My Issue with the JHS NOTAKLÖN
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- Опубликовано: 27 сен 2024
- JHS have released a new pedal, the NOTAKLÖN. A new DIY pedal. It's been a massive success and sold over 12,000 units in a week.
Unfortunately I have some reservations, some concerns about what you gain and what you loose when going down this new semi DIY pedal.
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It’s just supposed to be a fun project. I don’t think 99 dollars is a lot to ask. I love this channel but I don’t think these points really matter for this product. And given many USA pedals are simply assembled in the US now and not even soldered in house I don’t think there’s any really trickery on their part. Even Walrus boxes say “assembled” not “built” in the USA. It’s cheaper to have parts surface mounted and not thru hole soldered.
I don't think you should see it as "trickery" per say. Rather just think about how influential JHS is (Bad Monkey fiasco) and how well this product is doing. People need to be at least a bit skeptical or else every other company will start doing it.
Plus no return policy for something that can be just as easily disassembled as it was assembled doesn't sit right with me.
@PuttinOnTheRiffs, You didn't even mention KDHs' main issue with this, which was the non return policy, and likely lesser warranty protection for the same price as a 3 series pedal.
KDH and fun don't go together.
@@castleanthrax1833 idk about this being really an issue and more of an observation and a comparison. If you buy any other build your own you cannot return it unless it’s missing parts. How would the return policy work on a product like this and how would jhs be able to resell this product after the fact? As “returned and assembled?” Would it even be work $100 at that point? There’s really no way to do it that I can think of. Given the overhead of a company like jhs, the number of employees, they probably offer insurances to all of them, the already finished enclosure and the unique design idea I was shocked it wasn’t $120+ and personally I’d buy it at that price. Yes, it’s a simple finish but it’s still a cost to powder coat white and print on them. It’s positioned well in the market in the grand scheme.
@@CoolGuyAtlas I feel that. But it’s just a project and all other companies (BYOC, pedalparts, stew Mac) have similar policies on their builds. It’s very standard.
Yeah, I gotta agree with the others. The price is incredibly reasonable for the pedal even with having to assemble it. The ikea schtick is hilariously clever and the end result is a great klon clone.
Also, who needs warranty for a guitar pedal. These devices don’t die on you in less than 20 years if you use the right voltage to power it
@@rethardotv5874in my experience JHS have great customer service. I don’t see them hanging anyone out to dry, they’ve never operated like that. The Op just has whinge as a default mode.
and its super easy to assemble, so not sure why anyone would complain.
They have a video of kids literally building these pedals.
Nope, it's not reasonable price, maybe the box costs could make it more reasonable but in general whole guitar gear industry is overpriced solely because people are willing to pay way too much. Btw. It is the same case for other instruments too, though with acoustic ones the build quality somewhat matters
I think this actually goes back to Josh and Bill Finnegan. Bill didn’t like Josh making a clone of his pedal and at the time Bill wasn’t making any. Josh told Bill that when Bill started making Klons again, Josh would stop making his clone. A promise he kept. Fast forward ten years and now there are hundreds of klones by different brands. People have asked JHS for years to bring back their klone, but as Josh mentioned in a Q&A a few years ago, Bill won’t respond to tell him if he’s ok with Josh making a klone again. So my first thought when I saw the video for the release was ‘haha, technically he’s not making it.’ That’s my honest guess on why they did it this way.
And I don’t disagree with KDHs assessment that they probably could have released this fully built, with a warranty, for the same price. But Josh did mention cheaper and equally priced alternatives in his video if you aren’t interested in ‘building’ one of your own.
I have never met Josh and only know him from his videos but the impression I get form his videos is that you could be 100% correct and if you are it would be hilarious and give us yet another reason to love JHS. KDH overlooks the fact that this concept is fun and allows one to learn something new even if it is of limited application. We live in a world where less and less of us ever do something with our hands besides type on a keyboard and something like this would be go for a lot of us. In a Capitalist country Josh gets to charge whatever he wants for his pedals and make and sell them however he wises. It is the consumer who decides if it what Josh did was a good move. The consumer has spoken. I enjoy the videos of KDH but think he is wrong on this one.
We can't blame manufacturers wanting to profit from the almost limitless stupidity of guitar players...can we?😂
Exactly correct. He promised to not build a klon. So he lets the customer "build" a "notaklön" in the easiest way possible to keep his promise in this way of argument.
Not only in that marketing video, but if look in the JHS archive, they did a live-stream (1h30m or so??) devoted to Klon clones, down to almost the cheapest of the cheap ($35, I think, for the cheapest they did in *that* video). The message being that they ALL could be made to sound indistinguishable from the original. Meanwhile, KDH's points stand, of course. :)
That's just taking advantage of a technicality to make money though. Just a shrewd business move and a disregard for the spirit of the verbal agreement. End of the day I really don't care but if what you say is true that's all it is. Like KDH says the entire pedal market is derivative of itself. Nearly every pedal has at least 15 clones aside from some of the super esoteric ones.
I think it’s a fun gimmick that gets you a little more involved with your pedal without needing any skill. It’s cheaper than any other Klon kit out there as well. For a Klone that’s exactly like the real thing sound wise, it’s priced really well.
Stew Mac DIY pedals cost more than these..... $99 is pretty dang cheap. I specifically wanted to build a pedal myself, so this looks perfect. I'm digging it man. Zero complaints from a pretty picky guy as far as knowing what I bought and being happy for what they are asking. Haven't even gotten it in yet.
