Posted on

Best Guitar Effects Pedals For Rock

Fans at a rock show

The world of rock music is vast and exciting. As you explore your sound, you may wonder what the best guitar effects pedals for rock music are. You’ve come to the right place! Let’s go over our picks of some of the best guitar pedals for rock music so you can get rockin’!

Best Guitar Effects For Rock Music

First, let’s discuss what the best guitar effects for rock music are. There are many different guitar effects available. However, some come out ahead of others when it comes to rock music. Some of the most popular guitar effects are as follows:

  • Compression
  • Distortion
  • Overdrive
  • Reverb
  • Wah

Compression


Keeley KCOMPPLUS Compressor Plus Pedal
Keeley Compressor Plus

Compression is an often underrated effect that makes a big difference. These pedals are responsible for smoothing out the sound of your guitar, so if you strum too aggressively, you don’t get unwanted spikes in your volume. Not only that, but compression pedals also increase your tone’s sustain. Overall, this effect is crucial if you want a professional rock sound.

Best Compression Pedals

The Keeley Compressor Plus Pedal is one of the best compression pedals out there. With tone and blend controls, you have enormous sound-shaping potential. And this pedal adds a smooth, subtle effect to your playing for a truly polished and professional sound.

Distortion


Pro Co RAT2
Pro Co RAT2

Beloved by rock enthusiasts everywhere, distortion is one of the most guitar effects out there. This effect adds huge gain and sustains to your sound, which is especially important for heavier rock. Distortion dials in the perfect amount of gain – from mild overdrive to full-out fuzzy assault. No matter your play style, you’ll appreciate the effect distortion adds to your sound.

Best Distortion Pedals

There are many distortion pedals on the market today. Some of the best distortion pedals we love are as follows:

Overdrive


Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer Guitar Effects Pedal
Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer

Overdrive pedals imitate the sound of cranking your amp up and achieving a crackling effect. As you can imagine, this effect is beloved amongst rock enthusiasts for its unique and crunchy tone. Though this effect doesn’t massively alter your sound, it adds a delicious and distinctive flavour to your sound. For a truly classic rock ‘n’ roll tone, consider adding an overdrive pedal to your arsenal.

Best Overdrive Pedals

The Ibanez Tube Screamer is one of the most popular overdrive pedals used by guitarists worldwide. This line of pedals comes in several varieties, including:

Reverb


Electro-Harmonix Oceans 12
Electro-Harmonix Oceans 12

Reverb pedals add an echo effect to your sound that gives it tremendous depth. Think of it as though you’re playing in a large, empty room. If you think your music is lacking something, chances are it doesn’t have reverb. Most guitarists rely on reverb nearly all of the time since it gives you more presence.

Best Reverb Pedals

The Electro-Harmonix Oceans 12 Reverb Pedal is one of the best reverb pedals out there today. With twelve different reverb effects, ranging from vanilla reverbs to more spunky effects, you have access to every type of reverb you could want. And with different controls for each effect, you have vast tone-crafting capabilities.

Wah-Wah


Dunlop GCB-95F Cry Baby Classic Fasel Inductor Wah Guitar Effects Pedal
Dunlop GCB-95F Cry Baby

To achieve a classic rock sound, many guitarists turn to the wah effect. Famous users of this effect include Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Slash, and Stevie Ray Vaughn. This effect alters the tone and frequencies of the guitar signal to achieve the onomatopoeic “wah-wah” sound. Many consider this effect to be a staple for rock music and you can find this pedal on stages and in studios worldwide.

Best Wah-Wah Pedals

The Dunlop Crybaby is by far the most popular wah-wah pedal out there. The Crybaby comes in several flavours, but the original Dunlop GCB-95F Cry Baby Classic is your best bet for classic wah sound.


Get Ready To Rock

Hopefully, now, you have a better idea of what the best guitar pedals for rock music are. So pick a few up, plug into them, and get rockin’!

If you want to browse more guitar effects pedals, check out our entire range of pedals and find your sound.

Shop Guitar Pedals