Join music gear discussions on Equipboard. Talk about guitar gear, electronic music production, get help identifying gear, ask for feedback on your music, suggest ideas to improve Equipboard and more.

what's the cheapest piece of gear in your rig that genuinely surprised you?

"shuteyko" · 2026-04-04T18:35:52Z

"everyone loves praising expensive pedals, vintage guitars, and tube amps, but what about the stuff that costs pennies and still punches way above its weight? like a $20 chinese bass distortion, some no-name strings from a discount bin, budget aliexpress pickups, or a cable that's somehow survived three tours xdd. share your favorite piece of cheap "junk" that you'd never throw out - the underdog in your signal chain that just works."

jimmarchi1|41029 MODERATOR

GEAR:

In reply to chopchop:

Gotta say...the cheapest and surprisingly BEST change I made to my gear....assortment of picks. Ive always just used whatever pick I could find (under furniture, in the couch, washing machine etc...) and rolled with it. When I was about to hang up the possibility of ever hitting harmonics, I was given a heavier gague pick than what I was used to using. YES!!! Picks....they work!

agreed, I'll settle for a fender heavy any time, but I've got every tortex, a bunch of hercos and stuff, filed down gold coins as well as all these wooden jazz picks my uncle carved out of tonewoods, snakewood is particularly rockin... then there's finger style for a tone and style adjust

2 months ago