Pedaltrain

Some gear companies shoot for financial success - Pedaltrain, on the other hand, simply aim to change the game.

For over 20 years, the Nashville-based firm have singlehandedly changed the way musicians approach their pedalboards, with their range of rugged and versatile floorboards proving to be a one-brand revolution among pedal-heads. As they enter their third decade of operation, we catch up with COO Jim Colella for a chat about their modus operandi, what they look for in products and what’s next for the company. Take us back to the early days of Pedaltrain. How did the company come about in the first place? Prior to founding Pedaltrain in 1999, John Chandler was a professional guitar technician based out of Nashville, Tennessee. As you know, Nashville is home to many professional touring entertainers. His clients included numerous GRAMMY awardnominated artists with album sales certified by Soundscan and RIAA in excess of one million albums (Platinum). His clients performed in front of hundreds of thousands of fans annually in some of the most prestigious and recognised venues around the world. Each night, when his clients took the stage, their instruments and supporting equipment had to be in perfect working order. When not on the road, John worked for a commercial awning company, installing awnings at restaurants and shopping malls. Extruded aluminium frames supported these awnings. John wondered if these extruded aluminium pieces could be arranged to support guitar effects pedals, and solve the problem his pro touring friends were having. John borrowed a specialised welder, got tinkering in the garage, and made some prototypes. Word spread very quickly in Nashville. Pedaltrain was born! What was the floorboard sector like when you entered the market? How did you guys nail what seems to be such a utilitarian product and come to dominate the field? The only real pedal boards, if you can call them that, were custom made switching systems. This solution was only available to wealthy professionals. There wasn’t much in terms of a budget-friendly solution, and certainly nothing that allowed cables to be routed through the mounting surface. Back then, many Nashville pros used flat pieces of plywood and screws. Our founder knew the rigours of professional touring travel caused frequent equipment failures. Guitar effects pedals and their associated audio and power cabling were the most susceptible to damage and mishandling, both at the hands (or feet as it were) of the energised performers and those people responsible for transporting the equipment between venues. In the 1990s, one of the primary duties of a guitar technician was to repair and rebuild these guitar effects pedals in time for each night’s performance. Invariably, cables would be torn loose, sockets of pedals would be bent, the pedals would be torn loose from plywood mounting boards, and knobs would be damaged. This was the genesis of Pedaltrain, and what got John working in his garage. How has Pedaltrain evolved over the past twenty years to keep up with the needs of musicians who use your products? First, we always listen to our customers. We talk directly to real musicians. Not in contrived “marketing focus groups”, either. We actively talk to active Pedaltrain users at shows, backstage, in stores and online. We talk to musicians that are very famous and those that are just starting out. Everyone has a voice. If you are ever in a Nashville guitar shop and some guy walks up and starts asking you about pedals, pedal boards or cases, it is probably me! More to the point about listening, I personally read and review every single customer service email that we receive from around the world. This ensures that we have great customer service, of course. But it also tells me what is on people’s minds and helps me anticipate changes in trends. This leads me to the second way we evolve: iteration. Pedaltrain products are always changing. Sometimes in visible ways, sometimes in ways only I notice. Either way, we are relentlessly improving. Consider that we started with one model and today we offer over 35 models and case combinations. We have quietly revised our soft case design 15 times in the last five years. We are always making it better. Better materials, better zippers, deeper, better shoulder straps… Always relentlessly better. The Pedaltrain you buy in 2021 is by far the best Pedaltrain product we have ever made. Third, we are very self-critical. The standard we hold for our products demands excellence and we are ruthlessly committed to achieving it. We do not cut corners, ever. We do not use cheaper materials or processes. We do not use inferior construction techniques like bent, rolled, and stamped metals. We do not attach critical components with screws and the like. Everything is handmade, hand cut and hand welded. Lastly, I consider larger needs. For me, it is not enough to simply make great products. The way the products are made is very important. We protect our environment. We have implemented state of the art air filtration and eco-friendly manufacturing processes. We strive for five-nines recycling (99.999%) of waste. We use very little plastic in our products and packaging. All of this is intentional and I am driven to be a good steward of our world’s resources. Similarly, the way we meet the needs of the less fortunate is also important. We give generously to charity via our HOOK LOOP LOVE line of products. Finally, what’s over the horizon for Pedaltrain in 2021 and beyond? In addition to the constant improvement of our current products, we have a full pipeline of products in the queue. I can’t wait for you to hear them. (hint hint) Pedaltrain are distributed in the domestic market via EGM Distribution.

BY WILL BREWSTER