Boutique

[NJDeVriese]

LMFAO... I just sold all my boutique gear and went back to good old MXR pedals. Funny thing is alot of the MXR's sound better! I'm tired of paying $300+ for boxes... On top of that, having no or horrible customer service from the companies! Don't get me wrong - alot of companies are great. But this message is for the upcomers as well as the experienced - DO NOT WASTE your money on pedals that have "hype" of the month. Trust your ears and buy what suits your rig. I seriously am shocked how much better my signal flow and tone is now.

[LakePlacidBlue]

Originally Posted by NJDeVriese

DO NOT WASTE your money on pedals that have "hype" of the month. Trust your ears and buy what suits your rig.

IMO that is always very good advice, nevertheless if it's cheap or expensive gear.

[Flewis]

theres a reason CS-3 and dyna comps have been around forever , same with ts-808

[NJDeVriese]

No doubt... The TS808 boutique clones and potential hybrids are CRAZY! Do you honestly think that the hot girl/guy in the crowd can tell the difference in your damn +/- 3dB in the mids from a standard off the rack pedal to paying out your ass for some pedal that has been hyped up from ads. Not that I'm saying that's why I play... I play for me and my family to be happy... but everyone's ear is different and I'm tired of younger kids coming into local stores and thinking they HAVE to buy "Brand Name" pedal because this guy/girl plays it and makes it sounds good. Chances are..... Their talent is progressing and the amp they play through is the main purchase of the tone.

[11 Gauge]

Originally Posted by Flewis

theres a reason CS-3 and dyna comps have been around forever , same with ts-808

Yeah, but so has Pabst Blue Ribbon and Milwaukee's Best.

And the fine folks who made the Pinto are happy to sell the latest equivalent of it - the Focus, but you get my point.

Just because something has been around forever doesn't mean it's necessarily better. It just means it's still around.

But back to what the OP was bringing up - I don't think any gear decisions need to be so polarized, or all or nothing point of view. The answer could be a $300 purchase, or it might be a $30 purchase, or it might be neither!

For instance, as cool as the old Dyna Comp is, I'd argue that the Biyang Baby Boom Compress X is a better deal - better bypass, better components, and less noise than the slightly more expensive Dyna Comp.

The Boss line IMO is great bang for the buck, but you might actually be able to do a little better (with some research) for a little more money. If you consider that some of the Boss line is $100+ new, there are some "semi-boutique" pedals (as in much less than $300) that it would make more sense to choose instead.

One of the bigger issues with the "non-boutique" stuff (to me) is that the jacks, pots, and other parts tend to be mounted to the circuitboard. It can lead to durability/serviceability issues. If the pedal is only $30, no big deal - just toss it and grab another one when it dies. But even at $60 or so, I'd personally like a little durability.

They say the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Maybe for many guitarists, the gear solution lies somewhere in the middle. If you were purchasing boutique pedals at $300 a pop, that means you might find some good quality stuff for around half of that (~$150), and there are a TON of pedals around that price. And it will usually get you a decent warranty (at least it should), and maybe even shipping to your door (if you don't have to try it at your local store).

Thank goodness for options, I say. I have pedals on my board that range from $30 to about $200, and the price was "right" for all of them. IMO.

[JHall55]

I'm sure this has been addressed before, but what is "boutique"? Is it merely the cost of the pedal that makes it boutique?

[misc1600]

It’s cool being able to talk to the guy that built your pedal as well. Knowing that they built your pedal by hand to me is cool. Mass production sucks. Who do you think cares more, the builder or someone working 9-5.

[11 Gauge]

Originally Posted by JHall55

I'm sure this has been addressed before, but what is "boutique"? Is it merely the cost of the pedal that makes it boutique?

I don't think anyone really knew what to call it when they coined the term. It doesn't really apply now, because things have changed so much since the "first wave" of builders who might fit the category have come (and many of them have gone).

I think they tried to apply whatever the definition for "boutique amp" was to "boutique pedal," so again lots of potential gray area, and no true definition.

But I guess that very generally, boutique originally meant that something was basically hand made, custom made, made in smaller numbers, not mass produced by the modern measure (thousands upon thousands of units pumped out of factories), with ample "evidence" that such was the case.

