EHX

hotpickups

Just out of interest, with all the comments I've heard about EHX's build quality how do they stay in business ? They do some fantastic pedals but I'm tainted in ever buying one due to the reputation. Surely you would have thought EHX would want to do something about that?

Cookiemonster

I was just thinking about that yesterday. The thread about one brand boards made me think about how much I like the EHX pedals. I would like more but build does put me off. Now the ones I've had have been fine but I haven't higher with them. The pitchfork does sometimes go a little wrong and can add noise, but not sure of that's power related

Moss

They do things no one else does - there's quite often no choice but to buy EHX

hotpickups

Just think what they'd achieve with a business model ilwhich combined their circuit knowledge with good quality builds. They'll sell so much more I'm convinced of it.... I'd want to buy them for sure

Albeit saying that their market might be for the lower budget area. However, they could do a premium range which would attract a lot more buyers

monquixote

Most people aren't in pub bands.

For home musicians it's not a disaster if a pedal goes wrong and pedals don't have an especially hard life in the first place. 

For big bands they have spares and roadies. 

meltedbuzzbox

I have never broke an EHX pedal and I only see people complaining about the quality of them on this forum really. 

From what I gather the main complaints are the switches. They can be swapped out.  

hotpickups

I have to admit an EHX pedal I've had has never broke either. It's the been the switches /pots that had people complain agreed. However for a low budget pedal one wouldn't pay for some one to replace them would they? Well I mean someone like me wouldn't who has very little knowledge of soldering etc or can actually be bothered to undertake a task


I'd happily pay an extra £20 for a pedal that I can be assured that the pots are sound

meltedbuzzbox;1017697" said:

I have never broke an EHX pedal and I only see people complaining about the quality of them on this forum really. 

From what I gather the main complaints are the switches. They can be swapped out.  

Teetonetal

I had one issue with my soul food which was foot switch related but otherwise they have been OK.

Seem to recall some of the pedals now have soft switches too (8 step I think...)

The brand I've had lots of issues with is jhs and they are very expensive.

Drew_TNBD

There aren't THAT many breakages. I've got a Small Stone Nano pedal which has been sitting outside of its chassis for four years, just in a tool-box with a bunch of other spares. It still works.

meltedbuzzbox

things go wrong. Whatever they are, even boss

hotpickups

Totally agree. It's just that I've heard more complaints about EHX than any other brand for build quality

meltedbuzzbox;1017733" said:

things go wrong. Whatever they are, even boss

Drew_TNBD

hotpickups said:

Totally agree. It's just that I've heard more complaints about EHX than any other brand for build quality

meltedbuzzbox;1017733" said:

things go wrong. Whatever they are, even boss

This forum has always had a bit of an anti-EHX vibe about it, that's even before the ThorpyFX business. I blame Monquixote.

juansolo

meltedbuzzbox said:

things go wrong. Whatever they are, even boss

Absolutely. I like EHX a lot. I think they make original, innovative and interesting pedals. But they do make them cheap and shift them fast. That's just how they work. As such, they're not as robust as they could be if they cost a little more.

Wazmeister

I guess EHX also probably way out sell more than many other brands...so more chance of fails...

I've never had one fail - just some a wee bit noisy.

But they are unique...

The EHX 45000 looper is a creatives delight, and the new Mel9 thingy look very cool

monquixote

Drew_fx said:

hotpickups said:

Totally agree. It's just that I've heard more complaints about EHX than any other brand for build quality

meltedbuzzbox;1017733" said:

things go wrong. Whatever they are, even boss

This forum has always had a bit of an anti-EHX vibe about it, that's even before the ThorpyFX business. I blame Monquixote.

Well I blame you. 

I've owned loads of EHX stuff (and still do), but none of it's on my board anymore. You don't have to have many gigs stopped due to a pedal crapping out before you get quite wary.

jamiexsilver

Maybe I'm lucky, I've had a pog2 and a superego on my board for years never had a single issue with either of them.

ICBM

I expect they would lose more in sales by putting the prices up than they gain by reducing warranty replacements and putting off some buyers. It's a valid business model in its own way. As said, by no means all of them break anyway - just more than most other makes. Even if a quarter of them break - which would be a horrendous rate, and I doubt it's that high - then three-quarters of users won't see what the fuss is about.

It's true that many of the failures are the switches, although certainly not all - and changing the switches isn't that easy on the ones where the switch is soldered into a PCB, either - which is pretty much all the recent ones. The modern ones with surface-mount components seem more prone to non-switch component failure.

Getting spares for the more unique parts such as the rotary/push "Hazari" pot on the Memory Man (commonly broken) is nearly impossible too - their customer service is not helpful.

But at the end of the day I simply won't buy another new pedal with a mechanical click footswitch anyway, whether EH or anyone else's. I really dislike them even when they don't break - I'm not even a fan of the 'soft' momentary version that looks the same. Sadly the true-bypass BS that seems to have taken over has made them apparently desirable again… after they had been nearly got rid of in the 1980s.

GazLion

It's funny, I don't really read up much on pedals, so had no idea EHX had a bad rep for reliability. I use 3 EHX pedals on my board and have never had any issues with them in the last couple of years gigging. I guess I'm perhaps lucky! Was thinking just the other day about how they are probably my favourite pedal brand.

GavRichList

Have had tonnes of EHX's, and never had an issue with any of them.

ICBM

To be fair I'm seeing more of those little mini-pedals dead than EHs at the moment, and there probably aren't as many out there yet.

Heartfeltdawn

GavRichList said:

Have had tonnes of EHX's, and never had an issue with any of them.

Same here. The pedals I've suffered the most breakages with? The DD-20 and the Digitech Hardwire reverb. I've had three of each die on me.