Simple Pedals for Everyone!

Nick Loux here, dropping some guitar pedal knowledge, specifically to answer the question: are simple pedals better? Since the dawn of time, we have been trying to figure out whether more features on a pedal equals more value. It sounds like a simple solution. If bigger is better, then by the same logic more features must make a better guitar pedal, right?

...Not necessarily.

Before I was even able to play a G chord, I remember watching my dad's pedalboards fluctuate back and forth between really huge and elaborate boards with crazy digital pedals back to smaller, simpler rigs. Honestly, the experience kind of gave me guitar pedal PTSD, which is why I lean towards more simple pedals.

In this article, I want to share some of my favorite pedals that get the job done with no fuss. They always sound good, they don't leave you hanging, and you don’t need an instruction manual the size of War and Peace to figure them out. It’s a win-win.

ProCo Rat Distortion

The first pedal I want to share with you is the ProCo Rat, because it’s a freakin’ classic.

The ProCo Rat is a distortion that has been on roughly ten million albums, and it currently holds a place on thousands of pedalboards the world over. And it's dirt simple. I told you this was a win-win. The distortion knob gives you less or more distortion, the filter knob changes the tone, and the volume knob changes the volume. It's so easy that it’s honestly hard to mess up. I even like using this on drums. It is super, super reliable.

If you need distortion, this is the way to go. You can't fail.**

**I’m aware that saying this is tempting fate in a big way, so if you see a news article about a Kansas City drummer who was rushed to the ER when his ProCo Rat spontaneously combusted, at least you know why.

Electro-Harmonix Pitchfork

The Pitchfork is a really cool octave pedal that allows you to ramp into your octaves by pushing a button. The Electro-Harmonix Pitchfork does it all. It makes big promises and it delivers. If you’re looking for something that’ll spark some creative ideas, and doesn’t require a degree in ancient languages to figure out how it works...this pedal is for you.

Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer

If you haven't heard of the TS9, it means you were born yesterday, so I’m going to suggest you take a break from reading this article (though I’m impressed that you learned to read this quickly) and take a nap instead.

Everyone else knows what I’m talking about. The TS9 Tube Screamer screams your tubes and it takes your dumb, boring, dry signal, and just makes it better. There's nothing to argue about, although some people argue that there are versions of this that sound better. I’ll be honest, 1.) I don’t have time to unpack that question, and 2.) I don’t really care.

Walrus Audio Julia Chorus/Vibrato

The Walrus Audio Julia Chorus/Vibrato is also super simple. It has a rate knob, depth knob, and lag knob. The lag knob is actually a pretty cool feature. It basically changes the delay of the chorus making a “thicker” sounding chorus. You can also change the waveform, which honestly opens up a whole universe of possibilities sound-wise.

TLDR, the Walrus Audio Julia Chorus/Vibrato is a fantastic pedal.

Electro-Harmonix Nano Big Muff

For this next pedal, I'm going to keep it even more simple: Electro-Harmonix Nano Big Muff.

I know what you're already thinking, “Is the Nano Big Muff as good as the original? Are the chips and transistors the same quality? Well?”

Short answer: Who cares? This pedal is going to get the job done. Don't worry about all the complicated inner workings of this pedal. All you have to know is that this is the only pedal you need to make quality zombie vampire rock. Honestly, I’m not sure you could ask more from a pedal.

JHS Bonsai Distortion & JHS Tidewater Tremolo

I know Josh typically doesn’t plug JHS pedals in these articles, but I’m doing things a little differently today. In fact, I'm going to plug two pieces of JHS gear, just because I can: the Bonsai 9 in 1 overdrive and the Tidewater Tremolo.

The Tidewater is super simple. For knobs, you’ve got volume, mix, and speed. There’s no tap tempo, which is honestly fine. You don't need tap tempo. We're not trying to make math. We're trying to make music.

The Bonsai is deceptively simple. Yes, it features nine different versions of the classic Tube Screamer circuit, but the knob couldn’t be simpler to use. If you want to use the OD-1 mode, just flip the knob to it. You want an 808 mode? It’s right at your fingertips, right next to the TS9, MSL, TS7, and TS10 modes. This may be the last Tube Screamer you’ll ever have to buy, unless you just want a ton of Tube Screamers on your pedalboard. If so, more power to you.

Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail Reverb

Lastly, let’s take a look at the Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail. This is a really simple, easy-to-use reverb. It literally has one knob that says reverb, and when you turn it up, it adds more reverb. That's how it works. Can’t get simpler than that, honestly.

This pedal technically has three settings: spring, hall, and flerb, but I would argue actually you only have two settings, because no one ever uses the flerb setting. Spring and hall are fantastic, though. This has been on a tons of pedalboards, and for good reason: it’s insanely versatile and super useful. I use it all the time, because it's an awesome reverb.

So, we’ve looked at the evidence. We’ve made our conclusions. Are simpler pedals better? Honestly, I think it's subjective. There are times where I really like playing around with heavy feature set pedals, but I don't think that the value of a pedal lies in how many knobs it has or how few knobs it has. In my humble opinion, the biggest factor is how creative it allows you to be. Freedom to be creative is the most important thing, and if your gear allows you to get your ideas out and try something new, then it's a good pedal.

Don’t overthink it. If it sounds good and it’s fun to play, it’s a quality pedal.