I like your videos and like your opinions on most all things guitar related. But I'm not sure about your take on this one. I build my own pedals and have even built quite a few amplifiers from scratch. I have also built several Klon clone pedals. However I really like and applaud what JHS are doing here. Offering a DIY introductory product like is brilliant, and I think will only increase the number of DIYers out there. JHS are doing a great job of offering a product that is both a great sounding pedal and also a gateway into the DIY community.
I think this is awesome. Some kid will buy this pedal kit , become inspired, and will eventually go on to become the next Leo Fender or Jim Marshall, etc. Please don't hate on this. The notaklon is a fantastic idea and props to JHS for understanding this and taking full advantage of it.
Agreed - the whole subtext from JHS of the DIY element of this pedal is to emphasise that there is no great "magic or "mystery" to guitar pedals, by getting consumers to really engage with what's inside their pedals. Let's face it, 95% of the appeal of effects pedals are kooky names, fun graphics and some twisty knobs and switches, rather than their tonal characteristics....which most of us get bored with after a short while anyway (hence massive used market). If this demystifies and encourages people to have a go at building or modding their own, then that's a great thing. I ordered a notaklon last night (wont get it until April!) purely to show my support to JHS (we need more authentic companies like them with something to say).
Yep! This is just a bit of fun. The minimal assembly really is just part of the joke, and I agree it’s likely a gateway for more builders to emerge. We need more projects like this.
It's a novelty, I thought that was widely understood. The whole thing is a PR exercise - it's very clever marketing!
I don’t think it’s just a PR exercise. It’s more than that. It’s fun, it’s getting people into pedals in a new way and gave people the JHS Klon what they wanted.
Spit on!!! We are about to wake up. Like in the 70’s looking back at 50’s TV marketing. 🙈It’s marketing. Making people feel
Good about buying stuff. That’s all it is.
It’s not a PR exercise. It’s a product. So far, it’s been a very successful product. The most successful thing JHS has ever produced, in fact.
Running out of "gotcha" topics? Don't worry KDH, someone will screw up again soon. This is just a fun pedal. You're definitely looking to hard at this.
sounded almost angry that someone is making millions out of a good idea while he's not
Putting it together is part of the fun. Plus the whole goop thing adds a novelty to it. I think it’s a good way to introduce people to DIY pedal making. It’s like saying you shouldn’t get a Lego car cuz you can get a normal toy car for cheaper. My only problem has nothing to do with JHS or the kit itself, I’m just annoyed people are already trying to scalp these for more than double the price. If you’re scalping a solderless diy pedal kit you’re what’s wrong with the guitar market.
The soldering is what makes a DIY a DIY. Did you watch the video?
You aren't making shit you put a couple nuts on an already assembled PCB
@@MiamiVisor Yes. It's a dumb video.
Yeah, I agree. I have the StewMac Ghost Drive, and it was fun to put together. It also gives you a little kick of pride that you made the thing. But that's my skill level and the amount of time I'm willing to put in it. Others might think that's pointless, and the only way to actually feel like you made the pedal is to design and etch the PCB and make the enclosure from scratch. And for others, soldering itself is out of the question, so a kit like this one from JHS is enough to give them that kick. It's nice that we have options, because, yes, the feeling of making the thing yourself, no matter your skill level or the amount of effort you're willing to spend, does matter a lot.
Scalper are literally cancer cell in any market
Marketing genius. I bought one just to support JHS. They do great videos and are entertaining. I agree it’s not much diy but now I have a $99 Klon.
I really dont care for JHS or this specific pedal but we have to recognize that there’s a significant added cost to JHS when they decide to have all the extra packaging needed to sell this kit. Extra large box, anti-static bag, more complex pcb with special tools precut in it. Etc etc. I find the 99 price tag to be reasonable
Just so. And NOBODY here has mentioned the Goop. How much is the Goop!?
I couldn’t imagine making a whole video about this subject and not even mentioning this. Or the fact that Korg have also released solderless pedal kits. JHS even did a video about it this year. My honest guess is he liked that idea and also did it. I think this video is a little bit just making a video to make a video territory. He didn’t really make any solid points, just a lot of speculation.
Great point
at that quantity, i think thats alot less than you think it is.
Not to mention the hours of R&D required to make it a kit. The design approach would be much different from a standard JHS product, and that costs money too.
Swing and a miss on this one. I don’t own any JHS pedals(I do own a klon klone), but I’m getting one of these. Love the idea, the packaging and the snap-tite and turn some screws assembly. It’s fun and funny. No one is pretending that they’re a real pedal builder. If you don’t want one, just don’t get one. Love your reporting on actual issues. But this just looks like you needed some views this week.
$100 and I have to build it myself? I personally agree with the video. Sounds like some GOOD JHS kool aid.
I don't really get your point. It's more of a gimmick than an actual "cheaper because you build it yourself" item. Hence the IKEA inspired name. ALL pedals cost insanely more than their build price, especially the boutique ones. So.... What ?
I think the point is more about the loss of warranty protection than anyone spending $99 and you put it together. In the end, the DIY aspect is just fun, but, because YOU are responsible for the assembly and if you make a mess of it, you're on your own. It's a small risk, one that I would take with no worries. I don't even think the biggest issue was with the warranty, but that copy-cats will start doing this more often.
did you graduate grade one ? A grade one would understand what he said AND he was correct.
Is this how you talk to people in real life?@@montyrayza7220
@montyrayza7220 no need to be an ass. Get back to your eat the rich wankery now. I've literally NEVER had to use a warranty on a pedal in 20+ years of playing. You guys are really reaching here to find anything dramatic, and I'm starting to think it's more just to get hits and clicks off the coattails of a trending item, rather than a genuine warning.
@@Eric_01 There's no loss of warranty protection. Only loss of return policy, which makes sense since the build process involves steps that can't be undone.
