How Much Do Guitar Pedals Really Cost To Make? - JHS Tells All

[@jhspedals]

We've seen some fiery takes here and over on John's channel. We want to reiterate and stress that we do NOT endorse any bullying or mean-spirited comments directed toward John and his channel. He's a great guitarist, he has a cool channel, and you should go like and subscribe!

[@christophersmith4391]

@@trevorD1156 That's quite a conclusion to jump to. I've been watching John's content for a few years and have never once considered him to be a con artist or an idiot. Did he shoot his mouth off and display his ignorance for the world to see? Yes. Did he publicly apologize and eat crow? Yes. They both handled this situation with compassion, patience and grace. Three qualities that are sorely missing in the world today. And for what it's worth I'm long time friends with some people at one of the other top pedal manufacturers and even they said @jhspedals making this video is one of the best things to happen to the pedal industry in a while. The only losers in this situation are those that are looking for something to complain about.

[@radicalagnostic]

@@trevorD1156ignorance does not deserve hate. you just want an excuse to be cruel. not to mention your comment 2 weeks ago about Ross pedals is in accordance with JNC’s original opinion. hypocrisy on your part, at its finest.

[@blaness13]

@@trevorD1156 ignorance doesn't deserve hate, but outright hypocrisy does,

[@michaelstevenanderson4961]

More than 3,000 fake Gibson guitars that could have been sold for a combined $18.7 million were seized by federal authorities after the typically made-in-America instruments arrived from Asia, officials said Tuesday. The guitars were shipped to the US by sea and intercepted by Customs and Border Protection officers and Homeland Security Investigations special agents in Los Angeles, as well as other agencies, according to CBP.

[@Rus-b4j]

@@trevorD1156 Nope. Ignorance deserves teaching.

[@patrickmccrary3005]

As a former JHS employee I want to say that the work environment was amazing btw I didn’t see him do the math on the epic amounts of local coffee he provided every department or the paid holidays and parties Thank you guys 🙏🏼

[@jhspedals]

♥️

[@jakereynolds9058]

This was brilliant and extremely mature and measured. Bravo, Mr Scott.

[@wordcroutons]

Gotta love a company that looks out for their folks. ❤

[@SpyHelmet]

I chose the wrong career path...🤣

[@qrmaster987]

Was that the same coffee that he measures pedal costs in?

[@andrewhuang]

Josh you really handled this beautifully and we appreciate you!

[@mateks2413]

Andrew!!!

[@MadeOnTape]

leading by positive example, just like you Andrew!

[@effyiew7318]

@@MadeOnTape ahahahahahahaahahahahahahaahahahahahahah *deep breath* ahahahahahaahahahahahahaha

[@Sticky_Tea]

Build a pedal company in one day

[@Mark_Williams300]

@@MadeOnTape CHRIS! 😃

[@fretlessman71]

31:02 - He IS Josh, and HE WILL. I screwed up a brand new $500 Punchline pedal - even after reading the manual! - by not paying attention to the fine print on my power supply, and torching my pedal with 15v. Voided the warranty. Didn't realize what I had done until I asked questions on FB and someone pointed out the error of my ways. Josh happened to see the post, and said "Reach out to us, we'll swap out your pedal, it's cool". I only had to pay shipping one way. Josh didn't have to do that; yet he DID, and I am grateful. Cost of doing business, indeed!

[@georgebarry8640]

This is why we should all give JHS due consideration when we are buying pedals. He is doing the right thing: Now WE all need to do the right thing.

[@TheRealcdawg22]

That sucks! I have actually done the same thing, twice. I'm an idiot!

[@TheAugenator]

Genius🎉

[@jimmyparris9892]

@@georgebarry8640 I definitely plan on getting a JHS pedal. I just don't know which one yet. I'm not a good player by any stretch of the imagination, so any pedal I buy is just for bragging rights to say I have a cool pedal.

[@ChristopherDowning]

Josh seems like one of the good guys

[@tufnall]

People who have never run a business should not talk about things they don't even remotely understand. Most people are clueless on the financial reality of producing a product or running any business. Good on him taking the time to explain reality.

[@erikarko]

I don’t own a JHS pedal, but this video made me want to buy a container full. Honesty and transparency like this is hard to come across in any business. Thanks for making this video!

[@that85z28]

There is a Black Friday sale BTW...

[@RandyCraig-e3c]

Don't. It's a waste of your money. Get a Line 6 Stomp. Instead of these wannabe boutique pedals.

[@erikarko]

@@RandyCraig-e3c Kind of missing the point? 😅

[@mr.k1896]

@@RandyCraig-e3cgo buy your line 6. The rest of us will have real pedals.

[@guitarfreak585]

Agreed, I don't own one but maybe I will soon.

[@KryzReid]

I have never loved this man more. From all of us at Third Eye Blind, Josh, thank you for your service. I turn into a fifteen year-old again every time I open a new pedal box. You are a champion of all the wonderful pedal builders worldwide. You're also my favourite nerd. Keep on brother x

[@jhspedals]

thanks so much! Glad to know y’all

[@OeHomestead]

Saw you guys in Omaha more than 20 years ago! Awesome show :-)

[@blendedgrain5893]

you guys rock

[@prkrsmth]

@@bitronicc1887uhhh… bad news buddy

[@JeremySpuds]

do do do, do dodo do do :D

[@schwag512]

I’ve never seen a person handle a difficult situation with more class and grace.

[@HoiPolloi]

I appreciate this video as someone who makes his own pedals at home and puts in a lot of work to make sure they look good and sound good while not failing. It's a lot of work. Can't imagine doing it on such a large scale.

[@keithgrahammusic]

In the words of social media..."Tell me you've never owned a business without telling me you've never owned a business". Social media has become a place where some "influencers" do no research on a subject they know nothing about, and give an opinion as though it was fact. I like how honest Josh is and how he never puts down other pedals. I have only ever seen him praise his fellow builders.

[@Jonathan-ih7qp]

Seriously, this guy has apparently never heard of overhead (among many other things related to costs of running a business that makes things)

[@subularreno]

I've never owned a business... But I am shocked at the total lack of awareness this guy has of basic business costs. Sure, it definitely feels like many nice pedals are overpriced... But then I remember what health insurance costs for 50 people and figure that nearly makes up the difference on its own. Not a single mention of any overhead from this guy. Unreal levels of obliviousness.

[@chibisven]

I do enjoy his channel, and I feel like it demonstrates some ignorance on production costs here and I’m super appreciative of how much josh shared because that’s valuable info to his competitors. Bottom line, jhs costs more because they care about their supply chain. I prefer to buy American because it pays fairly and I’ll never regret that. End of the day the discount from the super low cost brands is paid for by horrifying living conditions of their staff.

[@gliddofglood]

@@chibisvenSo true. That is the whole Far East problem. Western consumers are at ease with buying products made by people working ludicrous 6 day weeks with no benefits, living shitty lives in concrete deserts. Conditions people wouldn’t put up with in the West. Who cares about them and their pollution, just so long as we get an unlimited supply of cheap consumer goods? But if you point this out you are accused of being anti-global trade.

