Effects

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Effects pedals have played a vital role in shaping the sound of Classic Rock.

This is a list of some the pedals that I feel have made significant contributions. It is by no means exhaustive. Some of the pedals are listed because they appeared on significant recordings, some were important in the lineage & development of effects pedals, and some were just overwhelmingly popular!

I have indicated that some pedals are classics, but the truth is that they are all classics. To be honest, I have probably just drawn attention to my favourites.

Gain

60's BOOSTERS & FUZZ

Maestro FZ-1 Fuzz-Tone (1962)

Hear it on;

Rolling Stones - Satisfaction

George Harrison - What is Life

Sola Sound Tone Bender Mk 1 (1965)

Sola Sound Tone Bender Mk 1.5 (1966)

Sola Sound Tone Bender Professional Mk 2 (1966) (same circuit as Vox and Marshall Supa Fuzz)

Hear it on;

Yardbirds - Heart Full of Soul, Shapes of Things, Over Under Sideways Down

Beatles - Think for Yourself

David Bowie - Moonage Daydream

Jeff Beck - Beck's Bolero (Mk2)

T-Rex - 20th Century Boy (Mk2)

Dallas Rangemaster Treble Booster (1965)

Eric Clapton is rumoured to have used this on the Blues Breakers album, and Keith Richards is rumoured to have used one when recording Sympathy for the Devil.

Rory Gallagher and Brian May are probably the most well know users, with Brian using a germanium version up till 1977, and a silicon model afterwards.

Hear it on;

Black Sabbath - Electric Funeral

Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face - Germanium (1966)

Hear it on;

Jimi Hendrix - Foxy Lady (G)

Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face - Silicon (later)

Hear it on;

Pink Floyd - Time (S)

Pink Floyd - Money (S)

Hornby Skewes Treble Booster (1967)

Hear it on;

Deep Purple - In Rock

Deep Purple - Fireball

Deep Purple - Machine Head

Jethro Tull - Aqualung

Colorsound Powerboost (1968/9)

Hear it on;

Pink Floyd - Shine On You Crazy Diamond

Pink Floyd - Have a Cigar

Pink Floyd - Pigs

Pink Floyd - Sheep

EHX LPB-1 Power Booster (1968)

70's OVERDRIVE & DISTORTION

Big Muff Pi (1970)

Hear it on;

Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb (Ram's Head)

Pink Floyd - In the Flesh

Santana - Hope You're Feeling Better

Ronnie Montrose - Bad Motor Scooter

MXR M-104 Distortion + (1973)

Hear it on;

Ozzy Osbourne - Crazy Train

MXR M-133 Micro Amp (1974)

A popular boost pedal, used to get more volume on cleaner amps, or more gain on overdriven amps.

Boss OD-1 (1977)

Jeff Beck is believed to be an early adopter of this pedal. It is also one of the many pedals George Lynch used in the 80's to 'goose' the front of his amps.

Boss DS-1 (1978)

Another pedal that was popular in the 80's for 'pushing the signal' of an already overdriven amp, as used by Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, George Lynch, and Kurt Cobain of Nirvana.

Pro Co Rat (1978) (mass produced in 1979)

This is another pedal that was everywhere in the 80's. I have heard that both Jeff Beck and David Gilmour used it, as did Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, and Nuno Bettencourt from Extreme.

Ibanez TS808 Tubscreamer (1979)

One of the most iconic guitar pedals of all time, used by countless players. It is most associated with Stevie Ray Vaughan, but players such as Eric Johnson, George Lynch, Rory Gallagher, John Mayer, Gary Moore, and Adrian Smith have included it in their rigs.

Boss SD-1 (1981)

This is arguably the staple pedal of 80's hard rock. Before high gain amps existed, players would use this pedal to 'hit' their amps harder, which would provide more overdrive and sustain. The list of players who are believed to have used it are; Zakk Wylde, George Lynch, Eddie Van Halen, Neal Schon, Warren DeMartini, Robin Crosby, Richie Sambora, Adrian Vandenberg, Steve Vai, Reb Beach, Brad Whitford, Stevie Salas, and Bruce Kulick.

Ibanez TS9 (1982)

This updated Tube Screamer was used by Stevie Ray Vaughan, Gary Moore, Kirk Hammett, Greg Howe, and John Mayer.

EQUALISER (EQUALIZER)

Boss GE-6 (100hz - 3.2k)

The original EQ featured 6 bands, from 100hz up to 3.2k. Each band could be boosted or cut up to 15db.

MXR Six Band Graphic Equalizer

This MXR pedal featured the same bands as the Boss GE-6 (100hz - 3.2k), but boasted boost and cut of 18db.

