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What’s the First Pedal a Guitarist Should Buy? (And the Best Order to Build Your Ultimate Pedalboard)

Whether you’re new to electric guitar or finally diving into the world of effects, the first pedal you choose can make a huge impact—not just on your tone, but on your journey as a player. So where do you start? And what’s the best order to expand your pedalboard from there?

Let’s break it down.

The First Pedal: Start with an Overdrive or Distortion Pedal

If you’re building your very first pedalboard, the best place to start is usually an overdrive or distortion pedal.

Why?

Because distortion defines the voice of your guitar more than almost anything else. Whether you’re into blues, punk, metal, or indie rock, some kind of gain pedal is almost essential.

  • Overdrive gives your tone a natural, amp-like crunch—perfect for blues, classic rock, or a gritty rhythm tone.

  • Distortion is more aggressive, with more saturation and compression—ideal for hard rock and metal.

  • Fuzz is raw and vintage-sounding, great for psychedelic and alternative tones.

Popular Starter Picks:

Then What? The Ideal Pedal Order for Building a Killer Board

Once you’ve got your core gain pedal, you can start building a board that reflects your sound and style. Here’s a classic and practical order to buy and place your pedals:

Tuner Pedal (Yes, really)

A tuner pedal isn’t flashy, but it’s mission-critical. It keeps you in tune silently and instantly. Put it first in your chain so it hears your clean signal.

Top pick: D’Addario Chromatic Tuner Pedal

2. Wah or Envelope Filter (Optional but fun)

If you’re into funk, classic rock, or expressive lead tones, a wah pedal or auto-wah can be your next move. These go early in the chain to respond directly to your picking dynamics.

Top pick: Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

3. Overdrive / Distortion / Fuzz

If your first pedal was an overdrive, now you might want to add a distortion or fuzz to stack and create different levels of gain.

Tip: Stack pedals by placing low-gain first, high-gain later for versatility.

4. Modulation Effects (Chorus, Phaser, Flanger)

Once you’ve dialed in your core tone, modulation adds movement and texture.

  • Chorus – Think ’80s shimmer or subtle doubling.

  • Phaser – Swirling, spacey sweep (EVH vibes).

  • Flanger – Jet-like whooshing tones.

Top pick: MXR Phase 90 or MXR Analog Chorus

5. Delay

Delay is a cornerstone effect for lead guitar, ambient textures, or rhythmic playing.

Top pick: MXR Carbon Copy, Dunlop Echoplex, Strymon Timeline (for big budgets)

6. Reverb

Reverb gives your tone space and depth, whether it’s springy surf reverb or lush ambient washes. Many amps have reverb, but a pedal gives you more control.

Top pick: Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail, SurfyBear Reverb, Styrmon BlueSky

Bonus Pedals for Ultimate Flexibility

Once your essentials are covered, consider adding:

  • Compressor – Smooth out dynamics and add sustain.

  • EQ Pedal – Fine-tune your tone or shape different guitars.

  • Looper – Practice, perform, and layer sounds live.

  • Volume Pedal – Control swells and level transitions.

Pro Pedalboard Tips

  • Power Supply Matters: Ditch daisy chains early and invest in an isolated power supply (like Truetone).

  • Signal Chain Matters: The order above is a guide, but trust your ears—experiment!

  • Pedalboard Brands to Try: Pedaltrain, Temple Audio, and MONO all make excellent boards depending on your size and portability needs.

Build YOUR Sound

There’s no “one-size-fits-all” pedalboard. Start with what inspires you and build from there. You don’t need 12 pedals to make music—you need a few good ones that serve your tone and style.

If you’re overwhelmed, contact us. The right first pedal can be the gateway to a lifelong obsession (ask us how we know).