My pedalboard is full, but I can’t resist a cheap guitar pedal deal – and these Cyber Monday offers are so good, I’m going to have to make room
Some of the guitar world’s biggest pedal brands are offering big savings on budget stompboxes – these are the best cheap pedal deals we’ve found on JHS Pedals, Walrus Audio, MXR, Wampler and more
Hi, I’m Mike and – like many of you – I can’t stop buying pedals. My pedalboard is an endlessly revolving carousel of cult classics, forum favorites and unsung heroes. In my quest for tonal perfection, I’ve snagged some killer deals over the years – but I’ve never seen such an awesome array of pedals available for such low prices.
This Cyber Monday, cheap guitar pedal deals are rife. We’re not talking those off-brand Amazon mini pedals, either. The rise of the budget boutique pedal means we’re seeing some serious tone machines from JHS Pedals and Walrus Audio qualify for our cheap pedal price limit of $85.
Both companies are offering 20% off their entire pedal ranges, bringing them down to $74.25 for the no-nonsense JHS 3 Series, and $79 for the achingly cool, slider-equipped Walrus Fundamental Series.
JHS 3 Series pedals: Was $99 now $74.25 each
Even at $99, the JHS 3 Series pedals are a bargain. The comprehensive lineup covers quite literally all tonal bases – overdrive, distortion, chorus, fuzz, delay, screamer, reverb and tremolo included – and each unit is so easy to use it practically operates itself: just three control knobs and mode-switching toggles. Plus, they’re built by JHS, so you know you’re investing in a top quality pedal. They are now a generous 25% off at Guitar Center.
Walrus Audio Fundamental Series: $99 now from $79
Walrus Audio’s answer to the JHS 3 Series, the Fundamental Series pedals are almost just as affordable, equally easy to use, and also cover a vast tonal range. Here, there are three voices per pedal, and (get this) sliders to control the parameters. Nifty, eh? A selection of fuzz, overdrive, distortion, reverb and all sorts of other pedals are now available from $79 thanks to Guitar Center’s discount.
There are some serious bargains to be had elsewhere, too: MXR pedals from $49, the "better than the Bad Monkey" Wampler Triumph for $84.99, and the Pro Co Lil' Rat for $80.99.
With that in mind, myself and my pedal-obsessed partner in crime Matt Owen have rounded up our favorite cheap pedal deals this Cyber Monday. Scroll on down for this year’s hottest offers.
And for more unmissable discounts, check out our guide to the best Cyber Monday guitar deals, plus our roundup of top Cyber Monday guitar pedal deals for more pedalboard-filling bargains.
MXR M66S Classic Overdrive: Was $69 now $49
MXR’s most affordable overdrive may not offer all the bells and whistles of its pricier brethren, but it’s no slouch in the tone department. Spanning a touch of grit to hairier overdrives, it’s an easy way to give you clean tone some punch or stack with other drives. Plus, if you believe certain internet rumors, it can be turned into a far pricier Zakk Wylde Overdrive with the flick of a switch on the circuit board. Two pedals for the price of one? You can’t say fairer than that, especially with $20 off at Guitar Center.
EarthQuaker Devices Plumes: Was $99, now $79.20
One of our favorite Tube Screamer clones, the Plumes is an absolute bargain at this price. As you’d expect from a good TS clone, it’s perfect for pairing with a mid-scooped amp and stacks nicely with other drives, too. Its versatile tones will fit into any guitar rig – and with nearly $20 off, there’s no excuse not to find out why this is a modern overdrive classic.
MXR Eric Gales Raw Dawg Overdrive: $119 now $79
Eric Gales is one of the most tasteful blues players of our age, and the MXR Raw Dawg is at the heart of his celebrated tone. The signature overdrive mini pedal is small enough to fit on the most crowded of ‘boards (you can never have too many drives, right?) but it has a Tube Screamer-inspired tonal capacity that totally outweighs its humble size. Look no further than Gales’ own demo of the pedal to hear what it’s capable of. Musician’s Friend’s $79 offer should tempt you.
Pro Co Lil’ Rat: was $89.99 now $80.99 with code
The Pro Co Rat is the distortion pedal beloved by everyone from Dave Grohl to David Gilmour, and its latest incarnation downsizes the format to suit any pedalboard. The Lil’ Rat captures all those classic fuzzstortion tones in a teeny enclosure that still rocks the trademark Filter control for properly sculpting the filth – that’s why we awarded it 4.5/5 in our review. But it’s cheaper for Cyber Monday, too: you can knock that $89.99 price tag down to $80.99 at Musician’s Friend using the code CYBER at checkout.
Wampler Triumph Overdrive: was $99.99 now $84.99
Hailed as “better than the Bad Monkey” by JHS Pedals head honcho and guitar tone influencer Josh Scott, the Triumph takes the best features of DigiTech’s cult classic overdrive and mixes it with the Boss SD-1 for a dual-voice pedal that can handle all overdrive scenarios. A three-band EQ means it can slide into any rig, while its pair of modes offer two distinct flavors: the mid-hump Smooth mode and more open, touch-sensitive Punch. At $84.99 from Musician’s Friend, this is an absolute steal.
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Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism from Cardiff University, and over a decade's experience writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as 20 years of recording and live experience in original and function bands. During his career, he has interviewed the likes of John Frusciante, Chris Cornell, Tom Morello, Matt Bellamy, Kirk Hammett, Jerry Cantrell, Joe Satriani, Tom DeLonge, Ed O'Brien, Polyphia, Tosin Abasi, Yvette Young and many more. In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.
- Matt OwenSenior Staff Writer, GuitarWorld.com
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