5 of Our Favorite Guitar Pedals for 2016

Any serious Guitarist is always on the lookout for awesome new tech to help build and shape their own sound. Stompboxes have been a staple for performance Guitarists for years now, and that love shows no sign of slowing down in 2016…

The Guitar Pedal industry has been growing at a record rate over the past couple of years, which is great news for you if you’re a Guitarist looking for new tech to fill your pedalboard. As the list of potential pedals grows, we’ve been looking at some of the best options and most interesting options that will help make your music sound awesome.

New and exciting pedal options are always being released, and this is by no means an exhaustive list – just a good place to start. Our advice is to always keep your eyes peeled, and try to look past brand and aesthetic appeal; that way you’re sure to discover something new and exciting.

Source Audio Nemesis Delay

The eagerly anticipated Nemesis Delay by Source Audio is an awesome example of stereo delay pedals at their best, offering 12 separate and definite effect engines onboard and a further 12 via the Neuro App. These range from vintage tape all the way through to filter modulation and rhythmic delays, making for a pedal that allows a complex selection of delay effects. It’s also smaller than other competitors in its class. With 128 presets, stereo ins and outs, tap tempo, freeze and expression Control, full MIDI functionality and deep editing available via the Neuro App, this is certainly a delay pedal to contend with.

EarthQuaker Devices Avalanche Run

This is EarthQuaker Devices’ first attempt at utilising the high-powered DSP platform to provide a combined delay and reverb pedal. Because these are two effects that are often paired up at the end of a signal chain, it’s no wonder that they combine as a match made in heaven in Avalanche Run to make a truly great product. Unlike Dispatch Master, this pedal has a quality that is more tape-like and is adjustable to a deeper, plate-like cavernous tone. Features include tap tempo. Assignable expression control, auto oscillation by holding down the tap switch, reverse delay mode, swell delay and reverb mode and tails.true bypass modes.

Way Huge Overrated Special

The aptly named Overrated Special was made specifically for Joe Bonamassa, the Guitarist affiliated with a huge overdriven tone and uniquely primitive amp sound. It comes as no surprise then that this pedal will give you a bold and punchy and punchy sound with a pronounced midrange. Features include 500hz control for boosting or cutting lower end mids and tailoring your tone.

TC Electronic Ditto X4 Looper

Both the Ditto Looper and Ditto X2 Looper by TC Electronic have been incredibly successful, and the X4 looks to continue that trend. With 4 foot switches allowing you to create evolving and multi-track compositions or fully fledged songs, this is a pedal that could re-define twin loop looping. The first two pedals are full dedicated to loops 1 and 2, similar to having two Dittos side-by-side, while there are also dedicated switched to Stop and FX. The pedal offers 7 loop FX, offering a huge scope for creativity. Certainly a loop pedal to look out for.

Supro 1305 “Drive”

Many pedals have tried and failed to recreate the definitive sound of the classic Supro guitar amps. Now the Supro Drive has come perhaps the closest that we are going to get. Designed to emulate a Class-A Supro amp from end to end, this pedal includes a switchable rich to bold transformer that yields the same satisfying results that you would expect from an amp. Features include volume, tone and gain controls, and expression pedal control for Gain. Perfect if you’re searching for that classic Supro sound.