*headdesk* The point. You’re missing it.

Not only is a comment like that unhelpful, it’s also extremely elitist. The fact is, without distortion, THERE IS NO HARD ROCK. Just because you have distortion in your chain, doesn’t mean your basing it on an archetype. And besides, give me a three pedal combo that doesn’t clearly fall into some archetype or another. You can’t.

EDIT: I was adressing Costch, for the record.

it doesn’t really matter that much, wherever’s good for you.

with regard to other pedal suggestions, by all means take on board what people suggest but also remember the pedals that they like might not be best for you (and your guitar and amp) so always reseach further, using good quality video demos as a minimum, if at all possible get down to a shop and try some stuff out with your guitar or a similar guitar/amp.

I don’t think anyone has mentioned budget yet either, which unless you are loaded will play a part in what you are looking for. I’ve had (and sold) many different effects over the years (many different brands too) and most have them have been very good at what they do. Sometimes I just couldn’t find a use for them because of my playing style…. my honest advice would be to try some out that you think you’d like, there’s plenty of gear around in the used market so if you buy at a good price you can always sell on if you decide it’s not for you.

i hate digitech pedals. my friend has one of their distortion pedals and it sounds like crap.

Called it. Digitech + Multi! No offense folks, but judging by the music JJ13 listed in his first post this actually seems like the right choice. Digitech is marketing and sculpting their gear to fit a specific sound that no one else really is.. Not my sound or a sound I care to obtain, but they have the New Metal, etc… genre covered.

BUT that said: JJ13 – there’s a lot to be said for just picking out 1 or 2 effects to start off with. And learning them well. A multi effect can, without restraint (and a LOT of time dialing it in), create a huge mess – bad tone, awful sounds, waisted time playing with things like “Filter twist flange uber fuzz” and such.

My honest advice is get a nice (Mesa Boogie – not my choice amp, but what nails this sound) amp and ONE distortion pedal you like. Then spend time writing songs until you figure out what you really wish you had in there. Be it Chorus, Flange, Reverb, etc..

Anyways……. Digitech RP series can be great. I still have an ancient one, that I picked up at Goodwill, (RP-40 or 50?) that I bust out for pitch and reverb presets I have stored on it.

To be honest, I started on guitar and bass with some DigiTech multi-effects (an RP50 and a BP200). I do, however, plan to trade in the BP200 within the month…naturally using the trade credit for more EHX gear *cough*micro POG*cough*. As has been said already: DigiTech is decent beginner gear, but as you play more and more you’ll find yourself looking for higher quality (both structurally and tonally). And, as always, you can’t go wrong with EHX stuff.