1. It's very reasonably priced
2. Assembly is part of the fun
3. The design and packaging for this kit almost certainly costs more than the labor savings of assembly
I don't mind the Notaklon being 99 dollars as I assumed that the price was because of the fun IKEA branding and all of the design work that went into it, and to your point about more clones coming out and mimicking the Notaklon, I seriously don't think that will be a problem, because once again the key selling point of the Notaklon, the IKEA aesthetic which will get old fast.. People will stop buying it, and JHS as a brand, which is something literally no other pedal company has.
Agreed, right or wrong its hard to criticize the notaklon without mentioning the whole ikea model that was very deliberate and kitsch.
When i heard it was no-solder my first thought was "has he developed a 2-pack solder paste?" Because honestly building a klon from a box of parts and a pcb is so unbelievably piss easy the only issue i could see is access to a soldering iron.
I was very disapointed to see it was just two boards that clip together because it could have been a great opportunity to show people how simple these devices are and how they dont really need to be spending their money on stuff like clean boosts, overdrives, fuzz, simple delay lines etc etc.
@@mrrootytooty5797 while I agree in principle with your argument, yes making these pedals yourself is easy and cheep, I work as a computer engineer and the first thing I learned is that people just don’t care and will spend asinine amounts in order to not have to learn anything or do anything themselves. The notaklon serves this exact purpose it’s a fun well designed “diy” pedal that makes people think they are crafty without actually alienating anyone or making them work
@@mrrootytooty5797I think many people have money and like spending it. While those that want to cheap out will certainly find all these RUclips videos about cheap pedals. So I think the only buyers of expensive pedals these days are those that just want to buy something expensive.
@@FalconiusIt's amazing how much money people will spend just to remain ignorant. I say this as someone who is smart enough to realize how stupid they are 😀
I really think you're missing the point of the product dude.....
Other companies can try, but part of JHS’ success is their marketing ability, not many companies can replicate that. Also, feels a bit odd to assume that this pedal would have been 99 even if it came fully assembled
Yeah he isn't familiar with touch time and the downstream interactions that happen with something that IS assembled - QA, for example.
@@CyberneticArgumentCreator Agree. His schtick is contrarian-take-on-popular-or-topical-theme-of-the-day, and his take on this pedal is pretty ignorant.
@@CyberneticArgumentCreator Bollocks - assembly of this product in the US would cost about $3 per unit and in the far east $1 a unit, including overheads. If it wasn't designed for self assembly, it would cost about $10 less anyway, wouldn't be as large, and would use less resources and materials.
I have a 5 year old who loves to do everything I do. He lacks the soldering skills and patience to complete pedals,so I try to simplify them for him. This is someone else’s version of what I do for my son. I ordered one for him immediately and am excited for him to build it. Kids (of all ages) love projects and having more immediate gratification.
I have appreciated your calling out bullshit of different companies over the years (example: Andertons) but criticizing the $99 cost for a really novel experience is really pushing it. Imagine how many kids are going to get a chance to assemble this who don't (yet) have soldering skills or access to tools? If they sell say 50,000 of these by the time this is all said and done, imagine how many people who had a chance to put this together might catch the "building stuff is fun" bug?
I think you missed a point here. To make the pedal easy to put together for the consumer, JHS would have constructed this pedal differently to say the 3 series. There is still labour involved from JHS to print the circuit board and attach the quick connect ribbon parts, which I doubt would be in other pedals. Like you said, the majority of the pedal is already built, plus there's the extra parts added so the customer can construct it, specifically the ribbon attachment.
Did KDH mess up his notaklon build ???
it sounds like he actually would be able to do that lol
The ability to “say you built a pedal” you don’t think there’s a bunch of kids that are going to get into pedal building because of this? You really don’t see any inherent value from an educational or pedal cultural perspective? It’s brilliant and affordable on every front and of course marketing gold. But I really think you’re truly underestimating the educational value.
I think the perceived value is twofold: 1. You build it. You might learn something. It feels good to look down at it and think 'yeah, I remember the fun I had with that', 2. They can simply crank out the kits a lot _faster_ than building them, so no backorders.The IKEA motif is hilarious.
You won't learn anything except how to use a screwdriver and spanner. Cranking out built kits would be a lot faster. Assembly would take about 5 minutes absolute max in a factory environment, there would be less paperwork and it could be much better designed and much smaller using less materials. And, yes, I have watched the assembly video. And yes, I did used to work in electronic equipment supply and installation. Nearly all guitar pedals are overpriced by about 50%.
@@edeledeledel5490 Keyword: 'perceived'. So if it takes less time to build it than to put all the parts in a box, then that value is negative. Maybe the architecture of the thing lends itself to quick mods and circuit bending. Maybe it's just fun. Buy a built one.
This is obviously not for you.
Will I buy one? No. But I do get why a lot of people would. He'll sell a ton, no matter how irrational or overpriced they are 'perceived' to be. Good marketing.
@@johnmcevoy3598 I won't buy any pedal for $99. That price is taking the piss, as they all do, except the cheap clones. Nothing to do with the design and production cost, it's what guitarists imagine they have to pay, and what manufacturers have been getting away with.
And it doesn't lend itself to quick mods and circuit bending; it's just two integrated circuit boards connected by plug in cables.
It's just slick marketing to gullible people, and a way to save money on guarantees, and possibly quality.
@@edeledeledel5490 So be angry and cheap. Great.
