The (Insert Dirt-Cheap Chinese Brand Here) Pedal Club!

[Michael A.]

Thanks! Your reviews have been quite helpful to me.

I was able to add to my cheap pedals since the Sonicake with a $10 Caline delay and a $15 Donner mini-looper, both used from the same local seller. So my small board is getting filled up nicely!

Now a need to find a real cheap drum machine that is simple to use.

 

[Vibro Joe]

I have a Donner Yellow Fall delay, use it to get some good slap-back into my Vibro Champ.

I have a MoSky Dyna Compressor on my Bass pedal board. It’s my “always on” pedal

 

[GearGeek01]

I haven't read through all the posts, so maybe someone has mentioned this... the Behringer VP-1 Vintage Phaser... I got mine a few months back when, at Sweetwater they were $23... now the price has went up slightly to $33... what a really nice phaser sound and built into a pretty tough box (not their typical plastic stuff)...almost a total clone of the Electro-Harmonix (older style) Small Stone phaser... (see pics)
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/VP1phase--behringer-vp1-vintage-phaser-pedal

For the money this phaser sounds really super good and slurpy... the "Tone" switch is more of an intensity increaser thingy rather than doing anything to the EQ... I love this pedal and wouldn't sell it for anything... but it would cost more to ship it than I could get out of it on the used market anyways... haha

Highly recommended by this phase shifter junkie...

 

[stormsedge]

I have lots of pedals "made in China"...the only pedal I've ever had an issue with was a high priced one made in the USA, that will remain nameless.

Donner--Alpha Cruncher (distortion, chorus, delay), Boost Killer OD, ABY switch and power supply
Caline--Ultra Chorus, Drifter Seven Delays, Puffer Fuzz, Clear Veil OD Fuzz
Danelectro--Billion Dollar Boost OD, Pride of Texas OD , Cash Cow OD distortion, Cool Cat Metal distortion, Filthy Rich tremolo, Big Spender spinning speaker
NUX--Horseman OD
...and another power supply I bought off Amazon.

I usually start by looking for a particular type of pedal and listen to the video demos until I either decide or can't stand another demo. I really cannot say I've been disappointed, especially for the price. Wow, this is an old thread.

 

[Ted Keane]

I've been wondering about what will happen with the trade between US and China.Prices are starting to change,along with shipping.I just ordered 5 pedals,and I'm wondering about a few more.Plus it's just a good excuse to get more.

 

[7thString_]

The Mosky golden horse is an awesome Klon style chinese cheapy. I have owned a few KTRs in the past; the Mosky does a great impersonation.

 

[twr102]

I just got the Monoprice Stage Right overdrive for $20. It's 3 distinct drives in one. Normal is UK, Boost is TS-9, and Fat is Dumble. Extra versatile mini pedal.

 

[Zettemusik]

I got a 4 pack of BEHRINGER pedals new for $39 w/free shipping earlier this year.

Not the best quality that's for sure, but they give me some fun sounds.

It included patch cables, a Digital Multi FX box, Tube OD box, Super Metal box and a Delay box, hell for $10 a box it was a steal. Looked like this but had an additional Tube OD included.

If you look at the JHS show he proves how some of them are the exact Boss circuit (the analog ones)

 

[Zettemusik]

I have plenty of Chineses pedals since I went from plugins to analogue and was experimenting.

So far, I am in love with the Proco RAT (Rat Attack) from Nobsound Little Bear and its G3 tube overdrive. I like the Dumbler from Rowin and the Valeton Cab SIM.

The Biyang products are extraordinary. The X-Drive is great and you can switch amongst three chips to change the sound.

The Calines are quite original. I am waiting for the Crazy Cacti.

The Joyo American Sound, ACtone, etc. are nearly exact copies of tech 21 and good for instant gratification but I don't fancy them so much as I can not bypass the Cabsim and have strong bass.

