Jack Deville of Oregon’s Mr. Black Pedals recently unveiled a new line of no frills stompboxes that sport three knobs (and one footswitch) each and also a brand new name: Friday Club Pedals. Even though they are hand made in the US (normally a synonymous of pricey), most of these effects sell for a mere $99. Curious about what drove Jack to this new soldering adventure, we asked him a few question about his new products.
What’s the story behind the Friday Club Pedals? Are they part of Mr. Black or a separate brand?
Friday Club is an entirely separate brand and product line. While the pedals and circuits are still designed by me, and manufactured in the Jack Deville manufacturing plant, they are entirely different from Mr. Black pedals.
What prompted you to create a new line? And why did you decide to keep it separate from Mr. Black?
At the end of the day, I am a creator. I enjoy making things. Just as I have built one product line, I decided I’d like to build another!
What is different about these effects compared to the Mr. Black stompboxes? Did you have a different designing approach?
Friday Club products are simpler than Mr. Black and a bit more affordable. Hard to create a handmade guitar pedal that sells for $99, but we did it!
What are the “star” pedals in the line? (I.e. the ones that are selling more) And which ones do you think have been overlooked?
El Cardiále is has been recognized as one hell of a dirtbox. The ED-450b seems to throw people off. How can a $99 echo pedal sound good? Well, it doesn’t sound good. It sounds excellent! I’d say people overlook it due to price.
Check out the videos of some of the Friday Club Pedals by clicking on the images below.