[@WhoAreYouQuestionmark]

Not just owning the business, but "simply" making fairly complex high quality physical object once in their life would educate anyone on a subject :)

[@mlsoundlab]

I run a music software company (ML Sound Lab) and wanted to see if we could expand to the pedal market. After going through the numbers several times I was completely incapable of making it a profitable business even on paper. Huge investments in hopes of a 10% profit in the case that you always sell all pedals. There's a huge disconnect between businesses and musicians as customers - a common request we get is to make free plugins because "it's only software". That always goes down well when I tell my coders, graphics designers, everyone's wifes and kids that for this next project no one gets paid. But we'll get tons of exposure which we can then feed to our kids. I think I speak on behalf of JHS too when I say - if we wanted to make a lot of money and were not doing this as a passion project, we would've found a more easily monetizable customer segment. We do this for the love of music. ❤

[@marziograva]

Mikko, well said mate. Love your work and your common sense! Cheers mate!

[@krakulandia]

I also did lots of similar math for pedals and synths and eurorack format modules and came to the conclusion that it's really hard to compete with the likes of the big companies which have completely different facilities and resources to manufacture their products. I see your company is also in Oulu? (Mine is Decyne4 Music, based in Oulu, I make DAW software + DSP algorithms)

[@DanBieranowski]

ML Sound is fantastic. Prices are fair and the stuff sounds great.

[@sub-jec-tiv]

@@DanBieranowski Yep. And I know they’re known for metal. But i use their Dumble model as a clean platform with pedals before it, and it sounds beautiful. Their cab IRs are top shelf too.

[@georgebarry8640]

by the way your IRs at ML Sound Labs are good..bought some...Thank you!!

[@baumguitars]

THIS might be one of the most important videos made in this community. The honesty and transparency are perfectly and concisely communicated through the examples, which, though rooted in JHS, are so relatable to all other small companies. THANK you from another small company.

[@artephax]

As an artist who sells his work, I found that Josh‘s responses were 100% right on the mark. When I have a customer wanting a “deal“ for a piece of my artwork, I find that they don’t understand what goes into the pricing of my artwork. There’s so much more than meets the eye. it’s not only the price of supplies and labor, but the overall cost of doing business. (And we’re not even adding in for original artistic vision.) If I sell something for $100, government income tax alone is taking 30% or $30 worth right off the top. And we haven’t even gotten into insurance, rent, booth fees, traveling fees like hotel, gas, etc. etc.. Unless a person has ran their own real (not a weekend warrior) business, they do not understand (most of the time) how much goes into the pricing of a creation. Josh, thank you for educating the average person. And … you still remained a gentleman by the way you handled your reply!

[@GrandOldPainter]

The best part is him absolutely struggling to reassemble a pedal yet saying how easy it is for JHS to make and distribute these 😂

[@blakebrunner5499]

@@GrandOldPainter We should get him to take apart a dumble overdrive to see if it's worth the cost. Though I would cry to watch it.

[@johnlone141]

Classic KZbin expertise 😂

[@aitordotco]

😂😂😂

[@infn8loopmusic]

"I can take this jet engine apart in ten minutes, so surely the experts can put it together in about ... Five? But if you want me to put it back together? No way 😂 I can't do that. It would take ALL DAY and it would probably never work again. " 😂 And there you go, you have proven you know absolutely ZERO about manufacturing pedals.

[@russellgraves7396]

Yeh I definitely just got ripped off $60 on the flight delay , I in contact with seller to get $60 back off the price.

[@paoloronda]

This is one of the best video on YT EVER. Where Josh demostrates to be : a great communicator, a man who has learned how to handle social media and get every bit of good from everything, and finally a kind guy. I always loved JHS as company, and this one makes me think i've always been right

[@joshwhite3893]

Years ago, when I first started building my pedal board, I sent JHS a DD7 to rehouse for me. Long story short, there were some manufacturing problems that weren’t JHS’ fault, but they couldn’t complete the rehouse for me. JHS went above and beyond, replacing my DD7 and sending me several JHS pedals of my choice. As a broke college student, this blew me away. I will never forgot this act of kindness and generosity. You will always have my business JHS.

[@BrotherLemur]

I'm impressed that you have treated this guy in good faith. His ignorance is embarrassing, and I'm not convinced he didn't make this video to try and get more attention on his channel.

[@thekillerirish]

man i didn't need Josh to explain to know this guy doesn't know what he is talking about. that being said thanks Josh for making good pedals, and for making them in America, and paying your workers well too and hearing you brought in the Ross Family as well dang more than happy to pay a bit more to keep my money in the US while giving my money to a company owned by a good person

[@El...Presidente]

@@thekillerirish so true! All the JHS employees look so happy. I’m sure Josh does his best to compensate them well and it’s hard AF to be an owner!

[@ErebosGR]

Most of Cordy's opinion pieces are just garbage takes as ragebait. The bloke plays guitar well, but I had to unsub a year ago because of his ragebait "strategy".

[@jimmyparris9892]

@@ErebosGR Yep. I love his playing but I got tired of his content pretty quick. But it's what gets views and he has bills to pay too. I personally think he'd do better if gave lessons on true fire or had his own website to give lessons, or both.

[@KutayYavuzMusic]

Josh your response is super polite and exemplary. Being kind is the highest level of a powerful persona.

[@Bassguitarist1985]

Josh, as a small business owner with my wife, I truly appreciate you and your candor. Many do not understand costs, or even business in general. The transparency you gave today makes me respect you guys even more. Cheers!

[@scottklandl488]

Josh is the best. I don’t own a JHS pedal, I just watch his videos, but holy crap! He’s got to be a great employer, a good friend and a great American who tries to share the love and keep his whole community uplifted

[@nvs6177]

I love that Josh's frustration is more-so in the poor disassembly of the pedal than the actual misinformation in the video🤣

[@El...Presidente]

I ffwd all his video bro. So boring.

[@blakebrunner5499]

@@nvs6177 As a kid I took apart just about everything in my parents house to their dismay. Most of it I got put back together...

[@cliftongardner4367]

“Say what you want to about me, but you better leave my pedals out of this”

[@stillobsolete]

Lolol

[@wasteddude9387]

​@@El...Presidente Yeah, I hear ya. Mexican humor is so simple and pointless to me. I can't stand sitting through it. lol. The JHS crew is hilarious!

[@redwitchPedals]

Thank you Josh for making this video. Your transparency takes guts and I know that many of us in the pedal making world appreciate it. We make pedals because we love making cool, musical things. No one gets into this to get rich. People do it because it’s their passion. I started Red Witch 23 years ago. It’s fed my kids and put a roof over my head. It’s paid our staff and our suppliers. But it’s allowed me to get up every day and create. To use my imagination to answer the simple question “What would be super cool to make for guitarists next?”. Sending you my very best from down here in New Zealand.

[@budgetbarista]

Your Moon Phaser is my favorite pedal. ❤

[@redwitchPedals]

@budgetbarista Thank you🙏🙂

[@daverice2426]

Such an even-tempered, good-humored response to this guy; it's like a parallel universe internet

[@MrAwesomeSaucesome]

John Cordy himself is a pretty even tempered good humoured guy tbf

[@StephenHird]

There does seem to be a lot of manufactured outrage over this in the comments. It's almost as if that was good for driving view numbers and comments.

[@KeenanCrow]

No joke. Dude meant well and just got some things wrong. No need to rip his head off. Just tell him what he got wrong.

[@delbert359]

"parallel universe", that's good.