...I suppose that a high price tag could have been one way to "suggest evidence," but there were (or are) "gray area pedals" that were quite affordable. To me, builders like Voodoo Lab were close enough to boutique - good products, nice vibe, not so cookie cutter as many other pedals (even if they weren't truly different).

But today, boutique means nothing by the original term, whatever variation you might define it as. Not too much is hand made any longer - most companies get their circuitboards pre-fabbed for them, even some really small ones. So aside from designing anything, it is really just degrees of assembly. You can look inside a $60 pedal alongside a $200 pedal, and the two can look very similar.

...The "boutique" stuff was never in local stores or mega-warehouse catalogs, but now some of it is. And some of these companies are very new. So how hand built/smaller number/custom can it be? The more units that are sold requires that more parts of the production be automated or outsourced.

Some boutique pedals have ALWAYS had a wait list, so I guess that is another potential gauge for some. But again - if the boxes are pre-drilled/powdercoated/silkscreened, the boards are pre-fabbed, component inventory is at the level of thousands of units, etc. - that is basically mass production. There is just some sort of bottleneck with the actual assembly part. It could be as simple as a hardheaded builder who won't scale up the operation, or the supply/demand thing might be beneficial.

I honestly don't even know if something being hand built by the person or people who designed it is even very important to many gear users any longer. Just like most other consumables, there is a ton of stuff being pumped out of China day and night that looks very similar to the handmade stuff, at a fraction of the price.

So to me, the boutique term means nothing. And it was really blurry for awhile anyway. Maybe parts of it remain, possibly just the smaller scale part, and more personal one-on-one service that you just can't get with something mass produced. But it is a very subjective drawing of the line.

When I was younger, the term "customized car" was pretty clear - you either did it yourself, or you took it to a special shop. There were a few "factory custom" cars (or some cool custom options), but it was typically the "specialization" part. So maybe that is what boutique means - specialization. Just a guess. I don't think any analogy really fits.

Look at signature model guitars - there used to be just the ones made by hand at "the original domestic location," whatever that might have been. But now there is usually the budget model that is built offshore, too. And I bet the latter sells 10 to 1. How many of those PRS Santana models at over $6K can they actually be selling? The Santana SE (or Tremonti SE, or Kirk Hammett LTD, etc.) probably move in much higher numbers.

I just got a little hand wired VHT amp, mass produced in China. It almost seems like a contradiction. Great little amp, but IDK what to categorize it as.

I think the term boutique is really just played out. And I hate to think of what the next slick term will be.

How about, "it's boutique to me..."

[telebuc]

I see lots of people who think their dyna comps or cs-3 sounds better than a Mirage compressor. They are mistaken.

[twintwelve]

When I use pedals, it's nothin' but cheap Danelectro mini-pedals for me. Slap echo, Rock-a Bye, 7 band EQ, Tremolo, crazy reverb one, the orange one I did the Uni-Vibe mod to--total cost new and used: maybe $110. Of course, I am trying to get trashy, lo fi old school blues and rockabilly sounds. I have several under $500 cheapo vintage or partscaster guitar/weirdo vintage or Chinese amp/Dano pedal rigs, and a under $300, loud-azz bass rig, all modded in one way or another with pickups, speakers, bridges, knobs, nuts, tubes, or DIY circuit mods. Most of my "good" amps have been sold off to keep the lights and water on, and most of my valuable guitars stay in the case anymore. I have a lot of fun getting this equipment to sound and play good, and I enjoy people's reactions at the jam I host and on gigs when they see what I'm playing on/through. This is the golden age of cheap gear, and it is easier than ever to put a personal stamp on your equipment and style without spending stupid amounts of money on "boutique", over-hyped stuff. Of course if I had the dough to buy REAL vintage stuff, I'd spend it without a second thought.........

[Sleph]

Originally Posted by JHall55

I'm sure this has been addressed before, but what is "boutique"? Is it merely the cost of the pedal that makes it boutique?

Traditionally "boutique" referred to something that was not mass produced... somewhere along the way the term seemed to evolve into meaning "exclusive" and "special"....possibly due to the rules of supply and demand for things in short supply.