@@johnmcevoy3598 Just perceptive. F*ckwits paying $1000 dollars for an ancient piece of crap just annoys me. Let alone £99 for modern equivalent that should be priced at about $40. Idiots paying over the top makes it MORE EXPENSIVE FOR EVERYONE ELSE Not everyone is as rich as you obviously are. I could afford to buy 100 of them, and not notice it. But I'm lucky. And one reason I'm lucky, is I don't pay over the odds.
I like a lot of your other videos criticizing internet guitar brands, but I think you're nitpicking this pretty hard.
I dig your videos but... the real masterclass in marketing is finding a nit to pick with this pedal. He did it DIY to straddle the moral conundrum he encountered with Bill Finnegan.
I think JHS is taking the piss - by involving the customer in the DIY process of “building” and “gooping” they’re mocking the Klon market. I love it. And I think they’re uniquely positioned as a brand to pull something like this off…. Can’t wait to see what’s next from them. (I don’t own any JHS pedals)
I think you need to also include that the amount of parts used to make this pedal is by far more than the typical 3 Series, therefore if they were to have built it for you it would have been more like $150. I applaud JHS as this is so far away from what everyone else offers. And it was fun to put together and paint. Yes it has so many pluses for JHS, good for them. keep 'em coming!
He takes issue that the return policy is different than that of a normal pre-assembled pedal and feels you’re essentially being duped into doing something “tedious” in building it.
There.
Saved you 9 minutes and 45 seconds.
He's a good guy, but bad takes on this all around. I loved building it for the fifteen minutes it took (I took my time) and it's a really great pedal.
One thing you said that I have to call out is yeah, many people get into electronics by taking things apart and putting them back together. I’m a licensed electrician, and I got my start literally by taking things part, looking at the parts, then just putting it back together and not touching a thing. When I started collecting guitar pedals, I did the same thing. The more pedals I took apart to check out, the more I desired to mess with them myself. So yeah, there’s definitely value in a pack like this. The skills aren’t 1-1, but if you can’t stand putting this kit together, you probably won’t stand putting together a real kit that’s more involved. It’s like I wasn’t truly interested in fully learning an instrument, till I saw one of my teachers playing bass one day at school. It was the first time I saw slap bass being done. Yeah I loved music, but you bet i went home after school and begged my parents for a bass guitar after seeing that. I wouldn’t be so dismissive of this. People, especially kids, become obsessed with stuff by doing things like this all the time.
I took apart a dozen things before I was 16 years old.
It only makes sense that Josh, having kids, would want to create something that his kid could put together.
I think this one flew over your head.
This was a fun interactive joke.
A lot of effort went into to designing the kit to be buildable sans soldering iron
Well I think you might be missing the point. When I saw the video, the first thing that came to my mind is that it would be a fun project to do with my daughter. And I’m pretty sure that most of these pedals sold were purchased simply for that reason. It’s a great activity to do with your kids. Especially if they are too young to use a soldering iron. And at least in the end, compared to model projects that you assemble like planes, cars, or wathever useless things you can do, you get a pedal!
Exactly
@@FilinMXr there’s literally nothing that says fun activity to do with your kids than the words « put goop here »! 😂😂
Every point you made you prefaced with "no one else is talking about this". maybe there is a reason for that. You’re starting to milk it now.
Yeah, I get your point, but ultimately it's a (presumedly) good pedal for £100. the novelty of building it is just a bit of fun. I think I would have an issue if it was a £300 pedal and I was assembling it myself. The Ikea self assembly vibe is just a very JHS style of gimmick, I think companies who copy it (and I'm sure there will be a few) will fall flat as it doesn't come with that JHS comedy brand. I know they are saving in production costs but it's not an extortionate item so I don"t feel ripped off or that they are being unduly greedy. Full disclosure I have bought one and I am looking forward to building it, You should market your DS1/Klon btw.
Keep up the good work KDH and love your videos.
p.s - Guitar players are stupid, I just agreed to wait three months for a £100 pedal I have to build myself.
Yes, this is the big point IMO. This pedal sounds fantastic and if assembling it myself to keep the price to $100 is what it takes to get a pretty much identical sounding Klone, while supporting an independent pedal maker who has given a lot of knowledge for free, I'm totally fine with it. If it was a subpar pedal, it would be totally different.
And honestly they probably are not saving anything now with how the blew through the initial 3k kits they had on hand ready to go and had like 20k more preorders after that. They are hiring new people and paying overtime and now are probably paying rush shipping on components too at this point per the video the released like maybe a week later.
I'm always frustrated with myself when I click on one of your videos. I feel like so much of what you do is to troll other people who are actually creating something and putting in the effort. You intentionally create this sort of content for views and people respond because a certain percentage of people are trolls. This video is a perfect example. You completely miss the point of the pedal as pure genius because you never even say the word "IKEA" in this video. The whole thing about the DIY, the name, the packaging, everything is an homage to the Klon AND IKEA at the same time. It is so clever. It is satire. To pretend that the warranty point is just you "thinking critically" about the product doesn't make any sense. If another pedal company made an attempt at being this clever they would be laughed at because JHS already did this. It is pedal making and pop art. JHS should be applauded for this pedal. They should sell it out many times over because they won the game. Thank goodness creative people do what they do.
Love KDH, JHS is cool, love all your videos. The price point. I have to wonder (having minimal experience, but some, in design) how long it took to DESIGN it in a way that COULD be assembled by someone. $99 for a robot made, person assembled pedal, or $99 for a robot made, person designed to be made by people, then person assembled. To me it’s sixes, especially with the packaging. Much love KDH, from Utah ✌️✌️👊👊
What is the warranty on a full blown DIY solder yourself pedal?