[@KyleBGanger]

He's definitely had some unhinged takes in the JHS group on Facebook. Not unjustified but it was enough for me to lose all interest in purchasing his pedals.

[@kingkevinthethird]

Finally got around to watching this. What a solid explanation without being defensive. I actually welled up a bit at the end when you showed how generous and magnanimous you are in the face of someone thoughtlessly undermining your business. Even if he was right, it’s your right to charge what you want - that’s business - pedals are not an essential service or human right. The fact that you don’t do that, and the fact that your take home is so low under such high outgoings for every aspect of your business is a testament to your passion for music, your product, and your customers!

[@youllhavefunhere]

I'm 8 minutes in and my favorite parts are: - complaining about the warranty being voided if the case is opened then watching him break it as soon as he opens it -admits he doesn't know what hes talking about - can't take apart a pedal - compares the prices of a company in the US making original products and paying US wages to the price or Chinese clones. Who knows how their workers are treated JHS, I love your products, channel and how open you are about your pricing. I don't have the time and knowledge to make pedals, so I appreciate you offering a good product. Some of the best pedals I own are from you. I will pay a bit more to support you and your workers. Don't let people who don't know your business tell you your buisness.

[@NatePeriat]

I’ll never forget meeting Josh at Sweetwater in 2015/16, and then having the opportunity to talk with him at the airport when flying home. Josh is one of the most honest and nicest guys, who genuinely cares about people and musicians. I totally get why you’re frustrated here Josh! Love your pedals!

[@josephboyle7444]

I worked for an electrical manufacturer for 12 years. It was a UL listed shop that sold to other businesses, and it had 2-4 employees during my time there. With judicious use of American subcontractors for metal parts and circuit boards. Lots in common with JHS as a company, with *almost none* of the added costs of PR- no social media, no film production. I honestly don't know how JHS does it, every line is a labor of love. This is actually the ideal scenario for American small business.

[@evrythingis1]

If this is the ideal scenario for American business, no wonder China has so easily destroy our economy over the last 50 years.

[@timothyvanderlin4030]

JHS is the most transparent pedal company out there. Please do not stop what you’re doing. American made, cares about his employees, I would pay double for a JHS pedal just knowing that. Kudos to you! Thank you for all you do for us nerdy guitar pedal guys

[@jokermtb]

their bypasses are transparent too

[@circus_monkey79]

I think they could be the most transparent American company period

[@guitardweeb]

If you've ever built a few pedals, you quickly realize there's no reasonable price point (on a small scale), in which you can make your money back. It's basically a break-even hobby. JHS stuff seems pretty reasonable if you ever picked up an iron yourself.

[@sub-jec-tiv]

Yep. These 🤡 don’t even realize that R&D is a thing. It’s not just parts. It’s the labor of properly paying employees, then on top of that, R&D, promo, etc etc. Uff. I kinda feel like dude owes Josh an apology.

[@tannerbarsness9992]

And if you think these pedal companies are overprice that’s totally valid and you can buy cheaper shit. Behringer makes great pedals for like 25 bucks. If you do not give a shit about looks or marketing, there’s plenty of great cheap alternatives.

[@federicoresendiz3617]

@@tannerbarsness9992or durability or a reachable, reliable customer service department.

[@KuhKronus]

Facts. If I valued my time at all, I’d be taking a 2-3x loss on any pedal I’ve ever made. Granted, the pedals I’ve made are usually things that aren’t on the market yet and have to figure out how to build

[@infn8loopmusic]

Exactly!!! I've built a few kits, and I'm not bad soldering but I doubt I could output more than 2-3 in an average day and if I had to ask enough money for what I consider a living wage where I live that would put me at no less than having to ask $500 per pedal even if I kept the costs to $100. There's no way that works when you have boneheads like this whining about pedal margins with no knowledge of reality.

[@markbyers5569]

I’m a commercial lender with over 13 years experience in banking. You also have to associate the costs of research/development, total overhead/operating expenses, the expenses associated with faulty parts, not to mention the raw material costs that are utilized, costs of social media/marketing/advertising, state and federal taxes, licensing, legal counsel, and more than likely several other costs I’m not smart enough to nail down. JHS provides a top quality product at a reasonable price. He could easily raise the price of his pedals without hesitation. The demand may be diminished but he could be more profitable. He’s doing the consumer a solid by keeping his prices lower focusing on higher volumes than capitalizing on scarcity. Thank you, Josh and team, for what you have done and will continue to do for the guitar community.

[@EJH-jn6mo]

Folks who don’t know how to run businesses have no clue but act like they do.

[@abelramirez7320]

As someone who is about to graduate with a BBA, these are the the parts of business I never even considered on a deep level until I started college lol

[@timschulte2315]

Not to mention the cost of producing his KZbin channel that I assume he, and hundreds of thousands of people watch. For free

[@kyleh1127]

@@timschulte2315 I can't help but imagine the youtube thing is, all factors considered, break-even at worst. 500k subs can keep most average channels healthy, plus it's extra advertising for the business, plus he promotes the whole pedal building community, which definitely helps out the business even if it's not directly financial.

[@CaptainRon1913]

Thanks for parroting exactly what Josh just said. Did you watch the video?

[@carlosesteban3427]

Transparent, open, honest and always educational. This is one of my favourite KZbin channels. It’s great to know this company is led by a decent human being. My next pedal will be a JHS pedal. Good people deserve support. I love John’s channel; he’s a great player and an enjoyable KZbinr. I think we’ve all learned from this. Thanks!

[@KRM849]

I really appreciate this video. There are next to no companies that are as transparent as JHS. I own a company that manufactures a high quality product that we do our very best to deliver at a reasonable cost. Whenever you do anything at scale, overhead and manufacturing is not cheap. It's easy to look at a product and say I can make this at home for next to nothing, but ignore the cost of everything that went into you being able to just pick it up off the shelf and enjoy it. I don't care how much a JHS pedal costs, because I'm buying the quality, research, convenience, and the JHS name. These are companies that deliver good honest products, and I'm more than happy to support companies like this.

[@SuddenSoundStudios]

Thanks, Josh and crew. And speaking of crew...let's not forget all the costs of packaging, shipping, order management, customer services, etc etc etc etc

[@sub-jec-tiv]

Not to mention R&D. I’ve seen that process up close, and yeah, it’s not cheap.

[@SuddenSoundStudios]

@@sub-jec-tiv 100% And R&D is more than just circuit design. There's parts sourcing, PCB layout, case layout, testing, documentation, and overhead in keeping your R&D staff trained and, you know, actually paid for their work.

[@turunturun]

@@SuddenSoundStudiosyeah I cringed when I heard “it’s a clone so it shouldn’t have any R&D.” Hahahahahahhahha literally just the effort of finding current production components to replace out of date components on a 1:1 clone then adapting the circuit the have the same functional result could be a massive time sinkhole….I’m not even an electrical engineer but I’ve built enough hobby circuits to understand this.

[@gliddofglood]

Someone has to design, make, paint and manufacture the case itself. It’s not done during a tea break. And those workers need paying too. Maybe time for the Brit to go to business school.

[@jimmyparris9892]

Add in the cost of lawyers and accountants to keep the gubment happy.