Boss GE-7 (100 - 6.4)

This updated EQ pedal featured an additional treble band (6.4k) and a master volume, which allowed it to be used as a boost pedal.

Modulation (Phaser/Chorus/Flanger)

PHASER

Shin-ei Uni-Vibe (1968) (sold by Univox in USA)

Hear it on;

Pink Floyd - Breathe

Pink Floyd - Any Colour You Like

Jimi Hendrix - Machine Gun

Jimi Hendrix - The Star Spangled Banner

Robin Trower - Bridge of Sighs

Robin Trower - Day of the Eagle

Robin Trower - Too Rolling Stoned

MXR M-101 Phase 90 (1974)

Hear it on;

Van Halen - Eruption

Van Halen - Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love

Van Halen - Atomic Punk

Pink Floyd - Have a Cigar

Pink Floyd - Shine on you Crazy Diamond

I don't know for sure, but I have heard that the Phase 90 is the phaser used on Hotel California by the Eagles, and Number of the Beast by Iron Maiden. You can also hear Brian Robertson of Thin Lizzy using it.

EHX Small Stone Phaser (1974)

CHORUS

Boss CE-1 (1976)

Another classic pedal! Used by many artists, but probably most associated with Andy Summers of the Police, Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter of Steely Dan and the Doobie Brothers, and Brian May of Queen.

Boss CE-2 (1979)

Possibly the most commonly used/heard chorus pedal in the 1980's.

MXR Stereo Chorus (1980)

FLANGER

EHX Electric Mistress Flanger/Filter Matrix (1976)

Hear it on;

Police - Walking On the Moon

Pink Floyd - Run Like Hell

Pink Floyd - Dogs

Rush - Spirit of Radio

ADA Flanger (1977)

One of the 'big three' flangers, and can be heard on the most popular recordings of Pat Travers.

MXR M-117 Flanger (1979)

Hear it on;

Van Halen - Unchained

Van Halen - Hear About it Later

Van Halen - And the Cradle Will Rock

Although this pedal is most strongly associated with Eddie Van Halen, you can also hear Scott Gorham of Thin Lizzy using it .

Delay (Tape/Analog/Digital)

TAPE DELAY

Binson Echorec 2

David Gilmour of Pink Floyd used this delay extensively early on, before he moved to digital delay sounds on The Wall.

Maestro Echoplex EP-3 (1970)

Possibly the defining delay sound of Classic Rock in the 70's.

Used by many, many artists, most notably; Van Halen, Joe Walsh, Led Zeppelin, Tommy Bolin, Andy Summers, Eric Johnson, Pat Travers.

Hear it on;

Queen - Brighton Rock

Roland RE-201 Space Echo (1974)

This was another popular tape delay unit, but I'm not certain who used it. I suspect Brian Setzer and Pat Travers did, but I cannot confirm.

ANALOG DELAY

EHX Deluxe Memory Man (1976)

An important part of the sound of early 80's guitarists such as the Edge from U2, Andy Summers of the Police, and Robert Smith of the Cure.

Hear it on;

U2 - I Will Follow

MXR Analog Delay (1977)

Boss DM-1 Delay Machine (1978)

Boss DM-2 (1981)

Probably the most iconic analog delay of the 1980's, as used by Gary Moore, and Billy Duffy of the Cult.

Ibanez AD-9 (1982)

Possibly the 2nd most ubiquitous analog delay pedal of the 1980's.

DIGITAL DELAY

Boss DD-2 Digital Delay (1983)

The first compact digital delay pedal.

Filter (Wah/Auto Wah/Envelope Filter)

WAH

Vox Crybaby Wah (1967)

The original wah pedal!

Hear it on;

Cream - Tales of Brave Ulysses

Cream - White Room

Jimi Hendrix - Voodoo Child (Slight Return)

Jimi Hendrix - All Along the Watchtower

Dunlop Crybaby Wah (after Vox)

Vox did not trademark the Crybaby name, which allowed Dunlop to market their wah as a Crybaby also. In fact, I would say that Dunlop in now synonymous with the Crybaby name.

Michael Schenker, Kirk Hammett, and Slash are all big wah users!

Hear it on;

Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine

ENVELOPE FILTER / AUTO WAH

Musitronics Mu-Tron III (1973)

I think of Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead when I think of this effect.

MXR Envelope Filter (1976)

Boss TW-1 (1977)

Compressors

MXR Dyna Comp (1974)

A bonafide classic, which is just as popular with chicken pickin' country players, funk guitarists, and slide maestros such as Lowell George and Bonnie Raitt.

Hear it on;

Dire Straits - Sultans of Swing (although, I have also read that it was a Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer that was used).

Police - Walking on the Moon