Your First Three Guitar Effects Pedals – Where To Begin?

We help you clear the FX confusion and get started with pedals

Life too short for long YouTube videos? Please see the ‘Interesting bits and go-to sections’ information below.

Welcome to the show! In this episode we return to basics and suggest some effects types to consider if you’re just getting started with guitar pedals.
Some context is probably in order. When Dan and I were starting out there was no internet. Woah. The pedals available to you were basically those that your local guitar store carried… and in both of our cases that amounted to a handful of classic Boss, Arion and MXR boxes. Probably less than 25 pedals all up.
Fast forward 35 years and the selection is simply vast, available from all corners of the globe. So how on this Earth do you know where to begin?
We go through the basics of an approach that incorporates one ‘gain’ pedal (overdrive), one time-based pedal (delay) and one modulation (tremolo). There are a great many more examples of each, but we’re starting here in the hope that it can steer you to a more relevant question for your own needs and situation. And if this seems too simplistic, make sure you check out next week’s video: Your Next Three Guitar Effects Pedals!

PLEASE NOTE: We like each of these pedals a great deal, but the specific pedals themselves is not the point. The point is about overdrive, delay and tremolo, so choose whatever brand and budget that appeals to you most!

And for everyone one who says your first pedal should be a tuner. No it shouldn't. Get a headstock tuner, but even better than that, please learn to tune by ear. You don't need a pedal tuner until you're doing gigs. Big love y'all!

Enjoy the video!

And please visit That Pedal Shop! https://www.thatpedalshop.com/

Pedals & stuff used in this video
• D'Addario XPND Pedalboard
UK & Europe: https://bit.ly/39y5Ne1
USA That Pedal Shop: https://bit.ly/3u1araE

• Nobels ODR-1 Overdrive
UK & Europe: https://bit.ly/3uQx29Q
Australia: https://bit.ly/3BoLto6

• JHS 3-Series Delay
UK & Europe: https://bit.ly/3y1oiBa
Australia: https://bit.ly/3xZ9wKV
USA That Pedal Shop: https://bit.ly/3tIx5Fg

• Boss TR-2 Tremolo
UK & Europe: http://bit.ly/2oCV5dG
USA That Pedal Shop: https://bit.ly/3tGsbIW


Interesting bits and go-to sections…
0:00 Intro playing
1:20 What are we doing today?
2:10 Three effects types
3:20 Overdrive explanation
3:58 Today’s amp
4:45 Overdrive sounds
10:44 Delay & echo explanation
12:00 Delay sounds
14:35 Longer delays
16:00 Delay level tips
18:35 Self-oscillation
20:20 Dotted-eighth
21:55 Tremolo explanation
23:03 Tremolo sounds
24:17 Tremolo wave shape
26:15 Interesting combinations of all threeg

Guitars in this episode:
• Epiphone Casino – Mick’s video here https://youtu.be/ubwr6Owqp_E
• 1965 Fender Telecaster – no video
• Supro Jamesport – no video
• Nik Huber Krautster II – Dan’s video here https://youtu.be/hIruLGXgJuU


Amps & cabs in this episode:
• Fender ’65 Deluxe Reverb reissue with standard speaker

We hope you enjoy this episode. Please subscribe to our channel.

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Please visit our preferred retailers!
UK & Europe: Andertons Music http://bit.ly/2cRvIvt
Australia: Pedal Empire http://bit.ly/2mWmJQf
USA: That Pedal Shop https://www.thatpedalshop.com/