wins its fine i hope that he shredds the guitar pefectly with if. Ive been playing the guitar for 17 years and im sort of renewing my theory now and went into a music school so i could refresh what i know. Ive been searching for such pedals for a long time and now at the last minute i found them! Plus money has always been an issue for me and i wanted to have a loop pedal for a while but any of these pedals would do good. After all they are all amazing. I want to wish everyone good luck for that, even if i dont win thumbs up for all the musicians and for you guys! Thank you for this opportunity!
James M
August 31, 2016 at 1:03 pm
love these pedals, would love to try some of them (HINT HINT) but just to sweeten the deal I will tell you a joke for a pedal. Deal, “no way” Pardon I thought I heard no there for a second. “You heard righ” (cut off)
ok great. here it is then, don’t FRETT it will be good… no ok how about this Q: What did Al Gore play on his guitar? A: An algorithm! no… ok one more you will be THUNDERSTRUCK BY THIS ONE……..the fact that there is a highway to hell and a stairway to heaven shows the traffic numbers. HA funny right no. well you must be aboard the CRAZY TRAIN if you don’t think these are funny. you must be an AMERICAN IDIOT.sorry if I already made a comment its not showing up for me
Giuseppe Del Giudice
August 31, 2016 at 12:37 pm
Tri-Avatar has even too many preset for the amount of controls comes up! Is a waste!
August 31, 2016 at 12:33 pm
Rainbow Machine has become a must have pedal!
Bjartur Dal-Christiansen
August 31, 2016 at 11:58 am
So many pedals, so little time. I just started playing again after an almost five year more or less complete break away from the instrument. One of the things that inspired me to get back to playing was finding that sweet sound, that elusive sound that always used to escape me back then. Now I’m working on my first pedalboard but it’s trial and error and I still haven’t found the sweet spot that I’m looking for.
I recently fell in love with the Neunaber Immerse Reverberator and TC Electronic’s Sub N Up and they will soon replace my current reverb and octave pedals. Can’t wait for the new additions to my board and great to see them in this list as well.
Noel Birkey
August 31, 2016 at 11:09 am
This list is amazing;
Tones upon tones!
Digital wizardry
And of course…some Klon Clones.But if I could have one pedal
(Though it’d put me in debt),
I’d call up Sho Iwata
For his insane Noel Cornet.The fuzziest fuzz!
The gainiest gain!
That searing sustain
Will drive me insane!So bravo my friends
On your excellent curation.
But your list is missing
A master creation.August 31, 2016 at 9:52 am
WOW, I was just researching different pedals and this site came up, I decided to give it a try… and I am soooo happy that I did. You guys put so much work into this page and I think it’s AMAZING. You made me look into a ton of these and I have benefited greatly from this. I love the look and sound of the Earthquaker and the Seymour Duncan. They just sound great. I am a guitar geek and these will be a awesome addition to my limited collection. Many of these will be going on a one way trip on to my wishlist. Thanks again for this page. I will be recommending it to friends and fellow players. I will make sure to also sign up for your newsletter for future news, I am also loving you demos on your youtube channel.
Charles A.
August 31, 2016 at 8:42 am
One thing that I would love to see on this list is a dedicated ring modulator. I know there aren’t that many out there, but I think Randy’s Revenge by Fairfield Circuitry it one of the best. The choice between High and Low frequencies allows for a large range of sounds from getting fuzz like at the highest to tremolo at the lowest frequencies. The choice between sine and square wave allows for some great textures. That being said, what truly makes Randy’s Revenge stand out is the LPF knob where you can filter out some of the harshest high frequencies and truly make the ring mod musical. Another great thing is the CV capabilities. You can ‘program’ Randy to allow for CV control of the LPF knob or the FREQ knob and you can control them together or separately if you use a stereo/Y cable. Also, you can use the CV port of carrier out and control other pedals that have CV control. For being a dedicated ring modulator, Randy’s Revenge can do quite a bit! The only other ring mod that has a similar feature set is the Moog, but it’s more than twice the size of Randy!
Seth Heidler
August 31, 2016 at 8:42 am
Strymon is my go to for pedals since I bought the Big Sky. Check them out!
Graeme
August 31, 2016 at 5:12 am
Some incredible pedals on this list, but I have to say that one stand out for me as an inspiration:
The H9 Max.
What Eventide have done with this is truly revolutionary. A guitarist can start with the Max, buy an H9 Core, maybe even a 2nd Core, ‘Max’ them out, and through Bluetooth technology and the H9 Control app, can create the most flexible, diverse and downright outstanding-sounding pedalboard with just a few stompboxes.
It can be a reverb pedal, a delay pedal, a chorus, a pitch-shifter (it can even give you trance arpeggios…yep, dance music from your guitar!), a compressor, or all of them at once. If you change your mind, you can beam a new list of presets to the H9 from your iPhone, and all of the parameters are tweakable. And the sounds? Well…
Blackhole is just about one of the most beautiful reverb algorithms ever conceived, the tape delays are warm, gooey and warbly, even Sculpt yields some great results for pushing your amp to overdrive. You have everything from this pedal from fantastic ‘normal’ sounds to otherworldly ambient weirdness. Some alghorithms such as ModVerbEcho and SpaceTime, use more than one effect in the same algorithm, giving the player even more possibilities.
It sounds beautiful, it’s built like a tank, it’s seemingly infinitely versatile… studio-quality sounds in a 4.5″x4.7″ white box: what’s not to love?
Ryan Langlois
August 30, 2016 at 11:41 am
So many of these pedals to try, so little time
Anthony Laing
August 30, 2016 at 10:17 am
I’m only a lottery win away from owning all of these pedals… Anyone want to buy a kidney?
Paul
August 30, 2016 at 8:20 am
Nice to see the EGO pedal made the list! I’ve had mine for a year – it’s bulletproof!
Pat L
August 29, 2016 at 11:10 pm
A great selection of pedals there bro
Stewart Webb
August 29, 2016 at 8:03 pm
When all you have is a boss me-50, any of these pedals would just make a dream come true!!
David Gortych
August 29, 2016 at 6:12 pm
It’s almost overwhelming the amount of pedals out there now. It’s great and keeps the competition going! I just grabbed an MXR Reverb after playing one, for the size and price it’s really hard to beat how great it sounds. After rocking the axe fx II the last 4 years I recently bought a tube amp (KSR Orthos!) and started to build a pedal board. Right now I can’t settle on a delay pedal. In my head I can see myself with 5 or more on my board lol but keeping the tempos scynced up would be a nightmare lol. At the very least strymon just enter the pedal power game. They’re making that choice super easy!
CoachChris
August 29, 2016 at 12:38 pm
Heaven can wait; gotta play these pedals first.
Randy Stark
August 28, 2016 at 3:37 pm
Ooh I would love to get my hands on that Apocalypse or Rainbow Machine for some sweet noise!
Jodie Gillespie
August 28, 2016 at 3:15 am
There’a some brilliant pedals there, some great ones and some I’d have swapped out for my own personal favourites, but wow man, what a list
Emily Gibson
August 28, 2016 at 2:33 am
Well that does nothing for my GAS
William Gould
August 27, 2016 at 9:26 pm
The Strymon Big Sky has been the pedal of my dreams that I can NOT afford. So maybe one day I can win something on this list and start working my way towards it.
August 27, 2016 at 7:36 pm
The amazing pedals that you feature make me want to learn how to play guitar. 🙂 My pedal collection needs help.
Jonathan
August 27, 2016 at 6:39 pm
I am loving the Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret!. It turned my Fender amp into a Marshall stack. Sounds amazing!
Ian moss
August 27, 2016 at 6:18 pm
It’s really great seeing all of these small and independent builders being considered the best. There is clearly a market for people who are really passionate about unique tone and musicality.
Guillaume Quinette
August 27, 2016 at 2:22 pm
The Tonal Recall totally blew my mind. That warble in the repeats made me want that pedal more than any other one! Chase Bliss makes, in my opinion maybe the best pedals out there!
richard griffiths
August 27, 2016 at 11:29 am
deffinately some of the best pedals out there, ive been playing guitar for about 5 years but never had the money for any decent pedals so have just gone through the amp, would love to own these pedals one day
Martin Rennemo
August 26, 2016 at 3:12 pm
I’ve owned a Eventide Space for years now and I have never been bored with it. The Eventide Space is the perfection for me as a link between the musicianship and the creative process. It has the sounds I imagine and is my most used tool.
I have used a WMD Geiger Counter for some time now as well and find it daunting yet exciting. It’s a pedal that has to become overcome in some sense, it doesn’t let the player get away with any sound from the guitar. It leads the player into a new direction which I like and only this the WMD geiger counter makes the playing go in this specific direction.Simen andersen
August 26, 2016 at 12:49 pm
I just started getting into pedals, and i would love to try ALL of these! I have the Soul food, and LOVE IT! I think the Soul food – ADA Cab simulator sounds great, and to keep the stage volume low, its great 🙂
Slinger Francis
August 26, 2016 at 12:33 pm
yeesh, just when I thought I was getting to peak gear, ya’ll lay all these sweet pedals on me! Need to drain my savings and get my hands on some of these beauties. That drybell vibe machine, drool.
Anyone have any experience circuit bending pedals?
Joe
August 26, 2016 at 11:11 am
A great selection of pedals and some of my favorites made it! For example the Bogner Blue and the H9. Would love to see them check out the pedals from Frantone. Fran’s stuff is amazing and no one seems to know about it!
Frantone.com
Vilphy
August 26, 2016 at 10:37 am
I always love to have a wide range of guitar pedals as Im beginning to build my new pedalboard. With so many good pedals around , I’m sure there a lot of new sounds to try out. I’m just curious always. I’m looking for a sound like a nice cake, with different layers,smooth and iced well with a lovely texture. The hearers should fall in love in the first place:) I’m open to experimentation and i always wish to have the best and largest collection of pedals.
Rudolf Vander Molen
August 26, 2016 at 5:49 am
Sound amazing!
Willem
August 26, 2016 at 2:28 am
My guitar playing is delayed by all the compressed info on this website. You guys are distorted making so much fuzz about pedals and my attention is in a loop coming back here to read more. Will it boost my playing skills or will I stay out of phase? I’m shimmering and vibrating and feel like I am in a constant overdrive!
In reality I sometimes play with no pedals at all. It’s very ZEN…but after a while they come creeping back. And the first one is always the delay. Currently a Line6 DL4. Still saving for one those amazing Eventide or Strymon pedals.
A vintage big muff to all.Ashlee Hutchinson
August 25, 2016 at 9:37 pm
Very detailed and helpful article. Bookmarked it Incase I go pedal shopping and need some advice lol!
Cam
August 25, 2016 at 7:47 pm
Trying to ditch my Boss multi-effect.
It’s affordable, but a total tone suck.
Winning this would really set me upMarshall Bradshaw
August 25, 2016 at 2:39 pm
I don’t have an effects pedal for my guitar. I play guitar as the worship leader for my church and am reviewing these to determine what might be the best to enhance the guitar sound and my playing. I definitely think a compressor needs to be at the top of my list.
Steve M
August 25, 2016 at 8:26 am
More than a decade in, Moog’s MuRF still does things no other pedal can. With its sequenced filters in a variety of patterns and synchronized tremolo, this box can emulate phasers, create bubbly synth lines, do subtle to extreme EQing, rock out with hi-fi distortion, and produce straight trem that goes from understated and vintage to a crazy modern chop job. To that, add full expression pedal control over any (or all) parameters, tap tempo, MIDI, and a ton of gain and you’ve got a modern pedal for the ages. The defense rests.
Michele gemini
August 25, 2016 at 8:00 am
I myself am not a guitar player but a flute player (floutist still sounds pretentious to me) and as a woman on a hunt for the perfect delay pedal I must say I wish I found this article earlier. It’s accurate, precise and to the point. Walking in & out of guitar shops and shady Craigslist ad’s has been one nightmare of an adventure. I feel as a woman and non shredder specialist it’s often I experience the oh so common con artist car salesmen of the music world trying to convince me what they have to offer is the “best”…and then I found this article & I was saved. Thank you article wizard for educating me and sparing me one more bike ride to a dusty music shop with an employee behind the counter who smells like mountain dew & minimum wage.
August 25, 2016 at 7:31 am
What a great & detailed article! I personally own the Ditto looper and it is by far the greatest investments I have made for pedals!
Maxx Harkins
August 24, 2016 at 7:56 pm
Curious about how that H9 works. Also Chase Bliss though.
Bonn Ulson
August 24, 2016 at 6:43 pm
Im a Filipino! I can’t afford these pedals. I play guitar. I would be the happiest man alive if I get one of these awesome pedals.
Nick J
August 24, 2016 at 4:37 pm
For guitarists, it’s so often the hands getting all the action – whether it’s deftly executing a slick legato lick, monstering a spider like chord with inhuman dexterity and aching digit sprawl or striking a power stance, plectrum on high. Down there in the shadows, just out of the spotlight, give a thought to the limbs less lime-lit; the feet. Content so often to merely toe tap, or perhaps a jazzy shimmy, in the right circumstance. But no longer do they need to be consigned to the doldrums! The top 50 Modern Effects Pedals offer a smorgasbord of soleful treats – now those feet can be deftly dual stomping across a pair of gain pedals, unleashing a divine elixir of lead tone love , whilst knocking on a buttery ambient delay, leaving one pin spare to whip up a zesty tap tempo before stomping on a non latching digital reverse modulated echo to tip you over the precipice into audio nirvana. Watch out hands, feet are finally having their day.
Jonathan M
August 24, 2016 at 8:31 am
Wow, it’s been absolutely stunning to see the landscape of effects pedals change before my eyes over the years. I bought my first pedal for $20 at a musician’s swap meet. It was a DOD Supra Distortion. It was the noisiest, tinniest, most ugly-sounding distortion I’ve ever heard, but the price was right for a high school slacker with no job. Fast forward to now, with companies like Strymon, Earthquaker, JHS, Keeley, the list goes on and on, creating such marvels of tone, innovation and imagination for our enjoyment and inspiration. What a wonderful time to be creative.
Michael Grindle
August 24, 2016 at 5:12 am
This is my first time visiting the Best Guitar Effects after being a follower on Instagram and I must say I’m really impressed with the content here and will definitely be back. This article in particular does a great job at running through some well known staples in the modern effects world as well as a few I’d not heard of previously which is always nice to see.
As far as my favourite modern pedal that I’ve tried I think it would have to be the Strymon Blue Sky as it blew every other reverb pedal I had tried previously out of the water in terms of sound quality and the preset footswitch on strymon products is always a great bonus. I’d love to get my hands on the Big Sky as well as a few of the pedals listed here especially the Dr Scientist BitQuest and the Chase Bliss Warped Vinyl as they all look great.
CJ Johnson
August 23, 2016 at 8:00 pm
I’m putting together a small pedalboard for my acoustic right now. I’m looking to add in compression. I didn’t know there was such a huge range of compression pedals to choose from. Cue countless hours of reading and watching these reviews nonstop, haha. Any of you guys with more experience than me have any thoughts on which compressors might work better with an acoustic guitar?
Mohammed Ashraf
August 23, 2016 at 1:34 pm
Looking at these pedals, I honestly believe that we are living in the golden age of the guitar pedal. I would go as far as saying that alongside Eurorack and all the possibilities that format provides for sound design and manipulation, pedals are the probably the most forward thinking area in audio hardware at the moment, you can literally shape your tone to become anything you want it to be. This list also highlights the sheer wealth of high quality options we have at our disposals for every type/shape/tone/shade of sound. I remember when I first started getting into pedals (I’d say that’s around 10-12 years ago) the only options I had available where I lived Boss, EHX, Digitech and maybe MXR, this huge surge of pedal companies is making every manufacturer have to push their boundaries further and I think we are all the better for it.
Very glad to see the Whammy and Malekko’s Scrutator, they are insane amounts of fun and sonic possibilities. The only pedals I feel I’d add to this list (don’t think I’d remove a single one) are the Montreal Assembly Count to 5, DOD Carcosa (I think based on the demos it might be my fuzz favourite pedal ever), Hologram Dream Sequence and definitely something from ThorpyFX & Green Carrot pedals (both UK based companies, both make pedals that create insane amounts of deliciously destructive noise). Also based on the demos and the fact that I am receiving one soon, I think the Avalanche Run will earn its place in this list soon.August 23, 2016 at 12:22 pm
If there’s one thing this list brings home to me it’s the huge divided between those who like programmable effects and those who like stompboxes with as few knobs as possible.
I’ve done enough computer programming to last me a lifetime and I don’t want to have to program my music too. Which brings me to another gripe. Why do some stompboxes have switches on them? Does someone somewhere seriously think that halfway through a song I’m going to bend over and risk dropping my guitar, or kneel down and risk knocking everything within touching distance flying just to flip a switch? If something’s worth putting a switch on for, it’s worth putting a big stomp switch on there for. Yes, EH, your little ‘wicker’ and ‘tone’ switches are amongst my bugbears right now.
Which brings me on to another gripe. Why do so many pedals have ‘tone’ dials on them. Isn’t it enough that we have tone pots on the guitar that mess with our sound before it even leaves the guitar without all our pedals trying to mess with it further? Tone is the job of the amp. When I’m rich and famous and in charge of the world I shall have a range of effects with no tone circuits and a signature guitar with no tone pots. Of course, on the effects front, not all tone knobs actually are tone knobs insofar as the the real world understands the term.
Which leads me to another gripe. Is there some rule that no two compressor manufacturers are allowed to call any knob, dial, lever, or pet frog by the same name? In my search for the perfect comp pedal I’ve wasted money on dozens of pedals and they all have different names for what would appear to be the same thresholds, and when they run out of real words they start inventing new ones.
Which leads me to another gripe, but luckily for you I’m getting hungry.
Great website guys, but isn’t it time you did a review of the Origin Effects Sliderig?
Mike Coppin
August 23, 2016 at 10:57 am
The Xotic SP compressor! The size is so practical and easy to SQUEEZE (Get it? Cause it’s its a compression pedal!) on to any board. But that little size does not hold anything back. It gives that tone that I want! I don’t even want that tone anymore, because now I HAVE that tone! It’s a beauty, the staple of my board and couldn’t go anywhere without it!
Lucas Diniz
August 23, 2016 at 8:06 am
Incredible how with no physical access to these pedals I can feel like I’m testing the pedals myself. I just get amazed by your reviews and it makes me feel so confident when learning more and more about pedals because the info is just so accurate. I’ll probably take a few decades to test all these pedals but the passion (and obsession) is always fed by researching about these colorful devices in this site.
Great review, been considering buying some pedals from the list into world domination. All of them are killers, the Seymour Duncan Palladium definitely stood out by its versatility and direct aspect, also the Xotic effects Wah, didn’t know there were wah pedals that complete and adjustable. There are so many sounds to be explored and so much music to be created, developed and explored!!Carlo Tiedge
August 23, 2016 at 3:05 am
Really good information on those pedals!
I’ve been playing guitar since I was six and I love to experiment with and search for new sounds.
I write my own music, which is heavily influenced by blues, jazz and 60s rock. I’ve heard my idols talk about some of the pedals you’ve mentioned (especially the strymon timeline and electro harmonix and tc electronics products) and I would love to find out what sounds I can get out of them for myself.
Thanks for the information.
Cheers from Germany!!Matt Sanford
August 22, 2016 at 12:36 pm
This is a great rundown of amazing makers! I’m especially to see the whole ChaseBliss line on here, since Joel is genius and a spectacularly sweet human being. I have a number of these pedals on my board, and many on my wish list! Notably from this list, I love the EP Booster (probably my favorite boost ever), the Pigtronix Infinity is, to me, the best looper available for a live situation. EQD is doing some amazing stuff, I mean the Afterneath is an almost always on pedal for me, it just sounds so good! I have their Avalanche Run coming in the mail this week. There are a couple makers/pedals I’d love to see on this list, especially from Dwarfcraft, Montreal Assembly and Red Panda. I think Red Panda’s Particle delay is pretty stellar, and the MNTLASSM Count to 5 splicer/looper/delay/magic pedal is revolutionary. I’ve had mine for over a year and still feel like I’ve only just scratched the surface of what is possible with the CT5. Honorable mention goes out to the EHX Freeze pedal, possibly the most underrated pedal of recent memory. They’ve become almost ubiquitous, with players of almost every single style rocking one on their boards. I use mine for both drone and for complementary sustains…I highly recommend watching Gilad Hekselman’s Reverb video featuring the Freeze! Very cool stuff. One of my favorites is running it into the Dwarfcraft Wizard of Pitch for some insane pitch glitch. Can’t wait to see what all these amazing companies come up with next!!
Sarah
August 22, 2016 at 9:03 am
Super thorough! I wish there was a general price range listed so I could have some idea which ones I might be able to afford.
Richard C
August 22, 2016 at 7:54 am
The EP Boost is the only one of your selection, but I’d love to try out the others.
Aditya Bhatt
August 22, 2016 at 5:14 am
I want to win a strymon so bad!
mike
August 21, 2016 at 6:02 pm
nice pedals
curt merida
August 21, 2016 at 5:54 pm
tc electronic hypergravity compressor is like the theory of tonal relativity in a pedal!, and the gravitational field pictured on the pedal is exactly how your sound gets enhanced, I never believed in gravity, I thought like aristotle that heavy things are simply endowed with heaviness and so are where they are as are light things, well…, einstein was right about hypergravity the way tc electronic is right about compression, in the same way the earth seems to be moving through gravity (it’s not, it’s just that relative to the field around it appears to be moving, yeah, go figure!) the tc electronic hypergravity pedal is so subtle it seems to be changing your sound but the sound stays the same as the effect of the pedal ‘works around’ it!, thats why it is an indispensable ‘always on’ pedal for me, it ensconces your sound with galactic possibilites…okay, maybe not galactic, yet the possibilities of aural beauty are vast, you can blend in as much relative gravity pulling change as you want with the blend knob, reduce or increase the attack time with the attack knob, go from 1:1 compression ratio (which is so subtle it seems imperceptible) to infinity with your sustain turning the sustain knob, and turn the level up even using the pedal like a clean boost your tone 99% uneffected (I know, that’s not a word!) or achieve unity gain, basically you can be the master of your tonal universe with this pedal, and you can toggle from a shimmery modern spectral mode to a more vintage sounding compression or use toneprint software to alter the aural field around your guitar’s sound in more ways than gravity even affects the stars!, whew!, all that for $129, yes, relatively speaking sound IS in the ear of the hearer, still I’m sure the pedal shall beautify your playing in ways even einstein would smile at!, “If I were not a physicist, I would probably be a musician. I often think in music. I live my daydreams in music. I see my life in terms of music.”, yeah, tc electronic is my favorite pedal until my pedal paradigm shifts!
Stiliyan Emanuilov
August 21, 2016 at 12:17 pm
I like pedals that go meowwww. And the metal version the goes like MEOOWWWW.
James Knowles
August 21, 2016 at 10:50 am
Wouldn’t be nice to have a good bit of these at your disposal anytime. Good comparison read. 🙂
Paul Bogadtke
August 21, 2016 at 10:35 am
Got the Keymaster. A more than helpful Stomper.
RomainC
August 21, 2016 at 10:05 am
I’d love to test the Seymour Duncan Palladium Gain Stage, sound so great !
Steve
August 21, 2016 at 10:03 am
Would love an H9 to upgrade my Line 6 M9. Elements and the XW-1 look spectacular.
Matt kelaart
August 21, 2016 at 1:09 am
Far out! Such a good list!!
Disappointing that there isn’t any treble boosters on the list!
No Xotic SP Compressor on the list either?!
Love the strymon gear. Have the time line and big Sky myself 🙂John Latartara
August 20, 2016 at 4:02 pm
Love this site!!
Blake
August 20, 2016 at 10:27 am
I was going to mention the Ditto series. Not only is the original Ditto an easy-to-use, compact looper, but it spawned all the other one-button looper pedals. I love being able to drop a real quick riff and play over it, no effort needed!
John Haycock
August 20, 2016 at 8:36 am
Unlike many of you I don’t run a guitar through my pedals a use a kora (African 21 string double-harp).
I use live looping (ditto series) and a combination of input and out put effects to create beats and soundscapes, with the kora then improvise over the top with different instruments. Heres some examples:
Im constantly amazed at how much modern electronics like these inspire creativity. Currently awaiting a nemesis delay which i was inspired to by from this site. I have only recently begun this journey but im already looking forward to a bright future of sonic exploration. Next on my wish list would be any of the chase bliss products or the empress reverb!
Paul G
August 20, 2016 at 7:37 am
Some decent staple and leftfield pedals in your list. Good to see somewhere where you can get a direct comparative review all in one place
Andy Keen
August 20, 2016 at 7:14 am
The Fulltone Fat Boost 3 is perfect in the effects loop for me as I get loads of boost with great EQ’ing forcing the lead in s good way above the mix. Great discovery for me so thought I would share. EP booster is great in the loop too. Both great with different EQ flavours. PS WHAT A PRIZE. THESE ARE ALL TOP PEDALS!!
Walt Lockhart
August 19, 2016 at 6:00 pm
These reviews are super helpful, especially when you’re on a budget and can’t just indulge every whim!
Thanks and good luck to everyone!Meagan
August 19, 2016 at 9:43 am
To be completely honest, I do not know a darn thing about guitar pedals. I am not musically inclined at all, it is my boyfriend who is the one who is a talented musician.
I am super interested in learning more about them, which was part of the reason I am on this website. I came here to find out about guitar pedals because my boyfriend recently stated he wanted a looper pedal. So I decided to start doing some research on which were best because I really would love to surprise him with one. Then, I came across the giveaway. I know this wasn’t the type of response you were looking for and I would have gotten him to come and make a proper comment, but I don’t want him even knowing that I’m doing all of this research to get him one. I would be incredibly grateful to be the receiver of one of the pedals from the giveaway because I would love to be able to give back to my boyfriend as he does SO MUCH for me all of the time and shows interest in all of my hobbies and talents.
Chris Riley
August 19, 2016 at 8:40 am
Great website and I credit your reviews with insight and knowledge.
Unbiased, clearly understood reviews of effects that I can use with my trombone!
Strymon Ola being the latest purchase.
It’s like a drug…who knew trombones could sound like that!!
Harry Long
August 18, 2016 at 10:40 pm
Would be a dream to get my hands on these pedals! Great to see all of the creative pedals on this list too. So many sounds to play with, great music still to come!
August 18, 2016 at 10:35 pm
Would be a dream to get my hands on these pedals! Great to see all of the creative pedals on this list too. So many sounds to play with, great music still to come!
Timothy
August 18, 2016 at 5:50 pm
I had some ideas of which of my pedals to leave as a comment saying “This pedal should really be on this list.” But my first few personal choices are already here: Chase Bliss Tonal Recall and Warped Vinyl, Empress Effects Reverb, Keeley Compressor Pro, EHX Pitchfork…
A very deserving pedal that I feel is missing here is the most innovative delay I’ve seen (and owned): the Red Panda Particle. It’s a glitchy dream, using granular synthesis to achieve very usable sounds unlike anything else on the market today. It has many modes, all very useful, and has expression control as well. I can’t recommend it highly enough! It’s changed the way I approach playing guitar, and I think that’s what we all hope for when we get a cool new gadget.
Mark Guy
August 18, 2016 at 1:46 pm
Excellent list
Michael Foy
August 17, 2016 at 10:31 pm
Are the Soul Food and the Rocket archer different enough to warrant two spots on this list? My understanding is that they’re both Klones, and having only played a handmade Klone I’d be interested to see how they stack up.
Neville Scott
August 17, 2016 at 2:55 pm
It’s great to see an unbiased comparison of all these great pedals. I’ve not even seen a good amount of these pedals, never mind tried them so for me choosing a pedal is like starting with a blank piece of paper. At least using your reviews I can at least map out a few pedals to hunt down and try.
John Twomey
August 17, 2016 at 2:19 am
The Chase Bliss Audio pedal is probably my favourite. I’d kill for one of those
Jure Golob
August 16, 2016 at 11:12 pm
The first pedal I’d recommend to anybody is a delay pedal! It makes your guitar sound majestic. Next pedal everybody should buy is a looper. I’m glad that you’ve included the legendary Tube Screamer. There are tons of different distortion/overdrive pedals, but nothing beats the smoothness of the good old TS808, especially the HandWired version. You made a great list and I can’t wait to try them all.
Jason Andreasen
August 16, 2016 at 7:03 pm
Great collection of pedals. It’s good to see quite a variety of pedal types make the list. I was also impressed to see a few budget friendly pedals listed as well. I’m thinking the next addition to my board will be TC Electronics’ Sub N Up. I’m amazed at how much that little pedal can do and at a price well below most other octave pedals.
Bismarck Newman
August 16, 2016 at 1:54 pm
So many amazing pedals. One of my favorites has to be Empress Effects Reverb.
Geoffrey Prather
August 16, 2016 at 12:19 pm
The breadth of pedals that are out there is astonishing. Thanks for giving us pedal junkies a source for finding out about all the new and wonderfully weird things going on in this realm.
I recently bought the TC Electronic Triple Delay after reading about it on the site. It’s freaking insane. The sounds I can get from that pedal alone are mind-blowing. I played with some friends recently with just it and a Old Blood Noise Endeavors Haunt pedal and at the end of the session the other guitarist couldn’t believe the sounds and sonic palette I was creating with primarily just the Triple Delay.
Before finding out about it, I was pretty set on getting Eventide Timefactor but the idea of three simultaneous delays in either parallel or series was just too good to pass up. Thanks for the knowledge!
Santana
August 16, 2016 at 11:33 am
Really happy to see dr scientists the elements on the list. I absolutely love mine and think it’s such a great pedal!
Michael Stone
August 16, 2016 at 10:16 am
I love this list! the Tonal Recall is such a great pedal. It has been a cool new discovery for me. I thought I might also see the Earthquaker devices Nightwire on here as well. Such a versatile and customizable pedal! I guess the King of Tone isn’t considered modern is it? I am also a sucker for JHS pedals, so I was disappointed not to any of their stuff. I get pedals like the Morning Glory and Angry Charlie aren’t innovative as much as improvements on age old models, but the Color Box seems pretty innovative to me.
I got a lot of inspiration here. Excited to try a lot of these other pedals eventually!
August 16, 2016 at 10:06 am
Great list! The Tonal Recall sounds incredible. I hope to play one at some point. Also love all the stuff Strymon has done, but like previous commenter happy to see other companies competing. I know everyone on the internet is hyping the Angry Charlie and the AT version by JHS, but it truly is a great British sounding high gain drive. I’m also a huge fan of the versatility and customizing option on the Earthquaker Nightwire. I think it can be a high quality phaser, envelope filter, and tremolo with lots of other sonic possibilities! I’m guessing the Analogman King of Tone isn’t considered modern right?
JD
August 16, 2016 at 7:50 am
Nice list! I would agree with most of the choices on it. I’ve owned or still a few of these. My biggest problem when trying to put an “end-all” board together has been a bit unique.
I used a Line 6 Pod HD 500 for several years as my pedalboard. The sounds were good (enough) but the ability to set up a new “board” whenever I wanted was great. What really inspired me was being able to assign just about any parameter of an effect to an expression pedal and have the effect toggle on/off with the press of one switch, essentially making it a switching system, expression/volume and ever changing effect palette in one pretty compact unit.
So now, I’m trying to build a board that gives the same level of variety and control and I’m having a hard time. I’ve owned several of the Strymons and some great high end modern takes on Muffs and FF circuits but I’m missing being able to assign the level of drive or eq to an expression pedal. Same with the small form factor Strymons. They sound incredible (currently playing a DIG) but there are no presets and I know that even with a midi/preset capable pedal, I still need something like the Boss ES-8 to control it all.
So do I buy a Helix or Fractal FX-8 and go back to that simple streamlined set up? Well, no I don’t think so. I like the “personality” of a pedalboard consisting of carefully chosen pedals. I just wish effects builders would catch up with the times and have all or most parameters assignable. Some like Source Audio are already going in this direction. Rant over 🙂 Keep up the great work!
Dwain
August 16, 2016 at 6:27 am
One of the best years ever in terms of the effects that are coming out. I’m lucky enough to have a few from the list, but will be getting the Nemesis delay and the Nuenaber Immerse in the next few weeks.
Great news for my ears! bad news for my gear acquisition syndrome and my wallet…
Joe Meyer
August 15, 2016 at 11:47 pm
I really wish I could try some of these out!!! It would be a dream come true, it would be Food for my Soul to Dig a little deeper and Immerse myself into the Dirty Little Secrets of the pedal world… Anyway, it’s time to go brave the Elements to learn more about pedals because there is Infinity more to know. Anyway those are some of my favorite pedals haha. Now don’t be my Nemesis and don’t Delay, have a great day
Cory Schibler
August 15, 2016 at 7:51 pm
The Cali 76 is a fantastic sounding compressor. I have been very impressed with it.
Eero Lähteenmäki
August 15, 2016 at 3:41 pm
Really happy to see some amazing newcomers to the high-end reverb market which has been dominated by Strymon’s Big Sky. Both Neunaber and Empress sound killer!
Also really eager to get my hands on Apocalypse fuzz some day, it seems to be just the right kind of fuzz I’ve been looking for.
Konstantin Tarada
August 15, 2016 at 5:25 am
I have ditto looper x2 and its great.
August 14, 2016 at 9:43 pm
Oh, duh, to add to my earlier comment…the Montreal Assembly Count to Five. Unprecedented, one of the most inspired, inspiring, musical, challenging, unique, balls out awesome pedals to ever hit the scene. I’ve had mine for two years now and I feel like I’m still just scratching the surface of what it can do in terms of time/pitch/modulation, and that’s WITHOUT even ever using the expression control. HUGE.
Greg McClure
August 14, 2016 at 1:59 pm
A profoundly well-thought-out list of scrotum-tightening sonic pigments to paint, power-through, and peace-out with. This is the lust page. What about a noise gate inclusion? The Sentry? Freshly inspired, I’m off to play my ’65 Vintage Stratocaster through my Real Tube pedal — it might not make the best-of lists, but the drive on that thing is thick and sweet. Sometimes the best is what you’re used to.
Eyal
August 14, 2016 at 11:20 am
When I was a teenager, I was really into Incubus and Rage Against the Machine. They were both effect-heavy bands and I was gasing to copy their sounds. I worked all summer and bought over a dozen boss and DOD pedals like the RV-3, DD3, Db-25, phasers, choruses flangers. I even got the line 6 modellers for delay, modulation and filter, a big clunky POG and a digitech whammy.
I built my own pedalboard using plywood. The board was huge and weighed so much it took 2 people to carry it around. Wires were coming out of everywhere from various power supplies and patch cables. It was a mess to look at. I made it my mission to use every pedal for our sets, so they all became “indispensable”. I was always having trouble patching it together, there so many variables that could go wrong, it would take me a good hour before sets to make sure it worked. Most other bands that played sets with us snickered at the size of the thing but I always got compliments afterwards that it sounded cool.
A decade plus later, most of that gear is sold as I took a job travelling overseas and focused on music production on computer. I’ve been looking at putting a small board together recently as I’ve been getting back into guitar playing. The variety and breadth of pedals available these days is astounding. Mini pedals (which weren’t a thing as far as I remember in the late 90s, early 2000s) are now ubiquitous, the big names like Strymon and earthquake devices weren’t renown yet. It’s a cool new world!
I’m looking to put a simple but unique (and light this time, I promise) board together to help spark some creativity and inspiration. I’m really intrigued by the Total Recall and Bigsky which I will probably be getting soon. I still need to round them out with a few drive/effects/compressor/eq boxes. If you guys have any suggestions, I’m all ears!
Daniel Oxendine
August 14, 2016 at 10:22 am
I’m a beginner when it comes to sculpting sound but I’m partial to the DigiTech whammy and would love to try one
August 14, 2016 at 10:19 am
Man, such a great list! I own many of the pedals on here and they are all on my main board. Particularly nice to see the Chase bliss line, as Joel is a genius and a genuinely awesome individual. I’m surprised to not see any Red Panda on the list though! The Particle delay is without a doubt one of the most revolutionary pedals to hit the scene in the last ten years. I’ve demoed one and wished upon wished I could take it home. Another one I’d love to see on the list is the Malekko Sneak Attack. I think it’s on its way to dethroning the Slow Gear as the most desirable volume modulator ever, especially with its expression control. One last add, the forever underrated and now almost ubiquitous EHX Freeze. It seems like everyone has one nowadays and you can pick one up used for like fifty bucks, but I’m still amazed at what times I can discover running it on conjunction with the rest of my board. A favorite is the Freeze into the Dwarfcraft Wizard of Pitch, lots of fun soundscapes with that combo.
