# Best Bang for the Buck Pedals



## Nohtanhoj (Jun 30, 2008)

Hey guys,
I'm currently using my Roadhouse Strat and Blues Junior amp, for some light rock and roll music. Actually, I'm playing in a small worship band at my local church. We typically play "Christian Top 40" (Chris Tomlin, Starfield, Joel Houston, etc...) I've been told I should invest in some effects pedals, but I'm on a reasonably tight budget. Based on this type of music, any recommendations you can make? My band partners are suggesting a mild overdrive and a delay, but I was thinking a chorus might be of better value. Any comments would be appreciated.

Thanks.


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## Wheeman (Dec 4, 2007)

Best cheap chorus is the Danelectro Cool Cat Chorus. I picked one up, used, for $25. The only down side is that its the 18V version.

You best bet for an generic overdrive would be either the Boss OD-2 (the yellow one, can't remember the exact name) or a TS-808/TS-9. The TS-808 is one of the more common overdrive circuits and has a wide range of sounds.


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## sproul07 (Jun 23, 2007)

Ya def look into a Maxon or Ibanez Tube Screamer for overdrive. Delay you're absolute best bet without a doubt is the Ibanez DE-7. Awsome pedal for under $40.


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## kat_ (Jan 11, 2007)

I noticed you're also in Calgary. Someone on Craigslist and kijiji keeps posting a list of pedals for sale that always catches my eye. At least I think it's always the same guy. The list never changes much. Have a look through the last few days on Craigslist and you'll probably find the one I mean.


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

if you're on a budget, the behringer pedals seem to be worthy of a look.
they are plastic, so you need to be a bit more gentle with them, but they seem to have some pretty decent engineers ripping off other folks' sounds and effects (Boss, mainly).

I founds a website out of the states selling some behringers for as little as $18 new. 

If you are worried about durability, look to Boss. You can usually get used basic pedals for under $50 if you are patient.

/hey, you were the one who suggested that I could re-wire my EHX Big Muff Pi. The thought scared the hell out of me. not sure I should be the one giving you advice :smile:


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## 23cicero (Mar 25, 2008)

Hey Nohtanhoj. I'm sure that I'm the fellow from Calgary that Kat mentioned earlier who has a lot of pedals on Kijiji/Craigslist in Calgary. I'd post them on here but I haven't had much time to think about packing them up and shipping them. I have lots of pedals and quite a few budget pedals as well if you're interested (including a Danelectro Cool Cat mentioned above although not quite That cheap). Just respond to my ad in town or send me a note here and maybe I can help you out. If you want to come over and try a few out I'm okay with that as well. Cheers.:food-smiley-004:


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## torndownunit (May 14, 2006)

best value I have found in a useable pedal is the Dano Fab Echo. As far as slapback echos go, it's a great pedal. The Fab pedals are much better built than the minis. Much more giggable. I got mine for $15.

Some of Dano's mini pedals SOUND great for the price. But you get what you pay for in the quality department. Poorly built, and an inconvenient setup for live use.

While the BYOC pedals aren't 'cheap', they are compared to a lot of the competitors. And my experience with them has been great. I LOVE the BYOC Overdrive I won on this forum.

I just picked up an EH Little Big Muff for about $50 barely used. It's a great little pedal and is built like a tank. So my my personal 'best values' it's high on my list, but again I got it pretty cheap. I think I may have bought it off someone on this forum in fact?


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

The Danelectros do represent good value for the money. Behringer may "borrow" the R&D of other companies, but so does Danelectro. Their compressor IS a Dynacomp. The French Toast IS a Foxx Tone Machine.

The FAB series generally wins the same sort of response from folks: great sound, great value, I just wish they didn't come in those crappy little cases.

The FAB Echo is easily modded to provide variable delay time, and up to 1/3 of a second, which makes it a really good deal.

Having said all of that, however, if your gig to play known material to folks who are not expecting "experimental stretches" on your part, then it might be most cost effective to simply buy a budget ZOOM pedal or similar. This will get you a whole gamut of effects. They may not all be the ideal, but they will be serviceable, and easily accessed. It's also a whole lot easier to throw something like that in the back of the amp or guitar case than worry about tearing down and setting up a pedal-board. My guess, as well, is that many of your venues don't afford you tons of stage space or convenientkly configurable stage space, so a small all-in-one is useful from that perspective too. People may rag on about the poor quality of distortion sounds in digital pedal, and they are correct to some extent, but all those other things like delay, flange, chorus, wah, and EQ are just fine.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

You mentioned a mild overdrive, try a Digitech Bad Monkey. For me, value for money, it's one of the best out there.


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

Who told you to invest? If you don't see anything lacking in your tone then it's going to be pretty hard to determine your level of satisfaction with what you end up with.

Perhaps you might get the most mileage by locating 2 used Visual Sound pedals like the H20 (delay and chorus) and either a Route 66 (overdrive and compression) or their Jekyll & Hyde (O/D & dist).

The H20 would be a great choice. You can get a Bad Monkey, SD-1, OD-3, or so many different inexpensive O/Ds but be advised that you will probably end up with 2 - one for primary drive and another "booster".

As mentioned earlier, a cheaper multieffects unit would be a great introduction to the possibilites - and may provide all the effects you may ever need. You could probably get a used ME-30 (Boss) for 50 - 75 bucks.


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## Nohtanhoj (Jun 30, 2008)

*My Purchases*

Thanks for all the advice guys. I ended up getting a little bit of financial support and ended up with a Boss SD-1 Overdrive and a CE-5 chorus. I'm quite happy with them both.

Thanks again.


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