Regarding the price; this has a bigger enclosure and more expensive knobs compared to the other $99 pedals. I bet this would have been something like $119 if it was completely assembled. If they wanted to hit the $99 price point while still meeting their profit margin, this is a cool, fun way to do it. I think you're right, though. This might turn into more companies doing this and it could be bad, long term.
It would only become a thing long term if people would continue to buy more semi-diy kits, which I highly doubt. JHS took advantage and played into a meme, when another company does it most people will feel like that's a lame try-hard attempt to be quirky and cool, so I don't see this catching up long term.
I agree with certain points, BUT I bought a JHS reverb and there was a level boost when active. I sent them a mail (from Belgium) and they said, we will send a new one and dump the old one. It arrived free of charge of any kind a week later from the USA. I doubt they will be awkward about issues with the Notaklön.
This is a total misfire. Buyers know what they're getting and how much is costs before they buy. And these are adults. And the solderless aspect is marketed as a feature. If you don't want to build it, there are well over a dozen low cost options. Is the pedal more profitable for jhs? I don't know, don't care, and if it is, great for them because the pedal is still seen as great value. It almost sounds like you're trying to argue that a slippery slope, which is a logical fallacy, is a sound argument. This video, in my opinion, actually just demonstrates poor judgement on your part.
It's the fun factor and feeling like you did something yourself. I'd almost be willing to bet if they released it as a pre built pedal for 99-129 they would sell almost as many, but not as fast. Making it a fun project sold it for them. They almost got me and I don't really even like the Klon sound, but I've been wanting to build a pedal and am lazy.
"Guitarists are stupid."
KDH
If you ever watch Glenn Fricker’s tone tests and the followup videos, going over replies, you’ll understand how true that shirt is.
I was wondering where you were going with this, and I think you have a valid point regarding the warranty dilemma. On the other hand, I think that the success of this pedal will not translate to other manufacturers following suit. Josh Scott, unlike most everyone else in this business, has an interesting sense of humor and lighthearted nature that suits this style of marketing a pedal, and I think that ultimately, this was meant more as a "fun" way to put out a new product. Personally, I believe that they will eventually offer this pedal assembled with a warranty if there are a significant number of defective units that aren't due to end-user incompetence.
Again, your point is absolutely correct specifically about the warranty, however, as someone once said to me, "pick your battles". I'm not sure this one has any real merit, unless of course, these pedals turn to shit! Then, have at it!
Yeah, no other pedal company is going to copy selling a Klon or any other DIY pedal because they do not want to sell mass pedals like JHS You are right Einstein!
JHS isn't even the first to do it. KORG did an Overdrive pedal.
@@fj5144 They say the difference between genius and stupid is that genius has limits.
@@iainjohnston4070😂and a few synthesizers.
@fj5144 I live for replies like yours. People like you, feigning intelligence, while also demonstrating a major lack of reading comprehension will never not be funny. Keep it up lmfao
Honestly I think this is a very rare KDH L. I usually agree with most of the stuff you say but 99 bucks for an easy to use kit that is from a reputable manufacturer is a great deal. I don’t see anything morally wrong with it. The only way I could see them “rectifying” this non-issue would be to sell both side by side and give the customer the option of if they want a DIY kit or a pre-built kit. I don’t think the price should change tho. Working in a music store, this is pretty standard for a pedal price and they COULD charge less for it, but you’re talking about very specific parts
I also want to point out, you say these skills aren’t “transferable” to anything. I thoroughly disagree. It reminds me of those science kits you get when you’re a kid. They’re childish yes, but they do still teach you something about the scientific process. Here, it’s giving you the absolute basics on pedal electronics. It’s not a harvard degree sure, but it’s a good starting point for someone.
@@masoneismonstudios3016 But it's not even giving you the absolute basics on electronics, all one can hope to learn is how to tighten screws.
Bah Humbug! It’s fun to put it together with a young kid or guitar student. They get to see the insides and maybe get excited about playing. I’d pay extra for a boss pedal that does this for the same reason.
it really is a masterclass in marketing.
Its wild how it doesnt work on everyone. They turn me off but Im willing to be they make good products. I cant stand the guy that does their youtube channel.
@@sole__doubt”The guy that does their RUclips channel”?😅 you mean Josh Heath Scott aka JHS
@@deluxeg Now I know what JHS stands for thanks brother.
Yeeesh, I don't know who manages the closest McDonald's but I won't let that keep me from buying a burger there every now and then.
So let's put it in another way: when you decide the price of a product you need to factor in the cost of r&d, sourcing of the components, shipping, assembly, packaging, distribution, marketing and aftersale. This means you take into consideration that a certain percentage of the products will be defective in one way or another and you are going to need to deal with it without extra charges for the customer.
If you take out of the equation the assembly (all or part of it) and the aftersale, this means that the same ending price is going to give you more profit but it's the customer who pays for it by willfully giving up some of the services and/or some of their rights.
I understand the concerns this video raises
I’m no JHS fanboy, but there is an element of design and testing of something to be assembled at home. Arguably, the simpler the assembly process, the more designing is needed. Just a thought.
i think there is a larger point missing here. By giving guitar players the experience of putting together the enclosure, examining and holding the actual board, and even the novelty of the goop; all serves as individual user immersion while also demystifying the original klon. By forcing even the smallest bit of interaction and labor, it creates a story for owners and pushes an individual self involved narrative that replaces the hype of the original with the next best thing
Normally I'm right there with you, but you lost me here. What you call marketing, I call fun. You aren't just buying "a pedal" - I'd suspect most of the 22,000 buyers probably already have an Archer or Tumnus (or both). This was a fun idea, and the buyers are buying into the fun, and getting a pedal as a bonus. It's like a pet rock, only more expensive and functional. And at $99, it about the same price as the Stewmac pedal kits (in fact cheaper than their KLONE), which are also fun, if a lot less cheeky and a TON more complicated to build..
