Guitar Effects 101
Last Updated: October 24, 2025
Everybody likes gadgets, and guitarists are no different.
What starts as a quest for the perfect lifelong guitar might well end in an impressive collection. You might even buy yourself several different amps over your playing career.
Arguably, the most fun you can have, though, is experimenting with the multitude of those fun, coloured effects pedals.
If you’ve listened to any modern recording from the 1950s to the present day, you have no doubt heard an effect used on a guitar. Guitar effects began when early amplifier manufacturers incorporated built-in enhancements such as reverb, vibrato, and tremolo into their flagship models.
Artists increasingly began to use these effects to create some of the most memorable soundscapes of their time, from the reverb-soaked sounds of “Apache” by The Shadows, the pulsing tremolo of “Rebel Rouser” by Duane Eddy, to the psychedelically soaked vibrato of “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”, by … oh, some famous Brits. The early 1960s saw the emergence of portable, standalone versions of these effects, and the concept of effects pedals was born.
This article will explore the main types of pedal effects, their musical purpose and give you some fundamental insight to determine where you should start on your tone quest.
Gain Effects
Do you have an amp that’s just not singing like it should? Do you need more sustain, grit, aggression, or are you simply looking for a full-on, face-melting sound? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you’re likely in the market for a gain pedal. From subtle simulated tube overdrive to metallic saturation, these pedals are sure to make your amp “go to eleven.”
Fuzz Effects
Designed as the first floor effects unit, fuzz is widely considered the grandfather of gain. This effect was initially achieved by overdriving tube amplifiers until they sounded as if they were about to explode, or by players even slashing their speaker cones to create that signature tone.
Thankfully, with the affordability of effects pedals, users can now achieve this sound without risking damage to their amp.
Fuzz is often used to add a chunky, thick, harmonically rich layer on top of lead guitar lines, and can be heard on songs such as “Satisfaction” by The Rolling Stones, “Foxy Lady” by Jimi Hendrix and “Howlin’ for You” by The Black Keys. Fuzz is of a simple design and usually consists of only Gain and Volume knobs, which allow the user to dial in the amount of effected tone.
Fuzz Pedal Picks:
- Electro-Harmonix Big Muff
- Dunlop Fuzzface (FFM3)
- RAT Distortion Pedal
Overdrive Effects
Overdrive is one of the most common effects a guitarist might add to his or her arsenal. Think about that sweet tone that your tube amp achieves when it’s just on the cusp of breakup, when the amp seems to breathe new life and gets that creamy sustain. This is called natural overdrive.
Unfortunately, not everyone is in a position to turn an amp up loud enough to get this effect, so the overdrive pedal was invented. Usually, these are used to add richness to rhythm guitar passages and give you that biting lead tone on your solos. Other applications for this pedal are using it as a boost to take your already overdriven amp to the next level. Think Stevie Ray Vaughn’s signature barking blues.
Overdrive Pedal Picks:
- MXR Rockman X100 Analog Tone Processor
- Boss Blues Driver
- Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer
Distortion Effects
Simply put, these pedals are meant to take your guitar tone from plain to insane! A staple of modern rock, distortion is an effect that sits, gain-wise, somewhere between overdrive and fuzz.
Distortion is the sound of your amp surpassing the natural overdrive stage, reaching a higher level of saturation, thickness, and crunch. There are many distortion pedals available, some marketed for genre-specific sounds and others designed to emulate the tones of classic amplifiers from yesterday and today.
Classic examples of distortion can be heard on “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana, “Back in Black” by AC/DC and “Bark at the Moon” by Ozzy Osbourne. For those ready to rock, you’ll want this sound!
Distortion Pedal Picks:
- Boss DS1
- Empress Effects Heavy Menace
- MXR Super Badass
Dynamic Effects
Compressor Effects
Long considered the secret weapon of the Nashville session player, compression is a dynamic effect because it alters the volume or output of your amplifier/guitar combo.
The basic function of a compressor is that it makes louder sounds quieter and quieter sounds louder, all while increasing overall sustain, thus enabling you to have total control over the output of your instrument.
Ever wonder how monster players like Mark Knopfler or Brent Mason achieve that bell-like chime and amazing articulation? The answer is lots of practice and a great floor compressor!
Compressor Pedal Picks:
- Universal Audio UAFX 1176 Studio Compressor
- Boss CS-3 Compression Sustainer
- Keeley Compressor Plus
Filter Effects
Wah Wah Effects
Introduced shortly after the first fuzz pedal, the wah is a great example of a classic floor effects unit. Funk, R&B, Disco, Metal, Blues, and Rock all make great use of this effect, making it one of the most universally usable effects without genre limitations.
This pedal is designed for the user to operate it by rocking his or her foot back and forth across the treadle, which controls an internal pot similar to the tone pot in your electric guitar. The sound created by travelling back and forth through a broad frequency spectrum is called “wah wah” and resembles human vocalizations.
Listen to “Voodoo Child” by Jimi Hendrix or the solo section in “We Will Rock You” by Queen, and the effect will be instantly recognizable.