Originally Posted by Flewis

theres a reason CS-3 and dyna comps have been around forever , same with ts-808

Good point, and funnily enough most boutique makers have clones of these in their range. Very few boutique pedals are new concepts....for instance there must be literally hundreds of tube screamer variations out there.

[telerocker1988]

I use and love both mass produced AND boutique. I have pedals ranging from $40-400 on my boards and I use them all. Whatever sounds good is the key for me. I don't care about the name. If it sounds good, works good, etc I'm a happy camper.

I recently stumbled onto the BOSS SD-2 Dual Overdrive and it has become one of my top favorites. It's a fantastic pedal and my personal favorite of the BOSS dirt line. The thing is, they don't make them anymore and haven't since the late 90s. That said the modern and still available OD-3 is a great pedal too but doesn't have the dual channel or the same tone as the SD-2. I also have a BD-2 kicking around for a solo boost.

I'm also a HUGE fan of the latest Dunlop/MXR/Way Huge stuff. I have about 5 or so Dunlop made pedals in my rig and I love them. The Way Huge reissues of the Green Rhino and Red Llama are fantastic and I love the Script MXR and Carbon Copy too as well as the recent Custom Badass line - I love both the '78 Distortion and the Modified OD.

As long as it sounds good/great and has good quality I'm happy.

[jeremypodom]

Originally Posted by telebuc

I see lots of people who think their dyna comps or cs-3 sounds better than a Mirage compressor. They are mistaken.

I've only had two compressors before. The first is gone now... I'm pretty dang sure that two is all I'll ever have, now that I've got the Mirage. It's everything a compressor should be and nothing that it shouldn't. They seriously hit the nail on the head with this one

[jeremypodom]

As for boutique vs. not boutique (what's the opposite of boutique?).

It's whatever makes you happy. Some people can afford top dollar gear and will spend it in order to be happy. All the better for them.

Others can afford top dollar but don't feel the need. Even better for them, I'd say. They are content and get to keep the extra cash.

Other's can't afford top dollar stuff..... which I guess can either be fine or torturous. It's not fun always dreaming but never having. It's fine if they can be content with what they can afford.

None of them are wrong and none are more right than another.

[jefrs]

It's quite easy to fit blue LED ...

[noah330]

I have used a Klon since 1994 but on my board I have some older DOD & Boss, newer MXR and Maxon stuff I bought maybe 8-10 years ago.

Whatever works.

[11 Gauge]

Originally Posted by Sleph

Very few boutique pedals are new concepts....for instance there must be literally hundreds of tube screamer variations out there.

And with the construction of "current boutique" very similar to mass produced in many cases, the boutique "copies" are more like the original, at least in some construction aspects.

Just last year saw a whole slew of new "repackaged" TS variants, many of them quite popular here.

I also just found out that the Tone Monk Seed of Life uses a circuitboard from the General Guitar Gadgets TS clone kit - there is a unit where T.M. failed to goop the corner of the board to allow for easy confirmation.

[11 Gauge]

Originally Posted by jeremypodom

what's the opposite of boutique?

Mass produced, IMO. Anything that is primarily or entirely made by machines instead of human hands. Anything that is regularly produced in the thousands instead of anything that typically never exceeds the hundreds.

The opposite of boutique is a pedal with no waitlist, and no obscure method to purchase it. The opposite of boutique is a pedal that is (typically) in stock.

The opposite of boutique is a comparable pedal that might be about 60% of the cost in some cases.

That said, there are now pedals that are semi-mass produced, available from Musician's Friend or Guitar Center, and typically start at around $180 or so (for a basic design that is probably mostly derived from something very common). So maybe the opposite of the opposite of boutique is more appropriate. A term has yet to be coined for that...

[musicalmartin]

Originally Posted by jeremypodom

(what's the opposite of boutique?).
.

Affordable

[TxTeleMan]

Originally Posted by 11 Gauge

One of the bigger issues with the "non-boutique" stuff is that the jacks, pots, and other parts tend to be mounted to the circuit board. It can lead to durability/serviceability issues. If the pedal is only $30, no big deal - just toss it and grab another one when it dies. But even at $60 or so, I'd personally like a little durability.

This.

[JoeNeri]

Originally Posted by 11 Gauge

Just because something has been around forever doesn't mean it's necessarily better. It just means it's still around.