Tawny Close
August 14, 2016 at 8:14 am
If I had all of these pedals on my board I’d be unstoppable. I do have a couple and a few alternatives I prefer to your suggestions tho
scott
August 13, 2016 at 9:48 pm
I have the EP booster love it.You almost need two so you can leave one on all the time.Though I would love have some of these pedals on my board
August 13, 2016 at 9:42 pm
I love my ep boost, you need 2 so you can leave one on all the time then one for boost.there are lots of pedals on this list I would love on my board.
Marc Rubin
August 12, 2016 at 11:03 pm
I love the list, thanks so much for the great reviews and recommendations — I own a few on the list, and will be adding a few more from your list this year! Can’t single out any from the list to say which is best, because they are all awesome — what could be cooler than great, inspiring, tone machines, and the effects they have on US as players and listeners. Truly a renaissance.
Steve
August 12, 2016 at 3:47 pm
Thanks for this!
I recently tried out the Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret through a Vox AC30 and really liked the results. It was one of the only pedals I wanted to stick with. Opened up a lot of new possibilities.
Although using the DLS on a vintage Fender Princeton Reverb was a totally different story. Wasn’t feeling what I got out of it.
I’m also a sucker for recording with a RAT direct in, no amp. Gets really mean without the need for an amp.
This makes me want to drop the $$ and try out the Chase Bliss Audio Tonal Recall.
Also, anyone using the Atomic AmpliFire getting accurate amp modeling?
Johannes
August 12, 2016 at 12:13 pm
They look delicious ,,,
I have a friend with your compressor and I love it 🙂
Nicolás
August 12, 2016 at 10:09 am
great reviews as always!
I don’t have any of the pedals on this list but many of these I think are great and would happily include ’em on my chain: Chase Audio’s Gravitas & Vinyl (Wombtone too), Xotic’s EP & RC boosters, TWA Great Divide 2.0, Eventide H9, the Whammy, the DryBell Vibe-Machine.. others I’d like to add (to my chain) but missing on this list are a few Catalinbreads: Karma Suture, Octapussy & and Topanga to my list..
Zara B
August 12, 2016 at 9:07 am
The plight of a pedal lover’s wife
My husband he loves pedals
They drive him slightly mad.
I thought he would get over it
And that this was just a fad.But he’s been bugging me for ages
Dropping hints and such
But we’ve just had a baby
So can’t afford too much.So I’m entering this comp.
I’m doing all I can.
I’m hoping you can help me
Make him a happy(er) man.I’d be forever grateful
If you’d throw him a pedal please
So he can make his music
And I can get some zees.David Garcia
August 12, 2016 at 7:59 am
“Organic patterns of nodular energy composed of collocations of infinitesimal points oscillating on the multi-dimensional coordinates of the space-time continuum… Heaven is home. Utopia is here. Nirvana is now.”
Edward Abbey, A Voice Crying in the Wilderness (Vox Clamantis in Deserto) & Abbey’s Road
There is a theory that effects might “interfere” with what the guitar can teach you. That may be true on some level, but life is synonymous with finding balance and music is no exception. Sometimes we create our own roadblocks but sometimes more isn’t better, sometimes it’s just more. So might we feel a need to tread lightly into these sonic realms? Someone wise might say that to know is not to know, that it’s all subjective and there are no correct answers. There is a symbiosis that occurs when a balance of opposing forces is achieved, the energy created is fuel for growth and is shaped by the same influences that create stagnation. It is all personal interpretation, it is there for all of us, it just depends on how we use it. Thus are the patterns of life; music is no different.
I once was lost but now I’m sound.
There is a journey that follows, which may lead one to countless Youtube video demos, message boards and blogs, the path that brought me here, the path that now feeds my signal chain with names like Analogman, Electro Harmonix, Stomp Under Foot, and the beloved Chase Bliss. I still maintain a happy (increasingly turning delusional) minimalist philosophy and I still am searching for pedals that don’t just do more but do better, however, it is becoming increasingly obvious to me in the world of guitar effects that limitations are illusionary and inspiration is boundless. What a wonderful time to be winding our way through the signal path.
Rich Stine
August 12, 2016 at 7:32 am
Great round up and I’m sure it was hard to cap at 50. Kudos to including a tuner. The only other pedal that I think should be on there is some type of switching system (i.e. Boss ES-8, One Control switchers, Moen, etc.) True Bypass is great and all, but there are guys out there that believe this leads to hidden extreme cable lengths and potential loss of tone. That’s why everyone talks about having a buffered pedal in your chain. Reviewing a programmable switcher would be a welcome addition to the top 50 I would say. Thanks for the great list!
Koen
August 12, 2016 at 5:40 am
Wow, hello new pedal wishlist
Rich
August 11, 2016 at 9:05 pm
I like MXR pedals a lot…
Nick
August 11, 2016 at 9:02 pm
I love seeing so many Chase Bliss products on this list! Not only are Joel’s pedals innovative, but he really has an inspiring story. If you haven’t heard it, check out the “about us” page on the Chase Bliss website. (Don’t skip the two videos at the bottom either.) I don’t have any Bliss on my board as of now, but I hope to change that soon! Can’t decide if I wanna save for a Gravitas or a Tonal Recal first. I just know that Joel and what he stands for are worth the price alone 😀
Erik Whaley
August 11, 2016 at 2:00 pm
This is the best resource I’ve come across so far! You guys are the authority on pedal reviews for sure. This definitely introduced me to several new brands. I’m surprised to not see anything from Walrus Audio on here? I have the deep six compressor and quad octave generator on my board right now. Some innovate stuff coming out of Oklahoma of all places.
It’s hard to imagine what these brands can come out with next. It would be great to see a post and your thoughts about predictions for 2017. Styrmon is definitely due for something new next year. Is time for them to bring a distortion pedal to market?
Ben Richer
August 10, 2016 at 12:38 pm
Glad to see some EQD on this list, definitely one of my fav pedal companies. Afterneath is my go to reverb, love the swirling depths of the wizard cavern that it creates. I usually pair it with my Deep Six Compressor from Walrus Audio and my Boss Super Overdrive to create some cool walls of sound and shit. I just discovered this website today but I’m excited to discover some sweet gear from the depths of knowledge.
Simon
August 16, 2016 at 5:01 am
I absolutely Love my EQD Palisades, what a great pedal.
Evgeniy
August 10, 2016 at 10:24 am
Thanks guys! Need to load my pedalboard at this year for endless joy)
August 10, 2016 at 10:21 am
Oh my. I fill that I will spend all my life creating music! Such amazing things happen every year!
Oscar ellery
August 10, 2016 at 6:50 am
The Wat Huge Aqua Puss if both aesthetically awesome and sounds amazing. Allows for simple smooth delay or crazy psycho sounds by twisting the delay knob
billy
August 10, 2016 at 5:24 am
I’ll never be able to collect/afford or even see them ‘in the flesh’ in my locality,but just knowing that such beautiful guitar effects pedals exist in this mad world gives me a nice,warm feeling in my stomp toes!Dark Side,Mondegreen,Twin Stags,Karman,Nautila,Keeley,Eventide,Strymon,Seymour Duncan,Xotic and all the others…….lovely things!
Gonzo
August 10, 2016 at 1:38 am
So far, I am blown by the combination of my Chase Bliss Spectre, Dr. Scientist Elements and Red Panda Particle…. crazy sounds to be unearthed right there, no matter the order in the chain!!
Cameron Brown
August 9, 2016 at 5:00 pm
Great round up of the pedals – love that it’s not just another ‘Best of All time’ and more time limited.
I want to see more Chinese pedals on boards! I just bought the BiYang Tri Reverb and despite it being cheap, the effect is a fantastic home player reverb. In saying that, you sometimes can’t beat the classics, like the Big Muff Pi, that not only is an awesome effects pedal but also serves many uses around the home, such as a door stop and clothes iron.
Simon
August 9, 2016 at 1:59 pm
Although I don’t own one, I’ve been well impressed with the JHS color box. Retro sound in a modern pedal. However in terms of my own pedalboard, the first effect that got me hooked on exploring the possibilities of pedals was delay. The first delay I owned was the reel echo by danelectro; although again decidedly retro, for me it’s a modern classic! With sound on sound I was using it as a basic looper before I’d even heard of them!
Brad Cusick
August 9, 2016 at 11:50 am
All I can say is that the rest of my life’s effects needs have now been answered and I don’t need any other reference …thanks for all your hard work!
sas
August 9, 2016 at 9:38 am
What, no mr black?
John Mountford
August 9, 2016 at 7:19 am
Oh how I wish I had the opportunity to compare pedals the way you do, although I doubt I could describe them as eloquently.
Dallas
August 8, 2016 at 5:35 pm
That’s it. I simply cannot read these articles anymore and not switch things up. Going to have to start working more overtime…
Thanks a lot Reverb.com…
Clark Battle
August 8, 2016 at 5:11 pm
Great collection of pedals! I wIs there were more stereo pedals though. Once you go stereo it’s hard to go back.
Russell Kramer
August 8, 2016 at 2:07 pm
I like pedal
Tanner Duncan
August 8, 2016 at 12:25 pm
I’ve been gigging with the soul food for 2 years now, and it is one of the best drive pedals I’ve found to date. It’s staying on my board for years to come.
Yarden Nave
August 8, 2016 at 3:10 am
Amazing! I want the big muff so much. I think I’ll buy one soon
Jake Noble
August 8, 2016 at 12:49 am
Some of theses pedals look awesome, I have pedal envy!
Colten
August 7, 2016 at 11:24 am
I really enjoy reading these articles. This one was so eye opening. I love Old Blood Noise Endeavors and have none of their pedals. They are next in line
Colin Baldwin
August 7, 2016 at 11:18 am
Lots of useful information there and some solid pedal choices. I’d be interested to hear your views on some of the pedals that are making waves on this side of the pond such as Stone Deaf, Hudson Electronic and Thorpy FX
August 7, 2016 at 6:03 am
Pedals are great for mixing!
Andrea Frisina
August 7, 2016 at 2:30 am
That whammy v sounds pretty awesome !!
Jacob Lacayo
August 7, 2016 at 12:30 am
I actually bought the Fuzz War as my very first pedal, and I will never let go of that thing. It has stayed true to me on guitar and bass! Its my only effect I use in my bass rig, because I know it will deliver that punching, evil, yet delicious sounding fuzz that I need to cut through the mix with. I am planning on buying a lot more DBA pedals, and hope to buy a lot of the pedals on this list. (My pocket book just wilted as I typed that last sentence lol) Thanks for the opportunity guys, you always deliver with thorough and well thought articles and pedal reviews.
Jacob
Jacob Lacayo
August 7, 2016 at 12:23 am
So cool to see Death By Audio on here!!
Tristan Pollack
August 7, 2016 at 12:06 am
When something just brings you down you just need a little big sky in your life, or just a little boost, ya dig?
Surrender your ego to infinity.
Beneath the earth, an
Avatar is awaiting you all as
He greets the keymaster.There is no apocalypse,
Shaman, or King
But only bliss inside of the womb.– A poem about pedals by yours truly
Cari C
August 6, 2016 at 7:27 pm
Thanks to this list, I am now watching 50 pedals on ebay hahaha!
Miriam Nissan
August 6, 2016 at 4:02 pm
There are so many cool and unique pedals out there. I just recently purchased the MXR Reverb pedal which is the first reverb pedal they ever put out! I like it a lot, although it does sound very modern. I prefer a more vintage sound.
I also have the Reuss RSH-03 pedal which is designed after Rowland S. Howard (an idol of mine) pedal combo of the MXR Distortion + and the MXR Blue Box. This pedal is really really really neat. It can get really weird, I love it.
Another one that I considered buying because it seemed so so so different and RAD, was the Caroline Guitar Co. Meteore pedal. It’s a reverb pedal that has all sorts of different aspects to it. One that was especially intriguing was the “Havoc” switch which allowed for the pedal to OSCILLATE! So neat!ERIC
August 6, 2016 at 3:22 pm
I’m a big fan of the Old Blood Noise Endeavors Haunt Fuzz. An outstanding range of distorted tones with this pedal!
Great list of pedals – some new ones to me that I will definitely be checking out!
Lisa Scott
August 6, 2016 at 2:50 pm
Thanks, it’s great to hear an independent comparison of all these pedals. It can get very confusing trying to rely on manufacturers websites and online reviews.
Stuart Ferguson
August 6, 2016 at 9:35 am
Lots of great pedals from some excellent manufacturers. Always enjoy the in depth write ups and videos. I’ve used these reviews a number of time while making decisions about purchasing new pedals. Thanks Gabriel et al.
August 6, 2016 at 1:41 am
what an amazing list of pedals, I have real pedal envy!!
Jake Noble
August 6, 2016 at 1:40 am
what an amazing list of pedals, I have real pedal envy!
Ben Lacey
August 6, 2016 at 1:18 am
What a list! Some excellent pedals on there. I wish I had time to try them all
Philip D. Grow
August 5, 2016 at 7:04 pm
The best pedals should make you play better through inspiration. The Ditto Looper is such an inspiration to me. I think it is hands down the best practice tool for solos and rhythm. It also aids in songwriting. As far as truly modern, my vote is the TC Electronics Poly-type. I know tuners aren’t very pedal geek interesting, but this is an excellent modern upgrade to the old Boss pedal tuner pedals. The tuner modes set this pedal apart. Imho, it should be on every pedalboard.
Justin Wilson
August 5, 2016 at 1:24 pm
Is there anything Chase Bliss puts out that isn’t incredible? BTW, no mention of the Boss DD500? Best delay I’ve ever used.
Charles Dominic Daño
August 5, 2016 at 9:56 am
All I want is a new MXR carbon copy.
Dave
August 5, 2016 at 4:46 am
Great list, my wallet is already crying! Imagine having one (or probably several) boards with all of these on? Also Chase Bliss seem to be churning out some cracking, interesting, unique stuff, I gotta try and check these out!
I think its great that by doing a best ‘Modern’ list that you’re able to shed some light on some really crazy stuff thats coming out, pedal building these days is getting more accessible then ever before and some of the best ideas are coming out of some great one man/small group operations.
I imagine it might have something to do with the economy not going well and people taking the means of manufacture into their own hands? I know it certainly has for me! I’ve started building kits and clones now as a way to approximate some way more expensive pedals so that I can have something resembling the pedal collection i’ve always wanted, plus I’ve learned a lot about electronics and some practical skills that I never knew i was capable of!
I guess one of the big take aways from this list is that if you’re interested in your pedals and your sounds, try something for yourself, it’s never been easier. People like the guys from Earthquaker and Chase Bliss all started somewhere and are now bringing us some of the most groundbreaking stuff we’ve seen in a while! Even if you don’t end up being a pedal company owner, the satisfaction of completing your first pedal is something unique and the fact that you can use it and it sounds great is all the more rewarding.
P.S. What’s the deal with only one fuzz pedal?! Gotta mention my two favourites at the moment, the Black Arts Toneworks Pharaoh fuzz and the Green Carrot Pumpkin Pi, two crazy versatile fuzz pedals that cover my whole spectrum of requirements.
Daniel Shauger
August 4, 2016 at 10:07 pm
I just got the Tonal Recall a couple of days ago and I’m really loving it. Not only does it sound (and look) great, I have it connected to my Disaster Area DMC-4 gen 3 with midi, so now I can control a TimeFactor, ModFactor, DPC-8EZ, and the Tonal Recall at the same time from one device. I actually had it set up in parallel with my TimeFactor, but then I could only get half of my signal through the Tonal Recall, and ended up switching back to a series setup to get those luscious analog repeats. It actually works surprisingly well in series somehow too without clouding up all the repeats. Anyways, Chase bliss always delivers stellar(ly) engineered pedals, and the Tonal Recall by far KS no exception!
August 4, 2016 at 10:10 pm
Is*, not KS
Zach
August 4, 2016 at 3:15 pm
GREAT LIST
Jason Medina
August 4, 2016 at 1:10 pm
Awesome!
Drew
August 4, 2016 at 5:07 am
What a great list, I’ve only heard of half of these pedals, but I’m so glad I found this site! My effect chain has been needing some upgrades recently so this will help me narrow it down. <3
Antoan
August 4, 2016 at 4:10 am
For me its a miracle how MXR 10 band EQ and TC Electronic spark are working together in an effect loop. I use spark to get kick for solos, but mostly frequency and gain kick, not volume. Also, I dig Strymon el capistan for clean sounds and MXR Carbon copy for leads.
Richard Cantle
August 4, 2016 at 3:48 am
More food for thought, thanks. One day I’m going to just have to lock myself in a music shop for a weekend and try everything just to figure out what they do.
Jordan Davis
August 3, 2016 at 12:40 pm
Got the Ditto Looper a while back. Fantastic pedal for what it’s worth. I have the smallest one so it leaves a lot more to want but the looping an transparency is fantastic. 10/10
August 3, 2016 at 12:26 pm
I personally think the Digitech Drop should be on here, because it is so clever to be able to do what it does and it does it so well.
Sean Murphy
August 3, 2016 at 12:22 pm
Strymon, JHS, and Dr Scientist have been on my board for awhile now. Absolutely love everything they’re doing.
Skronky
August 3, 2016 at 11:26 am
nice list. I go with anything strymon
Andrew Symington
August 3, 2016 at 11:26 am
Good to see the Strymon Timeline on here. For me it is the last ever delay pedal anyone could need, teamed with the molten voltage Oz Italy’s a great looper too.
Can’t agree with the point on timesyncing over midi though, molten voltage (again) have that covered.Missed a trick with not having the Whammy DT on here, great polyphonic pitch shifting plus adding a molten voltage (I am not affiliated I swear) Gquencer it can produce some amazing synth sounds.
Alec
August 3, 2016 at 9:35 am
I think empress reverb is the best, the dreamy and psychedelic but also pop sounding and bright reverbs you can get from it are crazy. Really versatile pedal, love how it can get anywhere from a blues springy light verb sound to a thick sparkly almost synthesizer-like tone. Speaking of synths, I think pedal would rip on a synth and open up so many new tones, with the stuff this pedal does I feel like it can make an old vintage synth learn some new tricks! I’ll have to try it out on a moog or something when I get a chance. Amazing pedal overall
Trevor Blank
August 2, 2016 at 1:16 pm
This a great list, and a few of these pedals stick out to me as being central to “my sound” (as I hear it in my head)– especially the Drybell Vibe Machine, Wampler Ego Compressor, and Xotic EP Booster. Kudos, too, for the shoutout to the TC Electronic Ditto Looper pick on this list as well– few purchases I’ve ever made have impacted my ability to jot down and experiment with ideas and soundscapes in ways that blow away my old trick of overdubbing on a cassette tape deck! I’ve also had the pleasure of trying out (but not owning) a number of the pedals on this list, and I’m especially enamored with the EQD Palisades. I’d also add the J. Rockett Blue Note and Paul Cochrane Timmy to this list– those two stack so incredibly well and seem to work in any rig setup. But this list also got me thinking about pedals, in general, and what they mean to me…
Some say that tone is in the fingers, or the guitar, or the amp. For me, bringing pedals into a pedalboard formation– tuned to the strengths of a particular amp or guitar (or combo of the two)– is where the tone hunt begins and ends for me; it has to be a working relationship between those three elements. And yet, within those three elements, I find effects pedals to be the most important in crafting my sound. What’s more is that unlike buying a new amp or guitar, acquiring and testing out pedals is a slow burn– one that takes incremental micro-trips down the tone rabbit hole to see what works and what doesn’t. And it’s incredibly gratifying to drop $100-$200 and hear (in real time) when something clicks and gives me that tingle down my leg. There have only been a few pedals that have really hit me like that first time I played with them– the Timmy, the Blue Note, the Strymon Blue Sky, the Moog MF Delay, the Skreddy P19, the Alexander Equilibrium (a criminally overlooked tremolo pedal, by the way!), the EQD Hoof Fuzz (which started me down the pedal rabbit hole years ago!), and of course the aforementioned Drybell Vibe Machine, Wampler Ego Compressor, and Xotic Effects EP Booster. As a working guy with a young family, knowing that I can’t shell out for the boutique amps and vintage axes I crave, these pedals are more than just workarounds, they’re revelations.
And what would pedal hunting be without the scores of online commiseration about what’s awesome, what sucks, what’s overhyped, and what needs more love? There is an underground community of enthusiasts and unsung guitar heroes of the brave few who venture into guitar video demoing. Few things have amused me more than watching online spats about the virtues of the Boss Metal Zone, or arguments over the importance of true bypass vs. buffered outputs. It often seems to transcend politics, geography, and/or even music genres– we all just love music and pursuing that passion through the tools we find available. This list of pedals speaks to that charm and passion and where gear takes us, the intrepid pickers and grinners. Even though I’m mostly a lurker, I take pride in sharing with that pool of communal knowledge.
And finally, in case anyone is curious (since I’m getting long-winded and overly enthusiastic with this post! haha), here’s my current pedal setup for my main board:
TC Electronic Polytune 2 > Drybell Vibe Machine > Basic Audio Scarab Deluxe Fuzz > EQD Hoof Fuzz > Paul C. Timmy OD > J. Rockett Blue Note > Xotic Effects EP Booster > EQD Dispatch Master Delay/Reverb > Radial StageBug SB-15 Tailbone Buffer.Happy playing, everyone!
Michael McVay
August 2, 2016 at 7:17 am
I’ve very impressed by a number of these manufacturers, but Chase Bliss Audio takes the cake. They are giving us some of the best pedals that have come along in years. Their pedals seem to have every option under the sun built into them, and the options are easily accessible. I like the fact that they preserve an all analogue single while giving us the convenience of MIDI control!
August 2, 2016 at 6:08 am
Big fan of the Gravitas Tremolo (Chase Bliss) and I’m dying to try the Elements (Dr. Scientist) as I think it could easily replace the OD pedal I’m using right now and more.
George Abraham
August 2, 2016 at 4:28 am
Strymon for life!
Ingrid Ruddick
August 2, 2016 at 3:59 am
That gives me some serious pause for thought for the next one on my shopping list
Guillermo Alvarez
August 1, 2016 at 8:56 pm
The Tonal Recall has to be the prettiest sounding (and looking) pedal I’ve heard in a long while. Makes me really wanna save the $400 price tag and get a delay pedal crash course just to achieve that beautiful sound.
Phil
August 1, 2016 at 3:13 pm
As crappy as it is, I and many of the guitarists I know got their start on the Boss DS-1. Not a work of art, but I think it belongs on the list.
Trent M
July 31, 2016 at 9:49 pm
Xotic RC booster is easily my favorite on this list!
Jason Lee
July 31, 2016 at 7:56 pm
I have two of the original Visual Sound Jeykll and Hyde’s. My favorite clean overdrive of the pedals i have had so far. Just finds that sweet slightly dirty yet still some what clean sound.
Michael
July 31, 2016 at 1:43 pm
Can’t argue with much on this list. Timeline definitely busted the doors of delay wide open the same way Bigsky did for reverb. I would say Analogman’s Kingnof Tone deserves to be here. If something has a 1+ year waiting list, there has to be a reason it’s worth getting.
Daniel Fernandez
July 31, 2016 at 1:37 pm
Just wanted to say that as a primarily acoustic singer/songwriter who is – after three years – making the transition to playing with a full band, you guys are my go to source as to what pedals I should buy to construct my sound the way I want it. Just picked up a Soul Food today! Thank you guys so much!
Andy
July 31, 2016 at 7:00 am
Lots of Comppression pedals I never heard or read about. Amazing info thank you!
I also really hope that the 3-pedal glory combination of Strymon gets some kind of all-in-one pedal that summarizes all features at a more reasonable price…Eric Law
July 31, 2016 at 4:25 am
My favorite “grail” pedal is the Cali76 compressor, because I love compressors, and it is a pretty decent pedal compressor.
Shany Theo
July 30, 2016 at 11:25 pm
Strymon Pedals are Awesome….
But not for the Price.. 🙁
Hope someday I will have all of them (Timeline & Bluesky) 🙂Lindsay Graham
July 30, 2016 at 3:16 pm
This is a comment. But not just any comment! A *lucky* comment. If the author rubs the “Post Comment” button three times while canting “JRC4558” slowly in Japanese, he or she is guaranteed to win the giveaway.
KeLynne Lee
July 29, 2016 at 8:56 pm
Great list. Almost overwhelming in a sense. One interestingly and insanely good pedal missing from this list is the Hologram Dream Sequence pedal.
kurtis lynett
July 29, 2016 at 11:21 am
I love anything death by audio
Jim Wylde
July 29, 2016 at 11:04 am
I love reverb and delay and have started getting into some modulation effects like trem lately… I am very into the idea behind the Chase Bliss Warped Vinyl, Audio Gravitas and Spectre pedals. But would be equally blown away by the Afterneath,Rainbow Machine, DIG. Deco, BigSky or Empress Reverb. Hell I would be happy and lucky to get any of these beautiful pedals.
Cameron
July 28, 2016 at 8:24 pm
Great list. The Strymons that I have played with have really been top notch. Looking forward to when I can afford to get one. One of the things that I would like to see on this list is cost, as for me, thats another major aspect of why I choose the pedals I do. I’m reasonably new to pedals, and theres a lot here that I had never heard of. Thanks for introducing these to me!
Margarida Peixoto
July 28, 2016 at 6:12 pm
I NEED ALL OF THIS
Igor Nehring
July 28, 2016 at 5:23 pm
This summary was a good read. Love my Strymon Bigsky 🙂 It’s a musical place, that feels like home.
July 27, 2016 at 9:07 pm
Love the sounds and features of strymon. Definitely planning on having at least one on my board in the near future.
Jimbab
July 27, 2016 at 11:28 am
Defo the pc-2a for me. Variations from a warm mist on a hot summers night through to swimming in chocolate yogurt. Also does a great squeeze your nuts in a vice grip
Andrew Krynicki
July 27, 2016 at 6:54 am
How could you have not included the Korg Miku?!?!?! I am trying to create my own sound right now and this article has been extremely helpful. I feel more knowledgeable about such a huge portion of producing a unique sound.
Kyle
July 27, 2016 at 6:44 am
Went from having no idea what I wanted to wanting to try out 10 different pedals. Thanks dudes.
Max
July 26, 2016 at 9:57 pm
I haven’t tried the majority of these pedals but i have played Xotic and their stuff is great.
Adrian De León
July 26, 2016 at 9:35 pm
Me gustan todos estos pedales, en especial los delays y overdrive. Lo difícil es poder reducir esta lista de 50 a unos 8 o 10 pedales para un pedalboard.
Jon W
July 26, 2016 at 2:44 pm
I am super surprised none of the Red Panda Labs pedals made the grade. The Raster phased delay and Particle granular delay are two of the best quirky noisemakers on the market now!
Tom
July 26, 2016 at 1:07 pm
Ive been playing inboards for 20 years with nothing more than a tuner into an amp. There is a lot to be said for that sound but recently i have got so deep in to pedals it has become an addiction, with in six months i have probably spent near on a grand on new equipment and I am still on the look out for new sounds and pedals. Would love to give all of the above a try. Great page, great website!!!!!!
Agustin
July 26, 2016 at 4:45 am
I dont own any of them :'(
Larry
July 25, 2016 at 5:26 pm
It’s amazing how many great pedals there are on the market nowadays!
Raiders757
July 25, 2016 at 4:57 pm
I recently got back into playing my guitar after nearly five years of being lame (AKA, letting my gear collect dust), so I’m not very up to date on the latest and greatest tech. That’s why I am so glad I found this site. I can’t wait to explore everything this place has to offer.
In order to motivate myself, I bought a spanky new Fender Strat, a Boss
CS-3 Compression Sustainer Pedal, and a Digitech DOD440 Envelope Guitar Filter, as I plan on moving towards a funky/rock/jazz style. Thus far, I am truly enjoying the funky sounds I can create with the DOD 440. The quacky sounds it creates makes the funkier side of me shine thought. Even if you want to crank up the distortion and play heavy Metal leads, the 440 can help create nifty wah like effect that is totally bad ass.Right now I’m still getting re-antiquated with playing again, and I plan on building my own pedal board and ditching all the old rack effects I have. This list can go a long way in helping me, so thanks to the author. I really want to check out the Souls Foods overdrive and the Dr. Scientist products.
Benjamin Spencer
July 25, 2016 at 2:13 pm
I was about to go on a rant about the Bixonic Expandora but then i realized… ‘modern’. So… ahem.
As far as ODs I’ve been diggin the Way Huge Pork Loin recently. Hasn’t left my board. Versatile, Smooth, Transparent. I’ve heard the Saucy Box is a modified version, but I’ve yet to try one.
Can you really include Klon clones on here? Idunno guys… plus, a WAH PEDAL? Modern????? Ok, maybe it’s making a cycle but come on.
I do love all the Strymon love here though. Quality stuff. I’m on the band wagon there. Unnecessary for most? Yes. Still totally awesome? YES.Not on the list, but worth considering:
-Keeley Workstation – I say ‘modern’ because of the newfounded combination. They make quality boxes. The Katana is SWEET and the Red Dirt sounds classic from what I’ve heard.
-The Wash by Hungry Robot Pedals – ‘modern’ because it’s simple, yet matches some of the super ambient needs that many guitarists these days are looking for. https://www.hungryrobotpedals.com/#!the-wash/c1agxThe Great Divide Synth looks legit. I’m gonna have to find one of those to toy with.
Thanks guys
Julien
July 25, 2016 at 4:47 am
And you should take a hand on the GTFO from DeXTeR’S Workshop too… just amazing.
July 25, 2016 at 4:38 am
I dont knox if thé AlaireX HALO is still in production but if it is, I believe it need toi ne on thé liste 🙂
July 24, 2016 at 5:12 pm
Great time to be a guitarist i own a few of these and they really get the creative juices flowing!
Sam Wilson
July 24, 2016 at 2:55 pm
As a guitarist, who is forever chasing that elusive “perfect tone”, this site has really meant a lot to me, since I discovered it almost a year ago. To be able to read reviews, and discover not only new pedals from some of my favourite brands, but entire companies dedicated to creating new ways to help me really annoy my neighbours, has been utterly invaluable.
Also, I would love to see the Diamond J-Drive Mk.3, and the Analogman Sunface on this list, as they are some of my favourites!
Anyway, thanks for everything guys! Here’s a haiku:
Why am I so poor?
Gear Acquisition Syndrome.
Please give me free gear.Trey Klemczewski
July 24, 2016 at 12:25 pm
I love this website so much because of articles and lists like this. They’re so freakin informative.
Warland Stephane
July 24, 2016 at 7:22 am
Hi,
Sorry for my englishi ‘ve got the strymon timeline, it’s an excellent delay with a lot of personality BUT, even if it’s my masterpeace in my pedal-floor, it isn’t a “studio” fx :
– the SHARC DSP is not exploited !
on all delays, there is an Hi-cut since 10000 Hz untill 20000 Hz, even in the digital delay (with no artefact like mod/ disto)
You can see it in my picture :
https://www.mediafire.com/view/0hu263gsnvtuw2e/digital%20delay.bmp#
for an live purpose, it s good, but for an studio purpose, the EQ must go atleast to the 20 Khz.-The digital delay must be the same sound than the original sound (if there are no mod/disto) but, it’s not thrue due to the Hi-cut.
Listen this : (mix 100%, repeat 100%, mod/dist : 0%) i make a “repeat” at 40′ listen the difference.
https://www.mediafire.com/view/0hu263gsnvtuw2e/digital%20delay.bmp#-The looper is very bad : no trig. So, the loop is not in the good bpm (impossible to have the perfect bpm with the foot) and there is a very big hi-cut : nothing above 10000 hz. ! ! ! !
you can easely heard it with an amp.
https://www.mediafire.com/view/0hu263gsnvtuw2e/digital%20delay.bmp#and real disto sound vs loop disto sound :
https://www.mediafire.com/download/8xk4w36ddc67a7x/looper_with_disto.wav-impossible to change the midi map
No body speaks about this, nothing in the differents reviews. The timeline is a good delay, but not a good looper (the boos RC20 is better with an hi-cut at 16KHz ! ). You must know it.
Steph
Warlus ‘s guitarist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7EvL-LtJt0Jake Barnes
July 24, 2016 at 3:21 am
Who has been impressed by some of the pedal emulations on the Kemper Profiler? Whilst it can never quite beat the real thing, they still sounds pretty damn good!
John Brennan
July 23, 2016 at 12:01 pm
From personal experience I would highly recommend everyone to go out and try a good eq pedal (I use the mxr-10 band).
I was forever “chasing” a tone that I liked and tried so many pedals to get it. But after only about 20 mins fiddling with this eq pedal I had exactly what I wanted! That harshness I hated was gone and I was just so happy to play my guitar.
Brandon Linderman
July 23, 2016 at 10:58 am
What an article, I’m glad that this was a part of the pedal give away entry because this was all great info. Right now I’m running 11 pedals on a board that I built from an old computer desk I got for college from Walmart lol my current set up is Digitech XP100, Morley Bad Horsey 2, American wizard Boost, a.j. customs happy cat fuzz, EHX small stone, Allman Guitars Morpheus phase/vibe, Digitech Synth Wah, Moore LoFi Machine, TV electronic Shaker, EHX silencer. Then thru the FX Loop I’m running a Boss DD7 over to an Alesis Micro verb.
It all sounds pretty great coming out of my Ibanez Universe and into my Peavey 6505
The tonal options I could get with winning just that H9 alone would put me into creative nirvana, but to get 8 more pedals on top of that… well I could then die happy lol
Best of luck to all that entered!
Tamás Józsa
July 22, 2016 at 9:29 pm
Strymon Mobius is having very wide variety of mod effects because of not only the 12 uniques but of these ramify selective parts such as Vibe, Rotary, Destroyer, Vintage Trem and so on. With the three metal foot-switches it can be easy adjusted the desired tones and I think it has a long range enough with 5 tone shaping knobs or even the two param. knobs for our presets. This stompbox nearly hits all around and what I’ve spoken is just the technical preferences and what about the sounds:- almost exclusive and inimitable.
I know that is every guitar player’s dreams when it comes mind to blow off with this stunning guitar effect if they stake a claim to this just as so do I!joshua nobiling
July 22, 2016 at 10:04 am
Love this list! It gets me thinking about those pedals that ‘got away’ throughout my life. So much so, that I had to write a silly (but true) little mirror poem regarding the matter. This is for all of us that have bought and sold some piece of gear only to wish we hadn’t got rid of it:
Pedals and me,
We have history long,
Always loving.
Bought and sold and bought again
dumber days, never
again bought and sold and bought!
Loving always.
Long history we have,
Me and pedals…
~Josh
Ferdie den Boer
July 22, 2016 at 3:57 am
J. Rocket Archer is love, is life.
Ryan
July 21, 2016 at 3:05 pm
I do like the Dirty Little Secret, and agree with the article comments about putting all the controls on the outside of the pedal. Lately, Chase Bliss has been catching my eye with some of their pedals.
Daniel Lopez
July 21, 2016 at 10:42 am
As a long time guitarist, just getting into multiple effects, you guys are my go to resource for new gear! this last article ” Top 50 Best Modern Effects Pedals, ” has sealed the deal on my next two pedal purchases. You have opened up my thinking, pushing me out of my reliance on old tricks, and shown me the power and potential of new technology and innovative ways to create music! My favorite site!
Neil Gallimore
July 21, 2016 at 9:56 am
There’s not a pedal there I wouldn’t like on my board!
Alessio
July 21, 2016 at 8:27 am
Amazing anniversary!
Great giveaway.Lorenzo
July 21, 2016 at 8:00 am
I’ll be waiting one of these crazy pedals all summer!
can’t wait for the prizes!I will luck to all of you guys!
Dylan
July 20, 2016 at 11:54 pm
Definitely the Earthquaker Tone Job.
July 20, 2016 at 11:52 pm
I can’t live without my Earthquaker Tone Job. From making my tone even when switching guitars to re-voicing dirt pedals, it is an absolute wonder.
