If you've been playing music for more than a few decades, you'll remember a time when the going-rate for a guitar pedal was well under $100. But with the rise of the boutique pedal industry, the sophistication of digital effects, and the appreciation in value of vintage units, there are now lots of pedals on the market that command a good bit more than C-note.
However, there are still many affordable pedals worth your attention and money. We've compiled this list below—with the help of our followers on Facebook and Twitter—to highlight some incredible pedals you can find on the cheap.
Take a look below and visit our those links above to see even more suggestions.
Boss Pedals, Old and New
No list of affordable pedals should start with anything but Boss, whose tried-and-true stompboxes are always dependable. When sourcing ideas for this article, the name came up again and again. One person said of their SD-1 Super Overdrive, "It's the only pedal I've owned that I've never had to repair or replace."
Danelectro, Tho…
There was a time when you could find the full range of Danelectro pedals for bargain prices, but the cat's out of the bag on some. Specifically, the Cool Cat Fuzz, whose average sale price on Reverb went from about $25 in 2019 to $125 today. But there are still plenty of cool Dano effects available for less, like the Tuna Melt Tremolo, whose plastic case contains a surprisingly deep Trem sound.
Fender Hammertone Series
Sneaking in at just under our $100 threshold, the new Fender Hammertone effects series has something for everyone: Fuzz, Flanger, Distortion, Chorus, "Metal," and more—all falling between about $80 and $100 new.
JHS 3 Series
First released in 2020, JHS' 3 Series has continued to expand. The idea is to give players great tones and three simple controls in an elegant package. They're also all built in the US for under $100. Most of the names are straightforward—Delay, Compressor, etc.—though the latest addition, Screamer, tells you everything you need to know in its own way.
EarthQuaker Devices Plumes
Modeled in sound and in colorscheme after the Ibanez Tube Screamer—which is itself a great sub-$100 pedal, outside of a few select models—EarthQuaker Devices' Plumes puts its own spin on the classic. It promises more precision and gain, all with a lower noise floor. For a different flavor of drive altogether, check out EQD's new Special Cranker, which is also available for just under $100.
Electro-Harmonix Big Muff Reissues
While vintage Big Muff prices just continue to increase, it's nice that EHX has continued to reissue great-sounding variants at reasonable prices, like the Smashing Pumpkins-favorite OpAmp Big Muff Pi, whose reissue is available for about $90 new and even less if you buy used.
Many, Many Honorable Mentions
If you set a maximum price of $100 to view every sub-$100 on Reverb, you will see tens of thousands of listings for sale. And when it comes to deciding which are good and which are bad, you'll ultimately have to decide for yourself.
We asked our social media audience what their favorite inexpensive pedals were, and there are too many incredible options to list. What follows is still an incomplete selection, but if you want to get in on the fun yourself, visit our Facebook or Twitter posts to share your own thoughts on what cheap pedals have been fantastic buys for you.
Suggestions from our audience:
- Mosky Audio Golden Horse and Spring Reverb
- DigiTech Bad Monkey Tube Overdrive
- Nobels ODR-1 Overdrive Reissue
- Ibanez DS7
- Caline CP-17 Time Space Delay
- Joyo JF-14 American Sound
- MXR M290 Phase 95 Mini Phaser
- Rocktek Flanger
- Dolamo Distortion
- Kmise Tremolo
- Donner Yellow Fall Analog Delay
Check out every sub-$100 on Reverb and find your own new favorites.