On a bit more expensive end we have 68 pedals (The Snow White is great) and the Mooer preamps which are OK but I am not sure they are better than amp sims from Th-U overloud or Bias FX.

What happens is that they are so cheap you end spending more than you need. So I am now testing some more but few (I found a copy of the DSM Humboldt Simplifier by Ly-Rock) and will start downsizing. I may make video reviews if I have time before I sell them.

I keep and keep going back to AMT F1 (Russian) as clean preamp, the Valeton Coral and use the reverbs and delays through plugins as I record directly to the computer.

 

[Silver Max]

I have plenty of Chineses pedals since I went from plugins to analogue and was experimenting.

So far, I am in love with the Proco RAT (Rat Attack) from Nobsound Little Bear and its G3 tube overdrive. I like the Dumbler from Rowin and the Valeton Cab SIM.

The Biyang products are extraordinary. The X-Drive is great and you can switch amongst three chips to change the sound.

The Calines are quite original. I am waiting for the Crazy Cacti.

The Joyo American Sound, ACtone, etc. are nearly exact copies of tech 21 and good for instant gratification but I don't fancy them so much as I can not bypass the Cabsim and have strong bass.

On a bit more expensive end we have 68 pedals (The Snow White is great) and the Mooer preamps which are OK but I am not sure they are better than amp sims from Th-U overloud or Bias FX.

What happens is that they are so cheap you end spending more than you need. So I am now testing some more but few (I found a copy of the DSM Humboldt Simplifier by Ly-Rock) and will start downsizing. I may make video reviews if I have time before I sell them.

I keep and keep going back to AMT F1 (Russian) as clean preamp, the Valeton Coral and use the reverbs and delays through plugins as I record directly to the computer.

I've been checking back to this thread to find out your opinions on the Simplifier clone. They're now cropping up in all the usual places and I'm intrigued to see if they've managed to replicate what is a very complicated piece of kit.

 

[teleforumnoob]

I’ve had good luck with Joyo and Moskey. Not everything I have by them is great (for me anyway) but I’ve had good odds with those.
Some favs
Joyo Tremelo-Simple, well constructed, does its job.
Joyo American Sound-Just a great preamp, so useful.
Joyo Sweet Baby-decent soft and round OD.
Moskey MM Silver-nice versatile OD/distortion
Moskey Blue Delay-simple, cheap, sounds great
Moskey Buffer-It buffers, little color no noticeable noise

Some others that were good just not for me:
Joyo AC Tone-Just as good as the AM Sound but I don’t use the Vox sound much.
Joyo Hot Plexi-Just not my sound. Maybe it’s my amps, idk.

 

[omahaaudio]

Ammoon and Harley Benton basically ARE Joyo pedals. Not sure why the different names from different vendors/regions.

Harley Benton is the house brand of Thomann and Thomann is one of the biggest music retailers in the world.

If you order 100,000 pedals from the Chinese factory you could have obscenities in four different languages printed on the pedal if you wanted.

I've been to the Thomann HQ in Burgebrach, Germany (population around 7,000) and when you approach the small town from one direction and find the Thomann store it's a big place, but certainly not as big as Sweetwater. Nice place, many lovely things on display, lots of custom shop guitars in the upstairs room, pleasant staff.

It's only when you leave town in the other direction and crest the hill that you see this really massive (I mean huge) facility with dozens of UPS and DHL 18-wheelers lined up that you understand just how big they are.

 

[teleforumnoob]

Thanks! Your reviews have been quite helpful to me.

I was able to add to my cheap pedals since the Sonicake with a $10 Caline delay and a $15 Donner mini-looper, both used from the same local seller. So my small board is getting filled up nicely!

Now a need to find a real cheap drum machine that is simple to use.

For realistic drum sounds I like the Alesis SR18, can find them cheap used. Good sounding samples, decent playable pads, and as as common on these things way too many useless presets and a half doz very useful ones.
But I prefer using my Arturia Drumbrute Impact. Not real drums but super easy to step program a beat in a hurry.