Mike
July 20, 2016 at 6:07 pm
I love the Neunaber Immerse Reverberator. I got it around a month ago looking to add some depth to my sound. It does that and more. This is the only pedal that is always on on my board (it’s a small board ok) and I feel I like I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of what it can do. If you haven’t tried this pedal check out the Neunaber’s video demoing it on Youtube, it sounds fantastic! I’m so glad it made this list!
Michael McFarland
July 20, 2016 at 11:45 am
I play cascading OD. One dimed, the other real subtle with some power for boos.
Seth Oyer
July 20, 2016 at 11:44 am
so awesome!
July 20, 2016 at 9:48 am
I think OD’s are overlooked a lot by guitarists. Even if you run through your amps dirty channel, they have applications. One of my favorite pedals is the Protone Deadhorse MkII. The pedal is based off the TS9 chip. I use it either as a standard overdrive on a clean channel and the tone you’d typically expect out of it, or to tighten up the dirty channel on my amp. The pedal has a footswitchable setting that creates a mid hump in the frequency range and rolls off the bass frequencies. When playing with an amp such as a Mesa Boogie Rectifier, it is extremely useful for taming the warmth and low end. It’s also fun to put in the FX loop of certain Delay pedals and use to add some dirt to the repeats.
OD’s maybe aren’t as versatile as a lot of other pedals, but they still have great applications.
Matthew ‘Sha’
July 20, 2016 at 9:20 am
Great stuff here! I’m often left clueless as which pedals to buy, so thank you very much !
Victor Telvig
July 20, 2016 at 9:03 am
So im currently building by very first pedalboard, and since money is kinda tight it goes pretty slow.. But yeah, i definitely believe that nothing beats the 3 legendary strymon pedals (timeline, bigsky, mobius), and i hope to see them all on my board some day!
Grant
July 19, 2016 at 8:52 pm
I’m a relative novice when it comes to effects pedals, but I’m starting to build a bit of a collection myself. So far, my favorite is my ProCo Rat 2. It’s INSANE!!! Some kind of hybrid between fuzz and distortion. The moment I stomped on it, I instantaneously thought of hair metal and 80’s rock. And the sustain…THE SUSTAIN.
Off of this list, I love my Soul Food from EHX. Now, I have no point of reference to compare it to the original Klon that it supposedly emulates, but the tone that comes out of it is fantastic. The sheer amount of volume gain is unbelievable for such a small box, and it overdrives my amp while remaining transparent.
Just my 0.02…
Ian
July 19, 2016 at 4:52 pm
So many great and innovative effects! What a time to be alive!
Joe Putnam
July 19, 2016 at 4:34 pm
Thanks for the great information. It really helps us who aren’t close to a good music store. Never get to try before I buy.
Salvador Lozano
July 19, 2016 at 12:34 pm
Would love the Strymon Timeline can’t get enough of it.
Stanton Mesh
July 19, 2016 at 9:57 am
If you had to limit yourself to 5 pedals, how would you choose ? Looking for a reverb, delay, distortion, compressor and chorus. I chose a Line 6 POD 500HD as it was a single box having all but compressor and I am still undecided between a Janglebox and Keely for the compressor, Comments ?
Lars A.
July 19, 2016 at 9:32 am
“Best” and “Modern” can mean so many different things:
Can best mean useful or essential, and if so, then where is the Polytune 2? The ST-200/300 strobe tuner is not worth the extra cost. Your hand gripping the guitar neck up and down the fretboard with different grips changes the tuning enough to render any added accuracy moot.
Where are the expression pedals? Mission engineering has some exceptionally well-built pedals. Their Aero line has a really innovative lighting system. And don’t forget the power-supplies for our ever-multiplying collection of pedals. Strymon’s Ojai and Zuma as well as Voodoo Lab’s Power Pedals at least deserve an honorable mention.
Shouldn’t modern mean more than recently put into production? Is the Archer really modern? It is a clone of the Klon (Wasn’t that a Star War movie?) which was created in the ’90s and built with decidedly vintage diodes. That doesn’t strike me as particularly modern. Plus, anything that markets itself as “you can’t tell the difference from the original” doesn’t deserve to be on any “Best of…” lists.
What in the world is the Tube Screamer doing on this list?? Sure, it can sound fantastic, but you are supposed to looking at modern pedals. You want good and new? You already have the Earthquaker Palisades on the list.
For me, pedals on this list need to be judged by execution and innovation. Look at the Strymon BigSky, Mobius and Timeline, each of which I am lucky to own. The quality of the construction and effects are absolutely outstanding. And, while those pedals do many of the standard reverb, modulation and delay effects (and they do them very well), the pedals also offer so much more. It doesn’t take long playing with the Ice or Cloud effects before you are transported to spacey, heavenly nirvana.
How in the world did you not put the EHX Superego on the list?? And yes, I saw the Hog2 made the cut. But, part of what makes the Superego so amazing is its elegant simplicity –less is more. In general, Electro-Harmonix have really done a lot for the world of pedals. Not everything is a huge success, but they really put themselves out there trying out new, weird, wacky and often amazing pedals. Most guitar pedals can be described in a word or two: “fuzz,” “reverb,” or “clean boost” if you want to be really specific. Try to describe the Superego to someone and you invariably end up telling them to watch some videos on YouTube.
Pigtronix is also an industry leader when it comes to innovation. I don’t want to contemplate what I would do for their Infinity Looper. It would likely end up involving my “first” or “left” something. But where is the Mothership? Yes, I understand that not everything spacey weirdness has to end up on a “Best of…” list but have you ever played with one of these? Not play, as in playing music… I mean playing like a kid on Christmas. If you do not have a ridiculous amount of fun with this pedal, I hate to break it to you, but your inner-child is clinically dead.
Having gone through the list, I’m sure that there is something we can all agree on: What a great time to be a guitarist!
Gallinazo Express
July 19, 2016 at 8:06 am
Hello !!!!
Before beginning please excuse me , my english is bad, i live in latin-america and i only speak english in my high school english classes.
my pedalboard is very simple, i have 3 pedal:
1) OCD FULLTONE
2) EHX BIG MUFF
3) IBANEZ PHASER PH-10these pedals were enought for me , but now i am looking for new sounds. First will buy a new fuzz ( the black arts pharaoh fuzz), the EQD afterneath and i was reading about the Strymon Timeline, omg , never in my life i listened a better delay.(just imagine the Pharaoh fuzz with the LO-Fi mode of the timeline, IT WILL BE FUCKING TASTY.) that moment i said ” i need it” ,BUT i have BIG problem , the timeline cost 699.99 dollars in my country (ECUADOR). so i am writting this shit (haha) to try to win The timeline.
I really hope win !!!!!!
Greeting in two language:
English: Thank for all the people who works in “BEST GUITAR EFFECTS”, i really appreciate your work !!!
Spanish: Gracias a todos los gringos locos que hacen posible este concurso , si me hacen ganar les juro que les mando un álbum de fotos con el timeline jajaAmaru Gomez
July 22, 2016 at 1:29 pm
BRO……. Tienes razon, yo tambien soy de Ecuador y la verdad aqui los pedales son estupidamente caros, eh oido tu banda les falta mejorar pero realmente espero que un compatriota gane el pedal jaja saludos desde Guayaquil/ Ecuador.
Aleks Folvig
July 18, 2016 at 10:01 pm
That Strymon Mobius is absolutely killer! Same with that HOG 2. Mental effects you can do with the HOG with all that synth stuff, and I can’t imagine how cool the Mobius would be with all the modulation capability!
Anthony Shimek
July 18, 2016 at 9:50 pm
I would really like to get my hands and ears on a Strymon, but University isn’t paying it’s costing right now so it’ll have to wait. I do have the Xotic Wah and RC- they are amazing! I’m no longer in the Wah hunt.
Recently picked up a Timmy which is amazing! Surprised not to see it on the list. I would also add the EQD Hoofreaper as it so flexible. I’ll have to save up my allowances for one of those StrymonsJacob Wagner
July 18, 2016 at 4:52 pm
I would love to get my hands on a Strymon Timeline or Empress Reverb. There is so much sonic space to explore in both of those pedals. Very inspiring!
Roccstar
July 18, 2016 at 4:10 pm
I’m on such a gear geekout right now it’s not even funny. Seriously though…it’s not…I cried when I saw how much I spent on guitars & gear in the last 3 months! Be that as it may, I can’t stop…won’t stop!
Ya see, I was a total guitar geek as a kid. I worked my ass off while my friends were out getting hammered so I could save up money and buy all the gear my heart desired. I’ve always been a quality>quantity type of guy so all that work amounted to a few very nice guitars (the best of the bunch being a 68′ ES-335), one really nice amp (JCM-800 100 watt half-stack) and a few nice stompboxes. My dedication to music even led me to Berklee where I studied guitar (OBVIOUSLY!), Electronic Production & Design and Music Business. Although I loved my time there, the combination of my course load and the fact that guitar was no longer just something I wanted to do, but rather HAD to do if I didn’t want to flunk out made it so that my love for the instrument waned throughout my collegiate years until I dropped it altogether as soon as I passed my last guitar class. I graduated in 05′. A few months ago, almost 11 years later to the day, a friend of mine sent me an epic picture of his guitar collection and it made me drool. Most importantly however, it made me envious. If it’s a sin, so be it, but that envy made me feel like a kid again because all I wanted to do was score guitar gear until my collection was back up to the level it was as a kid and then eventually better still! Sadly, throughout the years I sold some of my most treasured pieces (both my 335 AND my JCM 800) to pay the bills or invest in other, non guitar related studio gear for music production. But as I began frantically scanning the internet for gear I would want to acquire, I found myself more impressed by the current state of the pedal market than I was amps or guitars. Obviously I purchased a few axes over the past couple months as well as a decent amp, but pedals is where I went a little insane. I bought a Temple Board Trio 43 and loaded it with all my new acquisitions along with 1 or 2 of the pedals I still had from the old days. I know what you’re thinking…..”a 43″ pedalboard??? That’s insane!!!!!” And you’re right….it’s ludicrous. But what’s more ludicrous still is that I couldn’t even fit all my pedals on the board LOL! Not even close. When I finished building my majestic wonder, I took a pic and sent it to the same friend that incited my envy with the pic of his guitar collection, and he flipped out. Now we’re equally envious and I feel great again. I’m officially back to being a guitar geek and I couldn’t be happier about it. All is right in the world again.
Mark
July 18, 2016 at 2:01 pm
Perfect place for research. I am in the process of building my board with full rig, pre-amp to cab-sim all on the board.
thanks for this review siteJohannes
July 18, 2016 at 1:41 pm
Great list of well known stalwarts as well as hidden treasures. I’m planning to simplify my pedalboard. I don’t have a problem with tweaking lots of different effects, and I love changing soundscapes, but I’ve reached a point where there’s just too much stomping during live performances. It distracts my guitar playing to the point where I skip using effects I’d like to use or play simpler stuff. I purchased the Strymon Big Sky a few months back (lovely sounds, by the way), but I just recently began investigating its possibilities, e.g. the midi functionality. I think I’m heading at adding a switcher (Boss ES-8), selling all my modulation and delay pedals, as well as a simple double looper, and getting the Strymon Mobius and the Strymon Timeline. Of the “old” pedals, I’ll keep the wah, an od, a fuzz, a compressor and the EHX Pog2. Oh, and the tuner. That way I’ll be able to assign banks to songs, presets to parts within a song. It’ll take I while to be able to afford those effects, but it’s gonna be a worthwhile wait, I think!
Lloyd Jones
July 18, 2016 at 12:08 pm
I’ll take one of each please, and a suitcase pedal board to go with it!
Matt Copeland
July 18, 2016 at 11:41 am
A mouse has four paws, but doesn’t wear a belt.
cameron
July 18, 2016 at 9:46 am
JHS muffuletta is the best thing to happen to music ever tbh like all the muffs in one box? how do they do it? its a mystery
Daniel Groundwater
July 18, 2016 at 5:50 am
I love the Zvex Fuzz pedals i just think they are great, same with the strymon deco it’s a must have.
Daragh Rice
July 18, 2016 at 4:09 am
Would love every pedal on this page, alas, they are bloody expensive, would rate any if I could get them hahahaha. surprised to see non of the HEXE pedal here, would love to get my hands on the Bitcrusher or reVolver
William
July 17, 2016 at 6:52 pm
So…I’m in the process of re vamping my studio board and I just want to say thank youThiss is an amazing resource!!!!!!!
Caleb
July 17, 2016 at 4:50 pm
This really is the best time to be in the buying pedal game as there are just so many options and crazy flavors out there. Recently I decided to make my board fully midi capable and am seriously considering the H9 max to be the cherry on the cake so to speak.
Miles
July 17, 2016 at 4:27 pm
This is a great list. I think that the pedals compiled would be an amazing combination on a good board. All these components are a great list. I think that there’s one pedal missing: The Meteore Lo-Fi reverb pedal. Amazing tones.
Lovin the list,
Miles
Dariusz
July 17, 2016 at 2:12 pm
Thank you for the gathering of the pedals.
I would tray everyone of them but a lifetime wouldn’t be enough to test them im depth…
Currently I’m using the Sub’n’up Octaver bey TC electronics an I’m very impressed be the tracking of this (really cheap) pedal.
I hope that TC will release more tone prints for this exceptional pedal…Overall I’m very impressed by the current pedal development. There are so many strange pedals available with such great possibilities that I’m not sure which of them I could need?!
I hope that this pedals will change the current boring music and give it something special.The “digital revolution” finally gets to perfection like the Strymon pedals or the nemesis or the Tonal Recall. Great pedals.
I would suggest a further category: noise.
Such stuff like the Red Panda Particle, Death by Audio or the Geigercounter. This are very well constructed pedals. They can be categorized in the regular categoried like Fuzz, Distortion,… But I think there will be better “housed” in the category Noise.
Last time I ordered a noisy pedal I bought it from a german guy called JPTR Fx. Maybe you could try something from his stuff.
Take care and thanks again for the great reviews.
Eoin Jennings
July 17, 2016 at 2:11 pm
So many great pedals so little time to try them all
Marco
July 17, 2016 at 7:05 am
I have some of these pedals. The Strymon Dig has an awesome sound. The Neunaber Immerse is an unique reverb. I didn’t ever heard such a sound. The Afterneath of Earthquaker Devices sounds like many delays produce a reverbering landscape. And with the Ditto X2 you can record all the sounds to an atmospheric song. Thank you listing such great pedals!
Ahmad Moussa
July 17, 2016 at 3:44 am
Sometimes, when i can’t sleep and feel lonely, i cuddle with my pedalboard.
Then, usually, i would run my fingers across the ripples of the parameter knobs,
maybe even give them a little twist,
but not too hard, (carbon copy doesn’t like that),
bluesky on the other hand…he likes it when his MIX knob is almost at 4o’clock.
But if i want to get really kinky…
i bring out my swollen pickle and plug it…
plug it into the electric mistress…boy oh boy…
what sweet joy, and satisfaction to my audiophile fetishes…
the moans of my guitar are my soul food! They keep me up at night!Then the rest of the night i spend dancing like an angry troll in the shimmer of the LEDs of my board.
I admit, this should be the weirdest comment about pedals you can possibly find on here : p .
Kevin EPB
July 17, 2016 at 1:59 am
Great reviews as usual!
Probably the most comprehensive site of pedal reviews around. These “compilation” reviews are fantastic.Andrew
July 17, 2016 at 12:38 am
Got recent;y got an EHX Pitchfork on my board and i’m loving It! Using it in combination with my reverb/delay for higher octave spacey pads 🙂
July 16, 2016 at 11:25 pm
For the time I have been playing guitar, I have always seen pedals as my biggest interest. They give me a whole new bundle of sonic possibilities when it comes to tonal shaping or creating new sounds. I have seen some pretty great pedals. There is just 2 pedals that I would add:
– Caroline Guitar Co – Meteore Lo-Fi Reverb (Great tone shaping possibilities)
-MXR – M103 Blue Box Fuzz Octave Pedal (Has very distinct, yet simple fuzz tones)
Rob V
July 16, 2016 at 9:47 pm
Amazing write up! Would love ti sit and explore that Rainbow Machine.
Ronald
July 16, 2016 at 7:25 pm
Tube Screamer. That is all
Nelson Holmes
July 16, 2016 at 5:46 pm
Great list.
Mark
July 16, 2016 at 9:38 am
I just got my xotic Wah pedal. And it´s realy awesome. Love it. Would try to test the Eventie H9 someday…damn…if it wasn´t sooo expensive 🙂
Jeff E.
July 16, 2016 at 9:35 am
Gimme bit quest. Also need a replacement for my broke down Big Muff Pedal, i gigged her hard for 10 years, onto something new.
Justin Nicholson
July 16, 2016 at 1:02 am
There’s so many crazy cool pedals out there. I need all the money to buy all the things.
I’ve been pining after an Afterneath for the better part of a year. I need to finally drop some pennies and get that thing.
Sam Fleischhacker
July 15, 2016 at 8:31 pm
Good list!
Lorenzo Ignacio
July 15, 2016 at 9:48 am
Would love to see the Diamond Comp on here. Definitely one of the key ones on my board at any given time.
Richard Lee
July 15, 2016 at 5:49 am
Once upon a time, a little boy had a dream of becoming a successful merchant. However all hope was lost as he spent every wooing beautiful females.
He had many wives, all with different character and pro and cons. Valerie, April just to name a few.
One day, His first wife Elizabeth grew mad with the man with so many wives and threw him out to the streets. He went around asking for food from his so called ‘friends’ they all turned around and walked away.
However one day when he was out begging in the streets, an old man wearing a black clock said to the man, “All that you’ve ever wanted will be given to you”. The man was confused by what the old man had spoke and asked what he meant. The old man then led this man into a dungeon far away from the city.
The old man then lured the man deep into the dungeon and behold right before his eye was the Strymon Big Sky. It was so beautiful it warped the space around the man and bought him into an alternate reality. The man knew at this point, there is no turning back after witnessing such incredible power. He lusts to control it.
The old man however had other plans. He was not so interested in the Strymon Big Sky but more so in his brother the Strymon Timeline as it had the power to control time. Hand in hand, Big Sky and Timeline rules the world manipulating time and space.
The old man proposed that they work together to find the Timeline and rule the Earth together. As soon as the man reached out and lay his hands on Big Sky, the dungeon shook vigorously and the air turned dark blue as the guardian of the dungeon had arrived. MOBIUS! With his army of choral angels of destruction, they threw both the old man and the man out of the dungeon and sealed the door deep beneath the ground.
5000 years later, archeologists found the ancient site of the dungeon and started to dig. However Mobius awoke from deep slumber and started attacking everyone. Fortunately, the archeologist had modern technology and they literally just unscrewed the back cover of Mobius and unwired it. Yes, it turns out that Mobius was just a really complex machine that was capable of illusions.
The group of archeologist retrieved the Big Sky and released it to the world not to be kept in museums but to be controlled by crazy people with a piece of wood strap around their necks that made sounds when the person agitates a natural harmonious balance of tension.
Now in my humble home sits the Big Sky longing to be reunited with it’s brother Timeline and I would really appreciate if you could reunite them 🙂
Hope you liked my story 🙂
pål haugland
July 15, 2016 at 2:23 am
I love pedals. I love amps. I love guitars. I love basses.
Am I just looking at things and saying I love them?matt
July 14, 2016 at 3:49 pm
gimme ’em all please !!
Andrew spann
July 14, 2016 at 3:23 pm
Can’t live without my ditto! Great list.
Pheng
July 14, 2016 at 1:23 pm
Good list ! I expected the Flashback delay for its toneprint feature but there are so much great delays.
ollie griffin
July 14, 2016 at 10:59 am
Pfffft cant believe you missed out on Behringers sf300. Im super rich enough to have actualy spent the 25$ on this and hollllyy *&&. I couldnt believe it, tottaly didnt think we were technologicaly advanced enough but its actualy made from plastic………..actual plastic. Tonewise its……..indescribable. I dont know what words to use to describe it. When the world destroys itself in flurry of nuclear fire the cockroaches wont be alone. They will all make hovel homes in the still surviving wrecks of this timeless classic.
Austin Twomey
July 14, 2016 at 7:44 am
You’ve put together a good list. There are a few pedals that I haven’t even heard of, a few pedals that I own myself, a few pedals that I want to own, and any time you start trying to compile a list like this it sounds a lot easier than it actually is. I appreciate the effort that you’ve put in on this.
Pedals I would add to the List:
-T Rex Replicator
-ZVex Candela
-Analog Outfitters Scanner
-TC Electronic Polytune (polyphonic tuning is magical)
I love what these companies are doing by merging old with new. They are crazy expensive though.Pedals I own on the List:
-Ditto X2
-Ibanez TS808(Non-HW Version, would definitely rather have the HW but couldn’t afford the extra $$)Pedals I own that aren’t on the List:
-TC Electronic Polytune
-Diamond Compressor
-Dunlop Cry Baby Classic
-Henretta Engineering “Lake Effect”(Bluebird Fuzz & Crimson Tremolo Combo)
-Boss Metal Core
-Boss RC-3Pedals I would like to own on the List:
-Strymon Timeline
-Strymon Big Sky or Empress Reverb
-Xotic EP BoosterPaul
July 13, 2016 at 10:15 pm
Can Strymon make a bad looking pedal?
Curtis
July 13, 2016 at 5:28 pm
There’s so many golden pedals in this list to choose from, I need a better day job!
Mark
July 13, 2016 at 10:28 am
Reviews you have are nice. I recently picked up a Wampler Triple Wreck for my Laney IRT-30 and it sounds epic. Would consider adding this to your list. Thanks for the information on the pedals you listed…it is very useful in my search for perfect tone.
Kelly Sovacool
July 13, 2016 at 9:44 am
The recent(ish) explosion of MIDI-capable effects is awesome. Being able to press one switch on a MIDI controller, and have all of your pedals switch to exactly the right settings you want for that particular song/part makes playing live with stomp boxes way easier. The downside is things can get pricey to buy a programmable loop pedal plus all of the cabling. I’m sure it’s worth it for the pro’s who make more than monopoly money from gigging. I’ve been GASing for an Eventide H9 ever since I found out Young the Giant (current favorite band) used them extensively for their album Mind Over Matter.
I’m not convinced the TC sub ‘n up is really all that special. It has everything the standard octave pedals have, but lacks presets that the EHX POG2 and Walrus Audio Luminary have. It limits is usefulness in a live setting without presets. And I rely on the POG2 attack slider to get an auto-swell effect for ambient parts (saves effort having to use the volume pedal). Unless TC could add that via the tone print editor, that’s a deal-breaker to me. On the plus side, it is significantly smaller than the POG2.
The EHX soul food is easily the best 60 bucks I ever spent on a pedal. I have the bass version and use it with my Fender MIM strat to help fatten up the lows. It sounds phenomenal. It’s always on except for when I’m going for squeaky-clean tone.
roi asraf
July 13, 2016 at 8:06 am
well what can i say…pedals are my life and life are my pedals
i wish i add 10% out of this effects
im 27 years from israel
as you may know in the age of 18 we must join the army, well so i did
after a year or so in the army i found myself with no money. our paycheck is about 700 shekels, that is less then 200$ a month.
so…i got an old KORG multy effect (ag10 i think) . and its made my last 2 years just amazing, i pluuged it to my motorola earphone,no amp, and it was the world for me!
so…this is why i have that feeling for pedals
cheersJuly 13, 2016 at 7:54 am
i got a few…the h9 rocks!
Lars Froböse
July 13, 2016 at 2:18 am
Im currently searching for a nice Octaver/Harmonizer and a all-in-one tremolo/flanger pedal. Though I still have enough space on my board im struggling with buying new pedals because there is such a variety of good pedals and I can’t even decide wether I should buy some cheap stuff or should go for boutique pedals. The list fits well in my opinion, but it could be expanded with some of the more unknown companies, as the commentators said below.
Graham Strach
July 12, 2016 at 11:38 pm
Very interested in the eventide
vdbroebr
July 12, 2016 at 5:08 pm
If you don’t have any padals yet -except perhaps the mandatory tuner pedal- do yourself a favor. Keep a safe distance from them. AND STAY AWAY FROM THIS WEBSITE! Pedals will ruin your life and wallet.
More, mooooore, MOOOOORRRREEEE is what you’ll want!!!I used to be quite happy with my tuner pedal, reverb and delay. A few years I could just play merrily with the effects without knowing that Pandora’s Box was an effects pedal from hell.
My descent into madness started with a neat looking little pedal. A momentary feedback looper, which does nothing. “No siree, you got to have at least one pedal in the feedback loop.”
“Feedback loop… Euhm…” I thought. “What kind of jabberwockian nonsense is this person talking about?” Searching the internet to find what it was all about I realised I needed a few more pedals.
A chorus and a phaser was connected to the feedback looper, together with my old delay and reverb. Brain cracking feedback madness!!! I liked it!
But then I wanted to do some ambient swells. In came the volume pedal! I thought to myself: “The floor seems to get a bit messy.” So I made myself a pedal board. “Much better!”
Being not that happy with the ambient sound, I started looking for another pedal or two. So I ended up buying 4. A compressor, another delay, another reverb and tremolo.
The sound of the old delay was falling short (pun intended), so it made room for a better delay with an expression pedal hooked on to it.
But now my pedal board was too small. Needed something better.
I read that 9V daisy chains are not good for the sound. Needed something better.
The reverb was too muddy. Needed something better.
And something more, and something better, and something bigger, and something better.
When will it stop?
Where does this hunger for more and better come from???????It’s websites like bestguitareffects.com who are to blame!
You writers who speak of “pedals the world has been waiting on for 30 years” or “made my brain explode upon hearing it” and use adverbs like “thick, awesome, lush and bodacious”.Best Guitar Effects… Thank you for ruining my life!
Christopher Jones
July 12, 2016 at 11:00 am
Lists like this are so helpful to me, I just started really building my sound last year and in today’s market, there is an overwhelming amount of pedals to choose from. My two favorite pedals that I own are actually not on this list though. The bit commander by earthquaker devices is probabIly the most unique pedal I have played. I mostly use it as a fuzz pedal with little octave effects and it sounds so cool. The monophonic nature of the pedal makes chords sound incredibly unique because the octave effects jump around on the notes of the chord. The digitech polara is also an amazing reverb pedal. I love its halo mode because it is nice shimmer that never overpowers your guitar tone. The Polara is also very affordable so the average guitarist could own it. Walrus audio overdrives are also killer. I think it would be cool to see a list from you guys on top amps that take pedals well, seeing as pedals are crucial to today’s music. thanks for the cool article!!!
Lucas Pellegrini
July 12, 2016 at 10:50 am
Strymon Timeline is one of the best pedals out there. I may get one soon (hopefully).
Clark Brown
July 12, 2016 at 10:39 am
Pleased to see that I have 2 on your list. Surprised not to see any Thorpy, Stone Deaf or Hudson Electronic pedals there though, they seem to be setting the pedal world alight at the minute?
lachlan robinson
July 12, 2016 at 8:54 am
WUBBA LUBBA DUB DUB!!
The Tonal recall should definitely be at the top of this list, it goes absolutely next level in the world of analog delays, from everything to “Rick and Morty” references in the presets provided to the best most lucious vibey wonderful delay. The ramping and dip switches turns it into a crazy experimental beast from subtle shakes in modulation, timing, and regen, holding on the point of oscillation it is absolutely nuts! its got to be one of my favourite delay pedals and you nailed it when you said that chase bliss is way ahead of the curve.
although it puts u out of pocket a couple of schmeckles it has become a central point of my rig, its like the molten core centre of inspiration and i cant believe we are living in the time where things this awesome exist. i love it, u love it, we all love it!July 12, 2016 at 8:39 am
Death By Audio Apocalypse wins it for me! Pretty sure it’s going to be my next buy.
Chris Barranco
July 12, 2016 at 7:53 am
Just started putting together my first rig…so many pedals to choose from I’m like a kid in a candy shop
Joao Vitor Felicio
July 12, 2016 at 3:49 am
Ya the strymon pedals are pretty great. However I find that the Moogerfooger Delay is my favourite delay pedal ever. The repeats are so clear and warm, and there is so much versatility in that pedal. All the moog pedals are fantastic. However I am looking at finding the greatest compressor pedal out there, and was really curious whether the compact Cali76’s really stack up against its original big brothers. Anyways, great list!
Mike
July 11, 2016 at 8:43 pm
Great lineup and pedal tech! Played thru a friend’s Strymon Timeline… speechless! Unlimited creative choices! Today’s pedal tech is astounding! Great article!
Matt Collins
July 11, 2016 at 7:40 am
We’re living in a pretty great time for pedals. There is literally no reason for 2 guitarists to sound the same (unless they want to, but WHY?????)!
Let’s get to it, tone scientists!Michael
July 11, 2016 at 7:34 am
When I started playing guitar it was to develop a skill that would prevent me from being homeless and without a trade. I was 19 when I first started teaching myself with a no name beater acoustic that was given to me on my birthday. I struggled with being jobless for several years, never holding a job longer than a few months at a time. Learning guitar taught me that dedication was the key to success and I decided to join the Navy. It was the best decision for me at the time. I have had nothing to my name for so long that I have not really justified the thought of buying gear that might improve my playing dramatically. I would treat these pedals with great care and admiration for years if I was to own one someday.
arbel
July 11, 2016 at 6:36 am
strange list. no METAL ZONE?
Goldie Banerjee
July 10, 2016 at 2:31 pm
What a fantastic round up…I did miss the thorpy fx gunshot though! I’m sure I’ll be looking into picking up some pedals from this list!
Jeff
July 10, 2016 at 2:26 pm
Love these modern effects! My love for effects started early in my playing life. I Once met Jimi Hendrix father, Al before he passed. I was playing at a club in Cleveland and he was sitting at the table up front watching me compete in a guitar competition. I was using an old fuzz and ep3 echoplex. I lost the competition but forgot the old lid of the echoplex at the club. I went back and Al was sitting at a table with the lid and handed it back to me. Why did I ever sell that thing??!! Been on the effects tone chase ever since!! P.S If I win a something cool Ill be sure to post a cool pic in Vegas Baby! 😉
Bendik
July 10, 2016 at 12:26 pm
One of my all time favorite guitar pedal or actually stompbox is the Line 6 M5. It has many of the best effects all on the pedal, and I use this pedal all the time. It has absolutely great reverb and echo effects on it. The distortion I wouldnt recomend but for the price and everything I got on it, it is the best pedal I have.
Kenny Sheldon
July 10, 2016 at 12:12 pm
These lists (especially this one) you guys make are fantastic! For someone like me, who is in four bands of varying styles, I’m a total gearhead that is constantly on a never-ending quest for a better tone, and I use BestGuitarEffects as an invaluable resource for my vigilant hunt.
I’ve been building pedalboards for just about 20 years now, and have had the misfortune of having my entire effects rig stolen from me not once, but TWICE on my life, and as tough as it is to start from scratch, I have learned a lot along the way, and it’s in giveaways like these where I find hope in pushing to keep the train going and continually building that tone machine.
So thank you, whether I win something or not, fantasizing about it will do in the meantime 😉
Misha Savage
July 10, 2016 at 7:34 am
We talking about Deliciousness? The Afterneath has sounds no-body else has tasting
Despite my impassioned desire to elope with a strymon, the financial cost of tying the knot has left me in the dust… for now. I really wanna see what the afterneath sounds like in another pedals loop – especially in a looper pedal that … can reverse the signal. Could certainly enter the psuedo-psychadeliamosic space era on that one
The wombtone is self-explanatory, take me back to where I CAME FROM! after years of never finding the right funky phaser… perhaps… PERHAPS!Oh geez
Pedals in the morning amiright?Jim
July 10, 2016 at 2:12 am
Not a new pedal, but I’m really digging the Mooer Hustle Drive (OCD clone) right now. Really close to OCD, the only noticeable difference being that it’s a slightly darker tone. I use this as a boost mainly, but works really well as a drive pedal with a wide delay. recommended if your price point and pedalboard real estate is challenging…
Michael O.
July 9, 2016 at 10:36 pm
Great review on the Stymon big sky!
Andy
July 9, 2016 at 7:14 pm
Afterneath is such a monster! Definitely deserves a spot on the list. Definitely not for everyone, but the depth you can get from even a tiny amp/speaker is enough to lose an hour or two in, easily!
Dalton Gahafer
July 9, 2016 at 5:28 pm
List is excellent. Helped make up my mimd for additions to the future pedal board. I would lose my mind if I won a Spectre… Or any Chase Bliss pedal. Have my heart set on the Strymon collection as well. Thanks for the great recommendations!
Nick Blaskovich
July 9, 2016 at 2:40 pm
I had a guy demo a Strymon Big Sky for me a while back. One of the most versatile pedals I’ve ever seen. Great for Praise & Worship, Rock, Pop, you name it. The guy even uses it with his acoustic to get a cool verb effect on that.
July 9, 2016 at 9:00 am
gotta get that H9. Space is a powerhouse on its own; would love to have the full power of Eventide in such a compact package!
Lexi Correa
July 9, 2016 at 12:01 am
I have been looking for a compressor, and this list helped me narrow down some choices!!! Thanks guys!!
Max Melo
July 8, 2016 at 8:15 pm
Hey Man love this list! This website is the bomb diggity! My favorite definitely has to be that strymon timeline….it has so many tonal options. I really want one!
Emilio Escarcega
July 8, 2016 at 5:20 pm
I think the effects have greatly influenced guitarists to experiment with new sounds , personally in my pedalboard use DL4 Line 6 delay, aquapuss analog delay, RV -5 boss reverb, Bigmuff , Fulltone fulldrive2 , alexander pedals ” la calavera ” that has an excellent sound, Hotone tremolo trim small but powerful , small clone for old and quirky tones of a chorus, Boss Rc-30 looper to play ambient tones and some improvisation. That is what I use with the help of a multi effects boss ME- 50 having a more analog tone . I’ve always wanted a Strymon to have that precise delay as the DIG or TimeLine , Tonal Recall is very interesting and I think the future of analog pedals.
paul
July 8, 2016 at 1:39 pm
my 2 favourite pedals at the moment are the JOYO D-Seed (awesome delay pedal for the cost) and the Caline Pure Sky which is similar to a Timmy and a Vemuram but again a whole lot cheaper. I gig with both regularly and both are reliable, i got both for less than £80 mind that was before we voted to leave the EU, that £80 would now get me half a mars bar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it8sxtYvvQQ and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b48_jJi9Za4
Good pedals dont need to cost lots of money.
Jason
July 8, 2016 at 1:04 pm
This is an amazing list of pedals. I’m becoming very fond of TC Electronic pedals. They aren’t too expensive but yet they contain some really innovative features and they sound great. I love my Flashback delay. I’m sure I will be revisiting this list when the gear acquisition syndrome kicks in!
Erlend Kristiansen Jåsund
July 8, 2016 at 12:13 pm
Nice pedals
Jon
July 8, 2016 at 12:11 pm
Awesome list! After reading this, I’ve been overcome with one of the worst cases of G.A.S (gear acquisition syndrome) that I’ve ever experienced. I’ll definitely be checking out a number of the pedals listed above. Thanks!
JBalls
July 8, 2016 at 12:23 am
I’ve been without a quality reverb pedal for years now.
I’d love to add the Empress Effects Reverb to my board!Shane
July 7, 2016 at 8:28 pm
I agree with much of this list. I’d nominate the Hologram Dream Sequence and the Pettyjohn Predrive – which could represent two ends of the pedal spectrum (decidedly not subtle to very much so). I will always agree with the “next level” suggestion of presets. People will undoubtedly start following Source Audio and Chase Bliss’ lead in this respect. Anyhow, thanks for a great resource. Cheers!
atom cothren
July 7, 2016 at 7:33 pm
I’ve always been pretty narrow minded when it came to pedals- like ‘dude if you can shred, you don’t neeeeeed that junk”. I’d use maybe a drive, verb, fuzz, but mostly a straight-into-the-amp thinker. Over time, either the pedals got waaaaay better, or I grew up, but I finally got it, you can make some seriously sick noise with some of these things. I see the guitar as so much more now. I just saw this page and it has been one of the more eye opening pages. I am amazed at the detail of your work. I’ve been using the Bogner Burnley for a while, I’d be curious to see what you thought of it.
