Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
Don't miss these
Lag HyVibe HV10ACE
Acoustic Guitars “Powerful, extremely versatile and creatively refreshing, it offers a ton of inspiration if you click with it”: LAG HyVibe 10 HV10ACE review
Harley Benton NAMM 2026 releases include left-handed options on its V-style electric and offset bass guitars, fresh finish options for the SC single-cuts, and new colours for its HSS S-style
Guitars Harley Benton’s 2026 mega-drop: Metallica makeovers, fresh colours and a baritone SC Custom III, all-solid acoustics for under $250 and more
ring stinger
Tech Behringer clones the Lovetone Ring Stinger, a cult classic ring mod/fuzz pedal heard on Radiohead's Kid A
Neural DSP Quad Cortex Mini
Guitar Pedals "It’s the full power of the Quad Cortex, just in a smaller box": Neural DSP Quad Cortex mini review
Man wearing black hat playing the Roland TD716 electronic drum set
Electronic Drums Best electronic drum sets in 2026: Top picks for every playing level and budget, tested by drummers – plus video and audio demos
An UDO Super Gemini synthesizer on a white table
Synths Best synthesizers 2026: Top analogue, digital, mono and polysynths
Line 6 Helix Stadium
Guitars Could the Line 6 Helix Stadium Floor be a serious rival to the Quad Cortex?
Neural DSP Quad Cortex
Guitar Pedals Best multi-effects pedals: Our pick of the best all-in-one guitar FX modellers
NAMM 2026
Tech NAMM 2026: rolling news from the world's biggest music-making gear show
Line 6 Helix Stadium XL
Guitar Pedals "The tones may not quite be best of the lot, but it's comfortably the easiest and most enjoyable modeller to use": Line 6 Helix Stadium XL review
Fractal Audio ICONS; the amp modelling company debuts its first-ever plugin suite for guitarists.
Guitars Amp modelling titan Fractal Audio unveils its first guitar plugin suite
Hottest music tech gear of NAMM
Tech The best music tech gear of NAMM 2026: Epic polys, acoustic synths, budget samplers, a Behringer Juno and more
A Spark Link receiver in a Spark Mini practice amp
Guitars Best guitar wireless systems 2026: Cut the cord and liberate your playing today
Headphones next to electric guitar
Headphones Best guitar amp headphones 2026: My top picks for practicing your guitar quietly
All the best guitar gear from this year's NAMM Show
Guitars The best new guitar gear of NAMM 2026: More effects, more amps, more guitars and more tech than ever
More
  • NAMM 2026: as it happened
  • Best NAMM tech gear
  • Joni's Woodstock
  • 95k+ free music samples
  1. Guitars
  2. Guitar Pedals

The 18 best new guitar effects pedals of 2016

News
By The MusicRadar Team last updated 3 February 2020

Which stompbox made its way onto your 'board this year?

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

CKK Electronic Destruction Drive

CKK Electronic Destruction Drive

The Total Guitar Best in guitars 2016 polls have received over 68,000 votes, and we're now ready to roll out the winners. The nominees were what we considered to be the guitarists and guitar gear that have excelled in 2016. Here, we present the best guitar effects pedals of 2016. First up we have the CKK Electronic Destruction Drive…

We said: “With varied tone options and good value for money, the Destruction Drive is pretty much unbeatable at its price point.”

Full review:CKK Electronic Destruction Drive

Page 1 of 18
Page 1 of 18
DigiTech Dirty Robot

DigiTech Dirty Robot

We said: “For the adventurous guitarist, this could be the ticket to a brave new world.”

Full review: DigiTech Dirty Robot

Page 2 of 18
Page 2 of 18
Electro-Harmonix Wailer Wah

Electro-Harmonix Wailer Wah

We said: “While the Wailer doesn't follow the trend of newer compact wahs such as the Cry Baby Mini, we appreciate the lightweight enclosure on offer here.”

Page 3 of 18
Page 3 of 18
DOD Looking Glass

DOD Looking Glass

We said: “Clever controls for adjusting to any guitar plus a wide gain range equals incredible flexibility.”