[@JensLarsen]

It was really interesting to understand how a pedal makes its way from you guys to the consumer and what that costs. On the outside looking in that is very hard to see. Thanks for that, Josh (and John)

[@macola467]

i read this in your voice

[@JensLarsen]

@macola467 me too 😁

[@tsOnMedia]

Josh, we need more people like you these days. I'm not even a guitar player, but as a part-time electronics tech and former FOH guy, I was curious to hear about the costs to build your pedals. Good to see such a level headed business owner, who realizes an opportunity to educate his customers. I'm so glad you didn't go the route some have taken recently - threatening a KZbinr with litigation.

[@graybronze]

This response was pure class top to bottom mate, I applaud your level headed and fair attitude to somewhat uninformed criticism, something many or any people could learn from. For what it’s worth, I (mostly) build my own pedals and definitely started with the impression the industry was a rip off based on “well I can just do that myself for ‘x’ cheaper” economics but by let’s say pedal build #3 I saw the truth! More so when friends asked why I didn’t just start building pedals for a living, I’ve done the maths and it’s not pretty! I’m happy to call it a hobby but if anything peaking behind the curtain has only given me more respect for the people out there doing the real work. Again, I applaud your willingness to be transparent and give fair time and answers to this subject, no matter how uninformed the original query was, it shows great depth of character and sincerity. All the best!

[@ultimatescalerc7151]

Yeah try building a guitar once. LOL then you are amazed how they can crank them things out over and over again meeting quality critiria. We are very spoiled today.

[@PaulWilliamsIE]

Josh, as a veteran Engineer and musician I been frustrated by guys like this my whole life that think that there is little or no effort in creating something. I now have a name for this phenomenon..... I call it "The Easy Button" As we all watched the guy take apart your pedal...... I would love to see him put it back together and get it to work again....... he has all the parts and the enclosure....... so it should be EASY..... right

[@tannerbarsness9992]

I would just tell those people “if it’s so easy, start your own company”. If people think something like the Colour Box is overpriced, I will challenge them to come up with their own design and see how much money they spent on failed prototypes, research and development, and just parts in general while also not being able to get the time back that could have actually been put to making money.

[@turunturun]

@@tannerbarsness9992yep. When people slag off owners not paying a living wage I say “then go start your own company. Assuming you live in America, you live in one of the easiest countries in the world to do that in.”

[@thepostapocalyptictrio4762]

In John’s defense, the majority of pedal JHS sells are clones( read: unauthorized non royalty copies of other people work). I know he has been working on his own designs and releasing new designs. In Josh defense, while some can and do build their own pedals, John Cordy should just buy his pedals from JHS and not complain, because he obviously from this video is not going to building anything.

[@pete5516]

@@thepostapocalyptictrio4762 To be honest, once you make modifications to a circuit it's ok to clone it. As long as you're honest I see no problem as if we weren't allowed to improve on other's designs we would never make anything. Behringer on the other hand regularly make 1 to 1 clones of small independent company's models and undercut their price hugely. They also never disclose that anything they make is a clone afaik. That is incredibly dishonest and far more harmful to the industry than what Josh is doing.

[@thepostapocalyptictrio4762]

@ Moog US synth owner and former fan. I know all about the den of thieves that is Behringer. Someone should finally sue. I was hoping Moog would, but it didn’t and now it’s gone again🤨😢

[@benjamindewey3841]

I've been in hi tech manufacturing for over 50 years. Josh, you're right on point. Most folks don't have a clue what it takes to do R&D, research a market, maintain and protect a brand, maintain an inventory, manage vendors and scheduling, maintain and operate manufacturing machines (like CAD, chip shooters, silks screens, IR ovens, and using a "mole" to test the ramp up and peak temperatures), prototyping, first articles, redlining, redesign, etc. Not to mention the overhead (labor, health care, electric bills). You've done the right thing. Keep it up.

[@TLMuse]

To be fair to John, he posed the issue as a question, and almost immediately PINNED and liked a highly critical comment to the top of the video's comments, making many of the points you make here, in effect admitting that he realized he was off-base. (Disclaimer-I wrote the comment.) Pinning it invited a number of other commenters to weigh in echoing the criticism. In many years of YT viewing, I've never seen another creator pin and like a critical comment like that. -Tom

[@AndoShy]

Though it is commendable that he pinned your comment. Most people aren't gonna see that. And to be clear (just watched the original), he wasn't "just asking questions". In the video he is clearly making accusations in the form of questions. What's worse, he didn't even do basic research the cost of standard components is real easy to google. The rough cost of custom enclosures and pcbs can be determined by sending a few emails to fab houses. If John really cares, he should do real research on the subject and issue a follow up video. And maybe he will, it's only been a week.

[@wolfgangdevries127]

Probably why everything comes from China

[@geraldbayley5781]

The r and D is copying other peoples IP.

[@pietervanballaer]

As John releases several videos per week, it’s impossible that he thinks things through. This destroys the credibility of his channel. Most of his vids are hipshots: first impression reviews or an opinion about someone else’s work. On a positive note: he play well.

[@andywylie6784]

This is a really cool breakdown. As a working bass player who mostly plays guitar for pleasure and demo purposes, I’m only starting my pedal journey over the last few years. This channel has been super useful and a fun way to learn more about all of this. Thanks for what you do.

[@pastorkev777]

Economics are lost on most. What I will leave this on: those that assume without research, know nothing, while claiming everything.

[@castleanthrax1833]

It blows me away when people add up what they think the components cost, that suddenly that number is the total amount of costs when running a business, and therefore the pedals should cost X + profit margin (X being raw material costs).

[@DylanWOWilliams]

That sums up major political parties.

[@pastorkev777]

@castleanthrax1833 It is because most people haven't ran a business or studied business or economics. They are more things that I don't know than things I do know, so it's always best to be cautious in avoid making conclusions.

[@HugoArgentina]

@pastorkev777 Brilliantly put. It is very disheartening. The default assumption is always "scam" or "overpriced" without knowing nothing or acknowledging any of other costs related to production. It is baffling, specially in "highly educated" people

[@jonathan-smith]

The entire "review" video was just an uneducated opinion... Our win though... learned a lot from Josh!

[@Clarity-808]

Josh, as a small music software business owner, I truly appreciate this video. Your composure in the face of moral attacks based on misinformation is admirable. While it's somewhat understandable that most people don't understand the cost + effort of doing business, it's maddening when those with bigger platforms spread misconceptions without making any effort to understand the subject matter. So cheers, respect, and thank you for indirectly supporting players in our industry who face similar challenges. Also, interesting to hear your retailer margins - software is the same.

[@backlogbuddies]

Software is the worse. People will pirate it then demand all your attention to fix issues brought about by the crackers. Or they'll question why you don't have this "simple" feature one of the big dogs have when that feature took 9 years for them to implement and they patented that way so you can't use the same implementation.

[@MrOccamRazor]

Just curios, but what do you make?

[@findingtheFOOT]

I had a small graphics shop. Had many customers (and employees) make statements like those, without taking any overhead into account. Was always tough to hear. As I drove a $3000 truck, and they pulled in driving their $80,000 pickup. You did a great job of being kind, while being informative. Classic JHS, classic Josh.

[@scatto365]

I knew of your pedals, but didn't know anything about you before this video. I have to say you, Josh, are one of the most likeable people I've ever seen on KZbin. Transparent. Honest. Likeable. Thank you.