Ben Butler
July 7, 2016 at 11:47 am
This website is awesome, love the pedals! 🙂
Thom
July 7, 2016 at 9:49 am
I’m surprised that the Molten Voltage G-Quencer didn’t make the cut. While technically, it is a midi pedal, IMO it is one of the most innovative ideas to be brought to the market in quite some time.
Dave
July 7, 2016 at 8:42 am
For a while, I went a little insane on distortion pedals. In my living room, which my housemate’s sociopathic chihuahua didn’t appreciate. My signal chain started as an LTD with active EMG’s into a Boss NS-2, into a no-name AB box, which split into a Marshall TSL100 and a Marshall JCM900 which I had borrowed from a girl I’d been seeing (and which I subsequently traded for a Peavey 5150ii).
Anyway, the insanity I mentioned. For no reason other than “screw my eardrums,” I set each head to a pretty nice saturated gain. Then, I plugged in a Dunlop pickup booster pedal, then a Krank Distortus Maximus, then a Boss DS-1 with a Keeley mod, and then a Keeley-modded ProCo Rat, and spent about a week playing around with the various tones.
Needless to say, engaging more than one of these pedals turned my signal to shredded-speaker oversaturation. It was near impossible to complete a run-thru of anything that didn’t end up sounding like the worst Entombed rip-off in history. Seriously, try it. You’ll love it, or more likely, regret it.
But because pedal insanity knows no bounds (or suburban residential dB legislation, apparently), this signal chain needed one more thing. A Boss DD-7 Digital Delay. Yup. I was going full early-90s Sonic Youth in there.
A lot of fun was had playing Napalm Death riffs with all the distortion pedals engaged, then hitting the Digital Delay in backwards echo mode and the feedback on 3pm, and deactivating all the distortion pedals as fast as my toes would move, to hear how the waves of hideous noise parted like the Red Sea to reveal an actual riff underneath, only for said hideous noise to come washing back in. Lots of fun.
I’ve since become much more sensible about signal chains (gain boost, noise gate, tuner, delay), and I’m just getting into the EHX Holy Stain for some added textures, but every now and then, it’s still refreshing to break out the Death By Audio Apocalypse (noted in the list above, and deservedly so!!) comes out and, of course, all hell breaks loose.
Guitar Lacey
July 7, 2016 at 7:59 am
So many wonderful pedals. Never have we been blessed with so many skilled pedal makers.
Vincent Garrett
July 7, 2016 at 2:55 am
I’m not a guitar player but as a synth hobbyist I’m looking for cool effects, and the H9 seems a good compromise including lots of stuff. The Strymon range looks pretty cool too !
So I’m still watching and reading reviews !
🙂July 6, 2016 at 7:41 pm
Love it when there are comparative comments (one pedal vs. another) in reviews…
Jared
July 6, 2016 at 3:28 pm
Ode to the Best Effects
From the complicated algorithms of the Eventide Harmonizer
To every dollar spent on the Strymon TimeLine or
Perhaps it was the clever name of the Tonal Recall
Is “get to the choppa” a setting on there at all?I’ll make Dr. Suess proud like the Empress Effects Reverb
With settings like thing one and thing two, where is the flurb?
To be armed with the Digitech Whammy V and the Ditto Looper
I could brave all The Elements and my gigs would be superMy tones would be balanced with the Electrode Compressor
They’d call me the Modern Guitar Effects Professor
With a Tube Screamer, handwired, and a Nemesis Delay
I’d probably lose my job and play guitar all dayI’d personally love to own a Wah XW-1
I’ll take a blue and red ecstasy just for fun
A mobius too though I don’t know what it does
But it sure looks expensive and that sure is a plusLet’s not forget the Spectre by Chase Bliss
And the Fuzz Facotry 7, hand painted by kids
There’s a vibe machine when you’re not feeling the vibe
Alas the most beautiful reverb in the list, the Big SkyDoes a Compressor do anything? A question I frequent
But let’s just keep that our Dirty Little Secret
I can’t imagine what I would use a HOG2 for
But I can’t give you 3 uses for an RC BoosterTo my ear the Cali76 only compresses your wallet
The warped vinyl is weirdonderfull, or that’s what I’d call it
My owning of the Deco, my wife hath forbade
Yet she hath said nothing concerning the PalisadesWhile the Protostar is loaded with knobs and lights
The Immerse Reverberator is probably just right
The Pitchfork is an odd one that can leave you unsettled
The Gravitas, let me tell you, is one serious effects pedalSupposing I need distortion I’d go with the Palladium
With a Scrutator to reach the perfect equilibrium
And top it off with some elven sparkle magic
Only a rainbow machine can make so fantastic
Sustain Shamans bring about the Apocalypse
While the Sub’n’Up octaver serves audible octave bitsThe Tri Avatar sings beautiful harmonies
While the st-300 avoids flat and sharp catastrophes
And the Compressor Pro creates a Great Divide
The Wombtone makes it sound like what babies hear insideI really DIG the bitquest by Dr. Scientist
But if I saw an Amplifire I’d say “I’m buyin this!”
Then I couldn’t afford EP Booster boost effect pedal
Or the epic reverb Afterneath with decay that doesn’t settleI could stand to have Infinity Looper
And an Archer in combination to leave me in a stupor
I’d sure need an Ego Compressor to shrink my giant head
I know I’d consider myself the King and eat Soul Food til I’m deadAnd the final verse alone belongs to the Keymaster
Because unlike this poem it is far from a disaster
My conscience tells me I should not post this rhyme
Poorly conceived written and finished just in the last few hours…Alan
July 6, 2016 at 12:24 pm
What about the new Neunaber Expanse series? Paired with the ExP controller…. :O
July 6, 2016 at 9:51 am
I have 9 of them. I guess I still have to spend a lot of money which is exciting and frightening at the same time.
lloloman
July 6, 2016 at 9:23 am
hi
July 6, 2016 at 8:19 am
Hello !!!!
Before beginning please excuse me , my english is bad, i live in latin-america and i only speak english in my high school english classes.
my pedalboard is very simple, i have 3 pedal:
1) OCD FULLTONE
2) EHX BIG MUFF
3) IBANEZ PHASER PH-10these pedals were enought for me , but now i am looking for new sounds. First will buy a new fuzz ( the black arts pharaoh fuzz), the EQD afterneath and i was reading about the Strymon Timeline, omg , never in my life i listened a better delay.(just imagine the Pharaoh fuzz with the LO-Fi mode of the timeline, IT WILL BE FUCKING TASTY.) that moment i said ” i need it” ,BUT i have BIG problem , the timeline cost 699.99 dollars in my country (ECUADOR). so i am writting this shit (haha) to try to win The timeline.
I really hope win !!!!!!
Greeting in two language:
English: Thank for all the people who works in “BEST GUITAR EFFECTS”, i really appreciate your work !!!
Spanish: Gracias a todos los gringos locos que hacen posible este concurso , si me hacen ganar les juro que les mando un álbum de fotos con el timeline jajaColin Flanigan
July 6, 2016 at 7:44 am
Really glad to see the EHX Pitchfork and Dr. Scientist BitQuest on here. The Pitchfork has unexpectedly become kind of integral to my tone palette. I do think it’s weird how much people aren’t asking whether their (specifically modulation) pedals are digital or not. Digital has come a long way in the past few years, and a ton of digital modulation pedals are amazing, but I can count the years on one hand since I was getting shamed on forums for liking a pedal that wasn’t analog.
Don Hajek
July 6, 2016 at 7:42 am
I think I will always love the Digitech Whammy in all of it’s glitchy glory. So many of my favorite artists have used it that not having one would be downright wrong in my mind…
alex lindberg
July 6, 2016 at 2:49 am
I have played guitar for many many years now, and tried out some different pedals on my way, but I have learn mutch more after read ” Best Guitar effects” than many year trying a lots of pedals I dont had to try.
This is the best tool to find where to start looking for the right stuff, and get new inspiration !
Thank you for showing us guitarplayers 🙂Nick
July 5, 2016 at 11:24 pm
Have you ever reviewed an OCD?
July 5, 2016 at 11:19 pm
You guys should checkout and review a Nocturne Atomic Brain.
Phil Hirvela
July 5, 2016 at 9:48 pm
Love my Strymon Deco and Digitech Whammy II
Daniel Cardoza
July 5, 2016 at 9:41 pm
warped vinyl will always be my favorite chorus pedal for lofi sounds
July 5, 2016 at 7:29 pm
You can never go wrong with Strymon. A friend showed me big sky and I shed a tear :p
Jack
July 5, 2016 at 5:56 pm
I think we are in a great time for guitar pedals. We’re coming up with really awesome digital stuff and perfecting and innovating older designs like fuzzes and vibes etc.
So much cool stuff.July 5, 2016 at 5:18 pm
You know you are getting old when Comps become more exciting than delays.
But the WMD though, wow.
Andrew Estes
July 5, 2016 at 4:57 pm
The BitQuest is my personal favorite from this list. I’ve had hours of fun discovering sounds with it. My favorite uses for it are for infinite reverb/ambient sounds and glitchy noises with that crazy delay setting. ‘Freezing’ the flanger and using it as a comb filter is always a good time, too. And while it’s not technically ‘on’ the list, the shoutout for the Earthquaker Devices Bit Commander was definitely appreciated. It’s the only pedal that I’ve used that directly influences how I play the instrument. I immediately become much more robotic in my fretting and picking, which leads to a lot more creativity. It isn’t the most versatile pedal ever, but I think a pedal that can inspire new ideas like that is worthy of landing on one of these lists. If I can find a Great Divide around, I’ll have to try it and see how it compares for me. Great list, Gabriel!
Sebastian
July 5, 2016 at 4:36 pm
May the odds be in my favour 😀
Awesome reviews guys, keep it up.
Cheers from Argentina (Please don’t “MESSI”)
Dave Paul
July 5, 2016 at 4:19 pm
Have just stumbled across this site and have just lost an an hour reading through this list. Might have to read it again. And again. When I started playing in bands in the early 90s people wanted big multi-effects units so glad we have returned to sanity with stompboxes since then. If we are talking about the small companies you should check out Frederic Effects who are based in London (no I don’t work for them!) Was in a guitar shop in London when I was there for work (from home in Scotland) and tried a couple out. They go for clones rather than new designs but interesting choices. Yes they do a Klon but also a Sin-Ei FY2 and FY6 (Jesus and Mary Chain pedal) and a Harmonic perculator which was horrible in the very best way. There’s a lot to be said for old cheap pedals as well as vintage classics. More than once someone has been throwing out gear on the grounds that it won’t fetch anything even on Ebay and it turns out with some serious knob tweaking you can get something cool out of them!! One list you should do is pedals that people still wish they had. Me? Marshall Shredmaster bought in 1992. Sold for 100 quid a few years back. Wrong!!! In fact I’m going to email the guy to see if I can buy it back now. You guys are clearly already affecting me!!!
Steven Yost
July 5, 2016 at 4:17 pm
As much as I want to love the strymon big sky, for my purposes it’s nearly unusable. The tweakability is nice, but I don’t want to spend the same amount of time finding my sound as playing. The EQD rainbow machine is so cool. I can’t imagine it in a musical context. For me, my money will go to the empress delay. It has plenty of options and still seems user friendly.
July 5, 2016 at 3:56 pm
Here kitty, kitty, kitty…
David McDermott
July 5, 2016 at 3:09 pm
This is a great list, but… where would you find a pedalboard big enough to hold them all? 3:)
Pedro Dias
July 5, 2016 at 1:52 pm
Im a Reverb freak but i have never had a chance to get a good Reverb pedal like a strymon or a eqdevices… Also love delay and very weird effects since im a very experimental guitar player, and yes we are very lucky for living the golden age of pedals
Rob
July 5, 2016 at 1:32 pm
Great list and better than most of the hours if not all. Very fair and correct 🙂 Thanks for the opportunity and ability to win items as well. Cannot wait to dive into the website more!
Jordan Aikens
July 5, 2016 at 1:28 pm
Strymon makes some of the best in my opinion! Gotta show some love for Cusack pedals too! Some of the best out there
Tyler
July 5, 2016 at 12:35 pm
Educational read!
Thanks for and all encompassing review, now I gotta go try out each pedal.
I’ve been using a digitech rp1000 for a few years as my only pedal, articles like this one have encouraged me to expand my pedal horizons and I love the journey so far!Keith VanKlompenberg
July 5, 2016 at 11:28 am
Proud to own several on this list from Strymon, Chase Bliss, Digitech and Dr. Scientist, but I have to give a shoutout to the own I no longer own: the Ditto x2.
This pedal opened up a whole new world of music to me. With reverse, half speed and the ability to store a loop, this has enough features to keep any player entertained while making looping effortless for beginners. Within a few days I was creating sprawling soundscapes and experimenting with effects pre and post Ditto. My newfound looping chops set off a GAS frenzy like none other, which ultimately got me into midi, which is why I upgraded to a Boomerang III. Had the X4 been out, I very well may have gone with that.
Had I started with the Boomerang I may have gotten discouraged by the learning curve, and I definitely wouldn’t have had the leftover GAS money.
I love my Rang but recommend the Ditto series to anyone interested in looping.
Paul V
July 5, 2016 at 11:07 am
Love the Audio Source Nemesis delay … will probably knock the Dawner Prince Boonar off my board.
Carlos Loor
July 5, 2016 at 10:56 am
Greaaaaaaat set of pedals! wish I could have them all!
July 5, 2016 at 10:53 am
So many awesome new pedals coming out lately. I’m a reverb/delay junkie and I want to try them all.
Ernest Foo
July 5, 2016 at 10:29 am
One more for the list! And it’s no other than the Alter Ego x4! It’s incredible for just how many vintage echo/delay machines it emulates. The sound reproduction is amazing with the classic warm repeats you’ll expect to hear from the real deal. My favourite preset has gotta be the copykat. Just place a fuzz pedal after it and watch your amp scream fuzzy echoes that is just so musical. A few things I wish TC could add is another footswitch with a ‘hold’ function for oscillations and way way more preset storage, 3 is simply not enough!
Jacob Abbud
July 5, 2016 at 10:06 am
My favorite modern pedal right now is the Dwarfcraft Twin Stags tremolo pedal, It’s the reasson why I got 2 expression pedals to unlock the wacky cool sounds it can provide, although I’m still figuring out how to use the CVs on it I just love that tremolo. Also dig what Digitech did with the Whammy V, have both that one and the bass whammy and couldn’t be happier with a pitch shifter.
It’s great time to be a pedal maniac!Matthew Polelle
July 5, 2016 at 10:01 am
I have several pedals which I rotate on my pedal board frequently. I am a bass player and love to experiment with different effects. I always liked how Doug Wimbish and Les Claypool devised new sounds with there effects but now, I’m in a country band. The other guys in my group are more than gracious to let me try new effects These days I’m primarily using compression, octive, and chourus effects. Who knows? If I can find a use for reverse delay in a country music set list, I would be apt to try it.
Mike Carpenter
July 5, 2016 at 10:00 am
Pedals have always fascinated and engrossed me, but I am always afraid that there is a better sound hiding in the controls of really complex pedals. It’s like my favorite song comes on, but I change stations in the middle, just in case there’s a better song. For this reason, give it one, two, three knobs max, and I am in heaven. The Xotic booster meets my bill best, followed by the Whamm! Although the Evintide E9 looks amazing!
Samuel Emmett
July 5, 2016 at 9:37 am
I’m kind of surprised that the Red Panda Context Reverb isn’t on this list. It’s one of the best reverb pedals that I have ever heard. It’s very thick and rick, but also gives you plenty of control without having a plethora of knobs (like the Strymons). I will say that the BigSky is also pretty phenomenal (it’s currently my favorite reverb). It has so many different options and possible settings that all sound incredible, but it also comes in at $500 as compared to the Context’s $225. I completely agree with the Timeline being on this list. I love how thick the repeats are and the fact that it has plenty of tweakabillity makes it a very useful pedal for any board or studio. I must say though that I really wish that some of the FoxPedal stuff was on hear. They have a great reverb pedal, their transparent overdrives are so nice, and their Wave and City pedals sound amazing.
July 5, 2016 at 9:35 am
Pedals from eventide, strymon and chase bliss are just far too pricey for me to ever even consider owning own. They all sound incredible but I could never justify spending more than $250 on a pedal. Maybe I’m just a cheapskate.
Bryce
July 5, 2016 at 9:13 am
The way Chase Bliss has created analog effects with such a wide variety of digital manipulations to it is ground breaking in pedals. I know of no other pedal manufacturer that allows such huge range of customization to their sound.
Strymon has also changed the game when it comes those “super” delays and reverbs. Their algorithms are incredibly pristine and musical. They’re the brand all other brands are compared to when it comes to digital effects.
July 5, 2016 at 8:32 am
It appears to be a golden age for guitar pedals.
July 5, 2016 at 8:30 am
Thanks guys!
Good luck everybody 🙂Scott
July 5, 2016 at 8:20 am
Thanks for the Reviews. I like to read all reviews, then still buy the wrong pedal. you know what i mean.
Ray Fuentes
July 5, 2016 at 8:04 am
Other than playing with a jazz band throughout high school (and my 27 years of attempting to be a one-man The Police cover band), I’ve been an acoustic player. But I’ve always had access to mess around with gear my dad uses. The second floor of my childhood home is amps, guitars, tapes, CDs, records, music instructional books, and pedals covered with pillowcases or sheets.
However, when it came to deciding on and acquiring pedals for myself, I always got overwhelmed. So during my more rare electric days, my first 25 years only consisted of a Boss tuner and:
-Tube Screamer
-Super Overdrive
-Super Chorus
-Cry BabyEven these were a little much for me.
But over the past year, I decided to get back into the electric world, because I saw my friend building up his pedalboard and his sound. And I started writing new music that now required a band. So I started reading reviews, watching videos, and becoming a big fan of this site and “That Pedal Show.”
I also went home and realized that dad had all this classic gear (a couple Tube Screamers, MXR EQ, Comp, Filter, Mod Arion Chorus, so much more) and some new modern gear (JML2, DL4, Henderson’s RC Booster, Roto-Sim) that I had completely not overlooked.
I underestimated the creativity that a solid pedal and rig can inspire.
So now, after months of mainly reading and listening, I’ve jumped into some experimenting!
(-installing the pickups and practicing on my Strat & repairing another Japan-made Strat)
-TU-3
-Morley Mini Wah/Vol
-SubNUp (trying to make MUTEMATH & Snarky Puppy covers work out sonically!)
-Polysaturator
-Mooer Yellow Comp
-Soul Food
-Flashback mini (using this with acoustic too)
-HOF mini (using this with acoustic too)
-And my old Super Chorus dad sent me in the mail because that is one and only pedal he will not use anymore (and so I can continue living my childhood dreams of being Andy Summers… even though now i know it wasn’t usually an actual chorus effect)Looking forward to continuing the enjoyment and creativity that comes from learning about, UPGRADING, and building up my board!
Marijn de Zwart
July 5, 2016 at 4:15 am
bb preamp should be in here haha. Its my favorite. But actually this is a very good list! thanks
Ronald Olszewski
July 5, 2016 at 4:08 am
WOW, what an article! Very informative and a great look at so many classic pedals. Thanks!
Thiago Rosa
July 5, 2016 at 12:50 am
I need an H9 in my life
Edward Fulton
July 4, 2016 at 8:10 pm
You have an awesome website with some amazing reviews. I have never been able to use any of the more expensive pedals on my pedal board. Most of them bought used run no more than $50.00 or so. The most expensive pedal I have is a Pigtronix Philosopher’s Tone that I picked up for about $130.00. (A really good pedal when used for what it is designed for).
I like to experiment and am not opposed to trying inexpensive pedals. Sometimes you can get really good results and if not so what. You’ve spent no more than what you would spend on a couple of trips to McDonald’s. (maybe less)
One thing I’ve recently tried with good results involves a DigiTech RP200A multi effects pedal. This is a relatively cheap pedal that sold for between $200 to $300 dollars when they first came out. You can get one on E-Bay for about $50.00 now.
I’ve found a use for it that works well for me. I only use it for delay, reverb, and the volume pedal. With a good all tube amp I actually get some pretty good delay and reverb sounds. I plug it in between my board and the amp. As you would normally want your time based effects at the end of your chain it works out just fine. It has 10 reverb types and 3 delays. With it I can create presets that allow me the freedom to rapidly change from one sound to another. Though no where close to a Strymon BigSky, or a similar pedal, it still sounds pretty good and didn’t cost $479.00 either.
All in all, I’ve found a winning combination that did not break the bank. It also helps keep my financial consultant (wife) off my back to an extent. I still remember the day my 100 watt Peavey head showed up in a big box. She said why did you do that when I told her the cost. My only reply was that there is no good answer so I choose to say nothing. It’s a good thing she doesn’t stay mad at me long!William Roberts
July 4, 2016 at 2:16 pm
I can’t believe you had two Pigtronix pedals and neither was the Echolution. I love that pedal.
Jinan
July 4, 2016 at 11:09 am
Looper looks very interesting. Great list!
Chimmy
July 4, 2016 at 10:31 am
No Hall of Fame reverb?
Robert
July 4, 2016 at 10:17 am
they are all so wonderful!
Luc Pelletier
July 4, 2016 at 7:32 am
I’m back into guitar after leaving for a while. I discovered your site a few weeks ago and I must admit that it is very useful! Thanks!
July 4, 2016 at 1:35 am
When I win the lottery, I’m having all of these pedals. Good reviews as ever which does nothing for my chronic GAS.
Peter Grey
July 3, 2016 at 9:19 am
Your site should come with a government wealth warning, that’s at least three pedals I’ve added to my “must try” list
Emily Gibson
July 3, 2016 at 8:34 am
Great review as always and a good solid choice of pedals there. It’s given me some ideas for my next buy
Caleb Campion
July 3, 2016 at 7:05 am
I’m just gonna come out and say that the Ditto Looper is down-right perfect. It does exactly what you want and expect it to do. Play. Record. Dub-over. It’s compact, simple, easy to use, looks great and doesn’t take up much space on your board! In fact, it was the second pedal that I ever got. So glad I did, because it’s value to my learning, playing and interest is insane. Oh, its True Bypass is super admirable as well.
As much as this sounds like an advert, I just want you to know that this pedal is very much so, definitely, absolutely, don’t-miss-it, brilliant value that you don’t want to go by your ‘guitaring’ years without. It is a magic little pedal, and from my experience, will serve you more than well. Happy Looping.
Coleman Fitts
July 2, 2016 at 7:32 pm
The H9 Max is the best pedal out there. Super user-friendly, incredible sounds. If I may quote the greatest movie ever, I’d say it’s “most triumphant.”
ANDY FAVER
July 2, 2016 at 9:53 am
I have numerous analog pedals and a boss gt5 which I sometimes use, looking into buying a pedal switcher to combine some to avoid the tap dance. So many wonderful pedals out there just not enough $ to play with. Hope to upgrade to the line 6 helix or fractal audio fx8 or ax8; still doing research. Jam on my fellow brothers and sisters
Ronel Borromeo
July 2, 2016 at 8:47 am
I would love to own a strymon pedal. It would be a great addition to my board.
Matthew Pethybridge
July 2, 2016 at 3:23 am
Ok, so this list has me falling down the rabbit hole into the “what if…” world of guitar effects…
So many pedals, so little space on my pedalboard!I’m a part-time hobby guitarist, but a full-time pro keyboardist, and lately I’ve been sick of using the in-built effects on my keyboards… They sound so clinical, there’s no “soul” to them, and no way to claim an individual “tone” (as you guitarists say!) – not to mention how frustrating it is to program effects on certain keyboards…
So, I had a great idea to create a keyboard pedalboard (which I can use with my guitar too – hopefully I will pick up my electric a little more and finally develop some chops!). So far, I’ve got:
A Minifooger MF-Drive to break up the sound a bit,
A DD-500 to transport me into the world of weird and wonderful delay options,
A Strymon Big-Sky, for washed out syrupy, reverb-y goodness or just a touch of “space”, and;
A Modtone Volume pedal to even out the send to the PA.I’m still on the hunt for:
A tremolo,
A modulation pedal (phasers and flangers etc),
A quality compressor.
The Radial Keylargo when it finally hits Australian shores,
Oh, and about 49 of the 50 pedals on this list! 🙂I’ve put it all together on a board, with two of my keyboard damper pedals, and an expression pedal for MIDI control of my pedals, and I’ve learned two things:
1. There is no joy quite like flicking the overdrive on a sweet Rhodes patch and rocking out, and;
2. My feet are doing more moving during a gig than Michael Flatley did in Riverdance!I’m having the time of my life, and as long as my wife doesn’t scrutinise the bank statements too closely, I’m not planning on stopping any time soon! 🙂
Thanks Bestguitareffects for this awesome list – I’ll definitely be bookmarking this page for future reference!
Joaquin Galarza
July 1, 2016 at 2:23 pm
My pedalboard is very simple. I only have 3 pedals: ( excuse me my English I live in Latin-American and I only speak English in my high school English class hahahah) off topic: my teacher seems a horse by its teeth.
OK let’s continue:
My pedals:1) Fulltone ocd
2) EHX Big muff
3) Old Ibanez phaser ph-10I bought my pedals saving the money that my mom give me (she said me: “I will not give more money to pedals” When I started to play the guitar I wanted sound like josh homme (even I want), but when I read this list I change my mind, the sound I am looking for is more ambient with a great fuzz.
The strymon timeline is the pedal that I am looking for, just imagine (Gabriel Tanaka or anyone reading this), and put the LO-FI mode and a hoof reaper fuzz (this pedal I will buy). ohhhhhhhh it would fuking tasty (with chipmunk voice hahaha). But I have a BIGGGGGGGG problem. I live in Ecuador! Here this pedal cost 699.99 dollars. I really hope win the Strymon Timeline.
A greeting in Spanish: ” para los que entienda esto , por favor comenten, ayuden a un pobre chico el cual depende solo de su mama para vivir de la música, saludos a todos los gringos chéveres que les gusta la buena música jajaja”
July 28, 2016 at 8:33 am
Yo vivo en Chile y he comprado de estos pedales. Te recomiendo que los compres por ebay, te saldrán mucho más baratos que si los compras en tiendas en tu país. Yo compro sólo por ebay, porque estos pedales valen más del doble en Chile de lo que me sale si los compro afuera online, y eso que se paga el envío y a veces impuesto de internación.
Saludos
Greg Piotrowski
July 1, 2016 at 12:35 pm
Thanks to BGE for providing an amazing resource for aspiring guitarists. I’m thankful to have a few of these on my board, yet would love to have a few more. Palisades and Wombtone, in particular. Keep up the great work!
July 1, 2016 at 5:00 am
Great line up of pedals, I would love to get most of these! There are so many really great new pedals out at the moment, I love trying new effects it can be very inspiring indeed!
Arturo
July 1, 2016 at 3:39 am
Spending time on this website is an experience that I find similar to browsing pornography sites, and I mean it in a good way: I sit here during my coffe break watching video after video of people doing something I enjoy a lot (people who are usually way better than me at it). I see you guys describing and playing with beautiful, often very expensive toys and I fantasize on how good they would fit in my collection: some of them are definitely out of my league, others are similar to some I’ve had or I still have. Nobody gets hurt, somebody could get offended but at the end of the day we are all here for the same reason: having fun. Just what happens with porn, right? Some of us will get money from doing this, others will spend a crazy amount of them to accomplish basically nothing if not the short happiness of unpacking a new toy, spend the time of a jam with it and then go on with their lives: nevermind.
Websites like yours (and like those other less SFW websites) exist for one precise reason: collect the best you can find regarding a very specific kind of entertainment, filter out the crap and keep the cream, and give all of us a reason to dream. Maybe tomorrow I’ll wake up as a 16yo again, I’ll turn left rather than right, I’ll choose to focus on my guitar rather than on software development and other boring stuff I’ve dedicated my life to, and I’ll have a chance to become something different, someone different, someone who can stop dreaming about that magnificient beast of a Spectre pedal and actually get it, to make it whisper like a haunted flute on a bright night of November. Wow, that would be something! But maybe not: maybe I’ll wake up old and bored and boring as I am, one that tries and strums his guitar whenever there are 5 minutes left to do it but without any chance to play in front of other people since at least seven years, with an Engineering degree and a good job and an emptiness inside that I could try and fill with that Spectre, but I already know that I’ll choose to fill it with something else instead: maybe a boring business meeting, maybe a song someone else is playing, maybe a review of another shiny and wonderful pedal to push a dream away with another dream.
This list is amazing, I could spend days going through it and creating countless happier imaginary clones of myself. I’ll probably do it: each one of those clones will be owing his life to you guys. Thanks from all of them (including the ones that are too busy browsing porn to be here: they like the Spectre too, it’s just that they are into brunettes as well).Rock on.
William Lee
July 1, 2016 at 2:04 am
THE reviews over here really help me a lot.i usually visit here before i buy pedals,As a reference,i consider
/ really reliable, Thanks for your exist, the artical rocks!!!!!!!July 1, 2016 at 1:59 am
Strymon BigSky is really tasty and mind-blowing undoubtedly~~ Its actually much better than many famous digital reverb! Yes,as the name of it;the sound is clear as sky!Just add some magic into your music!!!!!
Dex
June 30, 2016 at 3:59 pm
I have always been a big fx guy. Pedals and effects in general have opened up a completely new realm of feeling and emotion in music. For me, music is moving towards being more about a profound sonic experience than a sing along tune.
I find myself listening to more and more electronic music as time goes on with the world of synthesis becoming more mature, however I am still waiting to hear a sound as moving and emotive as a solo guitar drenched in reverb in the breakdown of a track. For me, it comes down to a shoot out between the eventide space and the strymon bigsky as my favourite reverb pedals, although I have only heard these online rather than in person due to their price.
Trying to get my head around the effects used in tracks lead me to my passion, which is music production. I currently find myself in an odd situation where I am having to sell off most of my studio equipment in order to fund the pursuit of my passion – to study a Music Technology degree in London. Keep up with the great reviews, as I always find them useful. It’s great to have a source of information around fx pedals, where I can find pedals that I otherwise wouldn’t have found. Cheers!
Jorge
June 30, 2016 at 2:29 pm
Maybe someday I will play some of these jewels…
Christopher
June 30, 2016 at 10:47 am
This is a really cool list but is missing the mxr Carbon copy. I wish I could afford the amazing pedals
Sam scott
June 30, 2016 at 7:12 am
Always my most trusted reviews, thanks for your hard work.
Marc Sinclair
June 30, 2016 at 2:13 am
0 down, 50 to go. I should really start saving.
Randy
June 29, 2016 at 2:46 pm
I am a beginning put together my first pedal board. Trying to get a well rounded setup. I am kind of a retro music guy & love the modern tech with vintage sound. Going to go for a Black Keys meets Pink Floyd sound. The first pedal I saw that I love was the T-Rex Replicator, but thats out of budget, so my next choice is the Strymon El Capistan. Look forward to seeing more reviews & guide articles.
abe
June 29, 2016 at 10:51 am
Great stuff, but with all that I still can’t the pedal that will emulate the sound behaviour of an Accordion (More like an envelope follower) where the the harder you hit the string the faster the volume opens up… any recommendation guys?
Cathal Kenny
June 29, 2016 at 7:51 am
Definitely going to try get a few of these
Jordan Moore
June 29, 2016 at 7:37 am
Strymon Mobius is truly amazing
And the Keeley Compressor Pro is up there with the best eversam worgan
June 29, 2016 at 3:44 am
Even though I haven’t had the oportunity to play ANY of the mentioned pedals, I do own a pedal you rated highly, the Fuzzmaster General by Earthquaker Devices. Holy crap this pedal is amazing!
It goes from sounding like your playing the titanium corpse of the T2000 like a xylaphone all the way to Richard D James eating a brick. It doesn’t like chords of more than two notes but for leads and rythmic fingerstyle its utterly transformative. It has so much life in it and such force of personality. Probably my favourite part of its personality is that you can force it to have a very short decay time without the need for palm muting. This is achieved by having the fuzz knob turned down a bit and by either rolling back the volume or playing softly, making it possible to play notes in quick succession that don’t mush together but are distinct with a growly fuzz and/or ring mod clang.
I actually mostly play fairly clean with a Neunaber Wet and a TC Electronic Shaker vibrato as my main effects but the Fuzzmaster General provides me with a much needed harsh counterpoint to the former’s sweets and soft nature’s.
Jason Sanders
June 28, 2016 at 2:42 pm
This list is alright I guess…I would definitely love to own each of these for a time. Care to share? 🙂 The list of my wanted pedals keeps growing…
I just got the SA Nemesis recently and it is a treasure I have barely started to discover. It is also my first foray into midi pedals. I have the EP Booster as well and that is my only “always-on” pedal. It is truly just a part of my tone now and I can’t imagine playing without it.
Other than those two, I haven’t tried any of the others on the list but hopefully that will change sooner than later. I expected to see the Neunaber Expanse / ExP combo on here as that is a pretty fantastic pedal combo capable of much more than the Immerse, though the Immerse is plenty tempting in its own right.
I do love this site (and the contests) so keep doing what you’re doing!
Guilherme
June 28, 2016 at 12:48 pm
I just feel bad that the Polara Reverberator from Digitech wasn’t on this list. I love that little thing!
Thomas
June 28, 2016 at 10:22 am
So many pedals, so little time. I try to stray away from digital effects, however, some of the newer ones are just too tempting. I build distortions, fuzzes, boosters, loopers, trems, and the like – fully analog – and true bypass. Not like some builds that claim TB, but when they fail they pass no signal – either on or off. It is fun to play through many of the ones listed here, though.
ROB HARTMAN
June 28, 2016 at 7:17 am
Great review on some awesome pedals.
Jonathan Terry
June 28, 2016 at 6:50 am
I love strymon! there’s so many on here i wish i had / i kinda wish i had them all. Very good and in-depth list.
The Washing Machine
June 28, 2016 at 4:17 am
Best pedals : Musket Fuzz by blackout effector – Ehx Pog (first release) – MXR analog delay (the best!!) – Death by audio Echo Master (it’s not a real guitar pedal!)
Matt K.
June 28, 2016 at 2:29 am
I’ve always had a tight budget. I’m by no means able to afford large amounts of pedals and boards. I currently have 5 pedals aquired on a PT-Mini. Bare essentials: An OD (EHX OD Glove), a Fuzz (EHX Deluxe Big Muff Pi), a Delay (TC Flashback), a Chorus (MXR Analog Chorus), and a Phaser (MXR Phase 90). I have to be very careful when choosing the pedals I buy because they need to be on the cheaper side and with maximum versatility. This thought process has served me well and I’m very happy with my board. However, I wouldn’t mind having a bigger one with more pedals. My favorite pedal to come out in recent years would be hands down the TC Electronics Flashback. The standard is amazing but the Triple Delay version looks so much better. Thanks for listening to my gear ramblings.
Aaron
June 27, 2016 at 7:01 pm
The HOG2 does so much!! I hope to be able to own one someday.
Alex Evans
June 27, 2016 at 1:15 pm
Also I was really happy to see the empress reverb on there! That pedal looks so cool, and I think I’ve decided on that one instead of a bigsky. I play in a worship band, but I don’t do any studio stuff, an area in which it seems the bigsky has dominated…I dig the lack of display on the empress, and I’m looking forward to the expandable beer mode!
June 27, 2016 at 12:06 pm
Loved this article! Nothing from JHS or Walrus on here though, which is kind of disappointing…cool effects though!
Szab
June 27, 2016 at 10:27 am
I really like the page, it points me in new directions when i’m experimenting with new DIY pedal builds. I can build fuzzes or distortions even some simpler delays too, but I can never hope to achive building monsters like the Eventide H9, Strymon or the Chase Bliss Audio pedals or really anything that comes close in quality to pedals on this list.
I know that there are lots of sites already where you can find info on DIY modding and bulding from scratch, but I think it’s really a fun hobby, and can help anyone interested in pedals understand how to shape their tone to their liking. It would be cool if you’d include some reviews or how to’s to simple mods on famous effects.
Kelly
June 27, 2016 at 9:50 am
With so many brands and effects on the market, it seems the overall quality (build and sound) has been raised throughout the market. As a result, everybody benefits.