Maybe not better, but it wouldn't still be around if enough folks weren't still buying it, which via the free market system implies quality and price factors.

[Sean65]

Apart from the sound of the pedals you should also be able to appreciate the quality of the components used and the craftsmanship of putting them together.

I have a mixture of gear. I use a TC Hall OF Fame and TC Flashback as well as a Wampler Paisley and a Demeter compressor.

When I hit the switch of the Demeter or Wampler I KNOW i've hit it, whereas the cheap switches and knobs on the TC boxes always feel a bit vague. They sound great but they are made to a budget.

No rules. If you like it and you think it's worth the cash then get it. At least with some boutique kit you're more likely to get some of your money back when you sell it.

[A.B.Negative]

Originally Posted by telebuc

I see lots of people who think their dyna comps or cs-3 sounds better than a Mirage compressor. They are mistaken.

If lots of people think their dyna comps or cs-3 sounds better than a Mirage compressor to them, then they are correct.

Personally, I think all compressors are rubbish.

[bigben55]

I would never pay $300 for a pedal. I dont have that kind of money. But for someone who DOES and is into pedals, I dont see whats wrong with doing so. They gotta spend their money somewhere. But thats anything. Look at fishing reels. Do you think I'm gonna catch more fish with the $729 Shimano Stella spinning reel vs. My $79 Shimano Sahara?

[11 Gauge]

Originally Posted by JoeNeri

Maybe not better, but it wouldn't still be around if enough folks weren't still buying it, which via the free market system implies quality and price factors.

Cigarettes are around and some folks are still buying them. Case in point that quality or price could not be factors at all. Shopping habits/demand can be shaped by all sorts of things, many of which are not necessarily predicated on logic or reason.

Companies would still offer building materials made out of asbestos if they could - they wouldn't have had to change tooling, so the price would be much lower than anything new. You hear CEO's and presidents complain all the time that they would still be making some product if there wasn't a mandate or regulation against it.

A Boss or Ibanez pedal that has been around for 20+ years and has seen little or no change to its design will probably be sold by companies until demand drops below a certain point, or their production costs increase so as to not be competitive. It's a product or brand that most folks will be familiar with, so there is no need for advertising either.

My only point is that just because something is still around is barely an argument that it is truly and directly competitive with another product. I can go out and get a $20 coffee maker that has the same basic design as one from 30 years ago. But my wife wanted a Keurig, and the $20 coffee maker simply doesn't do what the Keurig does (whether one finds value in the new design's features or not).

I think we tend to have some degree of blinders on when it comes to products and consumables for guitar, and it skews how we might see the value in some of them, and it definitely shapes our shopping habits. This isn't to say that any consumer purchasing anything doesn't have to contend with similar challenges. But some of these justifications or statements should be questioned or challenged, IMO. There are so many pedals available all along the spectrum that it isn't helpful IMO to over-simplify the current state of the market.

[jefrs]

Originally Posted by 11 Gauge

Mass produced, IMO. Anything that is primarily or entirely made by machines instead of human hands. Anything that is regularly produced in the thousands instead of anything that typically never exceeds the hundreds.

The opposite of boutique is a pedal with no waitlist, and no obscure method to purchase it. The opposite of boutique is a pedal that is (typically) in stock.

The opposite of boutique is a comparable pedal that might be about 60% of the cost in some cases.

That said, there are now pedals that are semi-mass produced, available from Musician's Friend or Guitar Center, and typically start at around $180 or so (for a basic design that is probably mostly derived from something very common). So maybe the opposite of the opposite of boutique is more appropriate. A term has yet to be coined for that...

I don't think mass produced entirely applies to musical instruments. It's a cottage industry compared to kitchen appliances e.g. kettles. Do you think they could flog mobile phones at the price they do if production wasn't in the millions? - everybody and their dog has one or more. Even the big boys in the FX game don't shift enough units to bring the price right down, so I doubt that runs to much automated production.

Otoh - I have both Blue LED Keeley MOD+ TS9 and cheapo Arion SOD-1 overdrive boxes. Guess which one sits on my pedal board?

