3 must-have types of pedals under $100 for the beginner guitarist

3. Reverb

Biyang Tri Reverb RV-10 – $70-$90

Last, we have reverb. Reverb can be thought of the sound of any physical space. For instance, if you were to clap in a bathroom versus a large stadium, the echoes produced by the sound of that chap reflecting off the walls of those two spaces creates two very different-sounding reverbs. The size of the space as well as the surrounding surfaces all affect the sound of the echoes produced, making every space sounds distinct. It is hence also very different from delay as delay is the repetition of your dry signal while reverb carries information about the interaction between your guitar sound and the environment it’s being played in. Reverb pedals aim to simulate these natural reverbs and other artificially created reverbs too, with the added benefit of letting you customise the echoes to make your guitar sound less bare and more vibrant. 

A great introductory pedal to reverb is the Biyang Tri Reverb RV-10, containing 3 prominent reverb models: Hall, Spring, and Room, each with their own A/B mode that differ greatly in tone. The Hall setting emulates the luscious reverb of concert halls, the Spring mode mimics the metallic resonance of a man-made reverb that utilises springs to create the classic “drip” effect, and Room is pretty self-explanatory. Control how loud you want the echoes and the length of their decay with the Blend and Time knob respectively. All in all, it’s an accessible swiss army knife of a reverb that delivers on all fronts, and you can find it easily on sites like AliExpress and Amazon.