Must-See! A Professional Opinion. A Serious Lesson on How to Choose/Check Effects Pedals!

I have a few thoughts on making my own effects pedal board.
However, I take pride in not having to buy pedals and make them myself because just thinking about collecting all the effects pedals that I need just makes my head start to spin.
Since I didn’t have a lot of time and energy left to write this article, I decided to choose some common products on the market this time.

So, I would like to talk about why each effects pedal is worth buying and share what to look for when purchasing one.
Please understand that the items I’m going to mention are not based solely by price or brand.

Chapter 1 Compressors

Compressors can be roughly divided into two types.
One is for sustain and the other is for controlling the level of attack on a single note.
In the past, comps were used for sustain, but nowadays, most comps are used to adjust the attack of the sound.
Most sustain-type comps, such as MXR's Dynacomp, use ICs such as CA3080 and LM13600.

In contrast, compressors using OP-AMPs and FETs, such as the Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer, are suitable for matching the level of attack.
There is also a compressor that uses a photo coupler, which is very effective but does not provide much sustain.

I wanted to have sustain, but I also wanted to have distortion, so I got an old Yamaha CO-01 compressor.
The attack nuance can be switched with a switch, and above all, the sound is very straightforward with little noise.

Chapter 2 Distortion

I don't have any distortion that I've found good on the market, so I'll pass on this one.
I use distortion of my own making.

But if you guys have a choice, you first have to choose between a gangly distortion or a halfway distorted overdrive.
My advice is that either one is fine, but as long as you get the fine nuances of vibrato, harmonics, etc. right when distorted. In this case, I would choose the lower amount of distortion.
In this case, the less distortion, the easier it is to express nuances, but there are nuances that can only be expressed when distorted, so I cannot say that overdrive is better in general.
I use a homemade distortion that I designed to accurately express sustain and harmonics, and to make the sound thicker.

Chapter 3: Delay

Here is the highlight of this blog.
This is my favorite effect, the digital delay.
Since the days of analog delays using BBD elements, I have tried many different types of delays, and finally settled on the Boss DD-3.

There are three main controls necessary for delays.

• Delay time
• Number of repeats
• Repeat volume

What do you think is the most important of these?
Surprisingly, it’s not the delay time, nor is it the number of repeats.
It’s actually the volume (attenuation) of the repeats.

This is why the Boss DD-3 is considered to be a masterpiece.
When you plug it in and play a sound, the original sound comes out first, followed by the second, third, and fourth sounds.
The Boss DD-3 is exquisite in the volume (decay) of the second, third, and fourth notes.
This makes it possible to have the best delay sound regardless of the delay time, whether it is short or long.
There are some delays that sound very beautiful, but I don't like the repeat decay, so I don't use any of them.

I have listed three major effects pedals.
If you have a chance to try them for yourself, please compare them.
I will continue in the next article.