boutique

At what point is a somp box concidered boutique..

I would turn that question around and ask:
"When does a stomp box STOP being considered boutique?"

Answer: When it's carried by any of the major retailers. (e.g., Musicians Friend, Guitar Center)

It's kind of a generalization....but a good enough one.

When it costs more than $175 and they have a waiting list longer than 2 weeks to get one of them, when all the cool kids got em an you can't find one anywhere, and when production runs are limited due to their being hand-wired.

I think that pretty much defines it. :smile:
God bless,
Ward

I would turn that question around and ask:
"When does a stomp box STOP being considered boutique?"

Answer: When it's carried by any of the major retailers. (e.g., Musicians Friend, Guitar Center)

It's kind of a generalization....but a good enough one.

That's probably the easiest way to tell. I would include most mom and pop shops with your list.

If you go to the counter and ask if they have an (Boutique pedal of your choice) and they say, "What? What is that?", it's probably boutique.:mrgreen:

Actually, many pedals at any price point are a clone or mostly a clone of some cheaper mass produced pedal.

I can only think of 3 completely new circuits off of the top of my head:

1. Klon Centaur

2. Blackstone Appliances Mosfet Overdrive

3. Tech 21 SansAmp series

...and those 3 have actually been out for over a decade roughly.

Just about everything else is usually lifted from a previous design. Just do a little research, and you'll find out for yourself. Sometimes one vendor even lifts off of what someone else lifted.

There are currently over a thousand Tubescreamer clones out there. There are also endless clones of all of the TS's cousins. Go to this web page, and scroll down to the "Classic Designs" tab:

http://users.sa.chariot.net.au/~gmarts/ampovdrv.htm

When I can't afford it,it's "booteek'.:lol:

What's a stomp box?:mrgreen: :lol:

Boutique pedals are for those who are searching for the holy grail of tone. I would have to agree with the discussion on the tone thread regarding the search for tone. It is how you play that makes your tone.....not the pedals you use.

I have a few modded pedals but nothing I would call boutique. Honestly...I feel boutique pedals are for those who want to say they have a boutique pedal. Your sound is only as good as your amp and guitar IMHO.

John

Actually, many pedals at any price point are a clone or mostly a clone of some cheaper mass produced pedal.

I can only think of 3 completely new circuits off of the top of my head:

1. Klon Centaur

2. Blackstone Appliances Mosfet Overdrive

3. Tech 21 SansAmp series

...and those 3 have actually been out for over a decade roughly.

Just about everything else is usually lifted from a previous design. Just do a little research, and you'll find out for yourself. Sometimes one vendor even lifts off of what someone else lifted.

There are currently over a thousand Tubescreamer clones out there. There are also endless clones of all of the TS's cousins. Go to this web page, and scroll down to the "Classic Designs" tab:

http://users.sa.chariot.net.au/~gmarts/ampovdrv.htm

I agree that many of the boutique pedals are modded versions of less expensive pedals, but the same can be said of boutique amps and guitars.

You mention three pedals, but how about offerings from Lovepedal, Menatone, ZVex, Clark and others? Many of these guys are offering pedals that are "Amp in a box" or various things that we haven't seen before.

Boutique pedals are for those who are searching for the holy grail of tone. I would have to agree with the discussion on the tone thread regarding the search for tone. It is how you play that makes your tone.....not the pedals you use.

I have a few modded pedals but nothing I would call boutique. Honestly...I feel boutique pedals are for those who want to say they have a boutique pedal. Your sound is only as good as your amp and guitar IMHO.

John

You need to come to one of our tone parties.

Nobody asks me what pedal I'm playing at a gig. I choose the pedals I choose because the give me what I'm looking for.

In the last year alone, I've come across several pedals that impress me more than anything I've heard. I think you'd have a great time hanging out and playing them!:grin:

Boutique pedals are for those who are searching for the holy grail of tone. I would have to agree with the discussion on the tone thread regarding the search for tone. It is how you play that makes your tone.....not the pedals you use.

