SQOTD (stupid question of the day): What are inductors for?

[Xavier]

...Other than in wah pedals, I've seen inductors specified in some fx circuits, but I can't see they have much use in the circuits floating on this forum.

I've read they are somewhat the opposite of a capacitor. What could be their use in an fx pedal?

[Mark Hammer]

In series, capacitors act like a frequency-sensitive resistor that poses greater obstacle for lower frequencies.  Inductors act in the opposite manner; posing less resistance to lower-frequency content.  As a result you will see them used in circuits there the highfrequency content of something is to be filtered out, and in "tuned" circuits where a cap and inductor are used to define a frequency "band" which is given preference in some way.

For example, mid-scoop notches can be produced by means of the bridged-T networks seen on some fuzzes, but they can also be achieved by means of a cap, inductor, and resistor to ground.   This has been used by many as a variable control on guitars (the Gibson Vari-tone is one such example).  Inductors also can be used as part of a frequency-division circuit for feeding different content to different outputs, and as a way of smoothing power supplies.  You will also see small-value inductors used as part of tuned circuits for instrument wireless circuits, and as part of a power amp's output circuit for maintaining stability.

Not a stupid question.  Just a rarer sort of component than many we regularly deal with.  Note that guitar pickups ARE essentially inductors.