Sean
June 27, 2016 at 8:50 am
That tonal recall is an amazing pedal, infact chase bliss make a heap of amazing pedals! I stumbled across the warped vinyl today and have vowed to busk to save up enough to buy one, or the tonal recall if i get lucky. They both sound like pedals that i can reflect my own character through and should walk over my old mooer echo. It would be amazing to add something like this to my tone!
sVendetta
June 27, 2016 at 7:23 am
Everytime I visit your site my creditcard begins to wiggle. SO many great pedals to discover and this is the go-to-site for me to get to know them…
Tim Rossington
June 26, 2016 at 7:08 pm
Pitchfork! Another EHX pedal, another slightly amusing pun for idiots like me, what more could i want. Oh but as a solo live looping artist this fine farm tool has brought the baaaaad ass bass i needed. It is seamless in providing the fat grooves that makes the difference between the audience getting down on it. A great tool to add for my RC300. Yew
Javery Mann
June 26, 2016 at 12:43 am
The next thing for you to include is anything by Hexe! And the Mid Fi Overdrive is an amazing sleeper pedal.
Kevin L. Gibbs
June 26, 2016 at 12:08 am
Just wondering how delay all works works works works…ok, ha ha! Very funny. So much gear so little time time time…STOP! I swear that is the last one. Just wanted to say that you are doing an outstanding job on bringing all the effects of the modern gear boards to the forefront! Thank You! Keep up the good work work work….
ZootAlors
June 25, 2016 at 1:12 pm
Just discovered your site, which is amazing. I’m trying to understand something about effects, and finally found massive content. Thanks a lot! And cheers!
Douglas Ives
June 25, 2016 at 1:12 pm
I’m very into how guitar gear works and how and why they’re built the way they are.
My pedal board has recently increased to 4 pedals: a tuner, two overdrives I made (one with a tube and one without), and a compressor pedal.
These were simple builds, ones I could do with a few parts and a soldering iron. They sound amazing, I’m very happy with them, but it’s made me inspired, amazed and appreciate much more the advanced nature of many of these pedals. I mean, some of these pedals, like the strymons, are like computers in a pedal!
What excites me in some ways more than the strymon super pedals though is the work by some pedal makers recently (eg Chase Bliss Audio, Wampler, Walrus Adio) to make a pedal that preserves the analogue and pure tone of the guitar but advances the technology behind them. Truly inspiring pedals which I would love to own and play but also learn some more about!
And brilliant website with some of the most comprehensive reviews anywhere!
Quintin Pace
June 25, 2016 at 8:39 am
The only pedals I have are the Ditto Looper and the Violetta delay (which I read about on this site). I just started a band, and any of these pedals would be great.
The RC booster would be an easy way for me to add the bite I need to be heard over the dang singer (currently, everyone looks at me funny when I turn up–not sure why. They probably sympathize).
The Palladium would be great for my solos (as a guitarist, if I forget what part of the song I’m at, I just start soloing and the Palladium would make my mistakes sound great–as would the Elements).
The Strymon pedals would be great for bragging. “Oh that pedal, it’s a Strymon. I don’t know what it does, but it’s a Strymon. Do you have a Strymon? Oh, you don’t? That’s too bad. Peasant.”
Yes. Any of these pedals would be a great addition to my rig.
NMA
June 25, 2016 at 7:35 am
I think it’s very telling that some companies are knocking it out of the park and appear on the list several times…
Even more telling is when the big guns (EHX, TC Electronic etc) and medium-sized builders (Wampler, EQD, Chase Bliss etc) have some of their offerings squeezed out of the running by a small operation not once, but a couple of times!
Congrats to “everyone” at Dr Scientist, ie both Ryan & Tanya!
June 24, 2016 at 8:22 pm
#damndaniel
Daniel S
June 24, 2016 at 4:12 pm
What happened to El Capistan?
June 24, 2016 at 3:45 pm
DigiTech Whammy V rocks.
Michael
June 24, 2016 at 11:35 am
Thank you for putting clear concise reviews in one neat place to spare us individually validating the credibility of each random internet review we find.
This is a great broad selection of pedals, and the tonal recall is an engineering delight!
I never win anything.
aminya
June 24, 2016 at 8:29 am
Wwwow! great & complete article!!
Blair Stromstedt
June 24, 2016 at 8:27 am
Nothing from Diamond? At least Empress and Dr. Scientist are on the list. Go Canada!
Gwenael GAUDIN
June 24, 2016 at 8:26 am
It’s not easy to choose…..
jerrysnider
June 24, 2016 at 6:28 am
great site and giveaway
alex
June 24, 2016 at 6:14 am
i was interested in the new tube screamer until i read it was “boutique” and i immediately kept scrolling.
Norman Strong
June 24, 2016 at 5:41 am
Great selection of pedals. As a pedal newbie, I currently play guitar straight into a Blackstar Club 50 half stack, what would be the first type of pedal you would chose? Our band plays classic rock originals and covers!
Rob Navia
June 23, 2016 at 11:00 pm
Might have get rid of the MetalZone.
June 23, 2016 at 5:29 pm
Excelent list broooooo . I realy hope win the Strymon timeline!!!!!
greetings from Ecuador!!!
Now in spanishGabriel Excelente lista de pedales, la verdad me gustaria tener cualquiera de ellos , pero lamentablemente soy chiro (poor man), si gano unos de los pedales te juro que te mando una sesión fotográfica del pedal y yo jaja
John Nickell
June 23, 2016 at 5:29 pm
Thanks for all the great reviews. I have about 4 of these top pedals on my board. My favorite pedal is a toss up between the Afterneath & the Pallisades. Another pedal I would like to see reviewed is the Flux Effects Liquid Ambience. Sounds great in demos , would like to see in depth review . Also maybe change up yer guitar , to see how the pedals might sound w/ heavier pick ups , that aren’t single coil. Still some room on my pedal board , could use another delay , like the Tonal Recall. Maybe a compressor. Keep up the great work. Is there a 12 step program, for pedal heads? Lol
Ian
June 23, 2016 at 5:11 pm
Great list. We live in a rad time where we have all these possibities at our disposal.
Chris
June 23, 2016 at 5:00 pm
I tend to use reverb as a base for my sound, as I love the body it adds. I’ve been using a Holy Grail for a few years now as my amp’s reverb doesn’t provide quite enough decay. With that being said, the Holy Grail would not be my first choice compared to others some friends are using. I like that it has types for Spring, Hall, and Flerb.
I’ll start with Flerb, as I just found a use for it in my country gigs. I had to stack it with compression, delay, and a POG, but it made a ghastly sound that I couldnt get from the chorus modulation on my carbon copy. As a standalone, I feel the flange effect is too wet and doesnt allow for much character from the guitar or dynamic response.
The spring setting has a nice drip to it, but beyond 12 oclock the brightness of the decay can be clashing with the guitar’s tone rolled back. It would be great to if you could control the time of the spring reverb and create a pseudo-slapback effect. But, like the show, the decay goes on.
The hall setting is my favorite for the thickness it adds to each note, so I prefer it for single line leads. However, this setting can get out of hand very quickly as the reverb will take over the attack of the note. If I’m looking for ambient sounds and swells, this is my go to setting. I would like to take this into a Gary Clark like saturation of reverb, but I loose too much note definition.
Overall the pedal still covers a lot of ground in a small package. Add a tone and time knob, and this would keep me swimming in tone.Also, I love using my Phase 90. My complaint, again, is the attack of each not gets lost. There is a midrange bump that muddies up the sound, particularly when overdriven. I’ve read about clipping one of the caps to help this, and I will definitely look more into that. The phase 90 has a seen some greats like EVH and Waylon Jennings, but the current run just doesnt stack up to those of yesterday. I’d like to see a blend knob on this, less midrange bump, and less compression on the overall signal.
(In case you’re wondering, I do run modulation through the fx loop)
Keep it up BGE! I love these reviews.
gary arellano
June 23, 2016 at 4:28 pm
Glad to say I have at least one of these gems! I’m brand new to the pedal world and will use this as a reference for all of my needs. Needless to say I’ve been using your site for all the reviews. You guys do a great job of informing us about the goods! I’m putting pennies aside for the H9 and will hopefully have a solid board soon. Thanks for all the hard work!
June 23, 2016 at 4:20 pm
yeah the best list i ever read!!!!!
Humberto
June 23, 2016 at 12:17 pm
Wow!! Too many! Impossible wishlist…
Mike Byrne
June 23, 2016 at 10:21 am
This list makes me want to sell my car and just build a go kart out of rainbow machines that I start Flintstones style. I don’t know if it technically counts as a “pedal” per se, but the Oberheim Echoplex ought to be on here too, there’s not another looper like it! Outside of that, couldn’t agree more on this list.
erwin
June 23, 2016 at 2:00 am
I Love Cali76 and the Keeley…
Great website….
Vasyl
June 23, 2016 at 1:17 am
I like the ISP Theta Preamp Pedal. It is a great two-channel on-floor preamp – really nice friend of guitarplayers. Because:
1. Great sound. It is believed that the engineers of ISP Technologies was able to achieve sound like a tube device.
2. Flexible tone setting. You can adjust to any amplifier and speakers.
3. The rich functionality. In fact, in this relatively small box you get several pedals – clean boost, screamer, overdrive, distortion, squelch, and the preamp to record on line.
4. A wide gain range – from easy blues breakup to a massive hi-gain (160dB!).
5. Can be configured a four types of gain sound and switch between them during the playing;
6. Has a good noise reduction – Decimator 2.
7. Can be controlled with MIDIIt’s a great beast!
Brayden Charlton
June 22, 2016 at 10:26 pm
Am I the only one that thinks Strymon pedals sound extremely sterile and lifeless?
Jason Herrmann
June 22, 2016 at 8:24 pm
Wow! What a great list.
Sadly, I don’t own anything here… Aside from
the original tiny Ditto.
Someday, when I have the funds, I’d give anything to own some of the Chase Bliss pedals. From everything I’ve seen/heard/read, they seem fantastic.
I enjoy that this list contains a little bit of everything in terms of price-ranges. From Strymon down to EHX.
Keep up th good work,
JMatt
June 22, 2016 at 5:52 pm
All I have is an old multi-effects unit. I’m thinking about replacing it with a few well chosen pedals. This article should come in handy!
Dan Mosher
June 22, 2016 at 4:09 pm
Great article! The only pedals that I wish would have been included are the Suhr Riot and the JHS Angry Charlie. Those are probably the two best “amp-like” distortion boxes out there, and the pedigree of players that use them speaks to their tone.
Not that I am complaining, of course. We as guitar players are pretty lucky nowadays in terms of pedals. I think anyone on the planet could play any type of gig with just the Xotic Wah, a Whammy, Strymon’s “Big 3” (Mobius, Timeline, Big Sky), an EP Booster, and a Suhr Riot. Give me those 7 pedals, and I can make any amp work!
Nick Castillo
June 22, 2016 at 4:07 pm
So many, so freakin many pedals to add to my wishlist for someday in the future.
Dave Speakman
June 22, 2016 at 1:36 pm
The rc booster is my favourite. Sounds so natural. I also love the big sky. I’d really like a strymon timeline too but can’t afford one just yet. 🙁
😉
Emma Wallace
June 22, 2016 at 12:41 pm
I’m only a lottery win away from having all of those pedals
Austin Jones
June 22, 2016 at 11:08 am
This was a great line up of the world of modern guitar effects pedals! I am just getting into pedals, and do not have any yet, but I’ve been building dozens and dozens of hypothetical pedal boards with the basics, tuners, overdrives/boosts, delays/reverbs, and some phasers/miscellaneous effects. I did not realize how cool the synth and octave pedals sound, especially the ones demo-ed in this list! They are definitely a necessity on my future board, and I’ll probably going with the Electro Harmonix HOG2 because of its massive versatility, and I’ve noticed myself leaning towards Electro Harmonix on a couple other pedals too. Great list, and I hope to be able to experience most of these pedals one day on my future board! I didn’t see the BOSS DD-20 Giga Delay on here, though, and in the worship music scene that I’m in, that pedal is literally everywhere and it might not be a “boutique” pedal by any means, but it surely is everything that any one person could ever want in a delay. That would be the only pedal that I would add to this list for sure. But all of your 50 sounded amazing and looked awesome at the same time. Can’t wait for next year’s list!
Ross
June 22, 2016 at 9:48 am
its all about the Neunaber V2 pedal and Exp, 4 patches and 2 presets per patch gives much more choice than the Immerse. I’d be lost without it!
June 22, 2016 at 9:00 am
Am I the only one who finds Strymon pedals really sterile?
Menno
June 22, 2016 at 6:08 am
So much I still have to try out! It’s an amazing selection of pedals. Really curious how the Nuenaber Immerse sounds!
Paul
June 22, 2016 at 3:50 am
You still can’t go wrong with a Tube Screamer or Big Muff, right? 🙂
Blake Pettigrove
June 21, 2016 at 11:06 pm
Great list and review as always. A couple of effects that I think should possibly make the next list are the Digitech Drop and The Walrus Audio Phoenix (although its a power supply not a pedal). I think they are so valuable because they solve a logistical need for gigging musicians to help reduce the workload and focus on the playing. The Digitech Drop has totally revitalized how I gig because it allows me to roll out to a performance with just one guitar rather than multiple guitars in different tunings. It has almost zero latency and sounds impeccable in comparison to a warbly downtuned guitar in my opinion. On the other hand the Walrus Audio Phoenix allows guitarists with unnecessarily large pedal boards like myself to power their entire board with one clean power source rather than multiple pedal powers +’s. It might be interesting to make a list showcasing some pedals like these that are very unique and solve a specialized need! Thanks again for the great reviews, Best Guitar Effects has really helped me to make some good pedal buying decisions in the past.
June 21, 2016 at 7:59 pm
I have about 4 of these pedals on my board . Love the Afterneath, Pallisades. Love all the pedal demos , would like to here w/ Gibson & some different style amps , to get an idea of how versitle the pedals are. Really would like to get my hands on the Tonal Recall or womb tone . They are making some great pedals right now . I love the unique sounding pedals , and the more obscure pedals u don’t see in stores . So many great companies. Keep it up
Kevin Foertsch
June 21, 2016 at 5:38 pm
I REALLY appreciate this list. I’ve been interested in adding a new sound to my rig but haven’t known how to narrow it down. This has certainly helped with that lol. Great to have an overview of which companies are pushing the envelope and breaking into new sonic territory. Thanks for the excellent information in this post. I’ve got some reading and thinking to do.
Tassos
June 21, 2016 at 5:02 pm
Great and unique pedals.I would like to see Pro Co Rat in this list. Maybe the best drive pedal after many years.
Jack Rivington
June 21, 2016 at 2:12 pm
Great selection of pedals, but if I may…
One of the greatest developments in modern guitar pedals in my opinion has been the full and continuing implementation of MIDI. With the addition of just one MIDI ‘hub’ or controller the potential of numerous pedals one may already own can be fully unleashed. In this regard I think the folks at Disaster Area and The GigRig deserve much credit, to my mind they build some fantastic little boxes which can really allow many of the pedals already included on this list to have their abilities fully explored.
Perhaps not an endorsement for any one ‘traditional pedal’, but to my mind systems like this are where pedalboards, and the attention of all savvy companies and independent builders, is heading.
Eleffect
June 21, 2016 at 1:26 pm
Hi From France ! This year has been quite sad for us in Paris – and unfortunately this is happening again and again all over the world – anyway, “Rock ‘n’roll can never die” so I think the excellent Hermida ZENdrive from LOVEpedal is the perfect answer 😉
Peace love and music
John Berg
June 21, 2016 at 8:50 am
I am a big fan of guitar pedals – the very best of them inspire me to be more calculating and deliberate in note and chord selection – and especially playing style. My very first was a Big Muff Pie purchased in 1977. Within a year, the novelty of distortion had worn off so I invested in an Electric Mistress. That led to a Crybaby and that led to various Boss modulation pedals. The only pedal that survived (30 years+) is the Mistress – largely due to its ability to sound crazy (what I wanted then) and sound subtly beautiful (what I appreciate today). It’s a bit noisy and fussy but it still sounds like heaven when adjusted properly. Lately, I have been very diligent about selecting a new pedal. Recent purchases include: Fulltone Mini Dejavibe & OCD, Digitech Hardwire Supernatural, Boss DD7 and EHX Pitchfork. I have learned that patience and creative diligence with regard to experimenting pays off big. Pedal placement, tone adjustments and playing style have huge individual and collective impacts. Pairing the Mistress with the Dejavibe, with both on more subtle settings, creates a fabulous and complex trem-like modulation. Placing the OCD before the Pitchfork in sub-octave mode gives you a laser cannon – place it after and you get a double-barrel onslaught. Using the Detune setting on the PF, with the mix set around 11:00 gives you a drop dead chorus. Pipe that into the DD7 set at a 30ms delay with one repeat and you have a chorus wall. Drive the Dejavibe with intensity at 3:00 and rate at 1:00 into the OCD set at midpoints. Now drive that into the DD7 with the mode set to reverse, one delay and delay time at 9:00 – turns the guitar into a psycho-trem-based organ with harmonics alternately fighting and dancing. I have discovered dozens of great sounds by getting to know the pedals individually and understanding what they do – and then creating placement combinations and trying (sometimes) unorthodox settings. My aim is musical not spaced out noise – that’s easy. For my next pedals I am currently evaluating quite a few – SourceAudio SoundBlox series, Digitech Dirty Robot, EHX Super Ego, Strymon Mobius, several by DwarfCraft, Chase Bliss… way too many to get them all! But choosing and getting the right ones is an absolute blast – second only to playing them.
jeremiah Lind
June 21, 2016 at 5:46 am
Time for a new board I am thinking. Would be great to put some stuff together. And maybe an addition ? Who knows if luck is with me. Thanks though.
Julius
June 21, 2016 at 4:37 am
Ohh wow, that’s an amazing selection of pedals. I am looking to get Nemesis Delay by Sourceaudio, since in my opinion this is the most advanced delay pedal with so many hot delay engines. I currently own 2 BOSS pedals – RV6 reverb and OD3 Overdrive, both sound amazing, especially reverb – very natural. I guess I would add to that list Mesa Boogie Throttle Box overdrive/distortion pedal, that’s another one I’d like to get, sounds very tough and crisp. As for loopers – Boomerang and Infinity Pigtronix are top of the notch for me, really creative loopers. And last but not the least – Hologram Electronics Dreamsequence, that’s some kind of a space-trippy pedal, very very creative and unique pedal, I would also add it here on the list.
Thank you for great reviews!
Julius N.Tony A
June 20, 2016 at 7:40 pm
Hmmm. Looks like I’m gonna have to build a bigger pedal board.
Sylvain Montuire
June 20, 2016 at 3:36 pm
Want to try the empress reverb !
Bryan
June 20, 2016 at 3:32 pm
So Im deciding between Walrus Audio Bellwether / Source Audio Nemesis / JHS Panther Cub. Thoughts? Opinions? Thanks!
Kevin H
June 20, 2016 at 9:24 am
As a bass player, I love pedals and effects. Finding that perfect tone and illuminating your natural sound to the max is great, but there’s something about experimenting with and mixing different effects to achieve a sound no one else has created before. I love the range of sounds I can reach and manipulate. It’s a world of exploration and discovery, and while traversing the unknown you may just come across a new sound that sends you off into another realm without ever leaving your man cave.
Those moments–alone–walking from one delay to next… gliding on the warm overtones of shimmer… reminiscing days past projected from the slightest tape warble… those moments make all of the trial and error worth every wrong note you got stuck in an endless loop… or those weird sci-fi sounds that you think “how did I get here?”
I love love effects–I love delay (currently El Capistan), I love reverb (currently Splash MK-3), I love octaves (currently Sub’n’up), and I love tremolo… I would love to win a gravitas and experience it’s wonders! Best of times to all the winners!
David Howard
June 20, 2016 at 7:32 am
After reading the write-up, I think the Empress Sustain is the pedal I need next.
This is also my comment to get into the drawing, but I really am going to get the Empress pedal based on their review.
David
June 20, 2016 at 7:31 am
After reading the write-up, I think the Empress Compressor is the pedal I need next.
This is also my comment to get into the drawing, but I really am going to get the EMpress pedal based on their review.
David
stylianos
June 19, 2016 at 10:40 pm
Great to have a boutique pedal.never had one
Patrick Appelman
June 19, 2016 at 8:07 pm
Definitely bookmarking this blog! I can’t begin to tell you how helpful this write up was. I’m relatively new to pedal game. For years I used a multi-effects pedal and recently started building a pedal board with mostly analogue pedals, but I do miss the ability to have presets for my set list. Seeing the midi control options available with Chase Bliss’ lineup just blows my mind! It is great to see the innovation and creativity in these companies and their products and I’m excited to see where the industry is headed. Thank you again for the great write up!
Victor C
June 19, 2016 at 3:11 pm
I still keep my pedals in boxes when transporting them around. That’s a trick I learned from an old friend.
There I am at gigs taking each one out of the box, and still no pedal board! I put them right back in when I’m done. It’s funny how long that can last too. I still have the box to my Boss Delay and the bottom has ripped off long ago, but I still tuck it in the top box as a protective case and it’s still going! Love that pedal!funkysoul
June 19, 2016 at 2:52 pm
Many strange boxes here.i’m a simple blues guy with an OD and a wha.hope have the luck to try something different
Daan Bossink
June 19, 2016 at 1:21 pm
I was never really into pedals, always loved just a good clean tone. This website made me realize how important pedals can be and what they can do to your tone, there are so many amazing pedals out there and the Strymon ones really are my favorites. A digital delay would be perfect for what I do at the moment and I am sure the Timeline would be great for my purposes, I would have bought one if I had had the chance but too bad I am just a broke student 😛
Still want to thank you for all the pedal reviews and information on them, keep it up and I am completely certain you will keep on growing!Artemyi Firsov
June 19, 2016 at 8:33 am
Dream board, if you ask me – yes, with all these pedals 🙂
But Imust admit. My two discoveries are Strymon and Chase Bliss Audio.
I wasn’t paying attention to Strymon, ’cause everybody was talking about it and i thought, that it just couldn’t be that good. Well… It IS that good.
Speaking of Chase Bliss Audio… well. The Sound speaks for itself.Misho
June 19, 2016 at 12:11 am
Basically if I put “the ELEMENTS” and a “Tonal Recall”, that’s enough!
But if I push some “Protostar” and a “Pitchfork/Hog” kind of Pedal into
a Ditto looper?I have my self a synth player.
But for the brave Girl who sings and really plays a monophonic
Synth I’ll go for a “BitQuest”E.P.
June 18, 2016 at 10:16 pm
I’ve had the pleasure of spending an evening trying out the Red Panda Particle, and I must say this thing pulls you straight down the rabbit hole from the get-go. It’s one of the few pedals that I’ve found to be able to consistently surprise you with new sounds. The pedal has the unique effect of juxtaposing digital sounding clips and chopped samples with the original analog tone. What I like about this pedal is that whether you choose to use it in a subtle or extreme way, the Particle adds a living and constantly evolving sound to your palette. I’d definitely recommend adding it to the list!
As a delay fanatic, another great pedal I’ve been able to try for a while has been the Pigtronix Echolution 2 Ultra Pro. From a design point of view, I greatly respect makers who aren’t afraid to challenge the highly purist and traditionalist scene. This pedal encompasses the best aspects of the boutique scene by incorporating the chosen elements of both vintage and modern technology and fusing them. Pigtronix isn’t afraid of discarding the unnecessary or overdone features of similarly functioning pedals in order to stand out.
Anyway, there’s my two cents on what I can share from experience! I hope that we can continue supporting such innovators with our tone obsessions!
Mike
June 18, 2016 at 10:06 pm
Love the Dirty Little Secret!
Anthony Medina
June 18, 2016 at 8:46 pm
Rainbow Machine FOR THE WIN. Takes some fine tuning, but definitely one of the most amazing, abstract sounding pedals I’ve ever used. This list is great and contains most of my favorites. Keep it up guys!
Liam Ashwill
June 18, 2016 at 2:25 pm
Thank you for introducing me to Chase Bliss. I think I’m in love <3
Eibert Draisma
June 18, 2016 at 12:45 pm
So many great pedals, and only two feet……………….
Corry
June 18, 2016 at 7:13 am
Kind of a shame Strymon takes up 10% of the list but I guess there’s no denying they make great stuff! Still, would have loved to have seen perhaps a Red Witch pedal on there, such as my favourite pedal the Fuzz-God.
Glad the EHX Pitch Fork cracked it, I replaced my Whammy IV with one and couldn’t be happier, although that Whammy V is pretty tasty too. The footprint and blend knob on the Pitch Fork is just too good though!
You can definitely tell the delays and reverbs are the most popular these days, it’s amazing how much they vary though, it’s hard to choose which one’s right for you!
Happy third birthday!Graham
June 18, 2016 at 5:42 am
Awesome list of pedals, a few of which I didn’t know existed
I have 12 of these pedals mounted on my pedal board now and have owned a number of the other pedals in this list.
https://www.bestguitareffects.com certainly know their pedals. I always refer to this website if I discover a new pedal and want to read a good review. As a general rule for me, if it is not on this website I won’t buy it
Francisco
June 18, 2016 at 3:07 am
Great list!
Gilles
June 18, 2016 at 1:47 am
Or Scientist The Elements in black xD
June 18, 2016 at 1:44 am
And i’m playing for afternerth by Earthquakes because My father play guitar since i was 7 and HE turn to his 50 y.o and i always WANT a pedal like that, one day HE say me Than that could be the best pedal for playing Guitar in the backstage of a one of him concert.
So i try and i want to believeJune 18, 2016 at 1:37 am
Wow they’are so beautiful i so wanted one of these!!
Christian
June 17, 2016 at 6:39 pm
A solid line up of pedals and loved all the Chase Bliss stuff! Just a bit surprised the Luminary didn’t make it!
Chad
June 17, 2016 at 2:15 pm
I’ve been playing guitar for a while (has it really been 20 years?) but I’ve only used a handful of pedals over that time. In fact, I’m just now starting to build a serious pedalboard. So this page is a great resource! I’m saving my nickels for a Big Sky…
Andrew
June 17, 2016 at 2:12 pm
The Tonal Recall looks the part. It’s tone matches the pedals’ aesthetic – muscular, piercing, analog. Compact. Utterly serious. Capable and confident. Its a beautiful pedal that accomplishes the difficult task of producing a simultaneously unique and familiar tonal footprint in the crowded world of Memory Man re-hashes. Kudos to Chase Bliss Audio!
larry
June 17, 2016 at 2:02 pm
thank you thank you for the constant info to help me spend my $$$$ wisely!!!!!
Colton Bacu
June 17, 2016 at 12:02 pm
Very informative list here with some great pedals! Thanks for the info!!!!!
SHR Ayatizadeh
June 17, 2016 at 5:50 am
Great review.
John Newlands
June 17, 2016 at 3:55 am
I hadn’t picked up my guitar in 10 years after life got in the way, something had to “give” and sadly it was my guitar, I used to love collecting pedals and the sounds / textures that they could create.
Then I was browsing youtube and watching Kerry McKoy from Deafheaven play on a show called Guitar Power and he had an Earthquaker Rainbow Machine & was very impressed by what it could do. I went to the Earthquaker website to check it out , then watched all the sample videos of all their pedals and once again fell down the effects rabbit hole. I had no idea that effects had come on so far in my absence, there are so many cool boutique pedal makers out there now. Absolutely fantastic!!
Guitar pedals is what actually got me playing again. After watching all the guitar power stuff on youtube I stumbled on Coffee and Riffs by the guys from Old Blood Noise Endeavours which inspired me to buy a OBNE Procession and a Ditto X2 looper. Since I got these pedals I have been playing guitar every day since.
Now I am constantly looking at new pedals and your reviews always help with what is best to buy next. This is a great list you have created, the Strymon Timeline, Big Sky and the Tonal Recall are the ones that really stand out to me.
It seems to me like both the Strymon and Chase Bliss gear is a “cut above” and all demos ive seen of their pedals makes me want to get their stuff. Unfortunately my bank balance hasn’t allowed that to happen.That said, I think the Old Blood Noise Endeavours stuff really does deserve some attention, I love the Procession and really want the Black Fountain oil can delay and the Haunt fuzz.
Others that have stood out to me and are on my “want list” are the Walrus audio Jupiter Fuzz, Caroline Guitar Company Kilobyte and Cannonball and also the Timeline and Tonal Recall.. and the …….actually Ill stop there as the list is endless!! 🙂
keep up the great work!
Jessica
June 16, 2016 at 6:45 pm
The only one i have is the rainbow machine which is INCREDIBLE, but you know, if anyone has any of these pedals and feels burdened by them, or doesnt want them anymore, i’ll be glad take them off your hands 😉
davide
June 16, 2016 at 2:38 pm
wooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Javier
June 16, 2016 at 1:44 pm
I’d love to try most of the pedals here. Some I have.
I would include two ideas into the above list.One is the purely impulse response based pedals, like the convenient and effective Logidy EPSi.
The other is in order to expand on the CV compatible pedals already mentioned here, with the classic Mooger Fooger line but also the crazier and less known take of Koma Electronics.
Vojtěch Řepa
June 16, 2016 at 1:11 pm
Pedals are like oxygen. You need breath and then once more breath and once more breath and once more breath…
Viktor Ö
June 16, 2016 at 10:31 am
Keep up the good work, pedal power!
El Pupo Gutierrez
June 16, 2016 at 10:01 am
I’m new to your page (sadly) and I truly feel I’ve just INVESTED (contrary to spent) very valuable time knowing and drooling over your articles and the pedals included…I’m from Mexico and unfortunately most of the time we don’t have mean$ to get most of these, let alone those famous ’boutique’ holy grails….we settle sometimes with the ‘normal’ ones mostly due to pricing (boss, danos and such…), there’s always youtube and this kind of pages, right?
So I guess what I’m trying to say is that I TRULY appreciate your efforts for letting us know about all of these beauties, please keep up the good work & may we forever be in your debt…Cole DeThomasis
June 16, 2016 at 9:37 am
For me, every modern “must-have” pedal conversation starts with Strymon – I have the Flint reverb/tremolo at the end of my board and can’t live without it. I swear I could plug that thing into a raccoon and still make my guitar sound lush and full, it’s just that good. And while I’ve yet to take out a small loan to fit my board with more Strymon gear (banks just dont understand the need for good tone…), I’ve played the Timeline and ElCap and couldn’t get over how many high-quality options are in these pedals. It had every delay feeling you could want, but what impressed me the most is the level of control you have over every single tone characteristic of the delay – I view delay as waves of sound and Strymon makes you feel like you’re controlling the position of the moon relative to the Earth.
Really happy to see the DryBell Vibe Machine on this list – this really is THE univibe sound. I used to go back and forth between the Mojo Vibe and the Deja Vibe, since the Mojo had a deeper pulse and the Deja has a smoother delivery. Different gigs call for different textures, but swapping out pedals was always a pain. Then I found this Vibe Machine. I think every Hendrix nut like me should experience strumming an E chord through a Marshall stack with a fuzz in front of this Vibe machine – it still gives me goosebumps! The only downside to this pedal is that I can’t look at another vibe pedal the same way again. I don’t know how they did it but the team at DryBell needs a lot more recognition for making the best univibe pedal I’ve ever heard, and I’m happy to see it on this list where it belongs!
In terms of a pedal that should be added to this list (and definitely will be on the 2017 best of!) I have to give it to my newest addition to the family – the ThorpyFX Muffroom Cloud. I’m a fuzzoholic but could never fall in love with the Big Muff-esque pedals. My biggest gripe was always that the tone control really only boosts/cuts the mids while offering no tone control over the lows and highs. I could never dial in the sound that I heard in my head when people brought up classic Big Muff tones. But the Muffroom Cloud solves this with a 2-band EQ on the highs and lows that gives me EXACTLY what I’ve been searching years for! I can’t even turn the lows all the way up without rattling the foundation of my house. And my neighbors house. And their neighbors house. It’s the most dynamic, responsive, full-sounding, crunchy-yet-clear muff sound on the planet right now. It’s the only Big Muff-esque pedal that you could play jazz chords through and actually make out every single note in the chord. You can tell by its design that Thorpy’s founder, Major Adrian Thorpe, was in the military because this thing is built to survive an actual mushroom cloud-level explosion. It has what is essentially a rollcage for the knobs – A ROLL CAGE ON A GUITAR PEDAL – so that even if dropped, the knobs will be safe. I put my Octafuzz in front of this and it reacted exactly how I wanted it to – super heavy but super clear and precise! I don’t know how much Major Thorpe sold his soul to the devil for to come up with this pedal but I’ll gladly sell mine just to allow the team at Thorpy to continue making killer pedals.
This list is a great reminder of how many outstanding high-quality pedals there really are in the market today. We really are in a pedal renaissance over these past few years and I hope these innovative companies continue to get the respect and admiration they deserve!
June 16, 2016 at 7:35 am
Source Audio pedals are great for guitar and bass.
Chris
June 16, 2016 at 6:17 am
I’m a huge fan of the Strymon Möbius. I am in the process of saving up for the Timeline. Like a number of other jazz guitarists, I have found that these pedals retain the sound of my instrument while allowing me to integrate complexity to my sound. With modern composition styles, this technology is pushing my music in exciting new directions. Thanks for the detailed list and introducing me to other options!
Lukas Knoll
June 16, 2016 at 6:04 am
Hello my pedal friends out there.
I am new to this whole new world of little soundwonders and i just recently bought my first pedal, a ehx soul food. I like it in front of my new jtm 45 reissue with my gibson lpj.
I run my rigg in my parents house and i need to set the volumes on my jtm low 🙁 i want that creamy, sweet saturation at parentfriendly levels and it would be awesome if you guys could help me to get on the way to the tone i dream of.
I want to build my own little pedalboard into an old gun case, and i would appreciate a little gift to experiment with. Maybe i find my signature tone with your help.
Greetings from Austria and may the blues be with you! (;
Shawn
June 16, 2016 at 1:11 am
Death By Audio Apocalypse!!!!
Victor Leite
June 15, 2016 at 7:35 pm
So many different pedals to explore, but Tube Screamer is that one pedal I’ll keep with care in my memories. My first pedal, wasn’t even expecting to win one, because family didn’t have much money. Had a strato-like guitar, without even a brand name and with bad rusty pickups. Had enough inspiration from the blues and rock-era to train almost 8 hours per day, so people at home started noticing I was improving well. In my 11th birthday, they saved some money and bought TS9 for me. I was simply shoked and amazed. When I connected the pedal in my guitar, with my friend’s amp ( didn’t have one, but he always brought it to my home ), it was it. That was THE tonality I was looking for: Buddy Guy, Vaughan, Santana; I felt closer to my greatest inspirations. And with it, music sounded each time more tastier to play and became more mind opening for me. I wished I could express the wholeness I felt with that pedal, but I can garantee from my experience, it’s the pedal I think all kind of people will certainly enjoy. From that day on, music really started to come inside out, a big turn-over in ( the beginning of ) my musical career.
Don
June 15, 2016 at 7:34 pm
This is a solid list; I have a few of these pedals (or cousins thereof). It has been a two year journey of trial, error, and lots of research (reading and listing). I found a lot of great pedals along the way but I also had to balance form with function (space on the board is a premium).
A few notes: The Eventide H9 is a fantastic pedal all around but I think it fits a “Swiss Army Knife” with perfection. It compliments every other pedal/effect I have so if there is something I am missing, the H9 fills in like a champ. Like a chameleon except its the inside that changes for the need while the outside stays the same.
The Strymon Pedals are fantastic … and while I don’t have the big boxes, the control schemes and flexibility of the small boxes are fantastic .. I am surprised the El Cap didn’t make the list. It is one of my favorite pedals along with the Flint. The Dig was great too but I couldn’t afford giving up that much room on my board for another dedicated delays pedal.
Ditto X2 has been clutch … one of the first pedals I got in re-configuring my board. Simple to use and sounds great.
The Barber Gain Changer deserves to be on the list … such range with respects to light break-up to rock-like distortion, and strong EQ sculpting capabilities.
Anyway .. here is my board:
Don Kuchta
June 15, 2016 at 5:32 pm
I am starting a Pedal Rescue program. Send your unwanted pedals to me!!!
Syd Bishop
June 15, 2016 at 5:21 pm
I would submit that the Eventide Pitchfactor is a pretty righteous submission to this page too. So many awesome pedals, so little time.
