For many pedal builders, their introduction to the craft was gradual. A broken pedal led to their first repair job. A mediocre pedal led to their first mod. The mod impressed their friends, and they made some more. Like one solder joint to the next, following the traces of a PCB board, until all of a sudden, the circuit just works. A business grew out of a passion.
It's a story we heard again and again when conducting the interviews for The Pedal Movie, Reverb's documentary on the rise of the modern pedal industry, which arrives April 30.
But every builder and brand had their first a-ha moment, when they created their first great clone or their first original design.
In the video above, you'll hear from Malekko Heavy Industries, Analogman, EarthQuaker Devices, JHS, Caroline Guitar Company, Daredevil Pedals, Keeley, Source Audio, Old Blood Noise Endeavors, Fuzzrocious, Strymon, and Gamechanger Audio.