Wah Pedal Picks:
- Dunlop Original Crybaby
- Vox V845 Wah
- Fulltone Clyde Deluxe Wah
Modulation Effects
Chorus Effects:
These modulation effects are all variations of one another, so let’s find out what makes them different. A modulated effect is essentially an audio signal that is affected by adding a secondary audio source into the signal path to create an unusual-sounding result.
Chorus, often used with a clean guitar tone as its base, combines your original signal with an ever-so-slightly detuned secondary reproduction of that same signal to widen or plump up the resulting tone. Some people describe this as a lush, dreamy, shimmering, or even watery sound. Widely popular, especially in the 1980s, this effect can be heard on many recordings from The Police and Prince.
Chorus Pedal Picks:
- Boss CE-5 Stereo Chorus
- MXR M234 Analog Chorus
- JHS Pedals 3 Series Chorus
Phaser Effects
Phaser pedals, also known as phase shifters, use technology that alters the phase of a portion of your guitar signal. Essentially, the pedal creates peaks and valleys in your audio path, resulting in a swirly, sweeping, psychedelic sound. Check out
Van Halen’s “Eruption” or “The Rover” by Led Zeppelin, and you’ll hear prime examples.
Phaser Pedal Picks:
- MXR M101 - Phase 90
- Boss PH-3 Phase Shifter
- Electro-Harmonix Nano Smallstone
Flanger Effects
What the heck is a Flanger, and how do you even say that?! Flangers basically recreate an old studio trick when reel-to-reel tape was still the common medium.
Originally, this effect was achieved by pressing the heel of your hand against one of the tape reels to slow it down slightly while the other continued to turn at its regular rate. The resulting sound is similar to a jet taking off or to what we think a UFO would sound like flying overhead.
This is a pretty whacky effect and is usually used sparingly, but can sometimes add that extra something to an otherwise lacklustre track. Check out Van Halen’s “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love” or Heart’s “Barracuda” for fantastic examples.
Flanger Pedal Picks:
- Boss BF3
- MXR EVH117 - Eddie Van Halen Signature
- Electro-Harmonix Neo Mistress
Tremolo Effects
As one of the first ever effects designed for musical use, the tremolo has an amazing history and is responsible for the signature sounds of many classic riffs throughout the history of modern music. Tremolo is best described as the rapid variation in the volume of your signal.
The user can control the rate at which this happens via the rate knob on the pedal of their choice. If this is still unclear to you, think about your guitar signal cutting in and out, but in a gloriously musical fashion.
Check out “Gimme Shelter” by The Rolling Stones or “Run Through The Jungle” by Creedence Clearwater Revival for some of the most legendary examples.
Tremolo Pedal Picks:
- Boss TR-2
- JHS Pedals 3 Series Harmonic
- Electro-Harmonix Micro Stereo Pulsar
Time-Based Effects
Delay Effects
Delay is a common effect that most guitarists will use at some point in their playing career. Delay is a wonderful tool for adding soaring sweetness to lead lines and lush, dreamy swells to rhythm passages.
Like tremolo, it can be controlled by a rate knob which allows you to create short delay times for chicken pickin’ country or rockabilly, or longer delay times often used in rock and heavy metal solos.
Check out some great examples such as “Where the Streets Have No Name” by U2, or the solo section from “Time” by Pink Floyd.
Delay Pedals Picks:
- Boss DD-8 Digital Delay
- Strymon Timeline Multidimension Delay Effect
- MXR M169 Carbon Copy Analog Delay
Reverb Effects
Reverb is probably the most universally used and appreciated effect in the guitarist’s arsenal. A reverb pedal can duplicate the sound of playing in a large room, complete with ambience and reflections, even if you are jamming at home with headphones on.
If you’ve ever plugged straight into an amp and thought to yourself that it sounded great but was missing a little something, you’ve probably forgotten to turn on the reverb. A pedal effect without genre limitations, you’ll hear great examples in the intro to “Cliffs of Dover” by Eric Johnson, as well as “Wicked Game” by Chris Isaak.
Reverb Pedal Picks:
- Strymon Cloudburst Flexible Reverb
- TC Electronic Hall of Fame Reverb 2.0
- Boss RV-200 Reverb
Looper Effects
The newest, hottest thing, loopers have taken the market by storm in the last couple of years. Do you wish you had a band to jam with?
Does the thought of recording your ideas on a computer sound terrifying or too complicated? If the answer is yes, then you’ll likely benefit from one of the easy-to-use loop pedals currently on the market.
A loop pedal allows you to record your ideas on the fly and play them back while overdubbing subsequent ideas over top of the original, thus giving you the ultimate layering tool.
Whether you’d like to jam on an idea at home, make backing tracks for your one-person act, or create the illusion of more than one player in a single-guitar band, a loop pedal will allow you to accomplish all of this.
Looper Pedal Picks:
- Boss RC-5 Loopstation
- TC Electronic Ditto Looper
- Electro-Harmonix Looper
Here we’ve only just scratched the surface; there is much more to explore on your personal tone journey. It may sound like a daunting task to narrow down your choices, but rest assured, the world of effects can provide some of the most tremendous fun you’ll ever have with your instrument.