[@brianblair1478]

As an executive in business, dealing in COGS, Margins, overhead and general "cost of doing business", expenses, etc. Let me just say; Josh, great job teaching, sir. The basics of how you run your business, and how business in general operates, was clear, concise, and easy to understand. With a pretty good natured response to what was a terribly misunderstood view, bordering slanderous portrayal in many ways, with the assumptions and presumptions leveled in the video you were responding to. The cool-headed, sometimes a tad "spicy" way you handled them, with the transparency you exhibited, even though you didn't have to, is commendable. You care about how JHS is viewed in eyes of your customers and rightly so. Furthermore, it comes across as obvious, that you care about your customers, your employees and your passion for what you do, with no greed or ill intent. I enjoyed it thoroughly and salute your honesty. I aspire to work with companies like yours everyday and they are not so many out there in my experience. Bravo.

[@TG20102]

That’s what I own a JHS pedal. Happy to support you guys. From Canada, but I support made in the USA 🇺🇸

[@williamstorm6515]

One of the most educational videos I've ever seen. Not just about pedals but the industry in general. I'm a Boomer who loves pedals, has owned hundreds and has been playing for longer than most of the viewers here have been alive. I know it took a leap of faith to pull the curtain back and still stay so gracious. If all companies were run this way, what a much better world this would be. As always, there is much more involved than meets the eye. An investment of 31 minutes that will last me a lifetime. Thank you, Josh.

[@zorgeloze]

As a product design engineer I regularly notice that, in general, people don't really know or realize what goes into designing and producing consumer goods. I've even noticed that some people don't even realize that everything that we make must have been designed and engineered by a team of people and that there's always way more to the story than just the material costs. Loved the video, it made that aspect clear to at least some people who were probably oblivious.

[@nckrvtt]

I applaud Josh for not absolutely flipping his lid at this, that’s some real restraint. So many people just don’t understand the actual costs that go into creating, manufacturing and taking any product to market, they just sum up the cost of parts and then ignore any other expenses or the need for anyone in that business to make a living wage 🤦

[@rustygardhouse7895]

Josh I think you showed great restraint in your comments. I worked as a design/manufacturing engineer in high tech around optics & lasers. The number of supposedly intelligent people that get fixated on the cost of goods and forget there is a cost to design, test, stock parts, inspect parts, assemble parts, inspect the final assembly, package and ship the final product always amaze me. Not only do these fixed costs have to be recovered, all the variables costs of the overhead needs to be recovered. And you only have so many units to sell to recover these costs before the market becomes saturated. I have watched engineers shave $4 off COGs at the expense of adding 1/2 hour to the unit build time and think it's a good trade off. Then they will wonder why the units are taking longer to build and the gross margin is falling. Good on ya for taking on the thankless task of trying to educate people on business 101

[@andrewelliott9447]

Hey Josh, I've got a math equation for you. Why don't you send him an enclosure, PCB, jacks, wires, battery harness, dc adapter socket, switches, resistors, transistors, pentometers, etc, and perhaps some instructions to be nice, and challenge him to build it for a video on his channel. He can start the clock when all of the packaging is removed from all the parts, and stop the timer when he's done function testing it. Take MSRP of pedal minus parts cost, and divide that remainder by number of hours so we can determine his labor rate for soldering and assembly...

[@frankhughes5702]

I don't think JHS pedals have a battery harness. At least mine doesn't.

[@oliverlangrall2014]

The reciprocal video would get a bunch of views and the guy would make a bunch of money off building one pedal and use that to justify his point lol

[@jambajoby32]

Pedal assembly should be about 40 min once you got the process down.

[@daniel-rachelmartin3389]

This is a cool video of you breaking down the costs. I love your show and I enjoy watching it even though I don't have any of your pedals. I find what you have to say intersting fun and exciting. I know that you make great priducts because i hear them and see them everywhere snd i like how they sound. Even if you did want to "overcharge" the customer, its your buisness and your emplyees. People can buy your products or not. There are so many options out there right now anyway, which amazingly you feature on your show instead of just saying everyone sucks but us. If you wanted to spend all that money on a yacht, its your money and your busness and your product and people are paying for it. Its not a pyrmid scheme. You have nothing to justify. Its sad that people dont understand the value of buisness, especially ones like yours that are not a monopoly and have grown from the ground up. Even of I never buy a JHS pedal i am glad they exist. I would rather live in a world with craftmanship and luxury instead of this stupid idea that no one should have it because someone cant afford it. There are people like you that have a good idea, have gone and taken risks and it has paid off, not like all of the people complaining about something because they think that everyone should have it for free.

[@daniel-rachelmartin3389]

Sorry for all the typos. I have large thumbs.

[@eternalpedals]

Hi Josh, as a pedal maker, I completely understand what you're saying. When people look at a pedal, they often only consider the cost of the components and base their opinions on that. They tend to overlook the time and money spent on R&D, sourcing parts, taxes, employee salaries, insurance costs, office rent, and-most commonly ignored-marketing expenses. In a place where the annual inflation rate exceeds 100%, I’m doing my best to keep things affordable, especially for young musicians, by limiting price increases to just 10% to stay afloat. Yet, even that sometimes draws criticism from people 🙃

[@Ercan_C64]

❤

[@profile2047]

That’s very frustrating to me to forget all the expenses. And there are looots of expenses (variable, fixed, etc.). Which he could find if he looked up the financial statements. And financial statements better be accurate or believable or the IRS may, or will, get you eventually.

[@genskylight2769]

It shows that those people don't know how a business works. The cost to built stuff is grossly underestimated. Plus Josh employs ethical business practices.

[@jimmyparris9892]

I'm amazed at the actual costs of the materials. I've never thought pedal companies were ripping us off. I've just never given it a lot of thought.

[@barbaroja_guitar6380]

You are right in what you say. For most people, at first glance, only the cost of the components comes to mind. However, when the time and effort spent, as well as the operating costs are taken into account, things take on a completely different dimension.

[@Gearhart_Music]

"This Pedal could be built at home..." Ok, do it then.

[@craigjackson7330]

He probably couldn't put it together. He obviously doesn't have a clue about pedal assembly.

[@robertmellang6998]

Right? He wouldn’t have a clue.

[@jonathan-smith]

We could also build our own houses, forge our own knives, and butcher our own animals but we don't... because it's best to leave some things to the pros!

[@ErebosGR]

I've told Cordy several times over the years to try building a kit from AionFX, for example, if he wants to understand how pedals work and why pedal makers choose to do things a certain way. He never listens to constructive criticism. I had to unsub a year ago because of his constant stream of ragebait videos like this one.

[@floating-brain]

And it can! But you wont get a good quality case, customer support, quality control... I'm all for people building their own things, but they also need to understand that one thing is one thing and another is another, lol. Josh even made some livestreams where he teaches how to build simples circuits... People that say "you could build this at home!" dont know shit.

[@theshiningtongues]

This reminds me of when people would moan that CDs were overpriced because they heard they cost about £1 per unit to make.. When I was in an independent band in the late 90s our albums sold for about £11.99 in most record stores but we'd make about £2 per CD after the distributors and retailers added their markups, so after the cost of recording an album we'd still be losing money even if we sold a lot of copies

[@isaacfawcett4153]

@@theshiningtongues there's sort of the opposite problem now as well where the cost has gone way down, you can produce your own album and shove it onto your own CDS and take 100% of the profit... But no one wants to buy a fucking CD

[@Google_Is_Evil]

The "producer" and "distributor" usually make way more than the artist for a service that should cost a few pence per CD. If I can buy a rewritable CD with a printed booklet in a jewel case for less than 1 UKP in a store, even if the producer would get 1 UKP per unit and you get 2 UKP per unit, it should cost 4 UKP and not 12 UKP. You as an artist are being gaslighted about the price and cost of the whole process.

