Photo: Juan Alderete / Instagram Juan Alderete, known for his work with The Mars Volta and Racer X, says young bass players should use pedals to expand their sound if they want to get more gigs. “Not everyone can be in Foo Fighters,” he joked, stressing that effects can turn a simple bass into “an entirely different animal.” Alderete has spent decades collecting and studying pedals, building a studio filled with over 400 of them. Photo: Juan Alderete / Instagram His love for effects led to his website, pedalsandeffects.com , and his hunt for rare gear in pawnshops across the country. The 62-year-old has played with acts from Deltron 3030 to Dr. Octagon and still pushes the limits of the bass on every project. With his band Halo Orbit, he crafted distorted and spacey tones that showcase his mastery of effects. Alderete’s top pedal picks include the Boss CS-2 compressor, OC-2 octave, and EarthQuaker Devices Hoof Reaper. For him, experimenti...