June 15, 2016 at 2:58 pm
a lot of great pedals here – i need a few of these
Michael Brunetto
June 15, 2016 at 10:34 am
To a guy who never dug chorus at all, the Warped Vinyl completely changed the game for me. It’s so good, and so feature-rich without being overwhelming. And Joel Korte is straight up one of the nicest people on the planet. He’s the next generation, he’s a Roger Mayer of boutique pedals.
Lately, my other big eye-opener is the Walrus Audio Bellwether. I sold a Strymon El Capistan in search of a new delay, but didn’t know what. I picked up the Bellwether on a whim and now I regret not going for an analog delay before. It sounds amazing…something about it feels different when you use than a digital delay (which has it’s uses, too), or especially when you use the El Cap (again, amazing delay, but a different ballgame altogether). And the features, such as a tone knob, tap tempo (!), modulation, and an fx loop (!) are all super useful. Great, great stuff.
And everything else on this list is amazing, as well. Though, I’ve yet to find an overdrive that I like more in my rig than the ol’ reliable OCD. What a workhorse.
Willie DeFord
June 15, 2016 at 10:21 am
I’d add the Barber Gain Changer. It doesn’t create radical sounds like many on the list, but it’s a versatile overdrive that sounds good. With my Bassman amp, I used to use an attenuator to knock the volume down on stage and still get some drive. Now I use the Gain Changer, and it sounds just as good.
John McElroy
June 15, 2016 at 8:53 am
So, when looking at market of today. There is so much stuff it is hard to figure out what to get. I’m looking at fuzz at the moment. Once a previously considered useless type of effect for SOME(me). There has been an outbreak of amazing new pieces of gear. Currently I have been using the Old Blood Noise Endeavors “Haunt” and its amazing for heavy rhythm stuff to the Bit like Splatty tone you get with the Gate up and the Fuzz to %100. Other greats like the JHS “Muffaletta” have the ability to house a plethora of different Fuzz tones.
However, I’m amazed that the Toneczar “Vault” didn’t make this list. In my opinion, it’s the fuzz that everyone whoever had a Boss MT-2(me) dreamed about. A friend of mine has been using this in his band as his 3rd stage (heaviest hitting) sound and its amazing what the thing can do with its 6 band EQ and switchable EQ adjustments.(some of which change the harmonic tones) Given its a pricey $425.00 It’s a review that definitely needs to happen on this website!!
Other than that everyone here has AWESOME stuff to say! This list has a lot of the most important cornerstone pedals for pro musicians nowadays!! Great Stuff!
Heres my pedal chain just for Fun I’m hoping to change out a couple of things for some better tap tempo delay and add a more standard reverb as opposed to using the Spring Reverb in my amp.
TC Polytune => OBNE Haunt Fuzz => Proco RAT2 => Throneroom Pedals Hurrican Overdrive =>
TC Spark Booster => Ernie Ball VP Jr. => Boss DM-2 Analog Delay => MXR Carbon Copy => Strymon El Capistan => Earthquaker Afterneath => Ditto X2 Looper all into a 1973 Traynor Reverb Master!!Cheers!!
June 15, 2016 at 8:22 am
I’ve been into effects for so long that right now,
There are too many to take in. It’s awesome.
Finding out what’s best is really tough though.
I’ve been using the “Haunt” fuzz by Old Blood Noise Endeavors and it’s awesome and super heavy with good features to work with a lot of different guitars and mixes. Although a tough shootout a friend of mine has is the Toneczar “Vault” which seems to be THE fuzz pedal(some might also say the Muffaletta by JHS). However any of these can potentially get you the sound you’re looking minus a couple tweaks that each one has. Do you prefer the gated fuzz which can be more splatty and borderline bit sound or is it a real tight heavy fuzz with switchable mid, bass, treble boosts. On the latter note being able to go between all of the different “types of fuzz” enables versatility. Whichever you choose I’ve come to realize that these new waves of fuzz are the modern day heavy guitar effects (all praise to the Boss MT-2) it seems that Fuzz is bigger than ever and that’s awesome!!! Other than that might pedal chain is as follows TC Polytune~> OBNE Haunt ~> Proco RAT2~> Throneroom Pedals Hurricane Overdrive ~> TC Spark Booster ~> Ernie Ball VP Jr. ~> Boss DM-2 Delay ~> MXR carbon copy ~> Strymon El Capistan ~> Earthquaker Afterneath ~> Ditto X2 LooperThe Top 50 best modern pedals are on point!!
Thanks for reading my little thoughts on Fuzz!
Jay Howell
June 15, 2016 at 8:05 am
Good list, but I would definitely include the Logidy EPSi convolution reverb pedal.
Guillermo Giménez Rota
June 15, 2016 at 7:07 am
Nice list! Love the soul food overdrive but also the flashback x4, bought yesterday and nice sound right out of the box!
Adam Jensen
June 15, 2016 at 5:17 am
Great list, I have to nitpick, though: the best tuner is clearly the Eventide H9! I have two on my board so that I am SUPER in tune!
Frankie Gibson
June 15, 2016 at 4:07 am
You picked some great pedals there, I have 2 of them so our tastes must be similar
Ennio
June 15, 2016 at 3:46 am
FANTASTIC LIST! thanxxx
Denise Sitton
June 14, 2016 at 10:43 pm
The comfort and style of my Les Paul makes me never want to put it down. What I truly desire is a pedal that will replicate a quality acoustic sound.
Thanks for your time..Carlton Harris
June 14, 2016 at 6:35 pm
I always wanted a Digitech whammy since I started playing.
Steve
June 14, 2016 at 6:23 pm
I think the echolution ultra pro 2 deserves a look. It is a terribly powerful, option-loaded, lush delay that is underrated. Also I liked the palisades but I don’t think it makes this list. Despite all the options and settings, it rarely felt just right to me.
Ric
June 14, 2016 at 6:06 pm
Pretty much every builder that’s really pushing the envelope at the moment is here as far as I know. I would make a few additions though.
ZVEX probe series – theremin-esque controlled effects pedals, including wah and trem
Hexe Revolver – Though it sounds great on guitar, it isn’t really a guitar effect aside from the packaging. It’s designed to mimic CD and other physical media playback effects, similar to how Chase Bliss drew inspiration for the Warped Vinyl
smallsound/bigsound F*** Overdrive – One of the few overdrives that goes beyond the popular “cooking amp” sound to include mutilated speakers and dying electronics.
Cusack Tap-A-Whirl – One of the first, if not THE first, tap tempo tremolos on the market, and mysteriously absent from a modern classics list. And it still pushes the envelope for what tremolo can be.
Also, as much as I love the Fuzz Factory (which is a LOT), I would have loved to see a fuzz with a clean blend on the list. There’s a few on the market now, and some of the sounds they can do are unlike anything you’ve ever heard coming from only one instrument.
Jonno Wilson
June 14, 2016 at 6:04 pm
So many good pedals in this list! Really, any list like this is going to be quite subjective, and while there are pedals here that I’m not that interested in, I think that is personal preference. All of these pedals would probably sound amazing! Of the ‘winnable’ pedals, I would LOVE the H9, the Timeline or DIG, or either of the Chase Bliss pedals up for grabs. That said, if someone came screaming down the street waving another of the pedals and screamed “here, take this pedal”, it is unlikely I would refuse. 😀
Christophe R. C.
June 14, 2016 at 5:55 pm
My guitar teacher has made me discover your website one year ago and since then, I use it as a guide when I have to choose a New pedal. Your top 50 is awesome, because in contrary of other websites, it doesn’t present only “mainstream” pedal company. I’ve discover some jewels with this website (strymon company as an example)
I’m a lucky owner of a Whammy 5 since 2 years and I love it. Even if I only use it for octave shifting, it’s an essential on my pedalboard. However, When the pedal is engage, I think that is colouring my sound even if the lever is fully in up position. It’s really a minimal change, but I don’t like it. To avoid this, I prefer engage the pedal at the beginning of the song than engage it only at appropriates moments.
Jaime Nieri
June 14, 2016 at 5:37 pm
Amazing list. Would love to have the H9 Harmonizer!
Patrick schroering
June 14, 2016 at 5:15 pm
Wow, so many cool pedals. I would probably kill a man for the neunebar immerse pedal. Ive had my eye of their wet reverb for a while now. I can say that i just bought a pitch fork, and love using it on my mandolin. I play in a jammy “bluegrass” band and we like to get weird with our effects. Putting it on its bass setting, with the blend all the way up gives my mando a really cool upright bass sound. And if i turn my henretta green zapper auto filter on, than the sound i get gives me a slight chubby. Its my favorite trick for a trippy mandolin solo. I also love my caroline guitar co kilobyte delay. The infinity repeat, or chaos function as they call it, is really neat, and if i hold that down with my foot, im able to mess with the delay time with the tip of my shoe for some really cool, hands free space ship sounds. I love doing that at the end of a song, and when the pitch fork is enguaged, it can sound like ending a song with an explosion. The xotic ep booster is definitely my go to solo boost for a guitar, but i use an mxr micro amp to boost my mando solos, as it seems to add less high end. Preferable on boosting guitar solos, not so much for a mandolin. If i want a bit of crunch to my mandolin solo boosting, i use my EQD speaker cranker, which is the perfect transparent overdrive in my opinion. Tho i love turning knobs, you cant go wrong with a 1 knob pedal that just says MORE! For more gain, i use the serenity drive by stomp under foot. Its a a great TS type clone, that gets a bit more fuzzy. I also cant say enough about the dr.scientist reverberator and its pristene reverb options. The rotary option sounds really good as well, but considering i use it for its reverb, i leave all of my swashy, vibey sounds to my BBE soulvibe and my solidgold fx stutterbox tremelo. As for compression, ive been super impressed with the bogner harlow. With my guitar, i never want to turn it off, as it fattens my sound and gives me sustain for days. Thanks for the cool articles and pedals to study. I love your website!
Steph
June 14, 2016 at 3:33 pm
I’m a musician who is just starting out in getting into different types of gear to experiment with sound. I’m never really sure where to look for advice. Especially as a female musician, the industry can sometimes feel a bit intimidating. But this site seems like it has a great community and a lot of useful info. So glad I stumbled upon it.
This article has a lot of pedals that I’ve seen my favorite artists using, but there are a lot here that I’ve never heard of. The ones that I’ve got my eye on are: Strymon BigSky, Strymon Timeline, ElectroHarmonix HOG2, and the EarthQuaker Devices Palisades.
This is a great list and is super helpful! Really excited to dig in and get started in checking these pedals out.
Danny
June 14, 2016 at 3:32 pm
Great list, I’d only add the big sky, pretty much the reverb version of the timeline. Anything with midi integration is fantastic as well… Can’t wait till I have the budget to get a full pedal to computer live time rig going
James Bowsher-Murray
June 14, 2016 at 2:48 pm
I love my h9 but it’s difficult to look at the chase bliss stuff and not think of it as watershed.
Once other companies get their head around digital controlled analog, we’ll all be drowning in innovation.
June 15, 2016 at 10:35 am
I can’t say enough good things about the Warped Vinyl. It’s next-level.
Adrian
June 14, 2016 at 1:38 pm
I had the big sky once and was blown away. I miss it!! Best reverb.
Abe Schwartz
June 14, 2016 at 1:36 pm
i would vote for the strymon timeline out of all for the best pedal around, nice reviews though
ed puljer
June 14, 2016 at 12:58 pm
i have a couple of these pedals but would love to next level my sonic abilities.i am in love with new textures to add over tried and true great tones.those strymon pedals would be ideal for me….just a shame my xp300 space station went haywire on me…that was a great sonic explorer
Frank
June 14, 2016 at 12:58 pm
I really enjoy my Chase bliss Wombtone and the Tonal Recall playing in a band context. Easy to use and instantly good sounds. You can dial in great “normal” sounds as expected from a Phaser or a analog delay and with the flip of a switch (or two) and ramping some parameter you’re in otherworldy dimensions. Crazy good.
But I still need the whale sounds of the SPECTRE, so, pretty please, let me win some whales!!Dan Lampton
June 14, 2016 at 11:39 am
The Exotic Effects AC Booster has been anchored on my pedalboard for years. It’s just perfect for my style and my gear. It takes me where I want to go but doesn’t leave me flat when I go back to a clean sound. I’ve tried a few other overdrive pedals but the AC Booster is still there.
ray bradley
June 14, 2016 at 11:20 am
just purchased the free your tone chorus pedal cant wait to add it to my pedal board
Cole B. Ziegler
June 14, 2016 at 10:04 am
The Chase Bliss Warped Vinyl and Spectre are 2 pedals I want to throw into my chain so very badly. Having that Strymon DIG would go a long ways towards clearing space on my board as well… much desire!!
Kyle Hoffman
June 14, 2016 at 9:41 am
I am consistently amazed at the technology that people are able to cram into these tiny boxes. When i first started playing it seemed like you could either get a pedal for hundreds of dollars that only did one thing well, or you could get a cheapo 35 dollar “its good enough” pedal. These days there is so much to choose from. Polyphonic this and that…midi sync…tap tempo…its an endless world of tones and im glad to be alive to enjoy it.
Nick frost
June 14, 2016 at 9:34 am
I hope you can review fuzzhugger, this list is almost complete.
I love what this place does for pedals. How about the new ehx looper ?
June 14, 2016 at 9:28 am
That Chase Bliss Warped Vinyl is basically the ultimate mod pedal for me….
But you guys should give away a Fuzz Factory 7 and pick me 😀 Or a Palisades!
But I wouldn’t say no to ‘The Elements’ either….. Too many choices!
Gregisdangerous
June 14, 2016 at 9:18 am
Man those chase bliss pedals are something else. I always dream of getting another warped vinyl, and gravitas to go with it!!!
Keith McMillan
June 14, 2016 at 8:47 am
There are so many new pedals coming out that look amazing, but no way to get my hands on all of them!
Giuseppe
June 14, 2016 at 7:51 am
with this arsenal, we’ll be on top
Thomas Faucette
June 14, 2016 at 7:49 am
The Ego Compressor is the best studio compressor pedal I’ve ever tracked with. It can step on the note just enough or squash it. And the RC Booster is a great pedal for that slight push or a kick in the gut. Guys like Brent Mason and Vince Gill can’t be wrong with their applications of it. Just the right amount of breakup on either side of the gain knob. A friend of mine let me use his for a bit. Still kicking myself for not buying it from him. Awesome pedals :).
Giuseppe Galato
June 14, 2016 at 7:13 am
Currently I’m in love with pedals whose sound can be modulated easily during live performance, maybe with the volume expression pedal
I use to modulate manually both Fuzz Factory and a tiny delay from Hotone (the Tape Eko), having them attached on the body of my guitar
I was looking for a phaser like Phase 90 with an expression pedal option (there is the Variphase, but is not so comfortable, due the auto-return of the pedal to “zero” when you pull out your foot), and I gotta say that the Chase Bliss Audio Wombtone is kinda of a dream, with expression control, tap tempo <3 but is too expensive, too!!! SIGH!!! Maybe I'll go for a Polyphase, for now
I think that you, by now, have understand that I love much the noisy thing rather than the usual way of playing the guitar 😛
So I think that this Top List is missing of something like the Harmonic Antagonizer, a pedal which I felt in love with <3
CHEERS, guys!!!
You're always the best!!!
Martin Hor
June 14, 2016 at 6:35 am
Thanks. This is awesome!
Kitty Lang
June 14, 2016 at 4:44 am
Great reviews, good comparisons. My go to site should I want to research pedals
Nick
June 14, 2016 at 4:36 am
Great list ,all incredible pedals but them Strymon pedals just hit it out of the ballpark here. Im a sucker for some ambient delay and reverb tones and they can achieve some amazing sounds. Would love to own some myself but of course that kind of quality comes with a price tag :(.
Peter Savageau
June 14, 2016 at 3:43 am
Love the timeline and mobius. Now about that Dig….
Ran
June 14, 2016 at 3:21 am
A great list although i think TC electronics doesnt belong here.
I think this list should have the classic boss WAZA BD-2 (is it considered modern enough?) and the king of tone or at least some variant of keeley’s overdrives (red dirt).
I’ve never had the pleasure of owning a chase bliss pedal as they are a bit pricey for just one effect but they should do make unique and great sounding pedals.
I do own an H9 which i consider the holy grail. The fact that i can control this thing via Bluetooth from my pc is just amazing.. and it sounds great too!
You right, it IS the future.
On that note, why not add the line 6 Helix to this list? it’s like having multiple H9s 🙂June 14, 2016 at 3:13 am
What about the king of tone??? it’s a must for this list.
Jern wei
June 14, 2016 at 12:47 am
I would love to own the rc booster,to give my rig more dynamics
Bill House
June 13, 2016 at 10:01 pm
I absolutely love all the Strymon pedals. Some of the smoothest and warmest sounds! Some of the patches are sound I only dreamed of. The timeline has some of the greatest delay patches I’ve ever heard! Still wiring to get my hands on a Big Sky those reverbs are out of this world!
Josh
June 13, 2016 at 8:24 pm
Super surprised to see no Diamond pedals. I love the J-Drive. But I can’t argue with the high number of Strymon pedals. Though I’ve never owned one, I know they sound amazing. Saving up my pennies because I seem to have an economy pedalboard.
Ted King
June 13, 2016 at 8:18 pm
I wish I could afford pedals as cool as these ones.
Pierre Ross
June 13, 2016 at 8:08 pm
Wow. What a list. I feel like I could lose myself for months exploring the options!
Tom hanson
June 13, 2016 at 7:54 pm
Thus is complicated
June 13, 2016 at 7:50 pm
Great, I’m newer here
Bill Eaton
June 13, 2016 at 7:40 pm
JHS has a lot of cool stuff. They deserve some attention!
Mikael Heck
June 13, 2016 at 7:34 pm
One of my favorite pedals has been the Strymon El Capistan. It is a beautiful and lush delay. I sold it to try out some other gear, but have always missed it. Some day I’ll end up with another. Someday.
Mike
June 13, 2016 at 7:06 pm
I certainly remember being 13 and custom splicing wires together so I could run my DOD Chours pedal through my gigantic boom box (think 80’s) as I couldn’t afford an amp @ the time. I am amazed @ how the effects landscape has changed since I started 32 years ago and the amazing sound scaping possibilities effects allow us guitarist of any level to achieve!
scott jenkins
June 13, 2016 at 6:52 pm
Strymon. Big. sky.
Johnny
June 13, 2016 at 4:05 pm
I think it’s really easy in the face of the Tonal Recall to forget that the Spectre and Warped Vinyl were among those first groundbreaking entries in the genius analog/digital work Joel is doing at Chase Bliss.
The big takeaway from a list of FIFTY amazing pedals is that there’s a staggering diversity of fabulous pedals with which to experiment, and continue to give life to an instrument that’s as old as popular music itself and a pillar of so many genres. For all the bluster over the vintage sought-after classics — and that’s fun in its own right — this is truly the golden age of guitar pedals.
Irina
June 13, 2016 at 1:54 pm
In my opinion the Eventide H9 Harmonizer is one of the most versatile pedals on the market. Multi-effects pedal is what my pedalboard missing 🙂
Adam hoch
June 13, 2016 at 1:47 pm
If anything is missing.. It’s the behringer ultra di box. It’s a volume pedal, as it automatically lowers your volume. It’s an eq pedal, as it removes the top end of your guitars sound. And can be a overdrive pedal, when turned past halfway. Might as well be called the hog3
June 13, 2016 at 1:38 pm
Damn. It would really made my day winning that H9!
Josh Wilkins
June 13, 2016 at 12:19 pm
I’ve owned a few of these pedals, and there are some I regret trading in the never ending pursuit of “perfect” tone. Sigh.
Roger Williams
June 13, 2016 at 12:17 pm
Keeley Electronics has reinvented themselves in the last two years! Show them more love….
marco cocola
June 13, 2016 at 12:06 pm
i only have two (reeeaaaly cheap) pedals, but i realy want to get into them ( i dont play guitar tho, but i love using them with my synth and piano). im always stunned by the effects but i just cant afford them.
any suggestions for “cheap” pedals?June 13, 2016 at 11:19 am
Insane list, and started off with the H9–a pedal I’ve been dying to add to my lineup after I learned that that’s what Cory Hanson of Wand uses to make all the absolutely bonkers sounds he makes. If you haven’t heard them or seen them live, I highly recommend–shows the crazy capabilities of that little thing.
Ashton Sanders
June 13, 2016 at 9:58 am
Wow this list…… Love the Deco. And I’d never seen that hand wired tube screamer. Wonder if it’s worth the upgrade.
Alex May
June 13, 2016 at 9:13 am
That’s quite the list you guys have assembled!
matthew gordon
June 13, 2016 at 8:05 am
Nothing beats the Fuzz Factory in my opinion. Every distortion sound you could want, weird and conventional.
Kevin Henderson
June 13, 2016 at 8:04 am
Damn, I think I’ve got my pedal board sorted and you give me GAS again
Eddie Garcia
June 13, 2016 at 7:19 am
Great list, would love to have so many of these!
Dusty Broome
June 12, 2016 at 8:29 pm
Good to see that 3 of the 7 pedals I have made the list! Guess I have good taste. Now if I could only get my hands on that Dry Bell Vibe machine………
Yonathan Randyanto
June 12, 2016 at 8:15 pm
If you haven’t heard of GFI System then you SHOULD TRY IT!!!!!
https://www.gfisystem.com/Compact and very useful delay, reverb and modulation with a NICE price tag and not to mention their presets feature which is so useful. The HOLD function is also a nice bonus. I find ChaseBliss is too complicated for me and too expensive. GFI System fits all of my needs in a small compact pedal with a nice price tag.
It appears that Brett Kingman also likes GFI System effects (see the two pedals at the LEFT TOP of his pedalbord) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LczO_9g1oF0
Nick Bisanz
June 12, 2016 at 7:16 pm
Tremendous list and the information provided is top notch! I love that the Soul Food and Xotic EP booster got some love. They never leave my board. Every pedal on this list brings a bunch to the table!
Israel
June 12, 2016 at 7:11 pm
I want Rupert Neves Pedals!
James Dress
June 12, 2016 at 4:50 pm
Max, Seymour, Duncan and I decided to brave The Elements and walk to the Palladium on a rainy evening. It took forever to cross the city, past the Deco buildings that reminded me of something out of Blade Runner, only even more foreign and eXotic. The Spectre of the past hung heavily over us, like the dark clouds that seemed to be pushing us down, but we’re creating our own Timeline now and life is different than before, I kept reminding them (and myself). Chasing Bliss is a full-time job with no pay, even when it seems so impossibly far away.
Taking a shortcut through the back alleys, we started when we heard a noise, not quite human and slowed down to a crawl, almost like someone trying to play a Warped Vinyl 45 at at 33 rpm and ear-splitting volume.
From the shadows, a figure emerged in a dirty white overcoat…Doctor? Scientist? Lunatic? In his hand he held the source of the noise, some sort of Radio Controlled Booster, amplifying and twisting sound waves that rattled our bones and reverberated from the nearby roofs. A pack of stray dogs brushed past us, howling in the mist and desperate to escape. Duncan turned to me and without delay said “I suggest we do the same, you Dig?”
Back in the safety of the streetlamps, we caught our breath and regrouped, deciding to postpone the trip until another time, realizing that Even Tides, powerful and steady, recede as they need to. We were still disoriented from the effects of the Booster, but decided to check in next month and see if we had better luck…
David Fisher
June 12, 2016 at 4:45 pm
There are some excellent pedals on this list, most I’ve never had the pleasure of trying. However, I think this list is incomplete on the innovative building category: Amptweaker Pedals! I lucked into getting an Amptweaker Tight Fuzz Pro and my mind was essentially blown. I hope you guys can demo a couple of their pedals, they are really great and James Brown puts a lot of thought into them, and customer feedback is a staple to his work.
I’m really interested in trying the Empress Reverb, it sounds so awesome and I really like the design. Thanks for the list, you’ve given me an appetite for tone 🙂
Elias Mereb
June 12, 2016 at 4:31 pm
Great list
Peter Homoki
June 12, 2016 at 3:13 pm
great list, nice giveaways
June 12, 2016 at 12:39 pm
Before starting I want to apologize my English. ( i am from Ecuador )
This list represents to my the maximum expression of innovation in the world of pedals. To be honest the vast majority of this pedals are IMPOSSIBLE to get in my country.If had to choose one. I choose the Strymon timeline. Its the pedal of my dreams.
Thomas Heaney
June 13, 2016 at 7:25 am
Strymon Timeline is the most inspirational pedal I’ve come across. Having midi control and looper that can work simultaneously with effects pre or post unlocks so many possibilities. I own Mobius, BigSky & Eventide H9 max as well. Still, Timeline is my fave. Can’t wait to see what the Strymon folks come up with next!
Flavio Silva
June 12, 2016 at 12:32 pm
Really good reviews and insights on all these pedals! I will definitely check some of them for myself and maybe add some new sounds to my pedal board!
Jake Goldberg
June 12, 2016 at 11:50 am
This list is exactly what I need to start imagining the insane pedalboard that I gotta put together.
Alfredo
June 12, 2016 at 11:12 am
Overall I like the pedals that power the sound rock and heavy …
I like the Heavy (Empress Effects Inc)Billy
June 12, 2016 at 9:15 am
Well, I feel like I just finished reading a book…
Very comprehensive, indeed.
Great list. More could be added of course, but there are so many choices nowadays, it’s insane.
These days, the biggest selling point for me is onboard presets.
I like pedals that can produce a plethora of sounds and so I find it essential, especially live.
It’s like you mentioned on the WMD Protostar (good choice in including that, by the way).
The MIDI route would be one way to go since many pedals seem to add that feature lately, but unfortunately it isn’t very convenient for me (not to mention expensive).
So, yeah, onboard presets on everything!
The H9/Nemesis/TonePrint take is interesting and definitely opens up many possibilities, but I don’t really like the idea of fiddling with my phone everytime I want to edit a preset.
Dunno, maybe I’m being too demanding, or I’m just getting old…
Rant over, I just wish I could have made it more engaging 🙂Clayton Murray
June 12, 2016 at 8:10 am
Love my BigSky and El Capistan! I’d love to get my hands on a TimeLine or something from Chase Bliss!
Jonathan
June 12, 2016 at 7:54 am
This list may ruin my vacation plans.
Daniel Santos
June 12, 2016 at 6:25 am
Great list, shame i’m too broke for any of them. The pigtronix infinity especially gets me all hot, when you mention midi control and ableton support I melt a little inside haha
By the way, just one gripe, I cannot stand the digitech whammy pedal, I find its tracking glitchy and the resulting sound very computerised, the tone during shifts just disappears… I just feel like I need to push out my favourite pedal out there. It’s the ehx slammi, basically the equivalent of digitechs whammy but miles better. This thing has whole chord polyphonic shifting and the best tracking you can imagine. This is so mental but I now own three, and I run them all in series before the rest of the pedal board. You’d be amazed by the sounds you can get by playing with an octave below blended with a fifth as well as a second an octave above, each with varying degrees of blend, I have never ever heard something so absolutely mental because you can change each one just right on the fly. Seriously people, the ehx slammi is king, there must be someone else whos tried this too? I’m interested to try it out with some of the more mental earthquaker products like the bit commander but my wallet tells me wait right now
Scott Quinn
June 12, 2016 at 3:50 am
This list is berserk! It’s amazing how much stuff you get your mitts on and I’m glad someone gets a balanced review on it as you can’t test some of this stuff in a store.
Off to play with my MWFX trem and EQD Organizer like I should be.
Jorge
June 12, 2016 at 1:53 am
Honestly, I don’t really need a pedalboard worth more than a small car, could play a cheap multi-fx and still sound like myself.
But there’s so much available out there that I can do nothing but rejoice!
Good times.
My modern classics:
Wren and Cuff White Elk
Chase Bliss Wombtone
Paul C Timmy
Strymon Capistan
Dr Scientist RRR
EQD Dispatch Master
Boomerang III looperThanks for your site, great reviews!
RJ
June 12, 2016 at 12:32 am
Comment
Charles
June 12, 2016 at 12:05 am
Thanks, Gabriel, for the great shopping list. Most of the pedals on my board are there on your recommendation, and most of my future ones, too. With some luck, one of those may appear courtesy your three-year anniversary draw. Cheers & Rock on!
June 11, 2016 at 10:33 pm
Thanks guys, for all of your insightful reviews on the top of the line stomp boxes out there. I appreciate your knowledge.
Steven Head
June 11, 2016 at 10:11 pm
I think the h9 has truly upped the ante on what a “modern” pedal can be. It’s versatility is unmatched, but every pedal on this list is incredible.
June 11, 2016 at 9:45 pm
You did a better pedal review than the one featured in this month’s edition of Guitar Player Magazine. While many pedals perform the same function (some better and some worse) the innovative ones catch my ear. Currently I am dreaming of The Neunaber Immerse Reverberator
June 11, 2016 at 9:41 pm
You did a better pedal review than the one included in the latest edition of Guitar Player Magazine. There are many pedals that have the same function (some better and some worse). The innovative ones catch my ear. I’m dreaming of The Neunaber Immerse Reverberator at the moment.
C. Clark Cumbo
June 11, 2016 at 9:17 pm
WOW… This is a great list of pedals. Now if I could just find some place near by that sells them. LOL…
So many of those pedals I would love to own. My only question is, why is the way huge Green Rhino not on there? That has become my go to Over Drive now for 5 years. Oh well, can’t have it all. LOL.Philip Morrison
June 11, 2016 at 8:34 pm
Would definitely add more pedals from Keeley to the list.
Doug Budzak
June 11, 2016 at 8:22 pm
I feel so puny, because I have none of these pedals on my board, Oh, I have the Archer Ikon, and the ST-200 tuner, but these two really aren’t on the list. I do have one Strymon pedal, the Lex. Time to upgrade, altho winning one of these would be great.
Benjamin Evans
June 11, 2016 at 7:45 pm
A truly great list! Why yes, I’d take them all.
Javier D.
June 11, 2016 at 7:37 pm
So many interesting pedals in this article I could be tryng new ones and checking how they match my existing ones for years!
June 11, 2016 at 7:29 pm
Great list and yet another giveaway!
Instead of focusing on the main/more known companies, thought I might mention a few that are top notch and will hopefully end up on these kind of lists as time goes on…. Oh, and to be 100% clear, I’m not schilling for any of these companies. Just sharing some info based on my recent experiences. All have top notch quality (both build and sounds), plus the customer service can’t be beaten. Won’t go into full details on specifics, but feel free to contact me directly if interested….
ANARCHY AUDIO (based of out AUS) – billy me an amazing 2 in 1 custom fuzz and could NOT be happier! J will spec out to your needs/wants, will do mods, basically up for anything you throw at him! Can see him doing big things as he expands and really gets into the U.S. market.
SRC EFFECTS – Sean is not only churning out great pedals, but he’s taking over the world of custom knobs. A lot of us geeks (with respect) get hung up on asthetics, great place to reach out to when you’re after a certain custom look or looking to make your pedals stand out even more.
I realize this is a bit long winded , so will leave you with 2 other companies you should def check out: Blackout Effectors and Fuzzrocious. Again, run by great people and the work/tones are high end as it comes.
I’m sure a lot of you prob know of these guys, but for those who don’t, def take a few mins to check them out. Again, not spamming for anyone, just showing some love for the ‘smaller’ guys on the verge of really breaking out, IMO.
Best of luck to everyone in the giveaway!
June 12, 2016 at 6:27 am
you’re right about the knobs by src, they look amazing!! some look like haribos haha i love it
Dave
June 11, 2016 at 6:59 pm
Best guitar effects got me my first fuzz pedal, the glorious Dwarfcraft Silver Rose (for which I still owe a picture for,….coming soon 😀 ). I’ve only owned an electric guitar for 8 months, but am so in love with it. I can’t say I have the disease of buying and trying all these amazing pedals, unfortunately the funds don’t allow. I love being able to read up on different pedals on bestguitareffects.com and letting the wisdom and perspectives here mold my decision making when I do have the chance to buy one. I’ve heard amazing things about strymon and chase bliss and would love to experiment more with what I can be capable of with new sounds. I occasionally get to rock out with youth in town and sing and dance and go crazy and it’d be awesome to add to my sound spectrum with one of these pedals. You guys and girls at bestguitareffects rock! Keep up the kickass work on bringing new and old (and odd) sounds to everyone!
Brian
June 11, 2016 at 5:44 pm
I’ve wanted an H9 ever since I saw Pete Thorn’s video of it. I know there’s no possible way I’ll make it sound as good as him but it would be tons of fun trying!
June 11, 2016 at 4:27 pm
i love exotic pedals and this contest is great
Aaron
June 11, 2016 at 3:41 pm
Great article! I’ve had the honor of owning a few of these, but most are still on my must try list. The Boss DD-500 is a game changer and I prefer it to the timeline! But as the proud owner of a blue sky I have to say Strymon gets my vote for best in class in modulation. The folks at J. Rocket are killing it in the overdrive game! And agreed on TC Electronics, there really is a solution for putting together a board on a budget. I would really love to try the Chase Bliss stuff, and the Drybell vibe sounds amazing!
I love pedals and I love what you guys do!! Keep it up!
Thanks!Ted Gomez
June 11, 2016 at 1:41 pm
Strymon Timeline, would be a great add to my board. You have so many fine pedals listed, no time to actually try more than a handful out in a live performance. That’s when you know what you got!
June 11, 2016 at 1:41 pm
Strymon Timeline, would be a great add to my board. You have so many fine pedals listed, no time to actually try more than a handful out in a live performance. That’s when you know what you got!
Aaron S.
June 11, 2016 at 12:43 pm
What an amazing giveaway!
Robin Baelemans
June 11, 2016 at 12:35 pm
Great list, but I’m missing real weirdos like Dwarfcraft, Walrus, Montreal Assembly, Mantic, Rainger, WMD, Red Panda and Black Arts. (And many more who I haven’t heard of yet) These guys (and girls), together with Chase Bliss, Pigtronix, Blackout Effectors and dr. Scientist, are really blowing my mind. Here’s thinking outside of the box on an outside of the box level. It’s a wonderfull time to be a guitar player with heavy pedalitis. Every day some brand spits out a new pedal which does things to your sound you couldn’t have dreamed up yourself.
‘We are the music makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams’
O’Shaughnessy wrote it, Wonka said it, and these guys are living it.
I am thankfulAaron Flexer
June 11, 2016 at 8:30 am
My very first pedal back in 1985 was a brand new Proco Rat 2. Unfortunately my 16 year-old ears didn’t think it was heavy enough to cop the Iron Maiden and AC/DC tones was trying to get (out of my little solid state Sears amp). I took it back to the store and exchanged it for an Arion Metal Master. If only I had known! Now I have a homemade board (IKEA Gorm) with some pretty cool pedals on it. The most impressive of which is probably my Blackout Effectors Special Twosome Deluxe. I was a fuzz virgin when I got it but man I’m a believer now! Thanks.
Jacob L
June 11, 2016 at 7:58 am
Good list. I feel somethings are missing. No Particle or CT5? Keep up the good work though!
Matthew Ingwersen
June 11, 2016 at 7:33 am
Red Panda context reverb. An amazing reverb although it lacks the ability to be controlled by an expression pedal the glorious sounds produced are well worth your while. The place that shines for me the most is the cathedral section of the pedal, every time I plug in and switch to it I’m instantly transported to another world. A place where I can float on clouds high above the sky.
Nathan
June 11, 2016 at 7:30 am
I wish that I could own every pedal that Strymon, Chase Bliss, and Earthquaker Devices make… But alas, I am just a poor boy, nobody loves me! (He’s just a poor boy, from a poor family!)
Salar Esfahani
June 11, 2016 at 7:16 am
My favorites on this list are the Reverb by Empress, the Chase Bliss Wombtone and Gravitas, and the BitQuest by Dr. Scientist. Fav pedals I own are the Palisades, Mr Keeley was right! The Fairfield Circuitry Meet Maude analog delay I would recommend this to anyone who like tape echo style and unique modulation and the Earth Drive by Sarno Music Solutions which is a very transparent. I like to use my Ditto x2 to create relaxing soundscapes with reverb and delay pedals. I am also a singer songwriter and I use pedals all the time to give me new ideas. My pedalboard is missing an octave generator and a compressor. Maybe because instead of getting a compressor I’ve been messing around with the Dwarfcraft devices ARF, and I am more likely to go for pedals that have more sonic capabilities. Thanks a lot good stuff!