[@theshiningtongues]

@@Google_Is_Evil the costs of making a blank CDR and the costs of making a glass-mastered production CD for retail are totally different

[@Stewbert_72]

Johns video is an absolute embarrassment. I liken this to my line of work dentistry where if I was to charge x amount for a filling or crown the natural assumption is it’s all profit. Your intellectual property also has a value John has failed to even take into account . He hasn’t been malicious but stupid

[@glennmcintosh4802]

Josh, first of all, your civility is commendable, given the overall tone of discourse in this world today. You have given corporate America a first-class lesson in transparency, conflict management, problem resolution, and customer focus. That, and the fact that you run an ethical and public-minded private company (you actually pay your employees a living wage!), are all things that the executive management teams of our biggest companies would be smart to embrace. I know that I will always look at JHS first, when I'm in the market for new gear! Good on ya!

[@casteldredge]

I own a small manufacturing business here in the USA as well. I love this video! Before I went into business for myself, I had many of these same misconceptions about the type of money business owners were making at companies I was working for. The costs of doing business, as well as the many headaches you have to deal with, are no joke!

[@Thrive-Off-Grid]

yup same; you and I were crappy employees! lol

[@pmomalley]

I will always look to buy a JHS pedal because of the integrity of Josh AND the quality and creativity of him and this company. Integrity matters and I support it.

[@LucasHaneman]

I do some work with a local pedal builder, demoing his products, promoting them, and helping with the prototyping process as an extra set of ears. Through this whole process, I’ve learned that making pedals and developing their designs is a lengthy and unforgiving pursuit. Much like me with my job as a musician it’s a pursuit of love, not a living with which millions will be made.. I had the honour and privilege of working on a signature pedal with this builder this year and it turned out absolutely fantastic. Leading up to the launch, though there were months, nearly a full year of back-and-forth between the builder and I dialling it in just right. Everyone’s time is worth something and when we purchase a pedal from a company, we have to think about all the time, the blood sweat and tears that went into that design. I can say now that there is so much more to it than I ever knew, and the world of electronics is a complicated one that I will never even pretend to understand.

[@Sharpened_Spoon]

Going from the humility and depth of experience of Josh to the rambling presumptions of this guy is painful. This video absolutely has me considering JHS even more in the future, so, well done guy.

[@DougGarrett]

This just makes me want to buy more JHS Pedals.

[@homunculusSZN]

*chant* COLOUR BOX COLOUR BOX

[@jonathan-smith]

Me too lol

[@PatrickPretorius]

And conversely, John Cordy will get more subscribers

[@cleawox]

Same here. I've never bought one, but I value what JHS does greatly. Might be time for a black Color Box.

[@michaelomalley6292]

I might get some JHS now. Great video

[@scottfromsouthcarolina3185]

Great video Josh. I'm a business Chief Financial Officer and understand where you come from. It's a miracle you can pull off a made in USA model at a reasonable price. Engineering and usability are the key to your magic. You're a good man and I support you.

[@matt926uk1]

Cynicism and talking rubbish about things we don’t know much about is unfortunately a human trait that only education can cure. Thanks for the lesson Josh, it was immediately apparent when you started your channel that you are one of the good guys.

[@jamesjackson573]

Well said.

[@LuisHernandez-dy1rq]

For Josh to take the time and address this head on , speaks volumes on his integrity and humility. I’m a proud JHS pedal owner and it’s worth every penny spent. Thank you

[@mftorino]

JHS also makes a whole budget 3 series line in order to hit several price points and include people in the brand that maybe can't afford (or don't want to pay for) the more expensive pedals. $99 dollars is a steal and cheaper than some BOSS or MXR pedals.

[@El...Presidente]

75 now they are on sale! They’re like cheaper than a Beheinger!!

[@utubehound69]

why is 3 series cheaper?

[@DRChevalier]

And to be blunt better products

[@DRChevalier]

@@utubehound69 less expensive cases, no fancy paint would be two items off the top of my head

[@mftorino]

@utubehound69 don’t know. All white, smaller enclosure, cheaper components… ??I have no idea.

[@HovakMusic]

This is one of the reasons why JHS is my favorite pedal company. Huge respect to you Josh!

[@davidbrowning6762]

Josh is an amazing human being. I love how transparent he is with his videos. I’ve never had a bad JHS pedal. Keep up the amazing work, Josh you and your team!

[@jenniferpolicow5889]

Josh, we don't know each other personally. But, one thing I appreciate about you is that you talk up everyone else's pedals at least as much as your own. You're clearly in it for the sounds. And you and your employees deserve to make a good living from your hard work and creativity. Thanks for what you do!

[@chrismosquad1056]

I'm even more of a fan of JHS after this video. USA made and built with boards from the US. One of the better businesses out there... dude cares about his product, staff, and country. Sure you could argue this, but why would he spend this much time on a video explaining everything? Hope one day to be good enough of a player to meet you, sir. Keep up the good work and God bless!

[@martyshwaartz971]

While Cordy is probably talking out of his ass as usual, also keep in mind this is the perspective of a pedal builder justifying pedal prices. Remember the Victory Fiasco? Even the good ones are businessmen at the end of the day.

[@keithbriscoe99]

​@martyshwaartz971 yes and these businesses are 100% entitled to attempt to make money in a competitive market

[@keithbriscoe99]

Nice job Josh.

[@subularreno]

​@@martyshwaartz971sure, but it's not like he has much to justify with 5 percent net profits. That's a lean business.

[@SS-gx7tg]

​@@martyshwaartz971 This isn't "perspective" or some angle. This is a knowledgable pedal builder divulging facts, stats and receipts to set the record straight after an outrageously misguided KZbinr who is clearly more interested in views than the truth posted a video that is pretty much nonstop falsehoods and inaccuracies about a subject he clearly has zero understanding of. Also, you say the word 'businessman' like it's some naughty word. "Even the good ones are businessmen at the end of the day" lol what? Modern society doesn't exist without businesses and the vast majority of us wouldn't be able to afford shelter, clothes and food for ourselves without finding a job at said businesses or creating jobs at our own businesses. At least these comment sections do a great job at highlighting who has actually run a business and understands the financials & acumen behind it vs those who clearly don't.

[@jeffpashley]

Josh - count me as another of your customers who appreciates the great work JHS does. I am inspired by your kindness and commitment to having fun! 🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@blakeabig8416]

a lot of folks just don't really know how much cost goes into starting and running successful business. It's so expensive and often the owner of the business is barely getting paid themselves to support their dream and the team helping them make it happen. B2B isn't just how it works in the pedal business, it's how it works in ALL pro audio/video/lighting (and i'm sure others as well but I work in this industry). It's a competitive landscape with slim margins across the board. Great vid!

[@tazbrinkerhoff1398]

“Pedal Price Therapy”. The few sentences before and after make the whole video’s intent aware. Thanks Josh for making great pedals! Thanks for supporting America with American jobs putting American parts together making great American Pedals. Thanks for having some nod to the nostalgia and putting Ross back out there! Bummer it didn’t go the way you hoped but always appreciated. Thank you.

