At first glance, the world of guitar effect stompboxes sounds pretty straightforward. You find the effect you want in a box and strap it to your pedal board. However, after about ten minutes of research, it becomes apparent that it is not nearly that simple. Dozens of well-respected brands with their well-respected lines vie for prominence in the customer’s eye. Where to begin? Well, why not with one of the most well-respected pedal manufacturers there is: TC Electronic.
TC Electronic’s guitar effect box line has such a vast and varying array of options, any guitarist could come close to filling their board with them exclusively. For the sake of organization, listed here is one of several options of each of six main effects: reverb, overdrive, distortion, delay, phaser and chorus.
Reverb
For that rich, rolling reverb effect, the Fluorescence Shimmer Reverb is a fantastic option for the guitarist. This effect can be worked with and altered to produce tones from a subtle after effect to a shimmering fade-out effect. And this pedal’s simple construction makes setup and use easy. Just an input and an output leaves no room for confusion, and the four compact knobs give ultimate control over sound while maintaining tone integrity. For the mobile musician, the Fluorescence Shimmer Reverb has all basis covered. Whether you need it on your pedal board, in a gig bag or just sitting on the floor in your bedroom, this box has you covered with either DC power or a 9 volt battery.
Overdrive
TC Electronic has a few options for overdrive effects pedals, but for that full, simple crunchy sound, the Cinders Overdrive pedal is the way to go. This pedal will funk up your tone perfectly for that simple droning progression or that soothing lead line you’ve just learned. For controls, the Cinders has three simple knobs with three simple functions: tone, volume and drive. And in its signature, tank-like construction, you will not have to worry about damaging your box on the road. Like the rest of its family, the Cinders can be powered with DC power or a 9V.
Distortion
Ah, that beautiful, mixed-up and ever-craved lead effect: distortion. TC Electronic’s Dark Matter distortion pedal will wow your audience with its power and range of tone options. The onboard controls can summon up sweet lead sounds or mind-blowing power chord tones to strengthen your mix. Powered by DC or a 9V battery. And if you desire a grungier, flatter tone, check out the Grand Magus overdrive pedal.
Delay
Few pedals can produce as many fascinating echoes as the TC Electronic Flashback 2 Delay pedal. This stompbox has 3 knobs for delay, level and feedback, plus a fourth for choosing delay type. But if the onboard sounds still don’t satisfy, check out the app TonePrint, a powerful addition to your rig that enables you to send custom made sounds directly to your TonePrint enabled pedal. This combination of features will provide more options then you can sift through. Powered by DC or a 9V battery.
Phaser
Looking to add that odd but powerful whaw sound to your tone? TC Electronic has you covered with the Blood Moon Phaser, a stunning phaser effect that adds an incredible in-out effect that will blend seamlessly with your playing, whether a bouncy riff or a slow and simple chord progression. Feedback, rate and depth can all be controlled from the three onboard knobs. Powered by DC or 9V battery.
Chorus
One of the more subtle guitar effects, chorus is nonetheless vital to your signal chain. And the Corona Chorus from TC Electronic is one of the best, able to create totally unique tones, or simply add a subtle effect to another one. And contained in the compact package is four vital effects controls: speed, depth, FX level and tone. Powered by DC or 9V battery. Still not compact enough for your setup? TC Electronic also offers the Corona Mini, a great option for the ultra-mobile guitarist.
Well, there you have it. TC Electronic can meet all your pedal effects needs with these and more. And if you’ve been persuaded one of these belongs in your rig, check out these Amazon listings.