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Tech 21 is a well-respected company in the music industry, particularly known for its innovative guitar effects and amplification products. Founded in 1989 by musician and engineer Andrew Barta, Tech 21 gained prominence with its groundbreaking product, the SansAmp.
This analogue amp emulator was revolutionary because it allowed guitarists to achieve tube amplifier-like tones without using actual tube amplifiers. The SansAmp became a staple in studios and live performances, appreciated for its ability to provide versatile tones, from clean to high-gain, all in a portable, pedal-friendly format.
Over the years, Tech 21 has expanded its product line to include various other effects pedals, rack units, and amplifiers, maintaining a strong reputation for high-quality, analog-based products.
One of the key aspects of Tech 21’s success is its commitment to analogue technology, which many musicians prefer for its warmth and responsiveness. The company’s product line includes popular pedals such as the Fly Rig series, which combines multiple effects into a compact, travel-friendly unit, and the Bass Driver DI, a favourite among bassists for its ability to enhance tone and provide DI capabilities for live and studio applications.
Tech 21’s dedication to innovation and quality has made it a favourite among professional musicians across different genres, including notable artists like Geddy Lee of Rush, who has collaborated with the company to create signature models. With a focus on both practicality and exceptional sound quality, Tech 21 continues to be a leader in the world of guitar effects and amplification.
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A compressor pedal evens out your dynamics, smoothing peaks and lifting quieter notes so everything feels tighter and more controlled. It adds sustain, clarity, and balance — making clean chords ring longer, country licks snap with precision, and funk rhythms pop with consistency. Subtle or pronounced, compression shapes the feel of your playing as much as the sound.
Use it at the front of your chain to tighten your core tone, add sustain to leads, or keep complex passages sitting neatly in the mix. From gentle polish to unmistakable squash, a compressor is one of those foundational tools that quietly makes everything sound more professional and dialled in.
A delay pedal records your signal and plays it back after a set time, creating echoes that can range from tight, slapback repeats to long, atmospheric trails. It’s one of the most versatile effects, used to thicken tones, add rhythmic depth, or build spacious, ambient layers. Analogue delays offer warm, decaying repeats that blend naturally with your tone, while digital units provide pristine echoes with precise control over time, feedback, and mix levels.
From classic rockabilly and tape-style echoes to modern looping and shimmer effects, delay pedals have become essential tools for shaping sound. They can make solos soar, rhythms pulse, or transform simple chord progressions into cinematic textures. Whether used subtly to add dimension or boldly to create soundscapes, a good delay pedal can completely redefine the feel and atmosphere of your music.
Your pedal is like a signature dish for your sound — a flavour-packed creation that transforms the bland ingredients of your guitar into something unforgettable. Each one adds its own seasoning, texture, and heat, turning a simple meal into a feast of tone.
These tasty little boxes sit in a row, like plates on a buffet, letting you mix and match flavours as you play. With one tap of your foot, you can swap sweet for spicy, subtle for smoky, and serve up something completely new. From the comfort food of warm overdrive to the fiery kick of fuzz, from smooth jazz sauce to heavy-metal spice, pedals give players a full menu of options to express their taste. And just like with food, once you’ve tried one dish, you’ll want to sample them all.
Collecting, trading, and discovering new flavours soon becomes part of the joy of being a tone-loving gourmet geek with a guitar.
Volume pedals control the output level of a guitar signal using a foot-operated treadle. They allow smooth volume swells, dynamic control during playing, and easy muting between songs. Volume pedals can be placed at different points in the signal chain to either control overall loudness or adjust gain and drive behaviour when positioned before distortion or overdrive pedals.
