[Latest for 2024] The 10 Best Effects Pedals for Guitar Beginners!

You've bought a guitar and all the accessories and amps.Okay, now what's the next thing you need to buy ......?

Yup, it’s an effects pedal!

The best part about playing a guitar is using effects pedals that can greatly change the tone of a guitar. However, for those who are just starting to play guitar, it's common to be unsure of which pedals to buy initially.

In this article, I would like to select and introduce 10 effects pedals that I recommend for guitar beginners!

When it comes to electric guitars, think rock. And when you think rock, you think of that intense guitar sound, right? When you want to play the so-called "distortion sound" that defines it. That's when distortion pedals come into play.

Here are some distortion pedals that I recommend for beginners!

Boss / DS-1 Distortion

Here's the DS-1 from the classic brand, Boss! Since its release in 1978, this distortion pedal has continued to be a bestseller, boasting long popularity.
The DS-1 offers a wide range of sounds, from sweet and mild drive tones to intense and hard distortion. Its versatility makes it suitable for various genres centered around rock music, making it a must-have pedal.
Famous musicians like Kurt Cobain of Nirvana and Eddie Van Halen both used it during their careers, and have spoken about its fantastic tone. Additionally, its affordability compared to other products makes it highly recommended for beginners.

↓Check out the actual sound here!↓

Boss / BD-2 Blues Driver Overdrive

Here is the BD-2 from the classic brand, Boss. This is an overdrive pedal, which is milder in distortion compared to your typical distortion pedals.
The BD-2 Blues Driver excels in a wide range of genres including blues, guitar rock, garage, and grunge. Its popularity stems from producing beautiful harmonics and a sharp attack when picking hard, and its ability to control from overdrive sounds to light, clean tones depending on the intensity of picking. Moreover, it offers a broad range of distortion adjustment, from clean boosts to intense overdrives, making it versatile across different styles of music. I highly recommend this one for beginners due to its ability to easily adjust the sound and match various genres seamlessly.

↓Check out the actual sound from here!↓

TC Electronic / MojoMojo Overdrive

Next up is the MojoMojo Overdrive from TC Electronic. This is also categorized as an overdrive effect pedal. One of its standout features is its 2-band active EQ, and it’s within an affordable price range! For those unfamiliar with effects pedals, this might sound confusing, but let me explain clearly. The 2-band active EQ refers to the Bass knob and Treble knob. With these two knobs, you can control the low and high frequencies, allowing for a wide range of tone shaping. Think of it as a basic equalizer function included in the pedal.Despite its cute name, the MojoMojo delivers a serious overdrive sound. It's recommended not only for beginners looking for their first effects pedal but also for effect pedal enthusiasts seeking an interesting overdrive pedal that provides versatile sound control.

↓Check out the actual sound here!↓

Rowin / LEF-315 Dumbler Overdrive

The final distortion pedal that I’m going show you is the Rowin LEF-315 Dumbler Overdrive. Its most striking feature is its incredibly low price! With a compact design that fits easily on an effect pedal board, it's particularly useful for beginners. In terms of sound, it features Volume, Voice, Tone, and Gain knobs, providing sufficient functionality to create a variety of distortion tones. One of its charms is its ability to express picking sound effectively. Even beginners using distortion for the first time will find it enjoyable to play. For the time being, if you’re just looking for something to distort the sound, I highly recommend the LEF-315 especially for beginners.

↓Check out the actual sound here!↓

Now, let's move away from distortion and explore the effect pedal known as modulation. Modulation effects are used to add depth and dimension to the sound. Among these, the most commonly used are Delay and Reverb. Delay pedals create echoes and similar effects by delaying the sound. Reverb pedals add reverberation,which simulates the sound of being in a hall or a bathroom. These effect pedals enhance the spatial quality of the sound and create a more immersive listening experience.

Effects Bakery / French Bread Delay Guitar Effects Pedal

First up is the Delay effect pedal, French Bread Delay from Effects Bakery which is known for its charming designs and great price points, this pedal has garnered support from guitarists. It features a warm delay sound that adds depth and spaciousness to guitar tones. Despite its compact size, it boasts excellent operability and visibility with its large knobs. This makes it useful even for beginners who are not yet accustomed to maneuvering effects pedals. Its illustrations are also adorable making it a pedal that you'll definitely want to have on your pedal board!

