Grateful Dead Music Forum

Here's my problem:

I want to try out all these different pedals to see if I like them, and what sound I'm going for, but how does one accomplish this without having to buy the pedal??? I know I can go down to the music store and demo them, but if the music store doesn't have what I'm looking for, how do I get around that? There's gotta be a way to compare & contrast to make sure I'm buying the right pedal....

Any feedback is much appreciated.

Is it a matter of not knowing what each type of effect does, for example, phaser vs. flanger. OD vs. distortion, what a chorus or compression does, etc?
There are plenty of sites to explain that sort of thing, but you can also get yourself a cheap multi-FX to learn what each does specifically, then do your homework and buy the single effects you like.

If you are looking for specific brand info,
www.harmonycentral.com has excellent gear reviews. Sites such as http://www.tonefrenzy.com and
http://www.pedalgeek.com are helpful.

Other than that, just try as much as you can. At first, don't get caught up in expensive boutique pedals or overpriced vintage effects. In time you will learn what you like and whats good. The internet has created an inflated market for some effects that just are not worth the cash.
In general, I like boss pedals, but certainly are not the only thing on my board.
Does this help?

If your just wanting to know what different styles of pedals(not brands) sound like your best bet would be to buy a cheap multi effects unit. Something like the digitech or zoom ones.

If you want to hear specific brands of pedals, other than going to the local guitar store, do a google search for "effect pedal sound samples" or something similiar. I have found some in the past that way.

Also their is a book titled Guitar effects Pedals: the practical handbook. It comes with a cd with about 90 samples of different brand pedals. They are listed by catagorie, like chorusus, compressors, overdrive, etc. They are also played by the same guy with the same guitar and one or two amps so that you can compare the sounds better. Here's the link...http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/087930 ... e&n=283155