The look of Beetronics FX’s pedals made me think of a conversation I had years ago with a friend who was scandalized at the fact that there was a factory whose sole purpose was to wear down new pairs of jeans and make holes in them so that they looked “cooler.” At the time, I was recording bands, and I told him: “Actually, that’s pretty much what I’m trying to do when I produce a band: I try to add character to their songs so that they sound cooler.”
Like those jeans, the pedals (hand) made by the guys at Beetronics FX look worn when new, but most importantly, they aim at adding character to your guitar tone.
The California based manufacturer presents itself as a “a family business formed by a guitar player, a drummer, a journalist, an architect and a dog,” which (apart from the drummer) represents an excellent mix of talents to run a stompbox company. We can certainly see the architect’s touch in these unit’s appearances, and perhaps also in the choice of the the super-intriguing hexagonal beehive theme, which marries the antithetical concepts of organic and scientific, fluid and geometrical, natural and intentional.
Not to mention this, which is a mind blowing touch!
For now, the company is offering three gain circuits (two octave fuzz and one overdrive), whose look can then be then customized using this online form. As you can imagine, these effects aren’t exactly the most transparent things you’ve put your tone through. But hey, you asked for character, not a new pair of jeans!
Find out more about the Beetronics FX pedals in the gallery below or on Beetronics’ website.