[@zachswiftmusic]

Josh is my favorite person on KZbin

[@Peterbrendanalbert]

Last week you said it was Rob Chapman.. Hmmm.. Something fishy goin' on.

[@Legitimatenobody]

​​@@Peterbrendanalbert no, he said his favorite person was Josh chapman.

[@ludovicp.landry6464]

My second favourite after mimisounds

[@marnycollett387]

My girlfriend doesn’t even play guitar but she always watches JHS with me, why? Because we both LOVE Josh’s HONESTY!!!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@grahamspence3294]

Brilliantly restrained, gracious, educational and fun to watch - God bless you Josh. I'm considering a color box - just need to add up how much the components cost to see if it's worth it... err too soon?

[@jhspedals]

looool

[@davelinke]

I wish I had the colorbox, i can't justify that investment right now, as cost of living is kind of high In The US, that's why I have my second hand crayon that I enjoy while playing Bodysnatchers. I build pedals myself too, and have been following Josh for years now. I dream of being able to sell my true spring reverb pedals to the masses, but even the thought of being able to set up something at a scale that would allow me to produce sufficient money to leave my job frightens me. You may have the skill, but scaling is a completely different game. Hats of to you Josh!!!

[@bookstar99]

I am the managing director of a company in Germany. We produce and sell very different consumer products, mainly through retailers in Europe. But I know the same misconceptions from customers and the media when it comes to selling prices, costs and our profits. That's why I think it's great, Josh, that you explain the basic mechanisms and economic necessities of a manufacturer to a customer, influencer and product user.

[@markojelic5670]

I feel compelled to comment...My respect for JHS and Josh just went sky high! I only own one JHS pedal and I love it but that's about to change. I learned so much about the challenges of a small American business. This video gave me so much more clarity on the topic. I'm sure many other small business owners share his sentiment. This epic video demonstrate how to properly, effectively and politely educate ignorant KZbinrs and content creators in general. I learned so much. I was not subscribed to this channel but I will now. Thanks Josh!

[@micktek]

I have a small electronics company in Australia. We design and manufacture. There are only 4 of us in the business, including me. Before we pay for a single component, or pay a single dollar in wages, the fixed overhead of opening the doors of our 200sqm (2000sqft) space is around AUD98,000 / year (USD65,000). That's mortgage repayments, insurances, council rates, body corp, workers compensation, electricity, phone, internet etc etc etc. Most small electronics businesses are around 50% production staff and 50% admin, management, design etc. So when you look at the labour time per product produced, you really need to double those hours in order to include the non-production staff in the cost calculations. The Aussie dollar varies a lot, so there is exchange rate to take into account. Freight is not cheap, and has to be taken into account. Warranty costs, while not huge, need to be accounted for as a cost. When someone does a simplistic "Cost = Parts + Direct Labour" analysis, it just shows the absolute lack of any deep thinking into what they are talking about.

[@jamesemerson4102]

Absolutely 💯. I am in Australia and this is why I am so grateful for my amp techs and the stuff they have built me. They do not make tons of money and they charge fair rates for their brilliant work. Some would say their work is expensive but it's nonsense. With the the rent they pay and the quality of the parts they have to buy, and most importantly, their expertise and customer service, it's really a bargain!

[@grishyroy9271]

These people will say anything to create content-but his misunderstanding of business processes and downstream costs (employees, building, insurance, social security, advertising, etc) is astounding! Josh, nor any R&D/builder/business builder and employer, needs to justify or respond to stupid, but Josh's class and ethics are very much appreciated!

[@ArmandoPrado]

I love this rebuttal and exercise in educating Mr Cordy. I follow him (and sift through the talented - but let's admit it - wanky self-indulgent guitar playing), and I follow you - so I see all of what's uploaded by each of you. The fact is though, that this video carries a substance, taste, class, humility, and honesty that we'll never see on his channel. What would be most appreciated would be for said channel owner to acknowledge his ignorance about business and engineering and apologize for slagging on someone who has brought so much to the community. You're a damn fine fellow Josh. Thank you for all you do and keep up with your excellent contributions!

[@keithbriscoe99]

Yes, completely agree. I can't stand cordy anymore so assume I'll never see if he does what you propose

[@TLMuse]

I follow both channels, too, and I love John's playing; I often just watch the playing and then skip through the rest. In fairness to him, he almost immediately PINNED a highly critical comment to the top of the video's comments, basically admitting he realized he was off-base. In many years of YT watching, I have never seen a creator pin a critical comment. (Dislaimer-I wrote the comment.) -Tom

[@illgottengains1314]

In his follow up video he acknowledged that he got flamed in the comments and he was wrong. He asked a question and accepted the answer so let’s not be too harsh on John, he’s a really nice fella.

[@Enduringrevery]

@@illgottengains1314that’s great he can own the consequences of his actions. I think it’s probably a unanimous sentiment that he shouldn’t have ever made the video.

[@forytvanz8493]

​@@illgottengains1314is he really nice? most of his recent contents are clickbaity and some are rage baits. I stopped following JNC after noticing those patterns. it seems like he post maliciously to stay relevant and always be recommended on viewer's feed even if he misinform viewers

[@justinwilson4860]

This might be my favorite YT video of all time. The transparency and honesty in this is great for consumers and aspiring business owners as well. I learned so much from watching this. Thanks for this!

[@leftthechatsound]

Thank you for all the transparency! I knew it wasn't cheap or simple, but getting all this BTS is fascinating

[@sub-jec-tiv]

The more I find out about JHS, the more I like em. The more I find out about Behringer, the more I’m glad I canceled Disney+ and Netflix, and I can afford to buy a JHS pedal. 😂

[@tubeworkshop]

Josh, this video really touches my heart as a manufacturer that focuses on hand-building and local suppliers. I think nobody of us is getting rich out of what we do... but we all have those annoying discussions about the prices of our products. Many people think, we just pick prices out of the sky to make us rich. Which we don't. I think you were still pretty polite on telling how business works and what costs are involved until a Customer can hold a product in his/her hands. We could go much deeper on this and explain how a product actually has to be calculated from BOM-Cost to final Sales-Price at a dealer... 😉

[@threepe0]

I haven’t seen this full video, but I will say after I made a few pedals myself, my perspective completely shifted on this topic. I have a lot of experience with soldering and tinkering so keep that in mind. I went from thinking things were expensive to marveling at how crazy cheap most mass-produced pedals are, and how cheap even small shops manage to make things. JHS are good peeps.

[@morielly1979]

This is just fabulous. This is a master class in how to deal with criticism -- arguably an attack -- as a mature grown up and a professional. I've been learning so much from the JHS pedal show and never expected to get this kind of lesson here, but here it is. When I'm done with my day job and when I get tired of building clones in my basement maybe I'll apply at JHS.

[@andreaidato1280]

A perfect example of a person who I believe has no malice but also has low to no idea of the topic he is trying to discuss. It's really not helpful to anyone. Well done Josh for offering some hard truths of business and manufacturing at scale.

[@PacificNatureTV]

Whenever a youtuber makes a drama video its only purpose is malice- maligning other creators to get engagement and putting out no-research videos like factory for clicks. Dude is 100% trying to malign JHS and milk the agorithm's love for "controversial" videos.