[Piotr]

I had the opportunity to check out a few pedals which could be generally described as "boutique". One kind of disappointed me (Tanabe Dumkudo), the other one I did buy, despite a rather high second-hand price (Blackstone Appliances MOSFET Overdrive). I just went by the sound, not price, looks or anything else.

As a side note, I guess owners of the Alpha Drive might have something interesting to say in the boutique-vs-mass produced debate ;)

[JoeNeri]

Originally Posted by 11 Gauge

Cigarettes are around and some folks are still buying them. Case in point that quality or price could not be factors at all. Shopping habits/demand can be shaped by all sorts of things, many of which are not necessarily predicated on logic or reason.

Companies would still offer building materials made out of asbestos if they could - they wouldn't have had to change tooling, so the price would be much lower than anything new. You hear CEO's and presidents complain all the time that they would still be making some product if there wasn't a mandate or regulation against it.

A Boss or Ibanez pedal that has been around for 20+ years and has seen little or no change to its design will probably be sold by companies until demand drops below a certain point, or their production costs increase so as to not be competitive. It's a product or brand that most folks will be familiar with, so there is no need for advertising either.

My only point is that just because something is still around is barely an argument that it is truly and directly competitive with another product. I can go out and get a $20 coffee maker that has the same basic design as one from 30 years ago. But my wife wanted a Keurig, and the $20 coffee maker simply doesn't do what the Keurig does (whether one finds value in the new design's features or not).

I think we tend to have some degree of blinders on when it comes to products and consumables for guitar, and it skews how we might see the value in some of them, and it definitely shapes our shopping habits. This isn't to say that any consumer purchasing anything doesn't have to contend with similar challenges. But some of these justifications or statements should be questioned or challenged, IMO. There are so many pedals available all along the spectrum that it isn't helpful IMO to over-simplify the current state of the market.

We're not talking about cigarettes or asbestos here. If Boss and Ibanez were not making a profit on their 30+ year old pedal designs, they would change or discontinue those designs. If too few guitarists saw bang-for-your-buck values in them, same result. There is value in both boutique and mass-produced pedals (see your own Biyang thread and posts), but we've only been dealing with boutique pedals for maybe 15 years (and how many of those mid- and late-90's builders are still around???).

[Dr. Pants]

I see lots of people who think their dyna comps or cs-3 sounds better than a Mirage compressor. They are mistaken.

Well, you're not going to learn what you don't want to know. But our experience of *anything* is largely subjective. I'm not going to be the fool trying to tell all of the top tier players that using a Dyna-Comp, Keely, Boss, Barber, DBX or what ever is wrong. Best and better are subjective. As long as you believe otherwise, you're a prisoner of your own thinking. Have fun with that.

I don't think any gear decisions need to be so polarized, or all or nothing point of view. The answer could be a $300 purchase, or it might be a $30 purchase, or it might be neither!

Exactly. The only thing that ought to be polarizing any of us is the snake oil
salespeople that are trying to charge us 200 and 300 dollars for yet another Tube Screamer. And as well all know, they are among us. Sadly, this is much of what the term in question is coming to mean.

[bigben55]

One more comment: the "then" boutique Fulltone FD2 I bought in 2001 sounded TONS better than the Ibanez TS9 it replaced back then. I paid 110 used for it; think I paid 100 for the TS9 a year earlier. My buddy's Analogman King of Tone sounds better than my FD2, thru my amp and his. He paid 350 for it. Is is 240 dollars better soinding than my FD2? I dont think so, but if I was a surgeon like he is, I would buy one too.

[Flewis]

Originally Posted by 11 Gauge

Yeah, but so has Pabst Blue Ribbon and Milwaukee's Best.

And the fine folks who made the Pinto are happy to sell the latest equivalent of it - the Focus, but you get my point.

Just because something has been around forever doesn't mean it's necessarily better. It just means it's still around.

But back to what the OP was bringing up - I don't think any gear decisions need to be so polarized, or all or nothing point of view. The answer could be a $300 purchase, or it might be a $30 purchase, or it might be neither!

For instance, as cool as the old Dyna Comp is, I'd argue that the Biyang Baby Boom Compress X is a better deal - better bypass, better components, and less noise than the slightly more expensive Dyna Comp.

