Using the Fender Hammertone Metal Guitar Effects Pedal is easy. First, connect your guitar to the input jack on top of the pedal. Then, connect the output jack to your amplifier. You can use a 9 - volt battery or a center - negative AC adaptor (you'll need to get the adaptor separately) to power it up. Once it's powered, adjust the 2 - band active bass and treble EQ to shape your tone as you like. The Fender - designed high - gain distortion circuit will give you that chunky high - gain sound. When you're not using the distortion effect, just use the true - bypass switch to go back to your normal guitar sound. As for maintenance, keep the pedal clean and dry. If you're using a battery, replace it regularly to ensure good performance. Also, be careful when handling the top - mounted jacks to avoid any damage.