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Pedals & Effects

guitars, ukuleles, and folk: guitar pedals

Shop guitar effects pedals at West Music

Alter the sound of guitars with the pedals and effect tools available at West Music. Whether you’re buying for lessons, the studio, or private use, our collection of products has you covered. Find pedals including distortion, boost, flanger, compressor, loop, and chorus, as well as various types made specifically for a genre of music. From heavy metal to blues, no matter what you play there’s products to enhance the sound and produce the effects you’re looking for. We also offer a wide variety of accessories like pedal boards, bags, wires, and adaptors, so you can find everything you need to start rocking all in one place.

Available from trusted brands including Boss, Gator Cases, MXR, and Fender, you can trust in the quality of the pedals and effect tools from West Music. We strive to bring you the best products at prices that work with your budget.

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If you cannot view the products in this category, PLEASE CLICK HERE

Your network or browser security settings may be blocking the products from loading (to confirm, try opening this page on your phone's cellular network).

Please try the following options to proceed with your order:

1. To place your order over the phone, call us Monday-Friday, 9am - 5pm CST at 1-800-397-9378.

2. Shop via a different browser or network connection (i.e. on your phone or with a different Wi-Fi network).

3. Contact your IT team to ask them to whitelist js.klevu.com.

4. You can also click here to access our digital catalog. Use the search at the top of the Catalog screen to find a product, click a link to navigate the product detail page (product pages will load normally), and add it to your cart. You can also navigate directly to product pages by adding a 6-digit item number (i.e. "400278") to the end of our URL (i.e. Westmusic.com/400278).

Electric Guitar Pedals and Effects

In the dynamic world of electric guitar music, pedals, and effects play a crucial role in defining and refining an artist's sound. From the subtle warmth of overdrive to the intricate layers of a loop station, the right combination of pedals can transform a simple riff into a sonic masterpiece. This guide dives into the heart of guitar effects, exploring the essential pedals that every guitarist should consider for their pedalboard, including the loop station, preamp pedal, distortion pedal, overdrive pedal, and the iconic Boss pedal.

Loop Station: Expanding Solo Performance

A loop station is an indispensable tool for solo performers, songwriters, and experimental musicians. A loop station can multiply a single musician's output by allowing artists to record and playback loops in real time, create intricate arrangements, or build a whole backing track live on stage. This pedal encourages creativity and exploration, making it possible to layer melodies, harmonies, and rhythms, effectively becoming a one-person band.

Preamp Pedal: Shaping Your Tone

A preamp pedal is the cornerstone of a guitarist's tone, shaping the raw signal before it reaches the amplifier. These pedals can add warmth, clarity, and definition and are particularly useful for tailoring the guitar's sound to suit different genres and venues. With the ability to control gain and EQ and sometimes even simulate other amplifier models, a preamp pedal is a powerful tool for achieving your ideal sound, whether on stage or in the studio.

Distortion Pedal: Adding Grit and Sustain

Distortion pedals are the heart of rock, metal, and blues, offering the grit and sustain that define these genres. By clipping the guitar's signal, distortion pedals create a rich, aggressive tone ranging from mild, warm overdrive to a full-blown, high-gain roar. Experimenting with different distortion pedals can help you find the perfect amount of edge and character for your music, making it an essential element of your effects arsenal.

Overdrive Pedal: Simulating Tube Amp Breakup

Overdrive pedals simulate the natural breakup of a tube amplifier pushed to its limits, delivering a warm and dynamic sound. Unlike distortion pedals, overdrive offers a more subtle effect, enhancing the natural characteristics of your guitar and playing style. This makes overdrive pedals incredibly versatile, suitable for everything from blues and jazz to rock and country. Pairing an overdrive pedal with a clean amp setting can achieve the coveted "cranked amp" tone at manageable volumes.

Boss Pedals: Quality and Innovation

One great brand to consider, Boss pedals are synonymous with quality, durability, and innovation in guitar effects. Known for their wide range of effects, from the classic DS-1 Distortion to the revolutionary RC Loop Stations, Boss pedals have shaped the sound of countless musicians. The iconic compact design, silent switching, and robust construction make Boss pedals reliable for guitarists looking to expand their sonic palette.

Pedalboard: Organizing Your Effects

To keep everything neat, a pedalboard is more than just a convenient way to transport your pedals; it's the command center for your live and studio sound. By arranging your pedals on a pedalboard, you can create a seamless signal flow, making it easy to switch between different effects and settings mid-performance. A well-organized pedalboard also ensures that each pedal is powered correctly and set up for optimal noise reduction, keeping your sound clean and your transitions smooth.

Exploring Pedals: A Journey in Sound

Exploring pedals and effects is a journey into the heart of what makes electric guitar music so expressive and diverse. Whether crafting the perfect acoustic ambiance with a coffee shop pedal, layering intricate loops with a loop station, shaping your tone with a preamp pedal, or driving your sound with distortion and overdrive, the proper effects can elevate your music to new heights. As you build your pedalboard, consider how each pedal interacts with the others and your guitar and amp, creating a unique sound that's all your own.