The Boss line IMO is great bang for the buck, but you might actually be able to do a little better (with some research) for a little more money. If you consider that some of the Boss line is $100+ new, there are some "semi-boutique" pedals (as in much less than $300) that it would make more sense to choose instead.

One of the bigger issues with the "non-boutique" stuff (to me) is that the jacks, pots, and other parts tend to be mounted to the circuitboard. It can lead to durability/serviceability issues. If the pedal is only $30, no big deal - just toss it and grab another one when it dies. But even at $60 or so, I'd personally like a little durability.

They say the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Maybe for many guitarists, the gear solution lies somewhere in the middle. If you were purchasing boutique pedals at $300 a pop, that means you might find some good quality stuff for around half of that (~$150), and there are a TON of pedals around that price. And it will usually get you a decent warranty (at least it should), and maybe even shipping to your door (if you don't have to try it at your local store).

Thank goodness for options, I say. I have pedals on my board that range from $30 to about $200, and the price was "right" for all of them. IMO.

A Lot of major sessions have been cut over the years with these pedals - I have an ego compressor from wampler and I much prefer the boss or my old script dyna comp any day of the week, good ideas are good ideas, quality can differ from unit to untit, this is applies to everything -

Ford built some lemons but so have all the manufactures, I'm not a ford lover but the longest lasting car I have ever owned was a 1992 tempo, only thing i ever changed was the tires once, front shocks, and the brakes - the car lasted until 2008, never had to re charge th AC always worked, never rusted, and started every day with out fail - the only thing that stopped me from driving it was running into a bridge doing 80 kph when the tire blew

Vince still plays a CS-3

[11 Gauge]

Originally Posted by JoeNeri

We're not talking about cigarettes or asbestos here. If Boss and Ibanez were not making a profit on their 30+ year old pedal designs, they would change or discontinue those designs.

So true (both points).

I'm just trying to figure a way to dovetail all of these products and options in my head in a way that makes sense, but I don't think many folks would want to go to the trouble and try to perceive a continuum - much easier to put things in "labeled buckets," and boutique is a non-descript container for some gear.

I guess the bigger problem that I have with it is that it tends to be so polarizing. Some folks will immediately equate it with something overpriced or a repackaged clone, when it isn't always true. And some folks will always equate "the opposite of boutique" as cheap/non-professional/lower grade. The worst part is the entire spectrum in between that might never get addressed, or lumped in with the "wrong category."

I'd rather see everything on my effects board as team members. Different members will contribute different things, and some may have different requirements, strengths, and weaknesses. The best teams are probably somewhat diverse to give the best performance. But they will also provide the best teamwork, too. I cannot envision how just one brand, one assembly method, or one price range of pedals could do that. Not impossible, but highly improbable.

That's why I try to resist saying things like, "it's been around forever and has therefore proven itself" or "you're going to have to pay a bit more money for that kind of performance." I might say that it's remarkable that an older design still trumps something more recent (I say that about the Rat all the time), or that someone might want to extend the ceiling on their price limit a bit just to expand their options, but I try not to go beyond that.

[Flewis]

I do agree with you 11 gauge, I have some old japanese locobox pedals, some of the best pedals I have ever owned, they where cheap then, and with age have only gotten cheaper, just harder to find

[chrisgblues]

I've been deeply into effects pedals for about 20 years, and I'm now leaning toward the "mid-priced" units as a perfect compromise of tonal qualities, durability, and price. I've had cheap units that I could only use as a paperweight (insert any Washburn/Lyon pedal here) and I've used $200+ pedals that were built like tanks but just did not sound any better than pedals half the price.

One example of the mid-priced units is the VS Garagetone series. Perfect price/quality/sonic ratio for me. At about $50-$60 these puppies are fantastic. That is an example of my middle-ground...and that blend of quality/price almost didn't exist at all several years ago. The pedal scene changes rapidly.

The past few years is the first time in the evolution of effects pedals that I've seen in which "mass production" companies are putting out cheap pedals that are sonically much more advanced than the pedals of the 70's-80's due to smarter designs and more years of field testing under their belt.

Actually, the market has changed for all types of gear (guitars, amps, etc.). I'm only in my 30's, but I heard some of the older guys on this forum saying this is a great time for gearheads...back in the good old days they only had great (expensive) gear or crap (cheap) gear with little in between. Now there are all shades in between to choose from.

