ibanez – Modern Guitarist

This is by no means one of those “best distortion pedals of all time” lists, but a list of distortion or overdrive pedals that are now considered classics or legendary. All of these pedals have been around for decades and have been used by pop, rock, blues and jazz players alike. The sound of these stompboxes has influenced the pedals that came later as well as a new generation of guitar players (these pedals even have their own Wikipedia entry!). Most have also been modified by boutique pedal builders like Robert Keeley and Analogman, and luckily they are all still available for sale.

1. Ibanez Tube Screamer
tube-screamer
The first Tube Screamer was made in Japan in the late 1970’s. The Tube Screamer circuit has been copied by many pedal manufacturers. The most popular use of a Tube Screamer is to push a tube amp to make it overdrive more. Notable users include Stevie Ray Vaughan, Kirk Hammett, The Edge, Scott Henderson and John Mayer.

2. Boss DS-1

The DS-1 has been manufactured by the Roland Corporation under the brand name Boss since the late 1970’s. Notable users include Kurt Cobain, Joe Satriani, Mike Stern and Steve Vai.

3. Pro Co Rat

The original RAT was developed in Kalamazoo, Michigan in the late 1970’s. It became very popular in the early 1980’s and it’s still used by many players today. Notable users include Nuno Bettencourt, Robert Fripp, John Scofield, Kurt Rosenwinkel and Dave Grohl.

4. Electro-Harmonix Big Muff
EHX Big Muff
The Big Muff was produced in New York City in the early 1970’s. Called a fuzz by some, distortion by others, it’s so legendary it had to make the list. The Big Muff was found in countless guitarists’ pedalboards of the 1970’s like Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour, Carlos Santana and Frank Zappa. It’s still used today by many players like Jack White and Dan Auerbach (of The Black Keys).

5. MXR M104 Distortion +
MXR M104 +
Originally designed in the 1970s by MXR. The “MXR Distortion Plus” has only two knobs. Notable users include Alex Lifeson, Randy Rhoads, Jerry Garcia, Dave Murray and Thom Yorke.

If you feel I should’ve included other pedals here, please share your list below.

Back in the day when I started learning the guitar, finding a good starter acoustic guitar for under $200 was nearly impossible. Luckily for you, competition between guitar manufacturers has made this a reality. As a guitar teacher, I’m always on the look for the best budget guitars for my students. One thing that I’ve learned throughout the years is that students often go for a combination of good looks and value. For this reason I like recommending different models based on the student’s musical preferences.

5 Great Steel String Acoustic Guitars Under $200: (in no particular order)

These are 5 top selling acoustic guitars you can find locally or online. If you think other models should be included here or have any questions, please post your comments below or on our new forum section. For a description of the different guitar body styles available, check out the chart at the bottom of the page. I also have a list of Electric Guitars Under $200.

Model Descriptions

Yamaha FG700S Folk Acoustic Guitar
This Yamaha is a great entry level acoustic guitar and an excellent choice for beginners. Yamaha has been making musical instruments since the late 1800’s and their acoustic guitars are known for their quality and price. I always recommend them to my students. Yamaha states that the FG series is the number 1 sold acoustic guitar of all time.

Fender CD-140S Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar
Known for their electric guitar and amps, Fender also makes quality entry level acoustic guitars. With a traditional dreadnought body style, this model is available in natural, mahogany, sunburst, and white color. The all mahogany model (pictured below) looks amazing.

Epiphone AJ-220S Acoustic Guitar
This Epiphone guitar features a jumbo guitar shape, this means it has a bigger body which translates into a louder and more resonant instrument. The jumbo design is often considered the standard “cowboy” guitar. Available in natural and vintage sunburst color. Epiphone is Gibson’s entry level, more affordable brand.

Ibanez V70CE Acoustic-Electric Guitar
This is a full size dreadnought acoustic-electric guitar with a single “soft” cutaway and active electronics. This means you can hook it up to an amplifier. Rock On! A cutaway will let you reach the higher frets on the guitar neck. For an electro-acoustic, it offers a great value. I can’t tell you how many times my students have a asked for an acoustic-electric guitar, so here’s an option for you as well. Available in transparent blue burst or black.

Wahsburn Festival Series EA12 Acoustic Guitar
This is another acoustic-electric guitar. The Washburn EA12 is a mini jumbo guitar with a single cutaway, built-in tuner and a 4-Band EQ. Washburn’s Festival Series guitars were standard on MTV’s “Unplugged” sessions and have been best-sellers ever since. This guitar comes ready with a 1/4 inch output for your amp and XLR output for your PA or mixer. It’s also available in red.

Guitar Body Styles in a Nutshell

Parlor: the smallest acoustic guitar body size, good for fingerpicking.
Classical: smaller than the traditional steel string acoustic, it is used in classical and latin music. It has nylon strings (as opposed to steel strings).
Concert: a bridge between a parlor and larger guitars, they have a bright sound with a punchy mid-range.
Auditorium: a mid-sized acoustic guitar, produces a great balance between volume, tonal balance and playing comfort.
Dreadnought: the most popular acoustic shape, uses a very large soundboard.
Jumbo: bigger body, they are louder, more resonant and boomy.
Travel/Mini/Student: usually built for smaller players and/or for traveling.

5 Classic Distortion/Overdrive Pedals

Best Acoustic Guitar for Beginners Under $200