I have a few modded pedals but nothing I would call boutique. Honestly...I feel boutique pedals are for those who want to say they have a boutique pedal. Your sound is only as good as your amp and guitar IMHO.

John Ditto. Search for the Holy Grail of Tone ??? How long is a piece
of String :grin: If you've not heard the " Holy Grail " how
do you know when you've found it ?? After going through
a serious pedal phase, I came back to a good guitar
plugged straight into a good amp as the Best Tone.
Use your hands / fingers to get the nuances of Tone.

i dunno. some people want the exclusivity. some want the "mojo". they want the cred. they just feel better with em.

well, i'd get a "boutique" pedal over a normal one if i had the choice. i only have a few "boutique" peds.

Most working players that I know make their choices with their ears. Stomps are at your feet, who cares what you use, other than your own ear. Actually, most working players I know are going to gravitate toward garden variety/inexpensive IF it'll do the trick. When it doesn't, it's time to spend some more money, unfortunately.

The only way to bench test gear is to bench test it. On the bandstand, in the studio. Whatever works for you is the ticket.

...........Actually, most working players I know are going to gravitate toward garden variety/inexpensive IF it'll do the trick. When it doesn't, it's time to spend some more money, unfortunately.


Bingo !, if anything goes wrong with your bone stock CS2 - 3 or whatever you can pretty much replace it in a flash from any music store (OK, within reason) but when your 'booteek' one dies or throws a rod out the side it could be a long wait to repair or replace.

I think maybe the important word in the quote is 'working' though. :grin:

Bingo !, if anything goes wrong with your bone stock CS2 - 3 or whatever you can pretty much replace it in a flash from any music store (OK, within reason) but when your 'booteek' one dies or throws a rod out the side it could be a long wait to repair or replace.

I think maybe the important word in the quote is 'working' though. :grin:

I can appreciate the distinction you're making.

I'm a "Working" musician, but I don't really need any of my effects to get through the show. If something goes bad, I can do without it. My sound is not defined by my effects. They simply allow me to get a sound I prefer regardless of the room I find myself in.

If my sound was dependent on my pedals, I'd still play the same thing. I'd just have 2 of everything!:mrgreen:

......I'm a "Working" musician, but I don't really need any of my effect to get through the show.


I would have to agree with that but reading this forum sometimes makes me think a lot of players couldn't get through a night if their favourite pedal blew up and then there are those who use 'loopers' and the like who would look a bit silly without a spare !
Like you, i like to hear a guitar as a guitar but a lot of folk like to 'invent' their own tone with whatever is to hand.

Rhinocaster, guess we just be getting old and crotchety --- now kids !!, get yourselves and your pedals off my lawn !!

:lol:

I think this thread is going off on another path...My question origionally was when is a pedal considered boutique as opposed to just a pedal...Example..
A fulltone O.C.D. is that a boutique pedal verses a current T.S.9..etc..

I think this thread is going off on another path...My question origionally was when is a pedal considered boutique as opposed to just a pedal...Example..
A fulltone O.C.D. is that a boutique pedal verses a current T.S.9..etc..


OK sorry if we had a minor divert ! :grin:

IMHO the 'boutique' makers are those smaller companies as opposed to huge companies that are part of even bigger corporations that churn out pedals by the gross.
Small 'boutique' makers are easier to communicate with, can often custom build or modify but by the inverse law of scale (that allows corporations to buy boat loads of computer chips for pennies) their products are more expensive but many feel it is worth it.

Bottom line ? -- use YOUR ears only to choose, if you think the TS9 sounds better then go with it.

Boutique to me means hand-made in small quantities, or if not totally hand-made, then not entirely automated-assembly-line-in-large-quantities-made and not available at most music stores...

Boutique to me means hand-made in small quantities, or if not totally hand-made, then not entirely automated-assembly-line-in-large-quantities-made and not available at most music stores...
+1.

You can now but a 2 knob Keeley compressor on MF which I think is the best comp around, but I still can't afford it, yet, it is worth $229
Jim