If JHS had a history of poor customer service it would be concerning. I think the opposite is true though, I’ve seen them go over and above for their customers. Hence I don’t see the limited liability warranty on these Notaklön’s to be a significant issue. It makes sense that JHS’ liability is limited because they didn’t assemble the pedal 😂 but I do believe the consumer would find themselves covered in the event of a non-working pedal. JHS’ track record of customer service would argue this point.
I could see this as a gateway into serious pedal making. Someone could try it, enjoy it, and go deeper down the rabbit hole.
This is a textbook example of making a mountain out of a mole hill.
my man you really are splitting hairs here
The main idea that you are missing is the fact that you can have a pedal that sounds almost identical to an original Klon, (which is unobtainable by most guitarists) and is a fun little project that you can do yourself. And it only costs $100. So what exactly is the problem here? I ordered one and should be receiving it within a few weeks and I’m very much looking forward to assembling it and rocking out with it. How much more fun do you want for a hundred damn dollars?😆
It’s a stocking stuffer. Nice for someone on X-mas morning that wanted a Klon.
Low price, great quality sound (for the price), really accessible and affordable entry point for customers thinking about getting into pedal-building.
I think this video forgets the market entirely, it's not meant for experienced pedal builders, it's to lower the entry point into that world - not to redefine what it is to "build a pedal." This isn't a "step back or regression" as KDH says, there's nothing forcing people who want to build more expensive pedals from still building more expensive pedals. This whole thing feels like gear snobbery, I think what JHS is doing is a great initiative for newcomers, and we shouldn't be gatekeeping them.
DIY jus part of the meme. People have been asking Josh to 'Build a Klon Clone' for decades, so now he's saying "No. Do it yourself!", and then made it extremely easy to do so. It's just for marketing, and it worked.
I also don't think it would cost much more to assemble the pedal and ship it contra packaging the DIY kit, as it is pretty much done, save for a few nuts, screws and a cable.
It's all just for fun.
Categorically. It’s not a crime in any way for a business t make a product that’s compelling to its customer base and then sell A LOT of that product. That’s the idea of business. I think pointing out how many sold how quickly they did is just pointing out the creative prowess of the people at JHS.
This idea that for some reason musical equipment businesses shouldn’t enjoy success commercially being shared by a RUclips channel who’s success comes from whether people watch it or not is not reasonable. Pot Kettle like.
Creatively JHS has the best and most Genuine brand out there for me. The he quality of the record recommendations says that comprehensively as far as I’m concerned.
Identifying this opportunity is just an extension of that. JHS are exactly what a pedal brand should be.
I’m really stocked that another Irish channel has done as well as you have KDH. And I really enjoyed your interview with the wampler lads. So respect to you man. But your content is not for me.
You’re missing the whole point. This is a fun toy, like a Lego kit. A fun little project for folks. And unlike my Christmas gift of a few years ago, my beloved Lego Yellow Submarine, I’ll end up with something I’ll get musical use out of, and might put on my pedalboard.
I could build StewMac’s Ghost Drive, and was thinking about doing just that, when I saw JHS’s fun video.
This is about fun. Not labor saving or warranties. Lighten up.
The selling point for me was that it sounds great. For only $99 I couldn’t care less about the rest.
I've been playing guitar for decades and have never been into effects and pedals. Having said that, I ordered a Notaklön because of the fun factor of a Lego/DIY assembly type of thing. The warranty coverage aspect of it is irrelevant and was not in any way a part of my buying decision. It's supposed to be fun and I will have fun putting it together and playing around with it.
I think with your argument about other companies potentially doing the same thing with the DIY kit to skirt warranties etc, you have to put the nexus of the notaklon into context. Josh has in recent months started a video series around encouraging people to get into pedal building. He’s bought actual pedal kits that you have to solder and live-streamed himself building them, etc. he’s stated he’s always wanted to have a bit of his journey go this direction - not just selling pedals but getting people into the same passion that inspired him to start JHS to begin with. To me this pedal is just simply a springboard to that end. Giving people who haven’t otherwise built pedals a way to begin to get into it, a foolproof way of ensuring they have a usable product at the end, and probably offering progressively more difficult but more authentic build kits after this one. You’re right, guitar players are stupid. Other companies may try to exploit this particular business model for their own financial gain. But just like it wasn’t Josh’s fault that people took the exact wrong message from the Klon/bad monkey comparison (the price of the Klon should’ve nosedived, and the bad monkey shouldn’t have skyrocketed in price in the second hand market), it isn’t Josh’s responsibility to ensure other companies don’t exploit consumers by way of bastardizing this idea with the notaklon to get out of warranties etc. Nor is it Josh’s fault if that indeed ends up happening. As far as the price being the same as his other 3 series pedals, like you said it is basically zero actual build by the consumer and there is more raw material on this than his other 3 series pedals so I would venture to say if this was sold in his 3 series line as a finished product, my guess is that it would end up being a bit more than 100 dollars just due to having a bigger chassis. That simply will cost more than the other pedals which are smaller.
Anyway, this was aimed specifically at the “wants to get into diy pedals” crowd who were intimidated by full on build kits. Sure some other companies may jump on the bandwagon to grab some profit, but Josh isn’t the chief of the guitar gear ethics police department, and it’s unfair that he should be expected to assume that role because he has a successful product line and brand.
I think this take is fair. I’m a JHS fan, in large part because they support the idea that a more expensive pedal often isn’t better. I like the Notaklon concept, but I’m sure that many buyers are ignoring the warranty implications.
