Click-baity...tsk-tsk ?
What can you buy for R500 & under, secondhand or new? Share your finds or help us flesh out the list.
OD/Distortion
Joyo JF-02 "Vintage Overdrive" : A TS clone, I've played a few. True-bypass and it really does compare to a real Ibby TS. Slightly less gain, but in a blind test I'd reckon the vast majority couldn't tell between the two.
Digitech Bad Monkey : Another TS clone, this one is preferred by those metally folk who want to drive a gain-y amp a bit harder. More gain than the Joyo.
Boss Metal Zone : Yip I still have one and they are to be easily found under R500. If you can stay away from dialing in too much gain (it gets really hissy) and just use the really adjustable eq it's not THAT bad...(or I don't care about tone suck when I use one?)
Delay
Boss DD3 : I hardly ever see a Boss DD3 going this cheap, but it can happen. A somewhat sterile digital delay, it works and probably will until the end of time.
Ibanez DE7 : I'm surprised when I see them on a board, but when I hear them I am more surprised that they sound that good. I'd have this over a DD3.
Clones : Belcat, Joyo, Nux + others. You'll find the simplest versions of their delay's, but they're generally good.
Reverb
Hardly ever see cheap reverb pedal. I can't recall seeing one < 500 in a looong time. Think a Erstatz Verbern DIY project, could build one of those for under R200.
Modulation (Chorus/Flanger/Phaser)
I don't use modulation much in my playing, so I'm a buit challenged on what's availablle.
Occasionally see a BOss CE-2 Chorus for around R500, the Boss phasers and flangers are usually a little more.
Wah
Morley Wahs. Qualifies as being the only wah < 500 ?. The optical ones outlast the crybabies, so there's more than a few about. Some have a fuzz , some do 'auto on'. Can't recall ever liking the sound of any of them, but they're cheap.
Multi-fx.
Zoom G1/G2, B1/2. Better than you'd expect! Takes some figuring out, not the most user friendly device. Certainly a step up from the 505/707/etc...
Ibanez Powertrio : they sound great! But sadly, are a bit fragile - when the switches go, they are damn near irreplaceable.
Pocket Pod : Rare find < R500. I'm a fan of the Line6 sound, particularly the distortions/overdrives.
EQ
DOD FX40B : A rare find, at any price - though I paid R500 for the last one. Definitely preferable to the boss GE7.
Honorable mentions :
Boss ME50/ME50B : So good they still make it. All you need in in box for FX and nothing you don't.
Tone City Clones : Cheap (around R700 new) and they are fairly new to the market, so I havn't seen them for sale 2nd hand...yet. They must be good if people hold onto them?
TC Electronics : The HOF reverb and Flashback delays have just been updated so the previous gen models are dropping in price. Great units!
Hardwire DL8 delay : Tap tempo and all the functions of the DD7 + more. They were cheap, but I think people have realized how good they are.
What can you buy for R500 & under, secondhand or new? Share your finds or help us flesh out the list.
OD/Distortion
Joyo JF-02 "Vintage Overdrive" : A TS clone, I've played a few. True-bypass and it really does compare to a real Ibby TS. Slightly less gain, but in a blind test I'd reckon the vast majority couldn't tell between the two.
Digitech Bad Monkey : Another TS clone, this one is preferred by those metally folk who want to drive a gain-y amp a bit harder. More gain than the Joyo.
Boss Metal Zone : Yip I still have one and they are to be easily found under R500. If you can stay away from dialing in too much gain (it gets really hissy) and just use the really adjustable eq it's not THAT bad...(or I don't care about tone suck when I use one?)
Delay
Boss DD3 : I hardly ever see a Boss DD3 going this cheap, but it can happen. A somewhat sterile digital delay, it works and probably will until the end of time.
Ibanez DE7 : I'm surprised when I see them on a board, but when I hear them I am more surprised that they sound that good. I'd have this over a DD3.
Clones : Belcat, Joyo, Nux + others. You'll find the simplest versions of their delay's, but they're generally good.
Reverb
Hardly ever see cheap reverb pedal. I can't recall seeing one < 500 in a looong time. Think a Erstatz Verbern DIY project, could build one of those for under R200.
Modulation (Chorus/Flanger/Phaser)
I don't use modulation much in my playing, so I'm a buit challenged on what's availablle.
Occasionally see a BOss CE-2 Chorus for around R500, the Boss phasers and flangers are usually a little more.
Wah
Morley Wahs. Qualifies as being the only wah < 500 ?. The optical ones outlast the crybabies, so there's more than a few about. Some have a fuzz , some do 'auto on'. Can't recall ever liking the sound of any of them, but they're cheap.
Multi-fx.
Zoom G1/G2, B1/2. Better than you'd expect! Takes some figuring out, not the most user friendly device. Certainly a step up from the 505/707/etc...
Ibanez Powertrio : they sound great! But sadly, are a bit fragile - when the switches go, they are damn near irreplaceable.
Pocket Pod : Rare find < R500. I'm a fan of the Line6 sound, particularly the distortions/overdrives.
EQ
DOD FX40B : A rare find, at any price - though I paid R500 for the last one. Definitely preferable to the boss GE7.
Honorable mentions :
Boss ME50/ME50B : So good they still make it. All you need in in box for FX and nothing you don't.
Tone City Clones : Cheap (around R700 new) and they are fairly new to the market, so I havn't seen them for sale 2nd hand...yet. They must be good if people hold onto them?
TC Electronics : The HOF reverb and Flashback delays have just been updated so the previous gen models are dropping in price. Great units!
Hardwire DL8 delay : Tap tempo and all the functions of the DD7 + more. They were cheap, but I think people have realized how good they are.
