Types of Guitar Pedals — Every Effect Explained
Whether you're building your first pedalboard or filling in the gaps, this guide covers every major effect type — what it does, where it goes in your chain, and who uses it.
Warm, amp-like breakup that responds to your playing dynamics.
View all Overdrive pedals →
Harder clipping for rock and metal tones with more sustain.
View all Distortion pedals →
Thick, woolly, and wild — the original guitar effect.
View all Fuzz pedals →
Echo and repeat effects that add depth and space.
View all Delay pedals →
Evens out dynamics and adds sustain to your tone.
View all Compressor pedals →
Lush, shimmering modulation that thickens your tone.
View all Chorus pedals →
Record and layer loops for practice and performance.
View all Looper pedals →
Stay in tune — the most important pedal on your board.
View all Tuner pedals →
Sweeping, jet-like modulation effect.
View all Phaser pedals →
Rhythmic volume modulation from subtle pulse to choppy stutter.
View all Tremolo pedals →
Shape your tone with precise frequency control.
View all EQ pedals →
Expressive filter sweep controlled by your foot.
View all Wah pedals →
Ambient space and room simulation for depth and atmosphere.
View all Reverb pedals →
Adds octave harmonics above or below your signal.
View all Octave pedals →
Hands-free volume control for swells and expression.
View all Volume pedals →
All-in-one units combining multiple effects in one pedal.
View all Multi-Effects pedals →