The Top 5 Blues Guitar Pedals You Must Own

The legendary green pedal. Used by SRV, Eric Johnson, Gary Moore, John Mayer, Joe Bonamassa & Philip Sayce…the list is endless. This green overdrive machine has earned its status as legend and icon in the world of guitar pedals. Whether it be the 808, TS9 or TS10, the Tubescreamer is going to give you that quintessential “mid-boost.” This pedal’s ability to help your signal push through a mix, either on stage or a recording is what really makes it such a historical “go to” pedal. Not only that, it’s super dynamic which helps this pedal really shine as a Blues players weapon of choice. Also, due to being so dynamic, it’s also really versatile and will shine whether you’re playing a Strat with a clean Fender style amp à la SRV; or a Les Paul plugged into a Marshall à la Gary Moore.

This pedal is also going to double up great as a boost too! Just turn the gain all the down and the volume all the way up for a clean/edge of breakup lift, or put it in front of your favourite amp to add a little extra life and of course; that mid-range hump. It’s a classic for a reason - it sounds great, it’s easy to use and super versatile. They even make a mini version for less than 100 big ones! It was the first guitar pedal I and I’m sure many others ever owned.

Since its birth in 1966, the Fuzz Face has been at the forefront of guitar driven music, helping those in search for an expansion to their overdriven amp sounds achieve new ground. Immortalised by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page & Keith Richards, whether it be the Germanium or Silicone transistor variety; the Fuzz Face was and still is celebrated for bending the tone of the electric guitar. Both versions are great but for very different reasons and at the end of the day, it all comes down to preference.

Fuzz pedals with germanium transistors usually feel and respond more like an amp - they’re warmer and well rounded with some adding the mid range boost of an overdrive. They’re also more touch/feel sensitive and respond so when using the guitar’s volume and boost knobs, providing the glassy “clean-up” sounds associated with Hendrix and SRV. Roll that baby all the way up though and you’re going to have a thick, powerful and smooth sound, ready to unleash fury upon the souls brave enough to stand in front of your amp. It can feel like your volume control is now a gain control for an amp, ranging from clean, to overdriven, to about to explode; making this a very versatile addition to your pedal collection.

Where as their silicon counterparts usually offer more treble and top end bite, making them great at cutting through other instruments in a live band scenario. Whilst they have more gain capabilities the overall EQ of this transistor is going give you a thinner overall sound and won’t interact as harmoniously with your volume knob. They sound a little more broken, glitchy and ‘fizzy,’ making them a quick and effective solution if you’re looking to reach those kind of classic Hendrix or more modern Gary Clark Jr like-tones.

Ultimately though, this is all going to depend on what guitar you’re using, due to the responsiveness to different pickups with both transistor variations. Try them both with your own guitar and see what works best for you. Heck, with the mini variations being so cheap you might just end up with both!

Often one of the most misunderstood and misused effects, reverb is the sound of space. Simply put, it gives our guitar sound context. The nature of this reverb (context) and the rate at which it decays is determined by the size and shape of the space you’re trying to replicate. For example, making a loud sound in a small room is going to sound very different to the reflections produced by that of a cathedral. This can have a huge effect on how that sound is perceived, which makes reverb an absolute must for creating and recreating the moody or lively tones we associate with the genre.

The different types of space, are where the ambient waters of this effect can become a little hard to navigate. If your amp has reverb, it’s more than likely going to be a plate or a spring sounding reverb. Though, you’re probably only going to be able to control the amount of reverb signal blended in conjunction with your guitar signal and not able to manipulate the type of or details of that space.

A reverb pedal can help you not only find the sound you’re looking for but provide a better understanding of how to consistently achieve sounds with ease. Being able to choose between the lively and natural sound of a spring reverb and the vast, haunting reflections of a church at the turning of a knob is a tonal secret weapon. TC’s Hall of Fame is a great sounding entrance point to the world of reverb, allowing for just enough accessibility to the manipulation of the effect. With the addition of their Tone Print technology, you can choose from a list of different and described reverbs, taking away the guess work for those looking for results fast.

I know what you’re thinking, delay isn’t really an effect heavily used by Blues guitarists. Well, the likes of Robben Ford, Matt Schofield and Josh Smith would argue otherwise. Whilst it can definitely add to the moodiness of a reverb laden solo on a guitar ballad; it can also act as the perfect companion to the spring reverb associated with old amplifiers. The ‘slap back’ sound can really add that extra dimension that takes a good Blues sound to a ‘wow’ Blues sound.

Let’s talk for a second about what delay actually does - simply put, it thickens up our sound as there is literally more of the sound we created due to the delay repeats. This is what makes delay’s marriage with reverb so important. They’re both natural occurring effects and interact with one another. For example, if you shouted into a large space, you’re going to get the natural continuation of that sound (reverb), as well as the echo or repeat (delay) that naturally occurs alongside it. Learning to manipulate this natural marriage opens huge tonal doors and is something every aspiring guitar player should flirt with, regardless of genre.

For me, I prefer a darker, more natural sounding analogue reverb which makes the MXR Carbon Copy my pick for a budget friendly and simple to use Swiss army knife.

The Wah-Wah pedal - created as an emulator of the muted Trumpet and transforming into one of the most recognisable guitar effects in history. This effect will help you add vocal like qualities to your phrasing, as well as when paired with generous helpings of gain; mind boggling cries from the outer realms.

Used famously by Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, SRV and just about everyone else, the wah-wah is almost as iconic as the electric guitar itself. It’s a simple effect has really changed the entire expression of solos for decades at the kick of a switch, making phrasing sound more dynamic and interesting.

In addition it has gave birth to some of the most iconic guitar riffs in history and its for these reasons why every Blues guitarist should own and use one. The Vox V845/V845 are going to get you close to the sounds of the original Vox wahs used by the greats of the 60s and 70s at a wallet friendly price point. Guaranteed ‘plug-in and play” hours of fun.