Full review: DOD Looking Glass

Page 4 of 18
Page 4 of 18
Electro-Harmonix Lester G

Electro-Harmonix Lester G

We said: “There are a bunch of great rotary speaker simulators on the market, but the Lester G is the most convincing example we've given a spin for a long time.”

Full review: Electro-Harmonix Lester G

Page 5 of 18
Page 5 of 18
Tone City Sweet Cream Overdrive

Tone City Sweet Cream Overdrive

We said: “Small and portable, whilst retaining the great quality sound Tone City is known for, this is well worth considering for your ‘board.”

Page 6 of 18
Page 6 of 18
Ibanez Analog Delay Mini

Ibanez Analog Delay Mini

We said: “As far as dark-voiced mini delays go, it doesn't get much better. Fantastic pitch-bending oscillation, too."

Full review: Ibanez Analog Delay Mini

Page 7 of 18
Page 7 of 18
DigiTech Trio+

DigiTech Trio+

We said: “Adds everything on our wish list from the original. This is truly a band in a box, and one that you can use live to boot."

Full review: DigiTech Trio+

Page 8 of 18
Page 8 of 18
Stone Deaf Fig Fumb Paracentric Fuzz Filter

Stone Deaf Fig Fumb Paracentric Fuzz Filter

We said: “Like that guy that can never remember where he left his car
 in a multi-storey car park, this life-changing pedal is on a different level. Pure and simple – superb fuzz.”

Full review: Stone Deaf Fig Fumb Paracentric Fuzz Filter

Page 9 of 18
Page 9 of 18
Dunlop Echoplex Delay

Dunlop Echoplex Delay

We said: “The Echoplex's authentic vibes are hugely addictive, and once you've played with it, you may struggle to play without…”

Full review: Dunlop Echoplex Delay

Page 10 of 18
Page 10 of 18
TC Electronic Mimiq Doubler

TC Electronic Mimiq Doubler

We said: “TC is aiming this one at the metalheads among you, and based on the evidence we've seen so far, it should fatten up riffs and solos a treat.”

Page 11 of 18
Page 11 of 18
Seymour Duncan Palladium Gain Stage

Seymour Duncan Palladium Gain Stage

We said: “A fully formed channel in its own right, and it sounds absolutely incredible. Simply superb!”

Full review: Seymour Duncan Palladium Gain Stage

Page 12 of 18
Page 12 of 18
Boss CE-2W Chorus

Boss CE-2W Chorus

We said: “It comes with a hefty price tag, but none of its competitors can match this Waza winner.”

Full review: Boss CE-2W Chorus

Page 13 of 18
Page 13 of 18
MXR Reverb

MXR Reverb

We said: “Given the price, the M300 doesn't offer a whole lot of features over its competitors, but the sound quality puts it firmly among the top shelf of reverb pedals.”

Full review: MXR Reverb

Page 14 of 18
Page 14 of 18
TC Electronic Sub 'N' Up

TC Electronic Sub 'N' Up

We said: “This easy-to-use pedal is small enough to slot into most pedalboard scenarios
 and costs a lot less than the immediate competition while offering more versatility.”

Full review: TC Electronic Sub 'N' Up

Page 15 of 18
Page 15 of 18
Fractal AX8

Fractal AX8

We said: “A complete rig you can carry to a gig in a backpack and it could also take care of your recording needs. Axellent!”

Full review: Fractal AX8

Page 16 of 18
Page 16 of 18
Line 6 Helix

Line 6 Helix

We said: “The Helix is a real powerhouse that can be used on its own or as the centre piece of an extended gear system.”

Full review: Line 6 Helix

Page 17 of 18
Page 17 of 18
Winner: KHDK Ghoul Screamer

Winner: KHDK Ghoul Screamer

We said: “When it comes to boosting and tightening up metal tones, the Ghoul Screamer is among the best TS-alikes we've used.”

Full review: KHDK Ghoul Screamer

Page 18 of 18
Page 18 of 18
The MusicRadar Team
The MusicRadar Team
Social Links Navigation

MusicRadar is the internet's most popular website for music-makers of all kinds, be they guitarists, drummers, keyboard players, DJs or producers.

GEAR: We help musicians find the best gear with top-ranking gear round-ups and high-quality, authoritative reviews by a wide team of highly experienced experts.

