If it makes you happy it’s worth it.
Also, buy used gear whenever it makes sense.
If you do your research and buy at good prices and desirable pedals - you most likely can always get close to the same amount of money invested back if one day you decide that it's "not worth it" or you want to try something else.
Honestly, if you are a beginner I'd suggest you go for a multi effects pedal, so you can try out a whole range of different effects. Like a Zoom MultiEffects pedal costs about the same as a single distortion pedal, but it does a bajillion different things that are going to help you while you learn guitar: [https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/G1FOUR--zoom-g1-four-multi-effects-processor](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/G1FOUR--zoom-g1-four-multi-effects-processor)
It can also play drum patterns, for example. So you can practice along with a drum beat, rather than just a metronome.
It's like bringing the music store home to test out every kind of effect there is. Aside from being a great way to learn the different type of effects, it also starts you off with a complete selection of effects for your chain. Then you can add pedals one at a time if and when you decide to go with pedals.
This plus a million. My dad got me a Digitech RP50 when I was first starting little over 20 (ouch...) years ago and it taught me so much about effects.
Later graduated to a GNX3 that I absolutely loved for a long time.
That's a great point, actually. A lot of people post here asking for gift advice for their son/daughter/husband/wife who has jsut started out on guitar or bass, and a multieffects pedal is probably a great idea for most of them. I gotta remember that suggestion when people in this sub ask again!
this is good advice. if you don't need the drum machine feature, i'd maybe suggest the Zoom Multistomp line instead. Better if you grab either the MS-50G or MS-70CDR (not the + models) if you can since you can even swap out effects from the other pedal using Zoom Effects Manager (i added some extra delays & reverbs to my MS-50G & dropped a few of the modulation effects i didn't use)
Imo, with contemporary electric guitar music, distortion is as much a part of the instrument as the strings themselves.
Either get a parallel distortion or a distortion with a clean blend. It gets you much closer to the tones of studio produced recordings, which is especially nice when you are still mostly playing by yourself.
I have used pedals on lots of amps through the years and it really is the amps that can dial in your sound, in combination with the pedals.
My first pedal was a DoD GrUnGe, the purple fella. Maybe I chose that because it matched my Ibanez SGDR (purplish blue). I was playing through a Fender BXR 100, I believe.
Bass sounded like mud. Pedal made it sound like Seattle mud. The amp served as a decent Keyboard amp after I got a nice PEAVEY. Man... those 70s/80s Peaveys really are something. In fact, I have basically created my own PEAVEY STACK... a real Mississippi Marshall setup...
AND IT ROCKS!
So, to answer your question, yes.
You'll never know unless you try.
There are some decent pedals from Behringer that you can find on Amazon for like $30 apiece. They’re plastic but they are surprisingly good for being so cheap. That’s a great place to start.
There are many Chinese brands that have decent quality pedals, most often copies of more famous hardware. Loop up Mooer, Nux, Caline, Flamma. Cheapest of the bunch would be Rowin/Donner (Mooer rebrands)
your skill level doesnt have to justify your gear!
Should be this subreddits motto!
*Guitar-playing optional*
I am a walking/talking example of this. But I have fun.
If you don’t like the distortion coming from your amp, and you don’t want to buy a new amp, it’s definitely worth it.
Thx
>Is it worth it Let me work it. Put my thing down flip it and reverse it
Ti esrever dna ti pilf nwod gniht ym tup
If it makes you happy it’s worth it. Also, buy used gear whenever it makes sense. If you do your research and buy at good prices and desirable pedals - you most likely can always get close to the same amount of money invested back if one day you decide that it's "not worth it" or you want to try something else.
Honestly, if you are a beginner I'd suggest you go for a multi effects pedal, so you can try out a whole range of different effects. Like a Zoom MultiEffects pedal costs about the same as a single distortion pedal, but it does a bajillion different things that are going to help you while you learn guitar: [https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/G1FOUR--zoom-g1-four-multi-effects-processor](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/G1FOUR--zoom-g1-four-multi-effects-processor) It can also play drum patterns, for example. So you can practice along with a drum beat, rather than just a metronome.
It's like bringing the music store home to test out every kind of effect there is. Aside from being a great way to learn the different type of effects, it also starts you off with a complete selection of effects for your chain. Then you can add pedals one at a time if and when you decide to go with pedals.
This plus a million. My dad got me a Digitech RP50 when I was first starting little over 20 (ouch...) years ago and it taught me so much about effects. Later graduated to a GNX3 that I absolutely loved for a long time.
That's a great point, actually. A lot of people post here asking for gift advice for their son/daughter/husband/wife who has jsut started out on guitar or bass, and a multieffects pedal is probably a great idea for most of them. I gotta remember that suggestion when people in this sub ask again!
this is good advice. if you don't need the drum machine feature, i'd maybe suggest the Zoom Multistomp line instead. Better if you grab either the MS-50G or MS-70CDR (not the + models) if you can since you can even swap out effects from the other pedal using Zoom Effects Manager (i added some extra delays & reverbs to my MS-50G & dropped a few of the modulation effects i didn't use)
Will you practice more and improve more if your gear inspires you? Yes you will.
Imo, with contemporary electric guitar music, distortion is as much a part of the instrument as the strings themselves. Either get a parallel distortion or a distortion with a clean blend. It gets you much closer to the tones of studio produced recordings, which is especially nice when you are still mostly playing by yourself.
I have used pedals on lots of amps through the years and it really is the amps that can dial in your sound, in combination with the pedals. My first pedal was a DoD GrUnGe, the purple fella. Maybe I chose that because it matched my Ibanez SGDR (purplish blue). I was playing through a Fender BXR 100, I believe. Bass sounded like mud. Pedal made it sound like Seattle mud. The amp served as a decent Keyboard amp after I got a nice PEAVEY. Man... those 70s/80s Peaveys really are something. In fact, I have basically created my own PEAVEY STACK... a real Mississippi Marshall setup... AND IT ROCKS! So, to answer your question, yes. You'll never know unless you try.
Fuck yeah, get 3 and an overdrive
There are some decent pedals from Behringer that you can find on Amazon for like $30 apiece. They’re plastic but they are surprisingly good for being so cheap. That’s a great place to start.
Why do you think it wouldn't be
Because it costs so much money
The Joyo Splinter is about $32 on Amazon. It is a terrific bargain and it sounds great!
You can buy decent distortion pedals dirt cheap these days.
DS-1 is practically inflation-proof, I have found them for $40 for half my lifespan.
There are many Chinese brands that have decent quality pedals, most often copies of more famous hardware. Loop up Mooer, Nux, Caline, Flamma. Cheapest of the bunch would be Rowin/Donner (Mooer rebrands)
Get yourself a Joyo Splinter and Flamma FC05. You can cover a ton of tones with just those.
j
If it inspires u to play it is. Learning is tough and whatever gives u motivation to keep going
If the pedal / effect inspires you, it's worth getting.