Hey there!

Just came across the site it's wonderful.
I play in an ambient rock band and we use a lot of effects to substitute for our lack of skill.
My favorite pedals right now are…

-RC Boost by Xotics. I originally bought it as a boost but it is first in my chain and always on. It adds an amazingly transparent boost to my guitar a 74 Gibson Les Paul through a VOX Ac30. I can’t explain it exactly because it really is transparent but when it’s off I miss it a lot.
-Deluxe Memory Man by Electro Harmonix. This one is used all the time. Amazing tone and warm analogue sounds. Some of the most terrifying oscillation too, in the best way. Our producer liked it so much he put some of my Vox through it.
-Tape Echo- Wampler. This guy sounds amazing. It uses analogue circuitry for the most part and then goes through a digital chip on its way out to control the oscillation and add a Tape Delay sounding Mod to the signal. Seriously beautiful sounds with a guitar and Rhodes.
-Echo Park Line 6.- This is pure digital. I use it for it’s reverse and sometimes on it’s own. It’s actually surprisingly organic sounding. Although I use it for that real cold digital sound. Sounds sweet with my other delays before it.
-Holy Grail Electro Harmonix. This is a great reverb pedal. All its praise is really well disserved. We practice in a tiny room full of thick carpets and acoustic treating and this thing makes my guitar sound huge.

Now digital vs Analog? I’m sure no one wants to go there it really comes down to taste. However I like the warm dark tones of Analog mostly just find it more pleasant to my ears. However digital has its place and can sound really sweet when needed.

I use a line selector on my pedals that are not true bypass.

There’s more but I’m writing a novel here.

I am a true believer in my Line 6 POD XT Live pedalboard. It is very durable, I have had it for at least 5-6 years. I have used it for recording and gigging. Never had a problem with it, sounds great, every sound I could want, it either has or I can download and save it to the pedalboard. Very easy to use and convenient. The problem I always had with the old stompboxes is that for every one you added, there was more noise. Either kept a box of batteries with me, or did the 8 extension power supply cord, which for some reason, seemed to cause more noise.

I should never have to buy another effects pedal because when a new sound comes out, I will just download it. Also, it seems to have endless uses. Great for recording, you can either line out or USB out. Great for practicing, you can connect any device with a 1/4″ input (mp3/iPod/computer) and play along with it. Completely separate from your guitar tone, but comes out the same output, whether headphones, line out, or out to an amp. Because it does the amp/effects modeling, it makes any amp sound good, even crappy amps. When you compare the cost of all the stompboxes put together, versus the cost of the Line 6 pedalboard, you get well worth your money. However, it does have a port for external pedal, so you can still use them in combination.