PAL Holiday Gift Guide: Best Gifts Under $100

Happy Thursday, music fans! Thanksgiving is right around the corner and Christmas not far behind – not to mention Chanukah and the rest of the winter holidays – so, what does this all mean? Gifts! That’s right, this is that time of year where we all dig deep into our wallets towards gifts for all of the important people in our lives but before you go and wait eight hours in line for a $100 42-inch TV this upcoming Black Friday, why not get a little something for yourself? And why not? There’s no better time to get yourself a little something than right now. And with that said, we here at PAL are getting into the holiday spirit and extending that feeling towards tons of our inventory! And to help out all of you musicians out there in the need of some extra gear in their lives we have put together an extensive list of loads of different products – all under one hundred bucks!

We have everything from effects pedals to tuners to gig bags and plenty more where that came from so if you have yet to take a look at our Best Gifts Under $100 section you should definitely check that out right here or at the front page of PAL.

In today’s article, I’d like to take some time to put together a list of some of my own favorite pieces of gear from our Best Gifts page and give you some info on why you should definitely take a closer look. Alright, let’s get right to it!

Editor’s Choice

Shure SM58-LC @ $99.00 - Free 25' Mic Cable with Purchase/ $10 Mail-in Rebate Available

If you’ve never heard of the Shure SM58 then you’re probably new at this whole performing thing. Don’t let the small price tag fool you – the SM58 is by far the single most consistent choice for live vocal performances around the world. Known for giving both lead and back-up vocals plenty of flattering warmth and clarity, this dynamic vocal mic works just as well for studio recording and sound reinforcement making this baby as versatile as it is popular. If you’re in the market for a new microphone, do yourself a huge favor and pick up the Shure SM58. Do so before the end of the year and you get a $10 mail-in rebate and better yet, we’ll throw in a 25’ mic cable for free!

Jim Dunlop Original Crybaby Wah @ $79.99

Although there are plenty of Crybabies out there, this one right here is the original – the pedal responsible for some of the most signature tones in rock history! Just looking at the list of notable users such as Jimi Hendrix (his was actually the Thomas Organ design that was for all intents and purposes essentially the Original Crybaby Wah), Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, David Gilmour and way too many more to mention. When people talk about that classic wah sound, they mean this pedal! Featuring a complete heavy die cast construction for years of reliability along with a 100K ohm Hot Potz potentiometer that makes sure your wah is quick and abrupt, just like it should be!

Fender Frontman 25R Guitar Combo Amp @ $99.99

In the need of a great practice amp with plenty of bells and whistles? Perfect timing as this Fender 25W packs plenty of features without the big price tag! As far as looks go, fans of that signature Fender Blackface look (skirted knobs and silver grille cloth) will find a lot to like cosmetically with this one. Features of the Fender Frontman 25R include dual selectable channels (normal and drive), auxiliary input for CD or drum machine use, a headphone jack for some personal practice sessions and separate controls for treble, mid, bass, volume, gain and drive. Not only that, this great little amp also comes with that signature Fender reverb and an optional footswitch for remote channel selection!

ART Tube MP Studio V3

Finally got yourself your own mixer or recording unit for your home studio but not too happy about the onboard preamps? Well, no problem! Whether you’re working on a computer, hard-disk or digital multi-track recorder, the Tube MP Studio V3 is designed to deliver professional recording studio results at a fraction of the price of comparable units. For less than $100, this preamp offers superior performance and sound quality over the on-board ones found in today’s low cost mixers and multi-trackers. The Tube MP Studio V3 combines professional quality with professional features including a hand-selected 12AX7a tube, phantom power for all of your active microphones and even phase reverse! Trust me, when you find that two or your tracks are a bit off, that phase reverse will save you plenty of time a headaches. This little baby also works as a direct box with impedance matching and preamplification for line-level sources.

Effects Pedals

MXR Dyna Comp M102 @ $69.99

Another classic choice! The MXR Dyna Comp is a great buy for anyone out there in the need of some compression (which lets you set a maximum output level and the sensitivity at which it kicks in). This little stomp box can produce that percussive, clicky sound on a clean guitar that you've heard on so many pop hits and also even out the volume of sustained tones for some mellow lead work. Easy to use controls include footswitch toggles, effect on/bypass (red LED indicates on), output knob to set compression and a sensitivity knob that sets the compression ratio (highest sensitivity is maximum compression). And at this price, there’s no better time to buy than now!

