Q&A for How to Connect a Guitar Pedal

Make sure that the output level is set to your desired volume. Then, adjust the gain knob to your preferred setting. Now, adjust the tone knobs (bass, mid, and treble). One way to do this is to use the sweeping method, where you turn every tone knob all the way down and then turn the first knob up while strumming the guitar until you find the level where the knob is positively influencing the sound. Then, repeat this process with the two remaining knobs.

Although you don't technically need to, it makes things neater and more efficient. Otherwise, you're either running all your pedals on batteries (which can get expensive and difficult to keep up with, meaning you run the risk of a battery dying while you're playing) or you have to connect each individual pedal to a wall outlet somewhere. That's a lot of cords to trip over.

A daisy chain power supply, available online or at your local guitar store, is usually your best bet. Look for one that will work with the pedal you have and make sure it has more power than your pedal requires.

Use an audio cable designed for instrument input, not the kind of cable you'd use for a stereo. You can find these online or at brick-and-mortar stores where instruments are sold.

Yes. When you do gigs, though, remember to bring a new battery for when one runs out, or preferably, switch them out before the show.

You can use the line out to send your signal through to an audio interface to record.

Look on the bottom of the pedal for a little screw. Unscrew it and open the pedal. You should find connectors inside for a 9 volt battery.

No, you don't.

Yes, as long as your guitar has a pickup and can be amplified that way.

You should experiment and go with the sequence that feels and sounds best to you. Typically, an expression effect like a whammy should come first in your chain. You also may want to consider going with the fuzz face or distortion and not both. If one is inactive while the other is inactive, it won't matter.

It should have either an arrow pointing towards the inside of the pedal or the input should be labeled, but yes, they are typically on the right side.

Plug the distortion into the input of the amp, and plug your guitar to the distortion.

Not necessarily, but wah pedals, expression pedals, and M5 stomp boxes are all completely different pedals, used for different effects. It all depends on what sounds you're trying to create.

You need a Y adapter and enough cords to facilitate all the necessary connections.

You need to have an amp with a dedicated headphone output, which will be labeled as such.

A preamp is used as first boosting of original signal from guitar or mic to a stronger signal. A guitar or mic signal out of lead may be measured with volt-meter as say 50-500 millivolts, depending on PUs or mic type. The preamp boosts this signal up to maybe 1 or 2 volts and usually contains any EQ controls: bass and treble, also any reverb effect. This stronger signal is sent to the power amp part of the circuitry, which boosts signal up a lot more according to the rated watts of the amp. So amps already contain a preamp. Adding another will usually result in extra distortion, and may overload the amp's own preamp.

Look into getting a wireless guitar system! Just google it, you'll find options for all budgets!

You do need an amp to use a distortion pedal.

It will work plugged directly into the amp. The dedicated FX at the back of the amp is generally for pedals, such as reverb and delay.