Most essential effects?

[Brian Krashpad]

Dirt, delay, reverb. Rarely chorus.

I can't remember the last time I used a pedal besides the 2-button for my Super Champ XD, or, further back, a volume pedal.

[sunvalleylaw]

I will add myself to the list of Overdrive (ZYS is king!) and either a verb effect, in amph or through, pedal, or delay. As a newer player, my ear is still more comfortable with reverb, but I have learned how to use the MXR delay as a substitute. Beyond that, I want more dirt like a Rodent, and sometimes a chorus for fun. I would love to have the skill to really use a wah, but I am not at all there.

[Katastrophe]

An amph is the most important effect...

If I were starting from scratch (which I am), I would say reverb and OD are absolutely essential for me.

Otherwise, in a perfect world, I'd have reverb, OD, delay, chorus and a wah. Not much you can't do with that setup.

[Eric***]

If I were starting from scratch (which I am), I would say reverb and OD are absolutely essential for me.

Otherwise, in a perfect world, I'd have reverb, OD, delay, chorus and a wah. Not much you can't do with that setup.

+1 on this whole thing.