11 Best Pedals for a Gibson Les Paul Custom (don’t miss these)

The Gibson Les Paul Custom was designed for heavier playing styles with dual humbuckers, a Mahogany body, and Maple top piece. This construction and tonewood combination is used in a lot of electric guitars, especially those geared towards a heavier playing style. However, classic and modern rock guitarists both make frequent use of the Les Paul Custom. In this roundup, we'll look at some of the best pedals specifically to compliment the style of the Gibson Les Paul Custom.

Overdrive and Distortion

These are some distortion pedals I recommend for the Gibson Les Paul Custom. Note the different style leans:

• Fulltone OCD: Warm, amp-like breakup. It’s ideal for rock and blues, but probably not for high levels of saturation (metal).
• Boss HM-2W: For a modern, heavy distortion tone with a lot of percussive lows, the HM-2W is a fantastic companion for the LP Custom.
• Pro Co Rat 2: The Rat 2 is really good at cutting through a mix. Some say it sounds more like a fuzz pedal, and I would tend to agree.

Reverb Pedals for Les Paul Custom

We can take advantage of the Custom's sustain by adding some ambient reverb pedals with long trails. They can be used as more of a modern FX processor, or a vintage reverb layer.

• Strymon BigSky: A high-end reverb pedal with multiple modes and a massive amount of digital flexibility. It can do vintage, but if you aren't taking advantage of the modern flexibility, it's a big investment.
• Boss RV-6: A reliable and more affordable choice with multiple reverb modes, perfect for creating deeper tones with the Les Paul Custom.

Delay Pedals

For delay, look for something with multiple modes, preferably that includes a tap tempo. The DL4 and DD-8 are our first stops.

• Line 6 DL4 MK2 Delay Modeler: I've used the original for over a decade and won't ever part with it. The newer MK2 does a great job of expanding on that with the original's legacy delay models and a new slate of Helix delay models. Les Paul Custom or otherwise, it's one of the best delay pedals on the market.
• Boss DD-8: A versatile, digital delay like the DL4, but cheaper and simpler. It can do everything from subtle slapback to expansive soundscapes.

Best Chorus Pedals for the Custom

The Les Paul’s thicker clean tone works well with subtle modulation effects, primarily chorus or phaser, that add character and some movement.

• Electro-Harmonix Small Stone: A phaser that adds vintage texture to clean or overdriven tones.
• Boss CE-2W Waza Craft Chorus: An analog chorus that's great for layering a thicker, dual-humbucker tone like the Les Paul Custom tends to produce.

Wah Pedals for a Les Paul Custom

For lead guitar styles, the wah pedal and Gibson Les Paul Custom have a longstanding partnership. I always recommend switchless wahs like the Morley Bad Horsie, but the Cry Baby series is also worth a look. We've listed the Cry Baby Classic, but I'd recommend checking out some of the signature Cry Baby wah pedals as well.

• Morley Bad Horsie Optical Wah: Smooth, switchless operation and wide tonal sweep, but it's all about switchless engagement. Just step on it and go.
• Dunlop Cry Baby Classic Wah: Decades of history with the Les Paul Custom, and a ton of signature options to check out.

Two Considerations for Les Paul Custom Players

1. Genre Flexibility: The Les Paul Custom can handle anything from jazz to heavy metal. Select pedals that match your preferred style.
2. Amp Pairing: The Les Paul Custom pairs exceptionally well with high-gain tube amps like a Marshall JCM800 or Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier.

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