Essential effects?

[cantstoplt021]

I'm looking to get a few more pedals and I'm wondering what the essentials are. I play a bunch of different things, but let's just say you were going to be playing in a rock cover band with a few different sounds thrown in the mix. What are the essential effects? So far I have a tuner, TS808 overdrive, Crybaby wah, and a univibe. I'm thinking some kind of distortion/fuzz and a delay would be good to add.

 

[Space Jazzer]

I would add a versatile delay pedal. My all time favorite digital delay is the Strymon Timeline, but it's on the expensive side and you may end up paying for a lot of features you'll never use. For straight up live use I would probably go for a Boss DD7.

 

[topo morto]

What's your amp?

 

[phillybri]

For me, I must have a distortion and delay pedal. Everything else is icing...

 

[topo morto]

FWIW I agree on the delay I think whether you need any drives depends on your amp though - if it has a couple of channels then you may be sorted just with that.

 

[jordane93]

How about a chorus. You can get an MXR Analog Chorus for cheap and it sounds great

 

[broken_sound]

Being in a rock cover band, you can't go wrong with a RAT.

 

[TheoDog]

An essential rig needs clean, dirty (possibly boost), delay, and basic modulation.
My specific scenario also requires tremolo and reverb.

I choose univibe or phaser for my modulation.

 

[Ilduce]

If you're looking for a good affordable delay they have the Boss DD20 on sale at GC for around $150. Can't really beat it for the price. Imho

I'd also recommend a good flanger. The EHX neo mistress sounds great and at around $89 it won't kill your wallet.

 

[Jupiter Tarts]

Like many said, only thing I can think of as "essential" is your choice of drive, which of course come in many different flavors, and a delay pedal. If you're covering a sizable chunk of 80s and 90s rock, then chorus is a must. Maybe a phaser if you wanna do Van Halen leads.

I'm a big fan of the MXR Phase 90 script reissue and for chorus, I run a Catalinbread Callisto. I recommend trying out your chorus in person because I find a lot of them to sound cheesy.

 

[cantstoplt021]

I have a blues Jr. NOS Amp. I'm thinking delay and distortion are something I need before other things unless I can just get that through my amp and tube screamer convincingly?

 

[fr8_trane]

Tuner, MultiFX (delay, verb, and modulation), OD, boost, fuzz.

 

[Holzar1988]

For me, I must have a distortion and delay pedal. Everything else is icing...

That's about where I'm at, too. Although I'd add a chorus as well. Especially if doing any material from the '80s.

 

[9520575]

Buy a multi fx unit. Line 6 m series are good. Gives you everything you need

 

[cantstoplt021]

Are the multi fx pedals good? I've heard mixed reviews on them versus analog stuff

 

[ilyslue2]

Are the multi fx pedals good? I've heard mixed reviews on them versus analog stuff

No, for getting used to effects, and how to use them in a band, its important to be able to turn the knobs and listen. Very few multieffects has knobs for all parameters ready to turn. Usually you would have to go trough menus to get to them

As for the essentials, you have most bases covered, but you need a delay pedal. On the cheap, I recommend the Digitech Hardwire DL-8

 

[71strat]

Id get the Moog Minifooger Delay and the Roger Mayer Axis Fuzz. Budget withstanding.

 

[Nota]

For me, I must have a distortion and delay pedal. Everything else is icing...

Yep! And I don't use much icing either.

 

[myaudiodna]

So far I have a tuner, TS808 overdrive, Crybaby wah, and a univibe. I'm thinking some kind of distortion/fuzz and a delay would be good to add.

I have a blues Jr. NOS Amp. I'm thinking delay and distortion are something I need before other things unless I can just get that through my amp and tube screamer convincingly?

If you're doing rock covers, I think you're off to a very good start. If you like how your TS sounds as an OD, I'd say you just need to add a delay and a heavier distortion. It's fallen out of vogue a bit around here, but the Wampler Pinnacle is fantastic pedal for those higher gain sounds. It's more than tweakable enough to get beyond the standard Van Halen thing. For delay, I prefer analog so I'd go with a Carbon Copy if you want dark or a Vapor Trail if you want a little less dark.

 

[Torb]

I agree with a lot of the posts above. You seem to be pretty well set, but some kind of delay would be good. A Blues Jr+Tubescreamer should be able to supply most of the drive you would need.