It does come with a manufacturer warranty. I found this out because I bought a defective one and they are in the process right now of sending me a return shipping label so that they can repair it. They also responded super quick.
I feel like you're trying to create drama for the sake of views/clicks. I know this is how modern You Tube works but you're a fantastic player, you shouldn't have to rely on this sort of "content".
The price tag is what it is. JHS have established themselves as one of the biggest pedal companies out there. $99 isn't a huge sum and it introduces a new market to pedal building on a basic level. The market decides if something is value for money and they're selling well. Fair play to Josh and the guys!
Sorry pal, i'll be joining the others on this. Guess this'll be just your own issue on this one.
You have missed the point. Fun! Building your own pedal that looks like something you picked up at IKEA is fun. It could have been a different style pedal and I still would have been interested. $99 bucks is cheap and the idea is just fun.
KDH is Consumer Reports (Which? magazine) for guitar gear nerds. "Nice gimmick from JHS here, if you like that kind of thing, but be sure to check the warranty before you buy." Solid advice.
I think it's a fair priced product, it looks fun to assemble and the tone sculpting capability it provides is a plus too, I take your added point that it can reduce the need for employees etc, but it has to be delivered via mail so that creates the employee thing nicely for all involved in getting it packed, addressed, sent and delivered in my estimate.
this is the issue with being cynical for a living
Wussy.
@@JackNance22hey dude are you having a little blast commenting the same old vintage gotchas on everybody’s comments? Getting super giddy every time you remember one from your youth?
@@crowbarmode Are you working as an attack dog for Josh for free?
@@JackNance22 who is Josh
@@crowbarmodeDrake's brother.
Point taken, but you forgot the primary reason this pedal stands out. Fun. Other companies may try Tube Screamer or Fuzz Face kits, but this is a Klon with all its mystique and unobtainium so any other pedal kit will sell a fraction of units. I have Strymon Cloudburst that I love, but I have no desire to put one together. You’re right that you do risk not having amazing JHS service (I’ve experienced it firsthand), but for the price and the trust I have in JHS quality, I’m buying this for the fun. I have pedals that get close to a Klon sound, but I’m paying $99 for the fun of this entire Notaklön experience. Money well spent in my mind.
That's called good marketing. Good for them and I think their main income source is on the more boutique pedals. Also Josh is the only one I know on RUclips that talks more about the products from the rivals than his.
Although I am not a big JHS fan, and I do build my own pedals from scratch, I bought one just to mess around with and it will be here this week. I would never have bought a Klon or Klon clone pedal normally because I play with high gain and I don't see the point to a half distortion pedal, but at the $99.00 price range compared to at least $120.00 for most of the other clones I wanted to see what all of the hubbub is about with the Klon. I think this KDH guy is really reaching down deep to say anything negative about the NotaKlon. I think it was a great idea with a unique and brilliant marketing strategy, and let's face it, until they catch up with the demand, you are on a 4 month waiting list, so if you don't like it, you can probably sell it at a small profit.
It's fun. The price is fine. Peering into the future, I don't think this is going to trend. I think it's fair to point out the difference in warranty, but I suspect buyers of this item won't worry as the failure rate will be very low. I guess we'll see :)
a 10 minute nothing burger
I like JHS and have been watching his RUclips channel for years. I own a lot of pedals used and new but have never owned a JHS pedal. I’m not to sure his influence is that powerful. I did however order a notaklon #17530. I was a radio technician and can solder very well also modding many pedals. I thought this idea was terrific though and relatively cheap and got one really to say thanks for the terrific content I’ve been enjoying for years from them. I also now have access to the Klon Centaur sound in a pedal that will be the most scrutinized pedal in history by the best! I know you will get one KDH, IT IS YOUR DESTINY.
You sound like a real fun guy
Such a none issue. Would be like moaning about Korean BBQ "But I cooked it myself so why I do need to pay the same?" It's just some dumb fun novelty
Built most of my own own pedals from veroboard layouts and hammond enclosures, TS, delays, chorus etc. They work great and cost very little. Made some for friends for presents in the past as well. Much more rewarding.
Same here, although I do feel these days, many Chinese pedals sell for less than what it would cost to build them myself.
But there is a great sense of pride in building pedals, along with skills acquired in soldering, assembling & troubleshooting.
Josh was asked, by Bill, to stop making his original Klon Klone. Josh has found a very clever way to keep his word to Bill.
would you pay more for a Lego set someone else built for you?
The $99 price for the JHS Notaklon is fair. Criticizing seems unnecessary. The pedal's appeal lies in its DIY aspect, akin to building models as a kid. While pros may not buy it for themselves, it's popular for shared building experiences with children, collectibility, and for those who enjoy building and using it. Ultimately, the $99 spent is well worth the joyful experience it provides.
In speaking about the warranty, I know someone who purchased one and they had dropped it and knocked off a capacitor, they emailed JHS and they got overnighted a new PCB. So not sure how long they would do this for, but thought that was cool.
Maybe they're saving on labor cost but they're not saving money on logistics, because it comes in a large box. 2-3 times larger than an average pedal box.
Great post. The folks normalizing these "DIY" kits are fools. I've always seen JHS as being gimmick based and never gave them a penny.
I definetly agree about the warranty issue, but of course with a DIY pedal it's hard to prove what's user error and what's an actual flaw.
You are a solution in desperate need of a problem.
No shit, its not like people are getting duped and Josh is a cackling villain, lol
Watching the whole NotAKlon thing go down was awesome!! Felt all warm and fuzzy like I plugged the actual Klon #2 into my chest and it was overdriving my blood pumper!! 🤣 It was the best marketing I have EVER seen. It was compelling and intricate. So many branches that all went out and came back together to form *a cool thing*.