It's a good time if you're a pedal junkie like me, but it's also frustrating because I can't possibly afford to try them all! The market is absolutely saturated with awesome pedals!

JMHO.

[wrathfuldeity]

Just to add, due to recent discovery of the fun and ease of modding cheap pedals to sound better. A solder iron, solder, solder sucker, old sponge, tweezers, old dental pick, wire cutter and a $5 for variety bag of 1000 resistors and some caps.
I now have my modded boutiquish cheap pedals that I am quite pleased with and am sure to be adding more.

Marshall Bluesbreaker II...knocked down the 1st gain a bit
Cry Baby...fuller/thicker and better wah
Dano Fabtone...more sparkle and improved tone control
MXR Classic Overdrive...a toggle switch
Boss TR-2...speed, vol drop

[JesterR]

Funny thing, that I have one non-boutique pedal on my board (boss). But it's more expensive, then others. So, I feel, that both non-boutique hype and boutique hype are pretty lame.

[Enaitz]

Well, I think it's more about the particular pedal itself and the particular taste of the player than the boutique or mass production label it may have.

I've an Spaghetti Western fuzz (boutique?) which I love and I've also had some "boutique" overdrive pedals which were way worse than any standard overdrive made by Boss (the same people who made the Metal Zone 2, which I find completely useless).

So, I think is more about particular pedals and particular likings (does this word exist?), so IMHO is pointless arguing about which one is better, a boutique or a mass produced FX.

[javabirds]

Originally Posted by NJDeVriese

LMFAO... I just sold all my...

Interesting but somewhat vague premise. Without actually specifying what you had it is pretty impossible for me to compare with the pedals you are so happy about now. One thing stands out to me: you were able to sell your "boutique" pedals and buy something else. You'd be lucky to buy a ham sandwich for what you will be able to get out of your new stuff simply because it's cheap and readily available. If you really want to give some advice to young guys, how about suggesting that they buy nothing but cheap <$20 pedals from guys like you who in 6 months will be moving on ;)

[AngelStrummer]

Durability: Boss
Price: Joyo, Danelectro, etc.
Tone: Your ears

[11 Gauge]

Originally Posted by chrisgblues

Actually, the market has changed for all types of gear (guitars, amps, etc.). I'm only in my 30's, but I heard some of the older guys on this forum saying this is a great time for gearheads...back in the good old days they only had great (expensive) gear or crap (cheap) gear with little in between. Now there are all shades in between to choose from.

This is so true. I'm a bit older than you (not a dinosaur or a geezer, so be nice!) but I was entrenched in the days of ponying up for a good guitar/amp/etc. or potentially suffering with a cheap one. Amps and guitars could be modded, but modding by it's present definition didn't really exist.

Point being that it was possible to tweak something like an old Hondo guitar, but it was never really fun, and IMO just easier to save up for a decent guitar that didn't require massive upgrading.

IMO, lots of pedals are almost a non-point compared to affordable guitars and amps that are built at least decently, and more importantly sound fantastic. I just got a VHT Special 6 amp not too long ago - better sounding than some amps I've had that cost 4X as much.

...I finally bit the bullet and "splurged" on a SX Hawk, and it not only has features in expensive guitars that I like and look for (like a HUGE neck), but IMO it simply blows away other "bargain" guitars like almost anything in the Squier line. Was it perfect out of the box? No. The electronics and tuners were crap, but at its price point there should be no complaints of that.

While I love Seymour Duncan pickups for most of my needs, I'm mostly content with GFS pickups now. Some were clinkers, but others almost have no equivalent by other companies. The Surf 90 is unique in its construction that makes it unlike anything else, because it isn't a 1:1 repro of the original DeArmond. Same thing with the Dream/Mean 90's - they are crisper and brighter sounding than a "real" P90, which IMO is an "improvement."

I'll still get Duncans/Van Zandts/Rio Grandes where applicable, but I'm not "dependent" on them any longer.

But with pedals, there is such a HUGE middle ground that IMO it pays to research the options. Even going a bit higher than the Garagetone series introduces more options and better construction (I will always remember your complaint about the knobs spinning too easily).