[@DerpRulesAll]

​@@PacificNatureTVJosh offering him a new pedal to replace the one he mangled should really make this guy reconsider his course of action.

[@AmiliaCaraMia]

@@PacificNatureTVfair

[@anxious_ape]

This goes hard. Well done done Josh. I own two of your pedals, the pulp n peel and the muffuletta. I appreciate you taking the time to dissect your business in a public space. Huge respect, huge balls.

[@TravisPhillips22]

I am shocked this is making the rounds in the guitar community. Josh, thanks for being a business owner and employing workers in america to produce effects pedals. I remember you saying something to the effect of “when you buy pedals from us you are supporting our ethos” and I couldn’t agree more. I haven’t even watched the video yet and I am ON ONE in these comments. For the haters: if you want another industry to hate on why not try luxury fashion or the fragrance industry. Keep it moving people…

[@sirspongadoodle]

anyone who uses the term "hater" cannot handle criticism...

[@goguelu]

I love that you care Josh. Such a challenge to run a business anyway. Thank you for doing this educational effort. We feel the passion of the builder. Keep on building and creating pedals for passionate musicians. You, all at JHS are a source of inspiration for us.

[@pjforde1978]

Thank you for your empathy, Josh. I'm someone who has really struggled to find a calm voice when dealing with ignorant pushback. This was a textbook lesson on how to practice grace.

[@ArchaicMedia]

Amen

[@mebaugh1]

Josh is a solid, honest, fair businessman and pedal innovator. No need to defend what you do or charge. The pedal community appreciates how you create the tools that make us sound great. I will be using my Colourbox V2 in our church band tomorrow and thinking of Josh! You are awesome!

[@washparkmusic]

Hot take? But I wish JHS was getting rich off my money.

[@chuckschillingvideos]

Luckily for pedal fans that isn't his mission statement. Josh seems to be honestly pursuing a dream.

[@stevescuba1978]

This was an excellent presentation on how little most people understand about business, and how manufacturing for profit works. Well done, I appreciate the honesty.

[@brendan00013]

It’s wild how it’s the year 2024 and people don’t understand how businesses make money / the costs that go into designing, researching, marketing, etc. This was a really good watch, Josh!

[@weschilton]

Welcome to the Idiocracy.

[@mmhcreates]

Education system does not adequately educate, not does it advocate autonomous learning and interest. Its not just an intelligent defeciency, and is only more recently that we have the opportunity to hear and see first hand how things work. Via a screen and ether digital stream.

[@hansjanssen3364]

I had basically the same discussions back in the 90's. Some things will never change.

[@aaronzimpel4995]

Thanks Josh! Most people dont understand business. How hard it is, how many mouths you have to feed, how much unbilled time and how much blood sweat and tears you need to put into a product. A lot of the time you're not making any money. People don't understand that profit comes out a huge cost. It doesn't come for free.

[@michaelthimes]

Thank you for this video, Josh. I modded my first pedal around 2004-2005 using a Monte Allums kit on ebay which was time in my life immediately after college. I was living in NYC, working an entry level advertising job, playing in a band and having the time of my life living paycheck to paycheck. It was during this time that I thought about trying to make a pedal business. A few years earlier, I received advice while in college via an email from a renowned guitar builder because I was curious about turning my love of guitars and assembling them into a career. He replied, “this business is tough and I often have to compensate the professionals that support my company more than the people that actually make the guitars.” So when I got the pedal building bug, I reflected on that advice, and ran some numbers to see if it could work. In short, I could never justify turning my hobby into a full-time business because of what it would cost me versus just having a straight day job. Even now as I earn more, I am surprised how the cost of materials has increased to the point of making a go at a guitar, pedal or amp building operation still out of reach. The other reality check was when I admitted to myself that I just love playing and collaborating in band more than building. I still have stacks of PCBs from pedalpcb just waiting for when I want to stratch the itch but very often, I just buy what I need and I build for kicks. This realization has allowed me to deeply appreciate what any builder does to deliver a beautiful tool to us. Thanks for making different choices, doing it the hard way and opening the rest of us up to your deep love of pedals.

[@lowellhall7927]

As a small business owner and guitarist I really appreciate this video. I don’t even really use pedals and I still like this channel. Also love that JHS is a U.S.A. based business

[@merrittkane9796]

I’m really glad someone sent this to you and you’re responding to it. I saw it the other day and also thought about sending it to your team but got busy and lost that thought, but it’s wonderful to hear you explain to people how actually expensive it is to run a business and all the hidden costs that nobody ever knows about. I hope many critics of companies with high cost items and of business owners will take the time to humbly listen and learn. Business is a risk. Great content as always Josh, from a new (6 months ago) but already devoted fan.

[@codelicious6590]

I guaran-fucking-Tee if every US business operated on the same values and methods as JHS, everything would probably cost much less and all of our overall happiness as employees and members of a consumer-driven society would be 100% higher than it is now.

[@davelinke]

AKA life before the eighties

[@PacificNatureTV]

uh no everything would cost more. US labor is expensive and its not just the labor to build the pedals- the R&D, shipping, management, time spent ordering parts, etc all add up. Not to mention that you couldn't find some workers who would accept the pay v labor of things like Farm work, cleanings and under-the-table service jobs- which is actually something we've seen play out in multiple southern states (even when the pay is raised).

[@TheFibtastic]

@@PacificNatureTVyou misses the macro point. Everybody would be employed with more to spend. It’s how things worked when the US was a healthier country, before we shipped off our manufacturing base and became a service economy and, soon, an oligarchy.

[@sahamal_savu]

​@@TheFibtastic You're just describing the natural progression of a capitalist society. Greed never disappears and the profit has to increase. Labor cost is always the first thing to be looked at when trying to increase profit. If local workers won't accept what you're willing to pay, you look elsewhere.

[@MatthewsEffects]

Watched this while assembling pedals, physically cringing and looking up to see Josh cringing at the same time 😂 painful to listen to, i can’t imagine someone taking a part my work and making wide sweeping assumptions.

[@SpiralElectricFX]

Excruciating, both for the savaging of the pedal, and for the torture of math and logic.

[@turunturun]

@@SpiralElectricFXwe’ve probably all been guilty at some point of looking at some output that reflected decades of craft and said “man I could do that, how hard can it be?”…… we just didn’t publish it to KZbin 😂😂😂

[@jamesmusicproducts]

...grimaced, I did!

[@RealFitchEmerson]

​@@SpiralElectricFX Whoa, Cram gang showing up in the comments! Tom, if you read this, THANK YOU VERY MUCH for my red mod Demhe, it's quite literally never leaving my signal chain. Congrats on all your successes, wishing you and your family the best! God bless you brother. 😊❤

[@mezu-e]

It hurt me when he was so dismissive of the "tiny circuit". He has no idea how complex and costly the pick and place machine is, and he has no idea how much of a pain in the ass repairing those little components is if there's an issue.

[@walckt]

Josh, you are my hero as a person, musician, artist, and business owner. Continue being you.

[@bloemundude]

According to my math, Josh personally owes every American a free Univibe and an ice-cream cone. I've done zero calculations, but my assumptions must be correct.

[@cbaten2]

... and free coffee all year around.

[@Paul-D]

I have checked your math and deduced you are completely correct on account of it being said somewhere on the internet.