What should not be my first pedal?

[icecycle66]

A lot of people come to this board when they first get into effects for help identifying what pedal they should get first.

The usual response is something tame; such as a compressor, overdrive, or amp simulator.

Some really off the wall guys might recommend a reverb. *gasp*

But what effects and effect types should people stay away from as the first venture into the realm of signal alteration. Why?

 

[afiaowo]

But what effects and effect types should people stay away from as the first venture into the realm of signal alteration. Why?

All of them! Explore different techniques to alter your sound.

Otherwise, stay away from distortion. In my very opinionated opinion, distortion pedals make room for sloppy playing if turned up too high.

 

[neuman]

Fuzz -a universe of opportunity and sonic nirvana for some, a black hole of empty paypal accounts and crushed sonic dreams for others

 

[sowilson]

TC Electronics Chorus or a compressor would be my first choice. If you're looking for fun then a synthbass pedal is a blast and the Morley bass wah is great fun. As for distortion I like a tube in my preamp being driven by hot pickups, a pedal is generally too much unless mixed in lightly on a side-chain.

 

[nicopiano]

It depend of the music you like to play. But I would say that at least 90% of bass lines sound incredible with a good bass, a good amp and most importantly a good player.

IMO a reverb pedal would be useless in most cases. I never been a fan of reverb effect on bass unless you are playing some ballad fretless solo.

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

A bass whammy...

 

[Cyrus987987]

Synth. Awesome effect, bad first effect.

 

[Adamixoye]

I think the worst "first effect" would be the one that you don't understand. Whether it's compression, synth, pitchshifting, etc.

Other than that, there is no worst "first."

 

[Bassmike62]

Synth. Awesome effect, bad first effect.

+ 1

 

[johnk_10]

IMO, an MXR blue box would be my choice for NOT being a first pedal choice.

 

[JimmyM]

All of them! Explore different techniques to alter your sound.

Good thing you're in the effects forum.

Why questions like these always draw non-effects people to the effects forum, I will never know.

 

[Adamixoye]

+1

I will never understand what sort of HaTeRZ hang out in this forum, just waiting for the right moment to complain about effect.

Good thing you're in the effects forum.

Why questions like these always draw non-effects people to the effects forum, I will never know.

 

[Bassmike62]

Why questions like these always draw non-effects people to the effects forum, I will never know.

It's like they think they've inhabited by this great mission of converting the heathen.
I sorta like being part of the heathen.

 

[icecycle66]

A lot of people come to this board when they first get into effects for help identifying what pedal they should get first.

The usual response is something tame; such as a compressor, overdrive, or amp simulator.

Some really off the wall guys might recommend a reverb. *gasp*

But what effects and effect types should people stay away from as the first venture into the realm of signal alteration. Why?

__________________

 

[icecycle66]

IMO, an MXR blue box would be my choice for NOT being a first pedal choice.

That's actually the pedal that got me thinking of this. I was playing around iwth my clone think, "Man, this thing is awesome. But, I would have never gotten into effects if this was my first one."

 

[ArtechnikA]

But what effects and effect types should people stay away from as the first venture into the realm of signal alteration.

What makes a sound you don't like?
Don't buy that one...

 

[bkbirge]

A ring modulator is probably not the 1st effect needed. I still don't have one for bass though my modular synth has one.

I don't know that there are any right/wrong answers here. I was going to say you don't need a digital delay as a first effect either, but I remembered that was my first effect (an old digitech rackmount) and it took me in directions that were a lot of fun though mostly useless in a band context.

The real answer is your first pedal should not be anything that isn't a good tuner, but that's not fun.

Fun and 'effecty' but probably not good for 1st pedal? Maybe this...

 

[FretNoMore]

Kind of an odd question ... why spend energy thinking about things you should not do, sounds you don't want to make?

Isn't it more constructive to think about what you want to achieve, what you want to sound like, and go from there?

 

[icecycle66]

Kind of an odd question ... why spend energy thinking about things you should not do, sounds you don't want to make?

Isn't it more constructive to think about what you want to achieve, what you want to sound like, and go from there?

No.

 

[FretNoMore]

OK. In that case - there is no effect whatsoever that you absolutely should not buy - it totally depends on what music you play.