June 11, 2016 at 6:29 am
What a list! Awesome! One of the of greatest effects, I had the pleasure to test, is the Strymon Mobius. Just incedible sound. On the other hand, the Source Audio Nemesis Delay is another effect (sad but true just known from videos), that has unbelievable sound. That said, the list ist full of incredible effects. (Did I mention, that Strymon’s Timeline is also awesome?)
Keith
June 11, 2016 at 6:10 am
Nice selection of pedals.
Handers
June 11, 2016 at 6:02 am
A lot of incredible Swiss Army knife and always-on effects here; but let’s give a shout out to the excellent experimental stuff like the Red Panda particle or effects from dwarfcraft, masf and bananana
Timothy Hui
June 11, 2016 at 4:45 am
This guide probably was one of the main factors in my purchase of my strymon timelime. The other main factor was freaking United airlines crushing my Maryin acoustic! It was in a case. There’s a sticker on it that says “fragile.” How did you crush it?!?
Well, at least they gave me a check, some of which I used to get my Timeline.
I still need a new acoustic.
Ian Hobson
June 11, 2016 at 4:44 am
Great gear on this list, exciting to see digital products really making a mark in the industry. I’ve been fortunate enough to own a couple pedals from this list (mainly the Strymon DIG) and cannot say enough good things about it. Digital delay has always been my preference in the repeat world, but the DIG blows anything similar I’ve tried out of the water. The Strymon hype is real, believe it. I hope whomever is the lucky winner enjoys it as much as I do.
Only addition I would add is the Catalinbread Topanga. Drippy Fender-voiced reverb that’s as close to surfing as you’ll get for someone living in the frozen tundra of Canada. Seriously worth checking out if anyone’s in the market.
Anyway, good luck to everyone, and above all thanks to BGE for the great site.
(My shameless plug goes here about how I’d love to own a Chase Bliss Warped Vinyl one day – but the Canadian dollar doesn’t get along well with the USD+shipping+import clique.)
Daniel Klepner
June 11, 2016 at 4:38 am
Great list, but nothing from Mr. Black? Love their pedals.
zep tepi
June 11, 2016 at 12:43 am
Someone below wrote, “we live in an amazing time for guitar effects!” How amazing it is to be able to say that’s the truth! It’s pretty incredible to have such an amazing selection at the whim of our fancies (and wallets…). This list really encapsulates that notion.
My first pedal was a Danelectro PB&J. It’s missing a knob, and it’s scuffed and dirty from years of traveling, multitudes of floors, and strange feet, and the stories it could tell would get me in so much trouble, but it remains an integral part of my sound. Being able to augment it with ZVex, Chase Bliss, Red Panda, and Earthquaker pedals opened up a world I couldn’t have imagined when I first picked it up from the store all those years ago.
It certainly is a fantastic time to be gearhead.
Kieran Hogue
June 11, 2016 at 12:38 am
This is a great list. A few of these pedals I’d never even heard of, and I’m a bit of a pedal nerd! Im Australian so there’s one brand I love that I don’t see enough of, but it’s because they’re rare and local (ish) to me! Flux Effects from New Zealand are my hype pedal brand. I have their reverb and it’s just excruciatingly good. Competes with the strymons/ empress/ eventide/ nuenabers no question and I think definitely has a place on this list. But what’s most exciting is they’re beginning to leak plans of a stereo fully analog delay pedal in the works. Stereo. Analog. Delay. I for one have put off buying a Tonal Recall until this comes out! What a time to be alive!
Eric Golden
June 10, 2016 at 11:58 pm
My name is Eric. I’m pretty new to pedals. I have a few cheap Behringers and a couple of cheap Chinese knock-offs. They work. All this time, I’ve really only just used an amp and guitar.
I’d have a difficult time affording many, if any, of the really cool boutique and high-end pedals shown here. It would be a huge honor to even try them. I’m really appreciative for this extra cool opportunity.
I’m a father of 5, I graduated with my M.B.A. last month, I work full time, I own my own home, I’ve been clean and sober for 8 years and I’m a vet.
Thank you for such a generous and badass giveaway opportunity!
Peace to each of you!
Eric GoldenJordan Young
June 10, 2016 at 10:08 pm
I really like the stymon DIG pedal when I’ve tried it. It’s kind of strange especially considering it isn’t considered strymon’s main delay pedal by most people, but it just really fits my playing style.
Jeff
June 10, 2016 at 9:43 pm
We live in an amazing time for guitar effects!
Sam White
June 10, 2016 at 8:51 pm
As I go deeper and deeper into this downward spiral of my addiction to guitar pedals, I begin to wonder if I will ever be satisfied. I have come to realize that I am powerless over gear and my life has become unmanageable. Once the phenomenon of craving has set in there is little I can do to rid myself of the obsession other than make the purchase, regardless of the consequences. I have put pedals before friends, family, and lovers. I have put pedals before paying rent and buying food. MY NAME IS SAM AND I AM A PEDAL ADDICT…..
Sean Garland
June 10, 2016 at 7:10 pm
I’m a lifelong guitarist, who has recently gotten into synthesizers. Some of these pedals listed here (the Eventide and the Strymons, in particular) would sound amazing with either guitar or my synth.
I’ve also got my two daughters, ages 8 and 6, hooked on synths. They’re knob-twiddlers at heart, and they would go bananas using these pedals. You can check them out on my YouTube channel (“Sean Garland”), playing my MicroBrute and MS-20 Mini.
Thanks for the opportunity to win what I couldn’t reasonably afford on my own! And keep up the great work with the site!
Jason Quackenbush
June 10, 2016 at 6:47 pm
I. Want to win the thing. Also you left out the sweet honey overdrive and the blower box bass distortion which is just criminal.
Noah Hackbarth
June 10, 2016 at 5:09 pm
Afterneath, and Pitchfork definitely earn their spot on the list.
It would great to play with a Warped Vinyl at some point.June 10, 2016 at 4:36 pm
Paul Cochrane Timmy should definitely be on any modern classics list. I’m surprised the cusack tap a whirl didn’t make an appearance as well since the claim is that it was the first tap tempo term. I’m also surprised there were no fulltone pieces on a modern classics list. Otherwise, great list
Jacek Czaj
June 10, 2016 at 3:08 pm
Epic list and a great job guys! Here’s my list:
EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC
EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC
EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC
EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC
EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC
EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC
EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC
EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC
EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC
EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC
EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC
EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC
EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC
EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC
EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC EPICDRamirez
June 10, 2016 at 12:57 pm
I play bass. It would be interesting to see how many of these work with bass.
Javi Ayala
June 10, 2016 at 12:53 pm
I am super into this Spectre Flanger by Chase Bliss. Every time I hear demos of it, I want to jump through my screen and grab it. If you haven’t seen the demo done by Knobs on YouTube- check it. Also, the thing I like about all their pedals are the modushape switches, they give awesome character to all their effects. The dip switches on the top of the pedal are also a progressive twist, it’s almost like an EQ for the entire effect if you think about it.
So believe it or not, one pedal I think you should review is the Trip Balls Skate Fuzz by Dr. Acid pedals in Australia (if you haven’t already), like the Spectre it also had its fair share of switch character (not as much as chase bliss but enough to make it interesting). If that’s not enough, it’s got a skate wheel cut into the chassis! I wish they would use that to their advantage in a weird way but that’s probably for the future.
Bestguitareffects, keep doing these reviews as thorough as you do. They’re informative and definitely impact my purchases.
Jake S
June 10, 2016 at 12:38 pm
Seriously great selection of pedals. GAS producing lineup-I want them all.
derrick foy
June 10, 2016 at 12:30 pm
Empress Effects Reverb for me!
Jbvan
June 10, 2016 at 11:41 am
Most of my favorite pedals appear on this list, so it gets a big thumbs up from me! THE ELEMENTS FOR LIFE!!!!!!!!!
Stefan Schweigert
June 10, 2016 at 11:30 am
My Pedal Story:
Bass player here whose building up his pedalboard. I joined a band over a year ago and have slowly been building up my effects. I started out with a BOSS TR-3 Tuner, for obvious reasons, then quickly wanted to add some fuzz. Solid tuner, easy to read, tunes me up quickly, done.
My next pedal was the EHX Big Muff Bass Pi. I’ve had a love/hate relationship with this pedal; it’s taken a long time to dial in how I want to sound. Most people only would use the Crossover setting in order to dampen the fuzz and bring up more of their clean tone. I decided to try a different route and now its a pedal I can’t wait to stomp! I use the crossover setting right now for a heavy fuzz with both clean and distorted sound cranked pretty high, which comes out like a heavy synth/fuzz sound. When I turn off crossover, I’ve setup a light distortion sound which is great for rock songs.
As our band started adding in more smooth songs, a lighter tone was needed. I gravitated towards the BOSS CEB-3 which I now use for clean sounds, and the occasional funk/slap tone it can create. Never realized how awesome light chorus sounds on slap and finger-picked octaves.
Lastly, but should have been firstly (!), was my Budda Chakra compressor. I spent days considering all the options on the Ovnilab website, and decided to go for a midrange pedal and snapped one up off Reverb. This thing has a life of its own and makes my basses (2002 Warwick Corvette Std. and Squier 2015 Precision Fretless, both 4-string) sounds fantastic. They both sound like basses similar to those at least $500 more, and helps me to cut through even the most distorted guitar sounds in my band.
Love the sound of the Seymour Duncan Palladium on bass and guitar, would complete my setup with this beast of a pedal. You guys do an awesome job with every review, keep it up!
June 10, 2016 at 11:19 am
Strymon TimeLine
June 10, 2016 at 10:37 am
Ibanez Tube Screamer!! Yeah!!
June 10, 2016 at 10:00 am
So much to choose from…
June 10, 2016 at 9:31 am
Would love to win one of these– keep em coming!
Andreas
June 10, 2016 at 9:01 am
Really thorough review. Appreciate the time put into this!! Greetings from Denmark
Serg C
June 10, 2016 at 8:59 am
I want them all!
Jon Ellingsen
June 10, 2016 at 7:16 am
I’m not familiar with every pedal on this list, but before I die, I will try them all. My favorite pedal, which is not present on this list, is TC Electronic Triple Delay. The function to have three independent delays in either serial or parallel mode, opens up for really interesting soundsculpting.
razvan
June 10, 2016 at 6:42 am
I’m quite new in the pedals world (I was more a Fractal Axe fx user),,,,so…a welcome gift in this wonderful world would be really nice! A strymon timeline would be like….nice….not nice…wonderful….not wonderful…amazing!!!
jon flint
June 10, 2016 at 6:35 am
This was a great read! It must be great to have the time to sit down and play with all these pedals! Cheers!
Giannis Omp
June 10, 2016 at 5:53 am
God damn! These pedals are awesome! 😀
Veronica West
June 10, 2016 at 4:59 am
The Boss ME-80 is BOSS!!! This pedal totally kicks butt for its versatility and performance capability. It is definitely my pedal of choice right now!
Jurren
June 10, 2016 at 4:00 am
Great list! I see some new stuff and also many known pedals.
Sometimes I like things simple and hands on, with my small pedalboard. But the most fun is in my stereo big board.
The BigSky has saved me from becoming a tap dancer. It can do the soundscape stuff where I normally would use 2 delays, modulation and reverb.The Ditto X4 is also awesome! Especially the MIDI synch. That feature makes it useful in so many ways, where “normal” loopers fail. It is still a feature that most people didn’t find yet. A hidden gem, maybe?
I have made some video’s about it.Daniel
June 10, 2016 at 2:07 am
So many amazing pedals to do anything you can think of, and so much happening in such small packages. I have a couple of these and they are exceptional.
JackFloop
June 10, 2016 at 2:06 am
Surprised that there aren’t any Behringer pedals here.. Best inventors in the game. Obviously.
George
June 10, 2016 at 1:53 am
Fellow PEDAL NERDS Hello from Cyprus !! yes , you read me , the island of Venus, somwhere in the meditterannean , FREAKING SUNNY CYPRUS.
bestguitareffects.com I just wanted to let you know guys that you have audience everywhere , and that you should keep up the awesome work you do.
Most of these pedals i know and experienced, always through somebody else or videos unfortunately. The curse of being somewhere where no huge market exists for these awesome little metal boxes of extreme pleasure ( mainly for the guy owning them ). We son’t have a second hand market here in Cyprus , and we dont have a huge selection of new pedals market to be completely fair. Sure we get a music store stocking the odd MXR and Boss , but Eventide ? Strymon ? Guys we don’t even have a guy stocking EHX !! So thank god for the internet , and all the 2-3-4 retailers that ship to Cyprus with an overpriced shipping rate and overpriced treasure (stomp)boxes.
oh well , I have accepted the fact that its not the chase of tone that drives us fellow pedal nerds. Its the need to own , protect , share , brag , collect and experience that drives us . Its that moment when you first connect that jack lead in a new pedal and you play the first chord through it. Probably an Am or an Em Chord, depending on your tuning. YES YOU DO IT TOO ! its ok to smile 🙂 Its the time it takes from the moment you tweaked a sound you like , to nailing it again ( with it never being the same after that moment ) , after you monkeyed through the knobs again and again for some time in an attempt to “explore” your possibilities.
We guitarists are indeed a unique bunch of nerds.Going Crazy for the next treasure that we are salivating over online, that we end up stomping them with our feet 🙂 NO one understands , and frankly no one cares enough , as much as i tried “showing of ” my pedalboards, the LED lights underneath , my new “vintage” phaser 90, or the Triangle Big Muff i managed to sneak past the guy who sold it who didn’t know exactly what he had 🙂
Anyway `I just wanted to say hello everyone , i thorougly enjoyed procrastinating at work reading through this list and 1000 other posts in this jem of a site, and have a great day everyone !
Pedal geeks , I SALUTE YOU !
Mato Misik
June 10, 2016 at 12:48 am
I’m using TC’s Flashback x4 and not happy with this unit. The sound is OK, but tap tempo is not working well and storing presets with expression pedal is bad. So, I’m looking to buy something more trusty now. Strymon or Eventide looks like best choice.
If I can recommend something to you guys, it is great pedals from Slavation Audio. (www.salvationaudio.com). Their Vivider octaver is something very unique and the best octaver for overdriven/higain sounds I found on the market. Second pedal is their ToneWheel Boost. 100% quality, totally transparent (no change character of your amp) and ultimate design using an old skateboard desk and one big skate wheel (you can easily adjust by your foot). Very cool 🙂
Cato
June 10, 2016 at 12:40 am
This is an awesome collection of pedals! Any of these would look and sound great on my board! Really enjoying the reviews, and are checking in regularly! Thanks!
June 10, 2016 at 12:28 am
TImeLine and H9 is probably the best digital delays on the market. Trusty piece of gear.
Alex Harmon
June 9, 2016 at 10:50 pm
Ive been playing guitar for 25 years. The last 5 years I have taken much interest effects pedals. Pedals these days are incredible! I remember my buddies building pedal boards out a plank of wood and a power strip. Always looked like too messy. I feel different now! So addictive. Im glad I learned to play before I got into effects pedals.
Ive been searching for a modulation tone that with a watery laid back sound. Like chorus but I hate chorus. Phasers come close. In my search are some of these pedals like the Strymon Deco and the Warped vinyl. I got a chance to play the Deco, it was better than I expected.Bob Johnson
June 9, 2016 at 10:47 pm
I’ve got a trick I’d like to share. I love the Strymon TimeLine but I just can’t afford it so I thought up the following and if I think about it it’s not probably not unique. This is what I do to get a the same sort of effect as Andy Timmons. I use 2 TC electronic Flashback mini’s together. Using the TonePrint editor I set the first one to 373 ms with a single repeat and the second one to 500 with a longer repeat and a bit of modulation. This works for me. As far as I kan see this should work with any two delays to some extent.
James Johnes
June 9, 2016 at 10:39 pm
I really love the Jupiter fuzz from Walrus Audio. It’s a great little versatile beast
June 9, 2016 at 10:39 pm
Quite a list. I’m using some pedals which I think are brilliant for what I do, which maybe of interest to readers here. I play a lot of guitar/bass/drums format, and I need sounds which create the illusion of more going on that what there is. Using a Fender Vibrolux for an amp, I start with a Dunlop 95Q switchless wah. Switchless is AWESOME. As a singing guitarist I often have to jump off the wah, turn off my distortion and start singing all at the same time. Not having to click the wah off is a lifesaver ! Its also highly tweakable and has an adjustable gain boost. It’s seriously a pro choice. Then I go to the TC electronics polyphonic tuner. Its been out a good while I know, but another game changer. Saves time and can tune on the fly SO EASY! Ive got 3 gain pedals, all Fulltone. I use a Catalyst, Fulldrive 3, and Plimsoul. In that order. In that lineup I have some settings ready to go that I love. From clean boost to Searing lead, those pedals can get everything I need and really compliment the natural tone of my amp. Next is an Empress Tremolo, the tap tempo setting is really lovely to have and you can set everything easily, it sounds warm and natural. Then I run in to an H2O, the old “Home Plte” shaped one its a nice chorus and a basic delay, essential meat and potatoes sounds covered in one easy unit. From here, I have a Catilinbread Echorec, and I set it with a array of repeats and offset beat taps, Im going to psychedelic as the H20 gives the basic delay sound if I want simple. It feeds in to a Mooer Ninety Orange phaser. I picked it on sound and space. It sounds warmer than several more expensive larger pedals I tried. Perfect for all my phasing needs – But wait, theres more. Boss Tera Echo. This fills it out when I want to fill a lot of space with waves of sound and create epic crescendos at the end of solos or the end of a song. Finally I run in to a Digitech Polara reverb. Its such a lush pedal, capable of a wide array of reverbs so IO use a setting which is big and roomy. I set the amp reverb on about 3 and use that as a basic verb so the Polara is for when I need a bunch more. So thats my current set up, and several of these in my view are indispensable for my rig.
June 9, 2016 at 9:10 pm
Man, Chase Bliss effects are really a cut above. It seems like were entering a new level of guitar pedals these days with digital controlling analog. I love the pedal scene right now. Good stuffs
Robert Abernathy
June 9, 2016 at 8:53 pm
Very nice collection and even better reviews – thanks for posting!
Aaron
June 9, 2016 at 8:16 pm
Great list – my latest board which I played this week at Koerner Hall in Toronto is
an Catalinbread ECHOREC into a GIG RIG WET BOX, the wet box sends an FX loop to a TIMELINE via a little loud mouth volume pedal. It is all mounted on a pedal train met or 20 and is a giant glorious delay pedal.I also love the sound of the TC alter ego x4. Less flexible programming options than the Timeline but incredible sounding. ( only problem is it is often too big- but I love it.
Zach
June 9, 2016 at 7:54 pm
Great list of amazing pedals! I’ve had the chance to play a handful of these pedals and I can say, Xotic Effects RC Booster and EP Boost are something special, it’s like lifting a blanket off your amp that you never knew was there.
Brad
June 9, 2016 at 7:31 pm
Great list of pedals, and I’m glad some of the less expensive pedals were represented. The Xotic EP and EHX Soulfood are currently on my board and I’m very happy with both of them. Hopefully I’ll have a chance to experiment with more from this list as time goes by.
Tim Ferguson
June 9, 2016 at 5:59 pm
Thanks for the great article. And of course.. for the giveaways.
Would certainly love to win a piece of this one!
James Paganas
June 9, 2016 at 5:26 pm
I’m definitely glad to see alot of my favorite new builders listed on this! EarthQuaker, WMD, Strymon, Malekko, Wampler, EHX, ZVex, Bogner, TC Electronix! All at the top of their game right now with really incredible pedals! Right now I’d kill for a Strymon Delay or Reverb but my Boss Digital Delay suits me pretty well!
Jerry
June 9, 2016 at 5:23 pm
Glad to see love for the Strymon Deco and the Xotic EP booster! Those are my two “always on” pedals. They both add thickness, warmth, and girth, but in different ways. Have them both on makes my base tone absolute magic. Great list!
Harvard Giles
June 9, 2016 at 5:18 pm
Great list, I haven’t had the luxury of testing the Strymons or CBA, but I own most of the Dr Scientist pedals
That being said: I have both the Drybell & Dawner Prince Viberator which are fairly equal in tone & quality (both from Croatia). As well. I love fuzz: Analogman Mkiv tonebender, Pigdog JuJu & Skinpimp Mkiii & a custom 4-knob buzzaround are my favorites.
I see no mention of Jam pedals, quality vintage sounding pedals IMO
Rock on!!
Gene Brown
June 9, 2016 at 5:11 pm
Just got my first pedal in a long time. I think it will be the most important purchase for me for sure. I bought the Electro-Harmonix Silencer. Playing a single coil guitar, this was a must have pedal.
I plan on getting more pedals, I am interested in a lot of EHX pedals. Love them all! Especially the C9, Mel9, or the B9!
Dirk Florence
June 9, 2016 at 4:06 pm
A great pedal is one that no one knows you’re using (in my opinion). I just picked up a Joyo Compressor. It was reviewed here as one of the more affordable, worthwhile compressors. It works great and is fairly transparent.
The rest of my setup is very modest – Mesa Boogie V-Twin that I absolutely love, Boss Tuner, and a Danelectro delay.
Next up – a great analog delay with tap feature that won’t break the bank (Danelectro is ok, not great and no tap feature).
Jens
June 9, 2016 at 3:22 pm
I find that I constantly have to remind myself what pedals are really for so that I don’t lose my marbles and become some crazy hoarder person who lives in a castle made of Klons. So I wrote a crappy haiku to help myself out. And perhaps you, too! You’re welcome.
Inspirational
Tools of creativity
Discover new worldsThe best pedal-related piece of advice anyone ever gave me was to not be a purist, and to always remember to experiment. Don’t believe the hype! Go your own way! And so on.
John Seetoo
June 9, 2016 at 3:17 pm
Concur with many of these. I think that the Boss RC-30 has considerably more bang for the buck over the Ditto series (RC-30 has 3 hrs of recording time, 99 memory slots, tap tempo and drum machine vs the Ditto’s spartan 12 min and zero memory).
John
June 9, 2016 at 2:50 pm
Great list!
Mike Harris
June 9, 2016 at 2:47 pm
That H9 still blows my mind. Would love to add it to my board.
Jason Bennett
June 9, 2016 at 2:37 pm
Great reviews! I’ve found myself coming to the website more and more for reviews and finding what’s new and exciting in the pedal world. Pedals have been part of my sound since I started playing and I’ve got somewhat healthy addiction to trying and tweaking new things. Some of my local guitarists make fun but it’s all good when in the pursuit of good and enjoyable tone.
Thanks for your website being a good resource in a concise and pleasurable experience.
Cheers!
-JMBDave
June 9, 2016 at 2:23 pm
I have a few of these already but so many more to explore! never heard of the SubN Up pedal before gonna check that one out.
Erik Guldbech
June 9, 2016 at 2:13 pm
Thank you for the great write-ups!
Dimitrios Mistriotis
June 9, 2016 at 2:13 pm
Before the Moogerfoogers, guitar FXs offered limited control over sound TEXTURE and the best were more about FORM.
——I count 3 basic LEVELS of Form : Repetitive, Expressive and Random. (John Cage and his experiments with the Random through the I-Ching, uncovered the artistic value and meaningfullness of the Random). The Forms seem to me atleast, to move from singularity and uniformity to multiplicity and complexity. Could they correspond or even stem from different onion layers of the artists being, from the social, to the individual, to the cellular and from there to the cosmic level? Maybe….
———My point is that the Mogerfoogers and the boom of the modular synth world seem to be pointing to a FUTURE of guitar fx that allow these layers of our being that untill now were more or less confined to the FORMAL aspect of music, to expand towards the TEXTURAL aspect. Is this really the FUTURE? I can’t know
———All I know is that guitar pedals like WMD’s Protostar, or PIGTRONIX’s Echolution pro, or TC ELECTRONICS TONEPRINT technology or the Eurorack modular fx (I am personaly designing a pedal board that will be able to carry Eurorack modular fx) give the guitarist posibilties to shape his sound on whole different level…and that I atleast, would like to be part of a future like that. Is Anybody else interested?Mattson Coffman
June 9, 2016 at 2:08 pm
Whilst enjoying some Soul Food with The King in the Afterneath, the Keymaster came rushing in and declared that an Audio Spectre prophesied the Apocalypse to him during his Bitquest. Not wanting to be an Ego Compressor, I gave his words Gravitas and acted a Scrutator by asking him to tell us more.
The, “Palladium Gain Stage is all yours,” I declared.
Once he began his tale, I knew we were on a TimeLine like that of an Infinity Looper Mobius, with no end in sight.
He told fantastical tales of a journey over the Palisades in his Deco Vibe Machine under the BigSky and The Elements. While crossing the Great Divide an Immerse Reverberator caused his Turbo Tuner to break. Luckily a Compressor Pro at a nearby Fuzz Factory was able to Whammy an AmpliFire with an EP Booster enough to Sustain Shaman, at least until he got to a Sub’n’Up. After a burger and a large Tube Screamer, he was back on the Ditto Looper without a Nemesis Delay. He felt the need to add that the burger had given him Reverb like that of a Protostar and that he had a Harmonizer two times.
I thought, “I’m going to need an Ecstasy Red to get through this story.”
He declared that once he finally reached the Tri Avatar Archer’s at the gate of Wombtone he was told of the Dirty Little Secret. It seems that DIG, the ruler of Wombtone, had a bit of a Warped Vinyl if you know what I mean. He told Keymaster that his Pitch Fork had obtained Tonal Recall and that he was going to destroy Wah with a Rainbow Machine unlike anyone had seen since Cali76.
Respectfully, but firmly, I informed Keymaster that DIG was full of Hog2 and that he had just been the victim of a very skillful RC Booster.
Keymaster realized he had once again been had by Randy’s Revenge.Andrew
June 9, 2016 at 1:54 pm
Just got my Tonal Recall and it is tonal heaven. Need to try the Warped Vinyl next!
matt
June 9, 2016 at 1:25 pm
It’s an amazing time to be a musician because companies like Strymon, Joel & Chase Bliss, Earthquaker Devices,etc. are changing the game with some revolutionary pedals and effects. This is an incredible giveaway–fingers crossed to win!!!
June 9, 2016 at 1:42 pm
I will add to what I already wrote is that what has also been so exciting in the age of Boutique customization & pedals for guitar is the social media access between musicians and companies that is communal and encouraging. You see pedals transform as a result of user feedback(e.g. the mk ii dipswitch changes from underneath to the front panel on the Chase Bliss pedals come to mind); It’s unprecedented to see the incredible exchanges and it demonstrates the power we have through community and offering inspiration to one another. Thanks to all the other guitarists out there that celebrate and elevate what we do and push each other to the next level!
Mason
June 9, 2016 at 12:39 pm
Keeley’s Compressor Pro has fundamentally changed the way I play guitar! It works great with a full pedalboard, and it works great on its own. It’s easily the best compressor I’ve ever owned simply because the control you gain is unparalleled!
Essentially all of CBA’s pedals are on my wishlist also! The in terms of control, and from what I hear in the demos, the Tonal Recall simply blows away all other analog delays!
I was honestly a bit disappointed to not see T-Rex’s Replicator Tape Delay on the list! It’s a very novel pedal considering it’s a true tape delay w/tap tempo. I certainly wouldn’t mind a tap input on the pedal to make it better, but in its current state I certainly don’t see why it’s not on the list 🙁
Shane
June 9, 2016 at 12:09 pm
So many great pedals these days to choose from. I picked up the new Keeley Monterey fuzz vibe and while it’s definitely vintage inspired it’s a killer modern pedal for so many reasons. The range of tones is incredible. I keep looking at other pedals and then thinking “nope the Monterey will do that”. Seriously, other than delay and overdrive you don’t need much else.
June 9, 2016 at 12:04 pm
I have just begun building a versatile pedal board for my bass rig! It has been quite the trip testing out pedals with what works and my taste of tone shaping capability.
Pedal board list (so far)
-from first to last in signal chain-TC electronic Bonafide Buffer
TC electronic Sentry Noise Gate
Earthquaker Devices Hoof Fuzz (through effects loop of Sentry Noise Gate)
DOD Meatbox Reissue
Tech 21 Sansamp VT bass deluxe
Earthquaker Devices Sea Machine
Earthquaker Devices Dispatch MasterPedals that I have owned previously:
Neunaber Seraphim Shimmer
Walrus Audio Descent
Electro-Harmonix Bass Micro Synth
Boss NS-2The pedals I used previously are not because I did not like the effects but because the digital shimmer effects lose out on low end and the Electro Harmonix Bass Micro Synth sounded great by itself but would get lost in the mix. I love Earthquaker Devices! Watch loads of videos of Chase Bliss Audio pedal demos and am drawn to the amazing capabilities these pedals can accomplish! Perfect idea placing dipswitches on the side panel for the MKII models. These pedals are in my radar!!!!
June 9, 2016 at 11:03 am
You included the Ditto and Infinity but overlooked what is in my opinion the best live looping pedal on the market, the Boomerang III. First let me say that the Ditto is awesome, I have one on my board, it made simple looping affordable, however, I don’t think that affordability or wide adoption is good criteria for a “best” list.
Now as for simplicity, I believe the Boomerang exceeds ease of use parity with the Ditto. The design of the footswitches are superior for precise timing. They are more or less flat so that the moment your foot hits them starting, stopping, or looping happens. It really can make a difference eliminating that tiny amount of travel needed with the traditional foot switches used on the Ditto and Infinity. As far as the mechanics of starting stopping and overdubbing go Boomerang is objectively better than the original Ditto and maintains parity with the other models. Tap to record, tap to loop and a separate button that can be set to overdub with either a single tap or a tap and hold. Fully utilized it can get a bit tapdancy however all the functions are either tap or tap and hold. No double tapping which isn’t particularly hard to do but I feel can introduce minor timing issues without practice and dedication to the Ditto.
This brings us to the Infinity. I have played around with one but have never owned one so take what I have to say with a grain of salt. Infinity is for sure one of the best however there are better looper pedals and this list is for the best. I think that they are similar enough that it is easy enough to just compare features. I’m going to stack them by features with what I feel is the most important.
– Max sample rate/sound quality: both feature 48KHz stereo, Infinity is true bypass, I don’t know about the Boomerang but I can say if it is not true bypass it is exceptionally clean and transparent. Why it matters: You want to sound your best so a higher sample rate is going to sound best. Both these pedals add almost no character to your sound which is awesome. (Tie)
– Number of loops: Infinity 2 Stereo Loops – Boomerang 3 to 4 stereo loops Why it matters: 2 loops limits your song structure to verse, chorus, verse a creative person can work around it with undo and other tricks however it is limiting. 4 loops is verse, chorus, verse, breakdown, bridge, verse. It massively opens up the live performance and songwriting options. (Boomerang)
– UI: Infinity 3 switches (Stop, Loop 1, Loop2) and 4 knobs (Master volume, Preset load/save, and 2 loop volumes) Boomerang 5 switches (Loop one, Loop 2, Loop3, and two user programmable bonus) and 6 knobs (decay, volume, vol 2, vol 3, vol 4, fade time) Why it matters: Ease of use is so key! More dedicated inputs makes it much easier to use. The flexibility and usability of the Boomerang is massive. It is as easy as a Ditto but with an amazing depth and all of it right there on the front panel (Boomerang)
– Series or Parallel Looping Modes: both can do either (Tie)
– Loop Multiplier: Infinity x1, x2, x3, x4, x6 – Boomerang has no limit on this. Why this matters: Although this is a minor limitation it is a limitation. (Boomerang)
Variable Feedback Decay, Stutter Mode, Pitch mode, reverse etc… Both have these bells and whistles. (Tie)
– MIDI Beat Clock Sync: Both Have and work great For me this matters a lot since I have all my time based effects and beat machines are midi synched. It may not matter for some. (Tie)
– Additional Midi Functionality: Infinity full Boomerang Midi Start and Stop This probably matters for some however I feel like Boomerang does not need additional midi functionality and that a different piece of gear might be better if you are planning on midiing up your Infinity to a keyboard or sequencer or whatever, none the less Infinity wins this and it could be a big deal for some. (Infinity)
– USB: Infinity Yes Boomerang No Why this matters: I think you can save and pull loops off the Infinity, to some this is a major win. I personally record with offboard gear straight or right into a DAW but some might really use this. (Infinity)
– Control Expansion: Infinity Remote switch (2 buttons) adds UNDO/REDO, REVERSE, Rec>Overdub>Play, Instant Clear and Varispeed control. Also can accept an expression pedal. Boomerang Sidecar (5 buttons) adds dedicated Stack, Play-Stop All, Erase/Erase All, and 2 programmable buttons. Wholly Roller Expression pedal available Why it matters: Ease of use is HUGE with live loopers. I think that the Boomerang is easy enough to use out of the box however the expansion options for the Boomerang are much more flexible and wide reaching than those for the Infinity. (Boomerang)
– Presets: Infinity – 50 presets 100 loops Boomerang None Why it doesn’t matter: I’m not a big fan of presets. Just me but I think that making your own stuff live is the joy of looping non the less Infinity takes this one (Infinity)
– Overdub limit: Infinity 256 overdubs per loop Boomerang none Why it doesn’t matter: Probably not going to hit the limit. (Boomerang)
– Aux Loop Out: Infinity Yes Boomerang No Why this could matter: Audio routing is often a pain and not having to have another splitter or mixer will be a big win for some. (Infinity)Both units are very strong in their own ways but when it comes to flexible song writing, performance, and ease of use Boomerang is a clear winner in my book and should have been included in the list.
June 12, 2016 at 2:23 am
Good to see some other people getting in here with detailed reviews. Kudos.
Chas.
Louis Gauttier
June 9, 2016 at 10:49 am
Would love to get the Eventide H9 and the Xotic Effects Wah
Nick Lock
June 9, 2016 at 10:09 am
The list we’ve been waiting for and the best starting point for anyone looking for their next pedal. There are so many companies and individuals making high quality effects these days that simple curiosity can quickly turn into overwhelming confusion. You have provided us with a wonderful collection of effects pedals from virtually every category and I couldn’t stop reading once I started. I ended up lost in a realm of tonal options – click, open in new tab, read, click, open in new tab, read… repeat for two hours.
I was nervous after reading the first couple of reviews as I prefer simplicity on my board, but was pleasantly surprised by the handful of picks you included that are easy to use, easy to understand, and easy to afford – I love the Soul Food and the RC Booster is a pedal I have always wanted to get my hands on! I also know, from conversations with friends and colleagues, how obsessed the majority of players are with reverb, loopers, delays, and modulation effects – the more complex, the better. I love these too, but I am a grit and dirt guy at heart. It was great to see the fuzz, overdrive, and distortion categories represented.
Great list, I still have some open tabs to waste time reading. I must admit, I am still surprised not to see more from Walrus Audio. The Jupiter Fuzz is currently one of my favorite pedals – after trying and loving both the Janus and the Space Pilgrim, but wanting something more pedalboard friendly. I guess this list easily could have been a Top 100, but you must have realized the trouble we would all be in if more hours were lost to reading about stomp boxes – did I take the dogs out, did I feed the fish, when’s the last time I ate anything!? So thank you for being responsible, I know it must have been difficult stopping at 50!
By the way, the most intriguing item on the list is The Elements by Dr. Scientist – a pedal I would never have learned about while searching for fuzz, overdrive, and distortion pedals (or boosters, for that matter) because it seems to do all of the above! Like most, I realized after a while that it was futile trying to mimic my favorite musicians’ tones, and learned to become obsessed with my own – The Elements might be the pedal that helps me get closer to that style of noise I have been chasing after for so long in my head!
June 9, 2016 at 9:50 am
Thank you, for making me feel my age and how ignorant I’ve become! Time sure flies! It seems like just a few years ago that I was aware of all the great pedals out there, and still have a decent quiver to show, but the pedal industry is passing me by! Life can throw curveballs, and I’ve been missing out for about 4 years. I have not heard of the majority of the pedals on the list, and I’m looking very forward to reading the reviews. It’s now on my short “reading list”. Sure would be nice to get some great new modern pedals. . Time to get back in the game!!
Not sure if it’s considered modern anymore, but I still love my Red Witch Medusa, mojo vibe, and very simple Maxon AD999.Travis H
June 9, 2016 at 9:32 am
I need more shelf space in the studio…
June 9, 2016 at 9:24 am
Oops…forgot to add another pedal for the top 50 list. A company called grind custom fx makes a really cool take on the klon centaur schematic. Would highly recommend!
