Custom Distortion?

[bassplaya614]

Got a money question for y'all.

I can make distortion pedals. I also know some really good artists.

How much could I get away with charging for custom distortion pedals with custom painted encasings?

With a few weeks of research I can probably make ANY sound come from a given pedal (any distortion sound, that is).

What do you think I could get for 'em?

Thanks guys!

[Jazz Ad]

Not exactly the best way to plan a business.
Build a good pedal, calculate how much it costs you, add honest marging and try to sell it at this price.
These days distortions are a dime a dozen, approximately.

[bassplaya614]

Well, I've seen some pedals going for well over $300.

Even a Fender factory made pedal goes for $120...

[Step]

I have to agree with jazz ad on this one, just calculate how much hours go into labour and how much $ into materials and that's the price you want people to pay

now, the past has shown that if you've got something really worth going for you can jack up the price a little bit, but for now i'd work towards a break-even point and see what people like, improve your designs etc.

[bassplaya614]

Alright. That is what I expected to hear. Not quite what I wanted to her, but whatever. I'll live.

Maybe I should give away samples and get a name for myself.

[sloasdaylight]

I'd go with what Jazz Ad said.

I would however, and I'm being completely serious, be willing to test/review one if you like. I'm sort of an aficionado of distortion. PM me if you'd be interested.

[sirpug]

Do you have any sound clips? Maybe put together some different pedals that have a range of tones and post some clips. And I think you'll find a ton of guys on here that are willing to test your pedals for you. I'd pick some of the more regular posters and send them PMs to see if they'd be willing to try out you designs. That would be a good way to get honest feedback, IMO.

[bongomania]

One more important detail for you to chew on:

Just about every pedal modder/homebrewer just starting out tells their friends "I can make it sound any way you like--give me a couple weeks and I'll build you a pedal that sounds exactly the way you describe." But then it turns out all they know how to do is take an existing circuit and swap diodes for LED's, put in different caps, and maybe swap silicon with germanium.

Those builders are a dime a dozen, even if they try to charge $300 for their pedals. The only ones that actually get that kind of money for their pedals are the ones who actually came up with something specific that people respond to, and where they then have the good fortune to get kvlt status among guitarists. E.g. Klon or BJFE doesn't get his prices because he made "another modded distortion"; he gets them because something about his specific version "spoke" to a large number of guitarists and he became a hot commodity.

All the pedal builders who say "ya brah I can make anything you want" are lucky if they can get $50 for one of their homebrews.

[bassplaya614]

I know what you are talking about.

However, as I type this, I am also designing a new, low voltage distortion circuit with the Falstad circuit simulator.

I'm still more trial and error with the simulator, but at least now I know what will happen when I change something.


And the only reason I wanted a bit of cash for my pedals was because I was hoping to partner with an artist who could do custom pain designs on the pedals.

THAT, I think, would be sweet.

[moose23]

Originally Posted by bassplaya614

I know what you are talking about.

However, as I type this, I am also designing a new, low voltage distortion circuit with the Falstad circuit simulator.

I'm still more trial and error with the simulator, but at least now I know what will happen when I change something.


And the only reason I wanted a bit of cash for my pedals was because I was hoping to partner with an artist who could do custom pain designs on the pedals.

THAT, I think, would be sweet.

How do you use the circuit simulator applet to get distortion sounds?

[bassplaya614]

No sounds. Just signal. I can see what I am doing to the signal, and I know *relatively* what that does to the sound. I will have to make a few designs before I know exactly what the given sound I want will look like.

I'm more of working on shaping the signal at the right voltage at the moment.

Like I said. Trial and error. That's how to learn.

[jrmy]

Look into boutique builders - there are a lot out there now, and more than a few offering custom paint & graphics. Not to try to discourage you, more to encourage you to learn the landscape.

Some examples:
http://www.deviever.com
http://www.fuzzhugger.com
http://www.dwarfcraft.com
http://zvex.com/
http://protonepedals.com/

Right there, you're looking at builders whose offerings range from $69 - $250 and up, and are all good for one cool sound or another. There's a wide range out there - it all depends on what you can offer (soundwise & graphically) that's going to make you stand apart.

[Happynoj]

The thing is, while you might sell a few pedals for $300 each, you will sell a whole bunch more if you price them at $100 each, or even less than that. A lot of people (myself included) will see a $300 price tag and not even bother to listen to the sound clips. However, $100 is reasonable to a lot more people, and if you drop the price below $100, you will find that there won't be many people who can't afford it, therefore you will sell more pedals.

There's a reason that there are so many EHX Bass Big Muffs on this board, and so few D*A*M* Ezekiel 25:17s.

[bassplaya614]

Good to know. Thanks!

Do people prefer a lot of controls/dials or very few?

Because with the direction my current design is heading, I wouldn't be surprised to end up with 8 knobs.