MXR Custom Badass ’78 Distortion @ $79.99

Who doesn’t like distortion? The MXR Custom Badass ’78 Distortion is a factory-modded pedal that roars with huge amp stack tones and old school tube amp-like distortion that is sure to give your signature sound a good kick! MXR took a classic distortion circuit and hot-rodded it to the next level for over-the-top soaring leads and rich, saturated rhythms. With only three knobs, dialing in Badass tone is a cinch. The CRUNCH button allows you to choose between two different modes of diode and LED clipping, boosting the harmonic content of the distortion. The '78 Distortion's wide open amp-like sound sounds great whether it's in front of a clean amp, a slightly dirty amp, or a full on overdriven amp. Under the hood, this high performance machine features top notch circuitry and hardware meant for a lifetime of use. And for less than $100, this is definitely a perfect stocking stuffer!

MOOER Ana Echo Analog Delay @ $89.00

For all of you analog purists out there, get a load of the Mooer Ana Echo Analog Delay pedal! With delay time ranging from 20ms to 300ms, you know this baby can deliver the goods – without that pesky frail sound of a digital unit. 100% true bypass ensures that your signal chain will not be taken hostage if this pedal runs out of juice or is switched off – or you can always just hook it up to some power using the included 9V adapter. Other features include a full metal shell, small form factor and full analog circuitry that is sure to deliver that warm, clear and smooth analog delay sound. And for less than $100, you know you can’t go wrong!

Microphones

Shure SM57-LC @ $99.00

The Shure SM57 unidirectional dynamic microphone is exceptional for musical instrument pickup or for vocals. With its bright, clean sound and carefully contoured presence rise, the SM57 is ideal for live sound reinforcement and recording. It has an extremely effective cardioid pickup pattern which isolates the main sound source while minimizing background noise. In the studio, it is excellent for recording drums, guitar, and woodwinds. For musical instruments or vocals, the SM57 is a consistent choice of professional performers. It is also the standard microphone used on the podium of the U.S. President for over 30 years. Its outstanding performance, legendary reliability, and diversity of application make this "workhorse" the choice of performers, producers, and sound engineers the world over!

MXL 770 @ $99.95

The MXL 770 is the latest in affordable condenser microphone technology but don’t confuse that with lack of quality sound! The MXL 770 is a consumer priced microphone, with professional sonics and features through and through. A true, phantom powered, condenser microphone with a 6-micron, 20mm gold-sputtered diaphragm, the MXL 770 delivers a silky up-front high end and a solid low frequency sound. The MXL 770 has a high quality FET preamp and its output is balanced with a wide dynamic range. The MXL 770 is perfectly suited for digital and analog recording and for less than $100, an excellent buy!

MXL 604 @ $99.95

The MXL 604 is the latest in quality instrument microphones at a very affordable price. Using transformer-less FET circuitry and a 20mm gold diaphragm capsule design, the 604 delivers the dynamic range required in the most demanding instrument miking applications. It features include -10dB switchable attenuation, selectable low-frequency roll-off and an interchangeable omni-directional capsule making the the 604 perfect for acoustic guitar, ambient and overhead drum miking. Don’t let the small price tag fool you – the 604 exhibits low noise characteristics with a wide dynamic range that should go well in that home recording studio of yours!

Accessories

Fender FCT-12 Color Clip-on Chromatic Tuner @ $12.99

Fender FCT-12 Chromatic Color Clip-On Tuner is compact and easy to operate even under darkened stage conditions. It tunes instruments using a built-in vibration sensor for accurate and precise tuning even in noisy areas. The bright and colorful LCD screen with easy-to-read sweep needle display rotates 360 degrees for easy viewing. Tuning modes include: Guitar, Bass, Ukulele, Violin and Chromatic. Tuning range A0 – C8. A4 Range 430Hz-450Hz. Weight: 50 grams. Power: CR2032 battery (included)

Fender Gig Bag for Traditional Stratocaster Guitar @ $19.99

The Fender Traditional Gig Bag features functional & economical design. Water resistant polyester, 600 denier exterior with 8 mm thick premium foam internal padding. Features a large outer pocket and includes a nylon shoulder strap. Other features include a luggage grade exterior, large outer pocket, shoulder strap along with 8mm internal foam padding. And did we mention its waterproof?

Fender Performance Series 10’ Instrument Cable @ $11.99

Fender cables are designed specifically for live performance - engineered to avoid twisting, kinking, and having any "physical memory" and ultimately delivering the best sonic balance between your performance and your equipment. Backed by a lifetime warranty, Fender cables are an excellent choice for all your cable needs! Special Features include extra thick 8mm diameter black PVC jacket to reduce handling noise, extreme pliability to alleviate kinking and commercial-grade connectors with 90% copper coverage shield!

Drummers Only