If I’m going to not be using pedals, then a high gain amp like a Marshall is always a good choice. If I’m going to be running pedals, then I prefer amps voiced clean (like Fender Deluxe or Vox AC30s). Great sound is the first and foremost requirement for me. These strings have served me well for years and for many years to come. I cannot live without d’addario nyxl strings. The talkbox is my favorite, even though I use it the least.ģ. All three pedals help me stand out on stage in any situation. My wah pedal (Dunlop slash wah), my digitech whammy, and my talkbox. This is really important given that I play a multitude of stylesĢ. I recently started using the victory countess which has a beautiful blend of British gain and American sounding cleans. It stops the pedalboard tap dance and allows very creative routing of effects. I use a BOSS ES-8 as a MIDI controller and pedal loop switcher, and all my band’s songs are programmed on it. They have the best sound muff fuzzes and tone bender type recreations.ģ. Some of the best recreations of old pedals are made by a company called Basic Audio. Z Z-Drive, and basically anything Strymon makes. Other pedals that have impressed me are the Friedman BE OD, the Dr. My favorite pedal of all time is the Earthquaker Devices Hoof. I’m mostly into single-channel amps with no master volume, so the nicer the clean sound, the better. I look for a really nice clean sound, as to layer effects on. I recently switched to using 11 – 50s from Stringjoy on all my guitars, and I love the tension and tonal balance I get from them. I’ve even grown to love clip-on tuners for playing around the house because they’re getting more and more accurate.Ī good set of strings can make a world of difference too. My favorite guitar accessory is obviously a tuner! Hearing even tiny problems in tuning and intonation bugs me, especially if I’m playing in an open tuning. The Red Panda Tensor, Chase Bliss Audio Thermae, Deep Space Devices Radio Bright, and Empress ZOIA are a few that have really done that for me.ģ. I also gravitate towards pedals that inspire new creativity from you, almost like you are collaborating with them. The Electrofoods Lil’ Pig, Smallsound/Bigsound Mini, and Electronic Audio Experiments Dude Incredible, and Death By Audio Fuzz War are a few favorites. I love fuzz because there can be so much variety between them. I’ve found that I prefer the slight mid push in British-voiced amps like the VOX AC-15, but I also keep an American-voiced amp and a good vintage transistor amp around for some variety.Ģ. This means I’m typically looking for the right power and headroom in an amp so I can find that sweet spot, either for playing live or practicing at home. I am a big fan of playing an amp right on the edge of breakup, where lowering your guitar’s volume or turning on a boost pedal can totally transform the character of your sound. We received a variety of answers that you can read below. What guitar accessories can’t you live without? What features do you look for when choosing an amplifier?ģ. To help you decide what amplifiers and guitar accessories you should purchase, we asked Minuca Elena to reach out to 45 guitar players and we asked them the following three questions:ġ. There are just too many factors to take into consideration, like price, quality, specific features, durability, etc.
There are so many options on the market, each claiming to be the best, that making the right choice becomes almost impossible. It can be difficult to identify what are the best amplifiers and guitar accessories, even for people that love to play the guitar.