The psychology of box

[midwayfair]

you making pedals for the Amish?

Yeah. Truly analog.

[Govmnt_Lacky]

I think that with boutique effects it is more common for people to expect good looks AND good sound.  It all kind of feeds into the specialized market that commands higher prices than your typical Boss or MXR pedal. 

+1 ^^^

I think you hit the nail on the head here.... 

[Jefe]

I love that enclosure, Jefe. I bet it sheds beer better than the average box! I think that enclosure would look amazing done up all steampunk. And that would definitely make for inspired playing!!

Lol, thanks Leevibe! I'm not sure if I'd play any more or less inspired if my pedals had a different look. I finished this particular pedal about 5 years ago, so I pretty much stopped caring what it looked like long ago. On the other hand, I still do appreciate the fact that I built it like a tank, it works flawlessly, and it still sounds killer.

[juansolo]

I think that with boutique effects it is more common for people to expect good looks AND good sound.

Not in my definition of boutique:

- Painted by the makers child if you're lucky, if not dymo'll do.
- Wired up whilst wired on LSD. Or potentially assembled by the same child (I wonder if boutique companies are actually child sweatshops some times).
- Covered in goo. Let's face it, it probably looks better than what's underneath.
- Marketed as sounding like some holy grail, unobtanium amplifier. When it's an overdrive...
- An overdrive with a few components changed...
- Probably a Tube Screamer.
- Priced at about the cost it would take to actually make a clone of the amp it proports to sound like.

I'm really quite a cynical jaded bastard at times...

I don't actually class people turning out decent kit as boutique. They're low volume / custom pedal makers. Boutique is a derisory term as far as I'm concerned.

[Clayford]

[...]
I don't actually class people turning out decent kit as boutique. They're low volume / custom pedal makers. Boutique is a derisory term as far as I'm concerned.

Yes.
Boutique is right up there with Toan in my book.

Musicians and cork sniffers aren't the only ones concerned with the looks. An employee of mine plays worship at his local church. We built up a So-wHatt-O on vero together, and then he spent some time on sanding and coloring a 1590A just right (think Rej's distrested looks). It was "rejected" for stage use.(A Modtone Atomic phase however was approved for another player) We rehoused it into a polished enclosure, and now it's completely approved and "quite an amazing effect". Some of his fellow musicians are interested in a couple. I offered $50.00 ea for bare unpolished because they were his friends, and it's a SHO in a 1590a on vero. I can build them in my sleep. They tried to guilt me into doing it cheaper "for the church".

[davent]

And be sure to run the Super Hard On into the Big Muff on the worship pedal board, surely get a rise from the congregation.
dave

[Clayford]

And be sure to run the Super Hard On into the Big Muff on the worship pedal board, surely get a rise from the congregation.
dave

Actually he pairs a Super Hard On with a Swollen Pickle. I still grin every time.

I should say I don't disrespect worship players. They're outstanding musicians in their own right. It's the excessive cork sniffing and the entitlement that they should get a discount because they play for the church that is my issue.

[davent]

I trust that's in a plain brown wrapper as well.

[Clayford]

It's a Dunlop version. And ok.