The psychology of box

[jubal81]

I was rocking out with my new Duplex build for a few hours today and just having a blast, but it's got me thinking.
How much am I, as a builder, influenced by the aesthetics of a pedal I've made myself?

The Duplex is a rare instance where I never heard it before I'd boxed it up - and spent a couple days sanding, etching, painting and clear coating. I really like a lot of ODs/Fuzzes that never make it to a box, even ones I honeymoon over for a while. And here, when my first impression comes with a neato box I'd worked really hard on, I've got maybe my favorite Muff variant ever and an opamp OD that I like as much as my favorite JFET ODs, which is pretty crazy.

No doubt these are a pair of highly-regarded effects, but I can't help but wonder how much I'm susceptible to "pretty box syndrome" even though I know what's what inside these things.

TL;DR: I think maybe I'm not as objective about circuits as I thought I was because - pretty box.

[jkokura]

Aesthetic appeal is a bonafide factor in appreciating things. Distinguishing between most overdrive pedals in a mix is almost impossible, but I play with the ones I like the best and the way they look has an impact on the way I feel about them and that has an impact on the way I play - thus, I play better and SOUND better because of the appearance of my overdrives.

Jacob

[pryde]

Aesthetics are an interesting thing with pedals.

Recently I spent hours and hours working with a guy on a pedal design who was nauseously picky about how the pedal looks and not once asked how it actually might sound 

I enjoy a nice looking pedal but try not to spend to much time these days on the looks

[Leevibe]

Aesthetic appeal is a bonafide factor in appreciating things. Distinguishing between most overdrive pedals in a mix is almost impossible, but I play with the ones I like the best and the way they look has an impact on the way I feel about them and that has an impact on the way I play - thus, I play better and SOUND better because of the appearance of my overdrives.

Jacob

+1

[juansolo]

I know I sell the pedals that I do sell based on how they look. The Hashishian is proof of that, I have never had more interest in a pedal... Especially one that doesn't do what the decal might infer. It's weird. I like them to look good, but I've never kept an effect I didn't like because I really liked the box it was in.

[midwayfair]

If I particularly like how something sounds, I often spend more time on the box.

[juansolo]

If I particularly like how something sounds, I often spend more time on the box.

That I am guilty of. Some effects just get something slapped on there. Some effects I make sure I get just right.

[peAk]

most definitely

[gordo]

It's the same principle as a newly washed car always seems to drive better than a dirty one...

[jubal81]

If I particularly like how something sounds, I often spend more time on the box.

Yeah, that's my usual MO. This is the first time I've ever gone full-out on a box for an effect I've never heard and I'm really sure why.
Since the first post I went back and did some more A/Bing with other muffs & overdrives and I think the love of the sound is plenty justified. I'm just going to chalk this one up to builder's intuition.

BTW, Jon, I think you'd dig the G2. It's got more of a vintage fuzz sound than what you get from a Muff, and it's a LOT quieter to boot.

[jubal81]

It's the same principle as a newly washed car always seems to drive better than a dirty one...

Now that's a spot-on analogy.

[GrindCustoms]

It's the same principle as a newly washed car always seems to drive better than a dirty one...

Now that's a spot-on analogy.

+1

I'm not into etching, fancy decals and all that but when i build a pedal on wich i spent 2 gallons of elbow grease to get it where i want, it sure appeals a lot more to me.

But strangely some of my best sounding pedals or those on board are plain black, i don't put much effort in the finish of pedals that i consider as personnal built, simple reason being that they are always coming in and out, passing them to folks who wants to try them and then get one built.... and that's where i will put a bigger effort in finishing the pedal so it looks good as it sounds (to my criteria of course).

[Govmnt_Lacky]

This has been my thought....

Design it for the SOUND!
Box it for the SALE!

I have never been one for the esthetics. I have always been more about how it sounds first and foremost however, there is no denying that MOST pedals sell successfully based on their esthetics.

The only thing that can overcome esthetics when it comes to sales is maybe HYPE. Hello...... KLON anyone?   

[rullywowr]

This has been my thought....

Design it for the SOUND!
Box it for the SALE!

+1000

If it doesn't sound good, why put all that effort into the enclosure?  For me, building the guts is much more enjoyable than finishing the enclosure.  I do appreciate a nice enclosure but if the sound isn't there...well, you know.

[culturejam]

Back when I first started building pedals, I used to design the box first and then pray that what I had soldered together actually worked. 

These days, I only box up stuff that I really like the sound of, so the looks of the finished product don't really factor in to my liking of the tone.