Why do Boutique guitar pedals cost so much?
Boutique effects cost more than any other type of pedal because of their lengthy construction time and high-end components. A few companies opt to hand-wire their pedals instead of using printed circuit boards (PCB) like you’d find in mass produced pedals. This allows them to fit in larger capacitors and transistors that aren’t PCB-compatible, which result in superior tone. The process also means hand-crafted pedals are extremely labour intensive and require a lot of skill to make.
Manufacturers like these only make a handful of pedals a year. It’s quite the exclusive club to own a boutique stompbox!
Who makes boutique guitar pedals?
Boutique pedals come in all shapes, sizes and functions, with each manufacturer setting out a distinct creative design to stand out from the rest. Andertons stock a huge variety of guitar pedals and we’re lucky enough to have some of the most famous boutique brands around. Here are just a few of them:
- Earthquaker Devices
- ZVEX Effects
- Strymon
- Chase Bliss Audio
- Red Panda
- Old Blood Noise Endeavours
- Meris
- Keeley Electronics
- JHS Pedals
- Walrus Audio
Creative pedals
The crazier the better seems to be the principle for many boutique companies. Earthquaker Devices and Red Panda are prime examples, with their oddball effects pedals famed for truly niche tones. They might not be the ideal choice for everyone, but if you can work just one weird pedal into your sound, the payoff is absolutely worth it.
Walrus Audio pedals are a great choice if you’re looking for something less “out there”. A lot of these Oklahoma-based creations contain hidden features, unlocking awesome new sounds such as a momentary bypass and burst, adjustable noise gates and tap tempo syncing with other pedals. No doubt one of the most innovative names in the game.