It’s all about HOW MUCH someone will pay and how MUCH they want it. $100 seems reasonable for a pedal. The market supports that idea. So it doesn’t matter how much it actually cost to manufacture. That’s business and I applaud Josh for doing it… and in a fun, lovable manner.
I also applaud Josh for going with the flow in terms of the *hype.* People are gonna be people. The Bad Monkey vid was to show how the KLON shouldn’t be sooooo coveted… NOT that the BM was SOOOOOO good. People are people. Can’t help that.
Add in that you’re getting a JHS Klon clone pedal, a fun time without all the manufacturing headaches (I manufacture things for a living 😞) AND it DIDNT cost more than a “normal” pedal. You’re paying for the experience. Is it worth it? That’s up to the buyer, but in my estimation public perception probably leans towards yes.
Listen, nowadays EVERYTHING is made by robots and the differences from #1-#100000 are minimal. So not very unique. Same stuff, different box. The value comes from the idea/emotions/nostalgia attached to it.
I look at the NotAKlon drop/hype train as a wonderful, ‘streaming app’ series that no one was expecting… that took over the world for a little bit. People got a good product they wanted, and had an experience with it… at a fair price. Yes, you bring up good points, you can’t really argue there was any other way (warranty stuff.)
Anyway, in summation… I am glad I got it witness the NotAKlon thing. It was done SO well and was fun to watch. I’m glad JHS got a step ahead and didn’t screw people at the same time. Made money on a product, made people happy with a product/experience and everyone seems to be relatively fine with everything. That’s a win win win in my book. 👍
First off. I am not a JHS fan of any kind. I don't own any of his products. However...
Seems you missed the mark in this one. Most people disagree. the pedal is a great way to getting someone interested in how pedals go together. Everyone starts somewhere. I started in high school by taking my guitars apart, and now I have a career in electronics. Sure it could have been 50 - 80$, but people don't seem to mind the price (considering sales).
Maybe there just wasn't any other controversies to cover... slow week... But this is not something that anyone was/is mad about.
Anyone who thinks a no return policy on a “kit” pedal is an issue is completely oblivious to real world business facts. Once you break the pcb off and assemble it is now no longer in a form original to its selling state. It cannot be resold in any way as the new owner will not receive the experience as intended by the manufacturer. They are selling the experience as well as the pedal.
The selling point of the pedal is that it's a sweet Klon clone with the JHS Shamrock mod for only $99. Fans have been bugging JHS to release a Klon clone for years now every since they stopped making them once KTR started producing pedals. Josh had made a promise to Bill Finnegan that he wouldn't make any more Klons if Bill would bring them back. At the time JHS was one of the few places making Klon clones. Now every company, EVEN BOSS for goodness sake, has a Klon clone. By selling this as a kit it is a sneaky way of getting around his promise not to make any more. Also, your price argument is a little silly. The enclosure and packaging for this pedal is considerably more than you get with a standard 3 series pedal, and the amount of work to put this together is extremely minimal. I bought one because my wife thought it looked neat. She put it together in ten minutes and loves to get to say she "made" one of the pedals on the board.
Also some good solder less kits I recommend are by CopperSound I think it is...or was it CopperTone.....two different brands, I forget which one makes the kits.
so, this guy is complaining that the kit is so easy to assemble? His criticism is actually a complement. As for the warranty, I have been playing for over 40 years, none of my effect pedals failed except for the ones i physically destroyed playing in a punk band. Also, people buy used gear all the time without a warranty. I think this guy needs to find something else to do other than make youtube videos. He is not good at it.
JHS cares more about manipulation and money than making the best products.
🎯Josh's willingness to do psychological experiments via Bad Monkey was a big tell for me. #narcissist
Really? Bill Finnegan (inventor of the centaur) made the pedal in his flat, offered no warranty and made it affordable for how big his operation was.
KDH is a product of a “I want it all” generation. This is just grasping at straws to pander to a “there’s a problem with this audience”
Not to mention that every board is made, not by hand, but using surface mount components (SMD) which also saves the pedal manufacturer a ton. And that, I believe, along with most every company, besides a few, every JHS pedal.
Besides Josh's agreement, and him recommending similar (Cost and sound produced) assembled pedals. It's a fun little project. $100 is not a lot to spend on a kit made of quality components that I can snap together in about 10 minutes. Warranty? I've never had to return any pedals, and there's countless 30-40 yr old MXR, DOD & BOSS pedals out there that work just fine! Alright, the pots MIGHT be dirty, and a simple fix. Rarely happens, in my experience.
I really think you just don't get the joke behind this pedal. This isn't a change in the way he's making pedals, and its technically not a true DIY kit, its a JOKE, both on Ikea and on the Klon itself.
I appreciate you pointing this out. I'm not sure many people even realize there is a limited warranty. Unrelated to the video, but people seem to idolize JHS and his insights, but seem to intentionally forget about the video about just using an EQ pedal after an overdrive to make the clone you want.
I think the assembly isn't mainly to save money but to give people a fun play-pretend experience to claim that they "built the pedal". The fact that it saves money I think is a secondary benefit.
I don't think your "issue" is really that big a concern. First, the quality of JHS pedals are top notch and the chance of needing repair is very minimal and if it did, I'm sure they would just send you a new board. Secondly, this isn't going to be a normal marketing tool in the future for the rest of their line it's most likely a one of. Additionally, Josh has been hounded by customers and followers of JHS to release this for years. Finally, you know your going to get a pedal that is going to sound like a Klon from JHS and the mod is icing on the cake, making it a great value.