Building Your First Pedalboard: A Beginner’s Guide
Adding effects pedals to your guitar setup can unlock new sounds and inspire creativity. But with so many pedals available, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. In this guide, we’ll break down the essential pedals, explain what they do, and help you build your first pedalboard step by step.
1. Understanding the Basics: What Do Pedals Do?
Guitar pedals alter your tone in different ways, from adding distortion to creating ambient echoes. Here are the main types of effects pedals and how they shape your sound:
Tuner Pedal (Essential!)
Before you dive into effects, every guitarist needs a tuner pedal. This ensures your guitar is always in tune and is typically the first pedal in your signal chain.
Examples: Boss TU-3, TC Electronic Polytune
Gain Pedals: Overdrive, Distortion & Fuzz
These pedals add grit and sustain to your sound, making them essential for rock, blues, and metal.
Overdrive – Mimics the warm, natural breakup of a tube amp. Great for blues, classic rock, and adding warmth to solos.
Examples: Ibanez Tube Screamer, Boss BD-2 Blues Driver
Distortion – More aggressive than overdrive, providing heavier, crunchier tones. Ideal for rock and metal.
Examples: Boss DS-1, Pro Co RAT
Fuzz – Creates a thick, buzzy, vintage-style distortion. Used in psychedelic rock and grunge.
Examples: Electro-Harmonix Big Muff, Fuzz Face
Noise Warning! Overdrive and distortion pedals can introduce unwanted hum and hiss. Many guitarists use a noise gateto cut out unwanted noise when not playing.
Examples: Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor, ISP Decimator II
Pitch-Shifting & Drop Pedals
These pedals alter the pitch of your guitar signal, allowing you to play in different tunings without physically retuning.
Pitch Shifter – Raises or lowers the pitch of your notes in real time, often used for harmonies.
Examples: Electro-Harmonix Pitch Fork, Digitech Whammy
Drop Pedal – Lowers your tuning by up to an octave without changing string tension. Perfect for quick tuning changes in live settings.
Example: Digitech Drop
If you play in different tunings frequently but don’t want to switch guitars, a drop pedal can be a game-changer.
Modulation Pedals: Chorus, Phaser & Flanger
Modulation pedals add movement to your sound by altering pitch and time.
Chorus – Makes your guitar sound like multiple instruments playing at once, creating a rich, shimmering effect.
Examples: Boss CE-2, Electro-Harmonix Small Clone
Phaser – Sweeps your tone in and out of phase, creating a swirling effect often heard in classic rock.
Examples: MXR Phase 90, Boss PH-3
Flanger – Similar to a phaser but more dramatic, with a jet-like “whoosh” effect.
Examples: Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress, Boss BF-3
Time-Based Effects: Delay & Reverb
These pedals add space and dimension to your sound.
Delay – Repeats your signal like an echo.
Examples: MXR Carbon Copy (analog delay), Boss DD-3 (digital delay)
Reverb – Simulates the natural echo of different environments, from small rooms to vast halls.
Examples: Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail, TC Electronic Hall of Fame
Utility Pedals: Compressor, Boost & Noise Gate
These pedals help control dynamics, volume, and unwanted noise.
Compressor – Evens out your playing, adding sustain and clarity. Essential for funk, country, and lead playing.
Examples: Keeley Compressor Plus, MXR Dyna Comp
Boost – Increases volume without altering tone, great for solos or pushing an amp into natural overdrive.
Examples: Xotic EP Booster, TC Electronic Spark
Noise Gate/Suppressor – Reduces unwanted hum and hiss, especially useful when using multiple gain pedals.
Examples: Boss NS-2, ISP Decimator II
Boutique Pedals: Exploring Unique Sounds
While well-known brands like Boss, Electro-Harmonix, and MXR dominate the pedal world, there are also boutique brands that offer unique and experimental effects. These companies often create high-quality, hand-built pedals with distinctive tones and designs.
Old Blood Noise Endeavors – Known for ambient and experimental effects.
EarthQuaker Devices – Offers creative takes on classic effects.
Walrus Audio – Produces high-quality modulation, delay, and reverb pedals.
Strymon – Renowned for high-end digital effects, especially reverb and delay.
If you love ambient and experimental sounds, the Old Blood Noise Endeavors Sunlight is a fantastic choice. I have one myself, and it’s great for creating dreamy, textural reverb effects that add depth to any setup.
2. Choosing Your First Pedals
If you’re just starting, a simple and versatile setup includes:
Tuner – Boss TU-3
Overdrive/Distortion – Ibanez Tube Screamer or Boss DS-1
Delay – MXR Carbon Copy or Boss DD-3
Reverb – TC Electronic Hall of Fame
Noise Gate (Optional but useful for gain pedals) – Boss NS-2
This covers tuning, gain, and spatial effects while keeping things easy to manage.
3. Arranging Pedals in the Right Order
The order of your pedals affects your tone. A common signal chain looks like this:
1. Tuner → 2. Pitch Shifter (if used) → 3. Overdrive/Distortion → 4. Noise Gate (if needed) → 5. Modulation (Chorus, Phaser, etc.) → 6. Delay/Reverb
This keeps your tone clear while allowing effects to work properly.
4. Choosing a Pedalboard and Power Supply
To keep everything organised, you’ll need a pedalboard and a power supply.
Pedalboards: Pedaltrain Nano (small) or Pedaltrain Classic 2 (larger)
Power Supply: One Spot daisy chain (budget) or Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus (better for noise-free operation)
5. Connecting Everything: Cables & Power
Use short patch cables to connect pedals and make sure each pedal gets the correct voltage. Keeping cables tidy helps reduce noise and interference.
6. Experimenting and Adjusting
Once your board is set up, tweak settings and placement to find the best sound for your style. Don’t be afraid to experiment—half the fun of pedals is discovering new tones!
Conclusion
Building your first pedalboard is exciting but doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start with a few essential pedals, experiment with your signal chain, and expand as you develop your sound.!