TIPS: We also provide tuition, from bite-sized tips to advanced work-outs and guidance from recognised musicians and stars.

STARS: We talk to artists and musicians about their creative processes, digging deep into the nuts and bolts of their gear and technique. We give fans an insight into the actual craft of music-making that no other music website can.

Read more
Neural DSP Quad Cortex
Best multi-effects pedals: Our pick of the best all-in-one guitar FX modellers
 
 
All the best guitar gear from this year's NAMM Show
The best new guitar gear of NAMM 2026: More effects, more amps, more guitars and more tech than ever
 
 
MXR EVH Modern High Gain: this classy, red high-end stompbox was co-designed with the late Eddie Van Halen in 2015.
MXR's high-gain Eddie Van Halen collab headlines Jim Dunlop's fresh pedal drop – and there's an Iron Maiden Killers Cry Baby too
 
 
Boss GX-1 Guitar Effects Processor
Boss tackles budget rivals head-on with feature-packed entry-level GX series multi-fx pedals for guitar and bass
 
 
TC Electronic Plethora X1 pedal
Just £99 for 14 effects pedals in one? Surely this TC Electronic Plethora X1 compact multi-effects deal makes it the most value-packed stompbox this Black Friday
 
 
TC Electronic Polytune next to a Gibson Les Paul
Best guitar tuners 2026: From tuning pedals and clip-ons, to guitar tuning apps
 
 
Latest in Guitar Pedals
Line 6 Helix Stadium
Could the Line 6 Helix Stadium Floor be a serious rival to the Quad Cortex?
 
 
ring stinger
Behringer clones the Lovetone Ring Stinger, a cult classic ring mod/fuzz pedal heard on Radiohead's Kid A
 
 
Line 6 Helix Stadium XL
"The tones may not quite be best of the lot, but it's comfortably the easiest and most enjoyable modeller to use": Line 6 Helix Stadium XL review
 
 
EarthQuaker Devices ZEQD-Pre Tube Pre Amp
"The EF86 tube is often described as hi-fi, and honestly, that's the perfect way to describe what's coming out of this thing": EarthQuaker Devices EQD ZEQD-Pre review
 
 
All the best guitar gear from this year's NAMM Show
The best new guitar gear of NAMM 2026: More effects, more amps, more guitars and more tech than ever
 
 
Polyend Endless customisable effect pedals
Polyend Endless is a customisable stompbox with a text-to-effect generator that will create any effect you describe
 
 
Latest in News
MIAMI, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 19: Billy Idol, Steve Stevens and The Warning Rock Band with Alejandra Villarreal, Daniela Villarreal and Paulina Villarreal perform during the GRAMMY celebration of Latin Music on October 19, 2025 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images)
“Digs deep into his emergence as a prototypical punk rocker”: Billy Idol doc to be released next week
 
 
MADRID, SPAIN - SEPTEMBER 20: The band Gorillaz during their performance at the Pulse of Gaia Festival, at the Universidad Autonoma, on September 20, 2025, in Madrid, Spain. Gorillaz, the iconic virtual band led by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett, is in the spotlight this 2025 for the announcement of their new album, "The Mountain," which will be released worldwide on March 20, 2026 through their own label, KONG. The band is celebrating its 25th anniversary with special concerts in London and the tour to present the new album, which in 2026 will tour Manchester, Birmingham, Dublin and culminate at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. (Photo By A. Perez Meca/Europa Press via Getty Images)
Damon Albarn suggests that Gorillaz helped to lay the groundwork for the success of KPop Demon Hunters
 
 
Josh Middleton takes a solo on his signature ESP / LTD electric guitar during a Sylosis live show in San Francisco, 2025.
“You can have a great amp but if the speaker sucks it won’t sound good”: Sylosis' Josh Middleton on the most important link in your signal chain
 
 
Close-up of headphones on the table in the broadcasting room at the radio station.
“These chemicals may be migrating from the headphones into our body”: Research suggests headphones contain dangerous toxins
 
 
Gary Clark Jr plays his signature Cobra Burst ES-355 live onstage.
Gary Clark Jr channels the King of the Blues for limited edition Gibson Custom Shop collab
 
 
Pitbull
“Know you’re about to have the time of your lives”: Pitbull fans will attempt to break a world record in July
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...