Recently, I wrote about five affordable distortion pedals that I owned that could all be purchased for under $50 USD each. After I published that post, I started to wonder. Are there even more affordable pedals out there? It turns out that there are. Here are five that I discovered.
Before I start going through each affordable distortion pedal I discovered while researching this article, I wanted to point out something that you’ve probably already picked up on while admiring the imagery for this article. Cheap distortion pedals seem to feature a lot of red and pink. I’m not sure why that is, but I am OK with it. Red is one of the few colours I like to see in my own guitar space. If it’s not black or white, red is pretty much the only colour I’ll feature in my own videography or photography.
So, now that I’ve shared that little piece of trivia, let’s see what $40 USD gets you in this affordable distortion pedal list.
Table of Contents
Koogo Holy War distortion pedal
As is the case for most of the affordable distortion pedals in this list, Koogo is not a pedal manufacturer that I am familiar with. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Some of the better pedals I already own were pleasant surprises that I took a gamble on. At $30 USD, the Koogo Holy War distortion pedal seems like it is also worth a gamble.
According to the product description on Amazon, the Koogo Holy War distortion pedal comes in a metal casing and includes an expected combination of volume, tone, and distortion level. What it also includes is a three-way switch for high boost, low boost, or no boost.
That’s a lot of options for under $30 USD.
Asmuse Lagrangian distortion pedal
I have to say that this pedal appeals to me greatly as someone who has a history and ongoing interest in graphic design. The design of this pedal looks like a colour swatch. I think it’s a sexy pedal and it’s an incredibly vibrant shade of red.
According to the product description page at Amazon, this pedal is similar in sound to a certain big brand’s DS-1 model. If you’re reading this, you probably know which pedal that is. Let’s just say that to many people, the DS-1 is the boss of all distortion pedals.
One thing I am very interested in with this pedal is its USB power option. You can use a traditional DC 9V power source, but I believe there is a USB option as well.
Pigtone English Man distortion pedal
The Pigtone English Man distortion pedal is another vibrant red pedal and another affordable distortion pedal delivered in an all-metal casing. I know there are some plastic casing distortion pedals out there, but my preference is to have an all-metal case. I mean … it’s metal!
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One thing I like about the look of this pedal is the addition of the Presence knob. Anything additional that can be added to a pedal that increases a user’s tonal shaping opportunities is a positive in my book.
Another potential advantage with this pedal—depending on your outlook—is the pedal’s size. This appears to be more of a traditional-sized pedal. I think that’s good for stomping. Perhaps less appealing if your goal is to see how many pedals you can get on your pedal board.
Vangoa distortion pedal
The Vangoa is one of the pinkest distortion pedals I’ve ever seen. Still, it ticks all the right boxes. It comes in at under $30 USD, has a metal casing, and provides you with the tone, volume, and distortion level knobs you would expect on any distortion pedal.
I’m not certain, but I believe that all three knobs may be lit by LED lights when the pedal is activated. That’s pretty cool.
There really isn’t a lot more to be said for this affordable distortion pedal offering. It’s cheap, it’s pink and it provides you with distortion. As long as it’s quiet (bypassed) when not activated, you shouldn’t be able to go wrong.
Because of the size of this pedal, there is no battery power option. You will need to plug this into a DC 9V power source.
Iset distortion pedal
The Iset distortion pedal is the pinkest pedal in this list of affordable distortion pedals. I have no problem with that. I’m man enough to say I really would love to give this pedal a try.
Hint. I hope my family is reading this.
Just like the Asmuse and Vangoa pedals do, this pedal comes with the basic offerings of tone, volume, and distortion (or gain) control. There is an LED light that comes on when the pedal is activated and the pedal casing is all-metal.
Because of the size of this pedal, there is no battery power option. You will need to plug this into a DC 9V power source.
Summary
That’s a lot of options for under $40 USD. That’s a lot of red and pink as well. Either way, I feel like any one of these affordable distortion pedal options would be worth a gamble. If you have a guitar fascination like me—as well as the same very limited amount of cash to spend on that fascination—then any of these pedals could be a tempting potential purchase to make. I know I’m tempted by all of them.
Maybe it’s time to send out an early Father’s Day wish list to the family. I know that if I manage to score any of these pedals, I’ll report on the pedal’s effectiveness. Stay tuned. My fingers are crossed.
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