YESFX!!!

February 25, 2009 11:12 AM

Where can I find some interesting effect pedals?

I'm bored by the more "traditional" selection of effect pedals from big-name makers such as Boss or Digitech, so I'm looking for some more interesting, lesser-known producers of effect pedals. I have a taste for noise and crunchy distortion and glitch and lo-fi but I also appreciate delays and spacey, ethereal sounds...in short, I'm open to anything.
I do have a DIY pedal somewhere in my closet but I haven't gotten the courage to try putting it together just yet, so I'm also open to resources related to building your own or modding pedals (I don't have any electronic experience so beginner stuff is best).

posted by god particle to media & arts (13 answers total)

You could Try Guitargeek. Just search for an artist you know has an interesting sound and it will show you what their rig looks like. For example. Then just search youtube or go to the pedal manufacturer's website to hear a sample.
posted by Midnight Rambler at 11:19 AM on February 25, 2009

I've heard good things about death by audio's pedals. Built in Brooklyn, made by the guy from A Place to Bury Strangers, they have some wild distortion and overdrive sounds, check out one of their songs.
posted by multivalent at 11:37 AM on February 25, 2009

Ok, I have a Sparkle Drive overdrive pedal I think is pretty cool. You can work in a clean channel all you want. Signal boost is a bit strong and I'm gonna need a volume pedal soon.

I've heard tons good about the Klon Centaur overdrive pedal. Some say its hyped. I've heard it in concert and I think it has a sweet sound. But there's a backlog, so you can't get one right away.
posted by Ironmouth at 11:51 AM on February 25, 2009

If you ever come up to NYC, check out the shops like Main Drag Music. They sell all kinds of a boutique pedals from death by audio, zvex, etc. and then you can try them before you buy them.
posted by jeb at 11:54 AM on February 25, 2009

Your question pretty much described the entire Electro-Harmonix line of effects. Check out their video demos here.
posted by The World Famous at 11:55 AM on February 25, 2009

Seconding Electro-Harmonix and, if you have the cash, Moogerfoogers.
posted by swordfishtrombones at 12:05 PM on February 25, 2009

noisefx has a pretty good selection of both mainstream and "designer" pedals. They're also relatively cheap.
posted by azarbayejani at 12:10 PM on February 25, 2009

Lovetone makes pedals that would be right up your alley.
posted by rhizome at 12:20 PM on February 25, 2009

Google "boutique pedals" and you will find what you seek.
posted by Aquaman at 1:32 PM on February 25, 2009

Check out noiseguide.com. Reviews and information on a wide variety of effect pedals focusing on whats useful for noise and other weird music endeavours.
posted by alikins at 3:05 PM on February 25, 2009

A friend of mine makes his own custom pedals and sells them under the brand Kilpatrick Audio.
posted by krunk at 4:10 PM on February 25, 2009 [1 favorite]

Please, please, please pull the kit out of the closet and make it. I can almost guarantee it's not that hard, unless you're doing something way out of your league. Come back to this one later.

But, when you're done, get another. Probably from these guys, or maybe these guys instead. Yeah, some of those pedals are commercially available, but when it comes to making a sound that's different...

Read this and start messing around. The worst thing you'll do by not knowing exactly what you're doing is frying $2 in parts from a cheap online electronics distributor. Let google be your guide. There are a ton of weird and neat things you can do, and seriously, it's not that hard.

Build one of these for approximately $12 in parts from mouser and pretend you're from the OTHER part of the 80's.

Or, for yet another part of the 80's, check out this guy which sounds pretty cool, and has the basic frameworks for doing things that are a LOT more up the glitch and lo-fi alley, in that way that makes you remember the time you spilled a can of Tab in your NES. I'm getting old. Send help.

The delay pedal up there? I just built one. It's super-badass with a good power supply, in that Ryan Moore kind of way.

Kill all the white men?
posted by onedarkride at 4:14 PM on February 25, 2009 [2 favorites]

Oh, and get a soldering iron, a spool of solid core wire, a cheapass multimeter, and some solder to start out with.

Good luck.
posted by onedarkride at 4:15 PM on February 25, 2009