Best EQ pedals: Sculpt your sound with these great pedals

EQ pedals may not be glamorous, but there might not be a more versatile addition to your pedalboard. Including an EQ pedal helps you get different sounds out of your amp. They morph and shape the tones of the other pedals in your chain. Even make your pickups sound like a different type altogether!

The technology has come a long way from the noisy, cumbersome models of the past. Many of the latest models run on the highest quality digital signal processing and offer all kinds of next level features like presets, advanced routing, and MIDI integration.

These are some of the best EQ pedals available today.

Best EQ pedal overall: MXR 10-Band EQ

There might be other selections on this list that offer sexier, next-gen features, but as far as utility goes nothing really beats this selection from MXR.

Its 10 bands range from 31Hz on the low end up to 16kHz on the high end, each one offering 12dB of boost or cut (including the gain slider).

This means it’s not just for guitar, but can be used on bass as well as 12-string acoustics, Nashville-tuned guitars, and even other instruments like keyboards, banjo, and mandolin.

There is an internal converter to run it at 18v, and this additional headroom means you can feel free to boost as much as you’d like. To round things out it also has backlit sliders to see on a dark stage, true-bypass switching, and two outputs for running dual signal chains.

Best EQ pedal for versatility: BOSS EQ-200

Cutting edge 32-bit/96kHz conversion lead the feature set of this versatile EQ from BOSS. The EQ-200 offers two 10-band EQs with three different range settings that can be run in series, parallel, or stereo modes.

Each frequency band has 15dB of cut/boost with independent level controls for each channel. Physical sliders add a tactile method for dialing things in, and there are setting locks to prevent accidental changes.

The effects loop lets you route other pedals pre or post EQ and stereo I/O, MIDI, and expression pedal input offer a variety of routing and control options. It can be run with an AC adaptor and, oddly enough, three AA batteries.

Best EQ pedal for simplicity: EarthQuaker Devices Tone Job V2

The all-analog Tone Job is unique in that it uses control knobs to fine-tune the active EQ instead of sliders. It features four controls over bass, mid, treble, and level with 20dB of cut/boost over the frequencies and more than enough available gain on the level control to get your sound to cut above the mix.

Best digital EQ: Source Audio Programmable EQ

Offering a step forward in what pedal equalizers can do, this pedal from Source Audio features state-of-the-art digital signal processing. There are seven frequency bands, each offering 18dB of cut/boost across four presets.

This means there are a total of 28 bands that can easily be recalled with the footswitch on the pedal or with MIDI integration. And with 12dB of gain boost you can use it to drive your acoustic guitar amp or boost your signal for lead parts.

The Octave Extend function means you can even use it with bass guitar, just like octave pedals.

Best EQ pedal for utility: BOSS GE-7

There might not be a better workhorse EQ pedal than this 7-band from BOSS. All bands are specifically in the frequency spectrum of the guitar, ranging from 100Hz to 6.5kHz with 15dB of cut/boost.

It’s mono only and doesn’t offer any special features, but it certainly gets the job done. There are also some popular mods that can be done to add additional functionality.

Best analog EQ pedal: Wampler EQuator

It seems like more and more EQ pedal designs are moving toward the digital realm, but this all-analog offering from Wampler has an active 4-band EQ with fixed bass and treble controls and two semi-parametric mid frequencies.

It also offers a whopping 25dB of gain. Change the sound of your acoustic amp, alter the tone of your overdrives, or augment the sound of your rig altogether.

Best parametric EQ pedal: Ibanez Pentatone 5-Band Parametric EQ

This 5-band parametric EQ has variable Q controls for each band. The wide dynamic range means you can use it with high output instruments like bass guitar, keyboards, and synths.

An onboard preamp provides further tone shaping options, a noise gate lets you clean up anything introduced if you use a lot of boost on the EQ bands, and pre and post boost sections help push your amp in ways standard equalization pedals can’t keep up with.

EQ pedals don’t normally offer this level of control – especially for just over $100.

Best EQ pedal for acoustic guitar: Fishman Platinum Pro

Fishman is one of the premier names when it comes to gear for acoustic guitar. The all-analog Platinum Pro EQ combines equalization with a Class-A preamp that makes any acoustic guitar tone sing.

The 5-band tone control includes a high-pass filter, bass, sweepable midrange, treble, and brilliance controls. Phase control balances multiple pickup sources and there is a notch filter for eliminating feedback.

As if the EQ and preamp sections weren’t appealing enough, there is a single knob compressor to smooth out the dynamics of the acoustic signal. A chromatic digital tuner keeps everything in tune, and a boost switch lets you cut above the mix when you need to.

Versatile I/O gives you connection options, offering 1/4″ instrument and amplifier outputs and the balanced XLR D.I. lets you plug straight into a mixer or audio interface.

It’s a little pricey, but the sound and build quality and utility make it a great investment for any acoustic guitar or bass player looking for an all-in-one front end solution.

Best EQ pedal for bass guitar: BOSS GEB-7

Bass guitarists have plenty of EQ options too. You can use a guitar EQ pedal, but bass EQs have a different set of frequency bands designed for the instrument.

BOSS’ GEB-7 is built like a tank and has seven bands perfect for bass. It even goes up to 10k on the top end! There’s an output volume slider to reduce gain staging headaches.

Just like with bass guitars, bass players have multiple options when it comes to EQ pedals. This one is about as useful as they come.

Best budget EQ pedal: MXR 6-Band EQ

This is a slimmed-down version of their 10-band model and aside from offering less frequency bands comes with almost all of the same features – including backlit sliders.

It doesn’t come with a gain control so you might have to stage that via other means, but considering the build quality the price tag is well worth it if you are budget conscious.

Runner up budget EQ pedal: Danelectro Fish n’ Chips

A lot of players love this model due its compact size and very low noise. It has 7 bands ranging from 100Hz to 6.4kHz. and a gain slider. It has top mounted, mono I/O and can be powered with a supply or battery.

The only real complaint people seem to have is with the plastic enclosure, but it’s stronger than you might think. Production of them seems to come in waves, but it really isn’t hard to find one.

FAQ

What is an EQ pedal and why do I need one?

EQ pedals let you to shape the tone of your guitar or bass by adjusting specific frequency bands across the spectrum. Cut unwanted frequencies, boost what you like so you can get your instrument to sit better in a mix.

Are EQ pedals worth it?

Definitely. Adding an EQ pedal to your pedalboard is one of the most significant ways you can augment your tone. It’s not just about how they can change the sound of your guitar either.

Using them in tandem with other effects opens up an almost endless array of tonal variations from even the most basic overdrive pedal.

Are all EQ pedals the same?

Absolutely not. The most common type of EQ guitar pedal is what’s called a “graphic EQ”. This is the type with sliders, like our top choice the MXR 10-band EQ. They don’t let you adjust the range of the frequency, what’s called the “Q”. But they do give you multiple bands to adjust based on gain decibel amounts.

Some are parametric or semi-parametric. These give you more control over the amount of EQ but generally don’t let you affect as many frequencies. This is more like the type of EQ that’s used in studio recordings. It’s more specific and more pinpointed.

What is the best EQ for electric guitar?

There is no “best”. Most guitar players opt for a graphic EQ because they’re easy to use and offer a good amount of options. But you need to assess why you’re looking to add an EQ to your signal chain and then make your buying decisions accordingly.