June 9, 2016 at 9:19 am
I can personally attest to the awesomeness that is the H9! Would definately be at the top of my top 50 list!
Ashley
June 9, 2016 at 9:11 am
Wow, soooo many to review and check out, time to set the wife and kids to background noise and dig in to the reviews!
Paul Hogue
June 9, 2016 at 8:48 am
Okay, I only have a few minutes to let you know what is being hidden from you! Every single one of these manufacturers are part of a huge plan to destroy this country by making the best, brightest, and most guitar-nerdish of our population addicted to creating new sounds and better tone, forcing them to ignore their jobs and social life. It’s just so obvious when you think about it! Even the names of the pedals give away their true intentions. Think about it…Nemesis…the Spectre…the Dirty Little Secret…for god’s sake there is an Apocalypse pedal listed! I mean, it’s right in front of us…The Great Divide! The King! The KeyMaster! WAKE UP, SHEEPLE! They are coming for our pedalboards and our families!
david bosher
June 9, 2016 at 8:44 am
It’s nice to see that many of these makers are willing to put out ‘strange’ or ‘unusual’ pedals,and give them equally wacky names.In the age before Boss,Dod and the like settled on the ‘standard’ pedal range that they assumed everyone would want(distortion,phaser,chorus,flanger and delay},a lot of effects used ‘crazy’ new ideas like octave fuzz,double chorus,talk box,wah,slow gear or wobbly vibrato and tremolo.Even in phasers,flangers,fuzz and the like,each company had a distinct character to their pedals.Later on,most pedals started to sound more similar.Now even larger companies like EHX are willing to try POG,HOG,organ sounds and Pitch forks in their range.The choice is amazing.And if a new pedal takes off(digitech whammy/TC ditto loopers),it can be involved in new musical sounds/approaches as soon as players discover it.Power to the pedals!
Mike Prentice
June 9, 2016 at 8:38 am
There are so many awesome pedal makers now, it is hard to keep track. I agree with this list i would add a few though. The bogner harlow is a ridiculously sweet compressor/tone sweetener. I would definitely add to the list. Also, I feel like Walrus is making some of the most well made pedals of the day and should be here as well.
Chase bliss is changing the game in terms of quality. The new Tonal Recall might be the push that pedal makers need in order to come up with innovative ideas while staying in the analog arena. Though, digital pedals like the timeline have their place, there will never be a substitute for a good analog delay. Most people end up running an all analog next to their timeline for the warmth.
Just so many options, I am gonna go broke for sure!
Alex Moran
June 9, 2016 at 8:16 am
So many to choose from and so many options these days. That H9 is crazy cool, but the Strymon Timeline had to be my favorite. Every time option ever is at your fingertips. And sounds GOOD.
Ed
June 9, 2016 at 8:14 am
H9 all the way!!! Gotta get me one!!
Caleb Martin
June 9, 2016 at 8:08 am
Great representation of some of the most innovative pedals on the market right now. There’s many high quality units and some weird ones. Lots of love for Strymon, Chase Bliss, Eventide, Dr. Scientist, Empress, and EQD. I would have liked to see some more from Red Panda, Dwarfcraft, ZVex, and Old Blood Noise Endeavours.
The Rainbow Machine & the Red Panda Particle is the deepest, craziest, and most lovely combination of pedals I’ve ever come across. Two of very few pedals that create sounds that I’ve never even imagined, and consistently pump out new sounds, even after playing with them for months.
Keep it up guys, you’re reviews are always informative & worth reading, among the best in the saturated market. Thanks!Jannik Roth
June 9, 2016 at 7:51 am
Well, that are a lot of reviews,
a lot of them pedals are underused.I can’t afford almost any of these,
because I’m missing the money, geezI know my rhmyes are bad, but I don’t care
as long as I can sit on this chair
with my guitar in my hand, an no pedals to use
I’m still able some songs to produce.Running out of rhymes right now,
this poem’s over now, blaowBTW the Timeline is an amazing pedal
Kepp up the great work!
Cheers
JannikDavid Gulyás
June 9, 2016 at 7:41 am
What a giveaway!!! I just don’t know what i want the most!
Evan Kostalek
June 9, 2016 at 7:40 am
Great list so far! I need to get to work trying some out
Josh
June 9, 2016 at 7:32 am
The Ditto x4 is life changing! Great list, keep up the good work!
Tom Bailey
June 9, 2016 at 7:22 am
really loveeee pedals with lots of versatility and character that can be used in lots of ways from subtle to really big presence that also have potential to work well with other simple effects like chorus and distortion. Great list love the versatility and depth of it!
June 9, 2016 at 7:17 am
Drool – I can think of a heck of a lot of uses for all these premium boutique pedals. I may go buy one of those Keeley KE808’s, not in the give away, but I’d love the HWTS808. Sweet.
John Stemwedel
June 9, 2016 at 6:59 am
It’s long discontinued and time has moved on, but the Yamaha Magicstomp still has surprising depth and a few unique tricks. And it was something of a leading edge for external editing like Eventide, t.c., and Souce Audio use. Yamaha really should think about a succesor.
Jenine C.
June 9, 2016 at 6:50 am
Whoa that was great list of effects. Always love me some Electro Harmonix and Eventide. Like all the other options to look into as well. Got a lot more research to do!
Steve Helm
June 9, 2016 at 6:41 am
Love these pedal reviews! What a great time for tone-junkies with so many excellent choices on the market.
Jordan wagner
June 9, 2016 at 6:39 am
I read this website Everytime something new is posted. I’m a musical cosmonaut that explores how wierd you can get a guitar to sound with effects. I do alot of experimentation with effects chains and stacking/layering effects to get interesting lush and strange sounds that I use to create a variety of soundscapes. Any of these pedals would be a welcome addition to my arsenal. I appreciate this website for allowing me to view a variety of pedals there pros and cons in order to guide my next purchase. I also build and design my own pedals and mods and get many ideas from reviews here. I also reverse engineer some pedals that I buy so I experiment with the circuit and what not. In short your website is a great tool for me especially an article like this one. Reading through there are lots of ideas I can toy with. Thanks for existing.
Nick Buckley
June 9, 2016 at 6:06 am
Once again you have come up with an inspired collection! Having a young family means that I cannot spend all my time and money buying new toys, so my knowledge and understanding of what is available in the wonderful world of effects is sadly lacking, but after reading this I feel like I back up to speed!
I have a very limited pedal collection (4 in total) but am LOVING the Swollen Pickle I got a few months ago – such a great range that it keep me entertained for hours!
But the 9 pedals you are giving away? They would be a dream come true!
Fingers crossed, and keep up the outstanding work!Andrew Skelton
June 9, 2016 at 5:58 am
What an amazing and diverse collection of effects pedals. I particularly enjoyed the variety of complex and simple delay options. Amazing.
June 9, 2016 at 5:57 am
What an amazing and diverse collection of effects pedals. I particularly enjoyed the variety of complex and simple delay options.
June 9, 2016 at 5:25 am
Great to see a few budget friendly pedals on the list. It’s nice to know that you can find awesome pedals without paying boutique prices.
Jason
June 9, 2016 at 4:59 am
The EQD Disaster Transport Sr. seems to be way underrated. The bleed control to blend between serial and parallel is amazing and inspiring. I’m surprised that concept hasn’t been employed in more pedals.
Hrvoje
June 9, 2016 at 4:42 am
Wow! Great pedals!
I would be really happy with any of them 🙂
Cheers m/June 9, 2016 at 4:30 am
A lot of great pedals that would be nice to try out on the board.
Efraim Zarifis
June 9, 2016 at 4:30 am
Absolutely love all of these pedals love the website and looove TC Electronic Ditto Looper series <3 <3 <3
Ian Andrew
June 9, 2016 at 4:24 am
Some awesome pedals
Sam Gosden
June 9, 2016 at 4:23 am
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
3 years of hard work from you,
3 years of mad GAS for me!awesome list, its cool to see whilst some companies are pushing forward with huge digital units, theres still guys out there being intuitive and improving functionality of classic analogue.
a bit of something for everyone!June 9, 2016 at 4:16 am
Always thoroughly impressed with TC and their line of very affordable and tweakable pedals! Earthquaker will always be on my board. Need to fatten the wallet and try the Cali76 one day!
Mikey
June 9, 2016 at 4:07 am
Amazing pedals! I would love to own any chase bliss or strymon stuff!!! Great reviews!!
Graham Odds
June 9, 2016 at 4:04 am
Even though every individual pedal in this list excites me a little bit too much, I still can’t fight the desire to find out what kind of ungodly racket you could create by lining them all up (and switching them on of course) on a single pedalboard!
Nick Brok
June 9, 2016 at 3:59 am
I’ve found that my pursuit of tone and texture – particularly in the live setting – has become re-invigorated by the explosion of pedal and amp design. I’m very traditional in my guitar tastes but as far as pedals go, it’s like we’ve been transported to an alternate reality! When I play with these machines I feel like I’ve suddenly grown SPACE FINGERS! I can’t say any more that.
SPACE FINGERS.
June 9, 2016 at 3:50 am
Hi Gabriel!
Firstly take my apologize for my english.
I’m Evgenii Kurbatov and of course I have my own Gear Acquisition Syndrome 😉It’s a good article but (as I understood you) it needs the name to be changed!!! delete number 50 and makes uptades to this list all the time the music industry companies makes something new and absolutely awesome. Please make this list dinamic as it should be!!! Thanks!
You need to mention Digitech Trio Band Creator – it’s a game changing pedal. The chord and paterns analysis is the key to future of all digital pedals – don’t you think so???.
And the newest Malekko Sneak Attack is so awesome – they realised my ideas (and mb not only my) for the use of tremolo since I saw some of the Bill Ruppert’s EHX gear reviews and Diamond TRM-1 Tremolo ‘chop’.P.S. I strongly recomend pigtronix look at your suggestions for the Infinity looper – new firmware update it’s not so complicated! Why do not do this and make the crowd happy? =D
P.S.S. Have GAS but not the money for it xD
Rémi Sève
June 9, 2016 at 3:31 am
Hi guys,
Thanks for this article. I love to read you. Like many others, I first came here to the pedals giveaway, and then the GAS catch me, and I read everything. I have the Strymon TL, Mobius and the Effeectrode PC-2A, they are as wonderfull as you described them !
For the Anniversary Pedal giveaway, I would love to win the Eventide H9 Max.
I use a Diezel Hagen with 3 loops : 2 serial, 1 parallel. My Eventide Space is in the parallel loop, with killdry.
In the first serial loop, I use a Decibel Eleven Pedal Palette, in which I plug a Strymon Mobius (serial), an Eventide Pitchfactor (parallel) and a Strymon TimeLine (parallel). This rooting system allows me to create some space or futuristic sounds from nowhere with the pedals in my serial loop, and to place them into a reverb that came from far away than nowhere. As the send to the parallel loop is before the serial loop, my modulate-pitched-delayed sound is never in contact with the reverb, except in the final mix that goes to poweramp ! Like an aux in a DAW.I also use a Diezel Zerrer in my third effect loop as a second preamp (yes…). After the poweramp, I go into a Torpedo Cab through a loadbox, and then into my cab. So in live, I can mix the perfect sound of the torpedo and the aerial sound of the mic (a C214). Terrific !
So, my next dream will be to add a Eventide H9 Max in the fourth loop of the Decibel Eleven Pedal Palette. So I will be able to wet the delay, to modulate the pitch or whatever else… Icing on the cake : The Decibel Eleven PB allows me to swap the orders pedals, I let you imagine the possibilities…
Love sound, keep doing such a fantastic job guys!
Best regards,
Rémi
Mitja
June 9, 2016 at 3:19 am
I’d like to say that I’m grateful that you keep my wallet empty, because of many purchases I’ve made in the last year after reading/watching your reviews. 🙂
I also bought few pedals from this list and I’m really happy with them.June 9, 2016 at 2:24 am
I would have to find a place for the Effectrode Blackbird and Tube Vibe and the Keeley 30ms. Have several of the other pedals, but those three created instant bliss when I plugged them in.
Still a few of those that I would love to have. Timeline for instance.Mile Vrbica
June 9, 2016 at 2:23 am
Excellent choice of pedals, however, I do believe Wampler Triple Wreck should be on there, as well as a Morley wah pedal. What describes modern better than an optical wah? Boss DS-1X might be worth a mention too.
Andrew de Souza
June 9, 2016 at 1:57 am
Such an interesting read. It is crazy how as a musician you are constantly learning. A few months ago I didn’t even realise how good pedals made your sound and just stuck to a multi effedcts unit but have recently bough heaps of new pedals. I am currently running a TC electronics Nova drive and running that through the EHX micro pog can produce some fat sounds which I love to loop in my jamman looper. I just love pedals, they look good, they make you feel good, and buying them always feels useful as changing your sound and shaping your own tones is truly one of the beauties of being a guitarist.
Theo Nt
June 9, 2016 at 1:34 am
I want them all…
Goran
June 9, 2016 at 1:24 am
I’m a bassist, but I still love to read and view your comprehensive reviews. If you could expand your website with bass-specific pedal reviews, it would be wonderful.
That aside, this is a really great article!!June 9, 2016 at 12:51 am
No matter what happens we’re all winners…except those who didn’t win. They’re not.
Martin Börner
June 9, 2016 at 12:17 am
I came here just because of the pedal giveaway, but ended up reading the whole article 🙂 A really good selection I think. Even some pedals I never heard of are in the list, so I guess the full reviews will get a visit this afternoone 😉
The only pedal I do not agree on is the handwired tubescreamer, that I always thought of as pretty uneccessary/overpriced given the fact that there are so many great handbuild boutique tubescreamers at normal ts9 or 808 prices out there. I always thought the handwired ibanez ts was designed specifically for wealthy dudes over 60 that want to nail that SRV tone. But hey who am I to judge since I never even played it or compared it to the inhouse or boutique competition. I still would have liked to see an old blood noise dark star or black fountain in that spot. They are a company that seems to be brave enough to create more “out there” stuff, but still at great quality. Smallsound/bigsounds fuck overdrive would be a list candidate to me as well.June 9, 2016 at 12:03 am
Some people are always harking back to positive earth benders and tropical fish fuzz. The earthquakers and eventides and whammy type things are like the disruptive apps of guitar. I love my old-school analogue delay and filters, but I wish I had the eventide harmoniser, the rainbow machine or empress stuff… it’s like audio instagram or something… more sophisticated capabilities but with funky filters.
Chris Price
June 9, 2016 at 12:03 am
I would like thank you for your excellent reviews and contest. I have an extreme form of ADHD and have never been able to attend long enough to count past 5 as a child. Recently thanks to your “Top 8 Best Guitar Synth Pedals” I was able to count to 8!!!! Then playing a hunch that it was your reviews I counted 25 with your review of The Top 25 Fuzz Pedals of 2016!!! And today I counted to 50 w The Top 50 Modern Guitar Pedals!!! My wife says it is the longest She has ever seen me read and no longer complains about my “pedal porn”. If fact She wants me to ask you to please write an article on The Top 100 Guitar Pedals of all time.
Lennaert
June 8, 2016 at 11:56 pm
Yes, pedals… why are there so many? I’m lucky enough to own one of the above (Warped Vinyl), and I’m enough of a gearhead to want another one of that same class. But, people, who are we kidding? More pedals that do exactly the same to your sound as all the other pedals before – and probably after – them?
Now the hunt for tone is something that has gotten me hooked, and by the looks of it a lot of other guitar players as well. It is that much fun, and it will improve your playing. However, even with excellent websites like this one, which enables us to test drive the pedals before buying them, we cannot fool ourselves in thinking we will be able to get the complete overview of all choices out there. And then I’m only talking about the ones commercially available.
I have more pedals than I use. But I’d still like to win a new one…
James
June 8, 2016 at 11:21 pm
Wow, so many great ones! I only own a few of them, alas. I couldn’t agree more about Strymon making an H9 style all-in-one. Thanks for the great reviews!
June 8, 2016 at 11:19 pm
Wow, so many great ones! I only own a few of them, alas. Thanks for the great reviews!
Will lucas
June 8, 2016 at 11:01 pm
My God , I’ve reached heaven!!!
Will
June 8, 2016 at 10:59 pm
Kinda like choosing your favorite child. All fantastic pedals and still could go on much longer. The real clear winner is the Eventide h9. It’s the only pedal on my board that covers so much ground that I don’t know if I would play without it anymore. Its my go.to delay, reverb and mod/syth stuff. I need another one before my preamp.
deheuvels
June 8, 2016 at 10:23 pm
a nice list. Close to mine.
June 8, 2016 at 10:11 pm
What a heck of a prize ! You have my vote !
Conner Johnson
June 8, 2016 at 10:09 pm
I’m stoked to see how many of my favourites made this list (and how many are part of the giveaway ;)). I was on a waiting list for the TWA Great Divide 2, and when the time came I was not disappointed. It is truly a larger than life sound from an analog octave synth, and had this site not existed I never would have heard of it. My other favourites include my Strymon El Capistan, my J Rockett Blue Note, and my Stomp Underfoot Green Russian. Cheers and good luck everyone.
Edd M.
June 8, 2016 at 9:58 pm
So many great pedals, so hard to droll over just one. Luv the overdrives and fuzzes, and handwired tube screamer , drool, droll, and the Death By Audio Apocalypse sounds awesome.
Great article, keep it up.
Robert Holt
June 8, 2016 at 9:23 pm
This is supposed to be modern pedals so… No Dwarfcraft? Totally agree with the Source Audio and Chase Bliss offerings, but it’s hard to top the flexibility of the H9
Dan Hodson
June 8, 2016 at 9:06 pm
Great work on this article!
Any of the compressors, especially the Calis, Empress, Keeley Pro, and Effectrode would be a huge upgrade to my CS3 (which I hate more and more every time I play it).Mitchell
June 8, 2016 at 8:55 pm
So many awesome pedals! I always find when I get a new pedal, I play and study it for hours, coming up with riffs I wouldnt normally play, discovering new sonic boundrys. A good example would be when i got my boss dd-7, got it cause I “needed” a delay, even though I wasn’t a huge delay guy. After spending hours on the thing, tweaking it and trying different techniques, I’ve come to the realization that i’m a delay guy now haha, perhaps I’ll soon get a timeline, or a tonal recall, too many options for a guy like me!
Taylor Bice
June 8, 2016 at 8:48 pm
Man, I don’t even know. All of these pedals are insane. Most I’ve never tried and a few wayyyy out of the budget. I started getting into pedals around the first of 2015 with a Boss TU-2 after getting my first tube amp. Been playing since about 2008. Vox AC15 is a SERIOUS step up from the modeling amp I had before!
Got a board of about 9 pedals now and would always be sick to add some more ( especially those pricey ones jeez)Jacob andrew
June 8, 2016 at 8:48 pm
There are some amazing pedals on this list. I would just add a couple of the Diamond pedals to the list. The Chase Bliss stuff is truly amazing though.
June 8, 2016 at 8:47 pm
Would be really cool to try out some of these effects. Heard really good things about Strymon and Eventide, but haven’t had the funds to buy anything from them yet!
Ryan Fiegl
June 8, 2016 at 8:46 pm
Absolutely love all of these pedals. Nice to see a broad scope of what might be defined as “modern” – boundary pushing and weird next to practical but indespensable, all beautifully designed. I’ve had my TimeLine since the week they released and I couldn’t imagine my pedalboard without it. It is one of he best, most intuitive, multi-delay units available. And like this list it sits next to some pedals that are weird and wonderful. I was surprised to not see the Red Panda Labs Particle and nothing from Dwarfcraft/DeviEver and hope that some very small, less known builders like Montreal Assembly or Industrialectric get more exposure because they are making some of the weirdest and inventive but still very usable pedals out there now, truly modern.
zippi
June 8, 2016 at 8:42 pm
An impresive list. Cudos for Pigtronix infinity looper, but with Ditto loopers – I always prefered Jamman Digitech Stereo and Express XT (more versatile and better). Also personally would include Boss Terra TE-2 and Seymour Duncan Duncan Vapor Trail Analog Delay (just off the top of my head…otherwise the list would be loooong)… Cheers.
Calum
June 8, 2016 at 8:33 pm
Hi everyone!
Firstly I wanna say, being from lil old New Zealand has given me a whole new level of appreciation for what you guys do.
As much as distributors try, we tend to only get a pretty limited selection of what’s out there in terms of effects, guitars, gear in general actually appear in shops etc, and it tends to only really be the mainstream and popular brands (boss, EHX and the like) that turn up so we can actually try them.
Having a resource like this website, which represents classics based on merit rather than name, and some far more left of center stuff.
Having what is essentially an aggregate of some of the greatest effects out there with really great in depth reviews which are a perfect combo of nerdy technical goodness, along with how the effects practically work when you play them is actually far more valuable than most reviews that are out there. How they can be used to either emulate famous tones and sounds, or used to push the limits of whats achievable with bass/guitar/synth is again, something you usually don’t get from basic online reviews.ANYWAY
the point im trying to get across is that best guitar effects is a very valuable resource for me, as I trust that if they recommend something, it will be for all the right reasons, and that not only will it be good at what it says on the box, it will be interesting and unique, and I feel like I can trust enough to buy an item without having to try it, which over here is often hard/impossible to do.
I look forward to every new review and list, because I know that my next acquisition is likely in there (if my budget allows)
Keep up the good work, you’re making a big difference to people like me down here at the bottom of the world!steuart liebig
June 8, 2016 at 8:23 pm
so many pretty pedals, so little tims.
Shawn Van Brunt
June 8, 2016 at 8:10 pm
Love the list and love the website. Only site that I know of that focuses solely on guitar effects. I liked your articles so much I purchased a strymon timeline. Your review was totally spot on. I had a good feel of what I was getting before it arrived and when it arrived I can say I was well informed and had a good feel for what I finally received. Thanks for the great reviews!
Steve King
June 8, 2016 at 7:50 pm
Congrats and thanks for a terrific list! It has been said that the best writing both entertains AND educates and Best Guitar Effects does that in spades. Well done! I thoroughly enjoy receiving your articles, go straight to the reviews and devour them with a mix of danger and excitement. Danger, of course, because resisting temptation has never been my strong suit (much to the detriment of my wallet and perpetual vexation of my wife – God bless her); and also excitement at the prospect of a new discovery and possibility of its acquisition. Certainly Effectrode’s Compressor, as well as Strymon’s Big Sky and Deco have been on the radar for some time, but I have to admit Chase Bliss Audio has not, and based on what I have read in your list I can’t wait to check them out. Its also fun and interesting to read the comments of other guitarists (other readers, below). Tone and taste are so subjective, that my list of 50 greatest modern pedals are not likely to be like anyone else’s. For example, I would likely have at least one of Thorpy’s pedals on my list, and Catalinbread’s Adineko is causing major gas – I absolutely love it! Still, I can’t find fault with your list – all of them are wonderful stompboxes. I feel privileged to have lived through what I believe was the golden age of modern music: 1965-75 (your opinion may surely differ!), and feel equally privileged to be living now in the golden age of guitars, amps and pedals. While it pains me to know I can never have even a fraction of the incredible toys out there, the true pleasure is in the chase….and of course in enjoying the few that I do manage to acquire. I can’t wait to see whats coming out next. You have to think the possibilities are endless!
Aaron Abubo
June 8, 2016 at 7:48 pm
Whoa! Congrats on 3 years.
One of my fave modern pedals is my Ghost Echo from Earthquaker.
JR
June 8, 2016 at 7:34 pm
Love the Gravitas through a deluxe reverb. Pretty solid list, no moogerfoogers?
Rodger R.
June 8, 2016 at 7:32 pm
Wow! i can use this list to create a new pedal wish list. Thanks as always for the insightful information.
Bill Kane
June 8, 2016 at 7:17 pm
What a stunning array of pedals, most of which are not available in New Zealand. The NINE would make a welcome addition to my effects pedal board. I’d even come and collect them. This site is the most informative I have struck so far too.Some great write ups.
RegardsMatthew
June 8, 2016 at 7:15 pm
The ProCo Rat should be on this list.
June 9, 2016 at 11:08 am
I think best yes but it is pretty old school. Maybe it fails the “modern” test?
Don Copeland
June 8, 2016 at 7:14 pm
What is a pedal? Is it not a paintbrush? Is it not a muse? Is it not an frequency manipulator to alter the emotions of both the listener and observer? Is it not an extension of your own emotions composed in a way that no one else can? Do you not have angry pedals? Nice ones? Sad ones? I think so. I really think so. Cheers to these 50 pedals that have painted some of most beautiful sonic portraits of our time.
Jordan
June 8, 2016 at 7:13 pm
Anything by Strymon, Chase Bliss Audio and Origin Effects is always a winner…
Great reviews!Robert Crosby
June 8, 2016 at 7:10 pm
More pedals for me please!
Javier Reyes
June 8, 2016 at 7:00 pm
I’m just going to drop this here, I need an Xotic Effects RC Booster and you got one.
Dave LiCari
June 8, 2016 at 6:55 pm
This site is gonna send me to the Poor House! I’ve been exposed to so many neat and useful pedals from the EP to the el Capistan to the Archer and on and on. Keep up the great work and I’ll keep tryin’ and buyin’!
Mark Batarseh
June 8, 2016 at 6:46 pm
Man, I’m sitting here in my Art DECO-inspired pad, DIGging the latest pedal offerings and wondering what the TIMELINE for their acquisition ought to be. Trouble is, my apartment is haunted by a SPECTRE that is creeping me out to the MAX, its warbling shriek is like WARPED VINYL times two. I’m studying my periodic table of THE ELEMENTS to see if there is a better choice than PALLADIUM for the warhead of my undead-killing rocket BOOSTER. Save me, Best Guitar Effects!
Kory
June 8, 2016 at 6:43 pm
This is all so confusing to me..
In the past few weeks I’ve been trying to get into the world of effects. I’m not a good player, just someone that loves messing with this stuff. It’s so INTERESTING MAN! The coolest part is that there’s so much knobs and different pedals!!! To be honest, I don’t even know if I can use any of these pedals to their fullest, but I still think it’s cool to look at and read about. Scrolling down this page and reading about all this different stuff honestly blows my brain. It’s weird though because I want to learn and interact with all these different pedals.
Coming from a small church and not even having my first pedalboard or even a pedal, Ive been researching and reading a ton from your site in order to begin. Thanks for taking the time to write about those pedals guys 😀 its been a huge help to me in crafting my opinion on what to get first.Godbless,
– KoryAlex Masseni
June 8, 2016 at 6:24 pm
Oh my god, this is my Xmas shopping list in June. Lots of exciting stuff. My faves: Inanez hand wired Tube screamer, Eventude Harmonizer and EP booster.
Awesome list keep it up
Grant Ferstat
June 8, 2016 at 6:22 pm
Really enjoy your analysis. Thanks!
Luke Hudson
June 8, 2016 at 6:22 pm
First off, may I just say that of the fifty-one pedals that made the list, I only own the 5th Generation Whammy, but I’m very happy to see it on here because it’s undeniably the most versatile and satisfying pedal I’ll ever own. But second and more importantly, this list was a tremendous help for me as I’m searching for pedals to add to my arsenal. I recently got a new job and can finally start adding some of these to my collection. However, there were three pedals that I thought deserved to be on this list, or at least deserved some sort of “honorable mention”:
1.) DigiTech JamMan Stereo – Compared to the Pigtronix Infinity Looper, it’s a lot cheaper, more user-friendly, has a huge memory bank, and takes up roughly the same amount of space. I think it’s the only pedal-size looper that can actually stand up to the Infinity Looper.
2.) Red Witch Synthotron – I was surprised that this wasn’t on here considering it was reviewed by bestguitareffects.com. It’s not as versatile as the BitQuest, but I think it makes up for that by sounding much more like a classic video game than the BitQuest ever could, although I’d argue that both pedals aren’t exactly practical for most musicians.
3.) Gig-FX Chopper – This beats every tremolo pedal in existence, and I’ve never seen anything come close to rivaling it, although it’s extremely difficult to find. Go ahead and check their website and tell me you’re not blown away! It’s five effects in one; tremolo, stereo rotating speaker, stereo “chopper”, delay emulator, and stereo panning machine all controlled with an expression pedal. No tremolo that I’ve seen offers such control, and especially not at such a low price. (Note: There is a Gig-FX Pro-Chop that’s basically the same thing, but it lacks the panning machine.)
Despite lacking these, though, thank you for showing the Immerse Reverberator and the WMD Protostar. I had never heard of either of these, and now I’m seriously considering adding them to my collection. Keep up the great reviews!
June 9, 2016 at 11:24 am
Ohhh good call with the Synthotron! I was about to complain about the lack of the EHX POG but I figured the presence of the HOG made up for it. Actually the EHX series of pedals that started with the B9 probably deserve an entry on the list as well if I am going on a tangent. Synthotron has been on my wish list for some time.
Nathan Sislow
June 8, 2016 at 6:17 pm
I noticed there was nothing from Diamond pedals, and I definitely think at least the Memory Lane 2 should be added to this list for being one of the best delays on the market.
Alexandre Blondin
June 8, 2016 at 6:10 pm
I’ve been learning by myself since I first started playing. Got an electric guitar about a year ago. I’m looking to get my first pedals and I love your website. So much stuff to learn about which one are the bests. Thanks for everything.
Pavle Banovic
June 8, 2016 at 5:59 pm
My favourite effect is usually whatever Knobs (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCarxZ8bKjfFzUOgN5LjYOhQ) is reviewing on any given week—dude is the Wes Anderson of pedal reviews. I particularly love the stuff that Chasebliss are putting out, they’re practically instruments in their own right. Downright magical sounds.
Matt
June 8, 2016 at 5:57 pm
The DSM Noisemaker Omnicabsim should definitely be added to this amazing list!
Adam Salazar
June 8, 2016 at 5:48 pm
I just got a lot of great intel for my “Covert Music Tech” Pinterest board, thanks. It’s locked, obviously, so nobody go looking for it… Especially appealing to me were Dr. Scientist’s “The Elements,” the Dry Bell “Vibe Machine,” WMD’s “Protostar,” and the Strymon “Deco.”
Of the pedals on the list, I already own EQD’s “Afterneath,” and yeah, it’s totally amaze-balls. I’ve also carefully pieced together a small collection of other effects-pedals. Actually, it’s getting sort of crowded lately… I’ve got GAS. I’m GASsy. Excuse me… But I usually don’t go splurging unless I know what I’m getting. Most likely, I’ve watched enough demo’s to know for sure that I want to own it.
I have enough trouble justifying my GAS to myself, let alone my girlfriend, so I’ve got to be sure. Some of these other pedals are still riding on the credit card, but I’m happy to have them on my board:
Devi Ever “Truly Beautiful Disaster,”
ZVEX “Mastotron,”
EQD “Hoof – Reaper,” (and the Afterneath)
BOSS’ “DD-7,” “RV-5,” and “CS-3,”
Moog “MF Ring”
a Keeley “Phase 24,”
and I also have a nice “Boomerang III” looper.I play an American made Jaguar through a Marshall AVT-150H.
To be clear, I would love to have the chance to let loose on your prize package… I would probably end up buying two new pedalboards to fit it all, surround myself in shoe-gaze foot-candy and build some kind of pedal-board bunker… It would be sick, and I do mean, like, mentally ill.
Anyway, if I do have one pedal to add to this list — one well-kept secret — I must admit that I’m in love with my Devi Ever “Truly Beautiful Disaster.” I researched for months trying to find a fuzz pedal of this magnitude. I kick myself for even mentioning it; I guess I’m pretty selfish. I can change, I can change… Here goes:
As a tone-shaper, I’m all about having raw elements. I sort of detest most multi-effects units, anything with an overwhelming amount of presets, or plug-and-players that make you sound just like so-and-so. When I put my pedalboard together I’m trying to think about pedals that do certain things extremely well, with vast parameters that can take the effect from unplayable, to ecstatic, to overwhelming and back again. The key is to blend the elements, like an alchemist trying to turn lead into gold. Of course, tone shaping is chasing the dragon. Turn back now! Abandon all hope Ye who enter here… (But what a ride).
This pedal is the epitome of that approach. The TBD is wild. It can hardly be tamed. Each parameter (Level, Fuzz, Oscillation, Blend, and Feedback) has a profound effect on the interaction of all the others. Breathe on a knob and you may change everything profoundly. Keeping track of sounds you’ve made is a task in itself. I take pictures before the rotation of the earth affects anything… Is this frustrating? No, it’s madness, it’s completely insane. But you may find yourself having stumbled into a beautiful and rare fuzzland that no living person has heard before.
And that’s the beauty of this pedal: near-infinite fuzz tone.
The self-oscillation is constantly interfering with the harmonics of your guitar, and trying to either control or accentuate that electrical “gravity” is a lot of fun in itself. Most keys and most harmonics have a few notes that you can really tune the oscillator to, like a sort of resonance filter. Alternatively, the dissonance can be amazing when detuned.
Playing with your guitar’s volume and gain/compression before the TBD in the signal chain can really deepen and broaden the scope of the pedal’s settings too, and can turn the most unmusical, deep-clipping square waves into cream. Turn down the Level control and crank your amp and it will sit back in the mix in a foamy haze. It also features a Gate switch to allow heavy self-oscillation with discretion.
I haven’t even really explored the included feedback loop with modulating photo-sensitive eye. Sure, read that one again. Yeah, it means what it sounds like. It may seem like an “add-on” but the TBD actually seems almost synth-like, so looping signals through it with a strange photon-detecting expression control actually makes some kind of sick logic.
What I wanted was a limitless fuzz pedal with massive parameters. I couldn’t have known what that really meant until I played a TBD. The pedal can really kick your butt. Every parameter, every change of amplitude, other effects and compression all profoundly alter the fuzz tones you can achieve. It can nearly emulate any classic tone, and it can roam wildly into seemingly uncharted territory. Getting there on command is a discipline. It’s hard, but it’s so fun.
This pedal is not a one-stop tonal destination or solution. It’s not going to save you time or make anything easy for you. It’s an element. It’s pure and unbridled.
Here’s to tonal alchemy.
Christopher Williams
June 8, 2016 at 5:44 pm
I love all y’all’s lists. You are definitely one of the top pedal review sites and I check your stuff regularly.
Chris Bozzo
June 8, 2016 at 5:34 pm
I have 2 H9 and love them! Best sounding most versatile multi effects pedals around.
Douglas Cobb
June 8, 2016 at 5:22 pm
What a great list of guitar pedals, each of them excellent in their own ways! The only one I’ve had any experience with is Strymon’s BigSky. While I really enjoy using it with my electric guitar, it would be great if I could get to try out each of the guitar pedals mentioned in the contest you are running, to try them all out and see for sure which one or ones best fit my needs and interests. For instance, I would love to also try out Strymon’s Timeline and DIg, and especially any of the guitar pedals that are specifically for Reverb types of effects.
June 8, 2016 at 5:17 pm
I love my Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret. Happy to see it made this list. Awesome Marshall tone in a small pedal.
Diego Crego
June 8, 2016 at 5:16 pm
Why? Is necesary to do this to us? You should understand that this list can cause a broke bank account, followed by a divorce. Please be reazonable !!!!!
Aaron F
June 8, 2016 at 5:11 pm
This may be THE most epic BGFX giveaway to date. Good luck to you all!
-Aaron F
Hector Ruiz
June 8, 2016 at 5:08 pm
I own an H9 standard for one month. I then traded up to an H9 Max.
Christian Merizalde
June 8, 2016 at 5:01 pm
Messrs.
Best Guitar Effects.
Via webpage.Dear Gentlemen:
My name is Christian Merizalde and I represent many, who like me, suffer of a terrible diseace called Hyperguitargeardysm.I want to congratulate your represented, because through hard work and research you provide us, the poor illed by Hyperguitargeardysm, means to “taste” these awesome toys before they appear on our pedalboard everytime we go through a crisis or flare.
Although no vaccine has been created or discovered yet, we have learned to live with the disease, finding in places like your site, the comfort we look for to mitigate the pain and extend the time between flares.
I personally have 4 out of the above 50, and will pretty much put to good use any of the pedals you decide to donate to my foundation: “I am Hyperguitargeardysm”.
Thanks for your attention and support to my great cause!
Regards, C