Behringer / VD400 Vintage Delay

Next, I'd like to introduce the Behringer VD400 Vintage Delay. This effects pedal can replicate analog delay and vintage slapback echo that’s beloved by numerous musicians.
The VD400boasts a warm sound that is characteristic of analog delay, and the high quality of its sound is truly impressive! Additionally, thanks to its noise reduction circuitry,the delay sound remarkably makes no noise. Despite offering such quality, perhaps the most astonishing aspect is its overwhelmingly low price. At such an excellent price, this pedal is highly recommended not only for beginners but also for advanced users.

↓Check out the actual sound from here!↓

TC Electronic / Skysurfer Reverb

Next, I would like to introduce an effects pedal categorized under "modulation effects," specifically known as "reverb," which adds spatial depth to sound. Among these, TC Electronic’s Skysurfer Reverb is designed to add a reverb effect to your sound.

The Skysurfer Reverb features a switch that allows you to choose from three types of reverb, offering options from natural room ambiance to ethereal echoes, enhancing your sound significantly! The control panel includes Reverb, Mix, and Tone knobs, keeping it simple and intuitive for adjustments, which is useful for beginners.
While distortion pedals, the one I mentioned earlier, are primarily geared towards rock players, this reverb pedal is recommended for anyone playing guitar across various genres! Additionally, its relatively affordable price is also appealing.

↓Check out the actual sound here!↓

Boss / RV-6 Reverb

Here's another reverb effects pedal that I want to introduce! Here’s Boss's RV-6.
This pedal is now considered to be a classic reverb effects unit! It features 8 different reverb modes, allowing for a wide range of sound creation. The sound quality is exceptional, boasting clear and transparent reverberations packed with Boss's meticulous attention to detail. Compared to other reverb pedals in the same price range, the RV-6 stands out with its high-level performance.
It also includes an expression pedal function, which allows you to control the reverb effect at your feet. This makes it a versatile tool for guitarists who are more familiar with their electric guitars and want to use reverb more freely. From beginners to advanced players, this reverb effects pedal is sure to be a valuable asset for all guitarists!

↓Check out the actual sound here!↓

Finally, I'll introduce two essential items for guitar playing: the tuner, which is indispensable for tuning, and the type of effects pedal known as "multi-effects," which integrates various effects into a single unit.

TC Electronic/ Polytune 3 Polyphonic Tuner

First, let me introduce this tuner! Here’s the Polytune 3 Polyphonic Tuner by Polytune.
This is a product that can be thought of as a standard tuner nowadays! It features a high-visibility display with 109 high-brightness LEDs and an ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts the display brightness according to the environment. That makes it comfortable to use even in dimly lit conditions. It comes equipped with three tuning modes, allowing tuning settings tailored to your needs. One of these modes, the Polyphonic Tuning mode, enables you to tune all strings simultaneously, which saves time by strumming all open strings and tuning them all at once!I highly recommend this one not only as the first tuner for beginners but also for professionals and experts in the field!

Boss / GT-1 Multi-Effects Processor

My final recommended product is the GT-1 Multi-Effects Processor by Boss!
The GT-1 incorporates Boss's top-notch sound engine packed into a compact and cost-saving unit. It can be powered not only with an adapter but also with four alkaline AA batteries, allowing approximately 7 hours of continuous use, making it perfect for street performances. It features functions tailored for beginner players, such as Easy Select for searching patches based on music genres and Easy Edit for intuitive sound adjustment. This makes it ideal for first-time users of multi-effects processors!
You can also add footswitches and an expression pedal, ensuring it accommodates more advanced uses when you feel like exploring further options. Whether you prefer the compact size or want to delve into various effects with a multi-effects processor, this unit is highly recommended for players who want to experiment and expand their musical capabilities!

↓Check out the actual sound here!↓

How was that? There are even more different kinds of guitar effects pedals available beyond just the ones that were mentioned. Some may find themselves diving deep into the gear swamp in pursuit of their ideal sound. Be sure to check out other effects pedal products at Sound House as well!