You probably didn’t start your day questioning the pedal-shopping habits of all 50 US states, but thanks to the fine work of Pedal Haven, we can now discuss the finer points of Hawaii’s Universal Audio habit, or New York’s home state love-in with Death By Audio.
The blog decided to analyze the online search habits of each state’s guitarists, pulling together the search information on a huge list of leading effects pedal brands.
It won’t surprise you to know that the biggest hitters in the space dominated the overall list, with Electro-Harmonix topping the table, as the most popular in 28 states. This was then followed by Strymon and TC Electronic, with 14 and nine states, a piece, respectively.
However, the most interesting data came when PH compared how smaller brands performed in each state, compared to their national average. They have identified the standouts as the most ‘uniquely popular’ brand for each state and the results are weirdly compelling reading.
For instance, would it surprise you to learn that Floridians spend a disproportionate time searching for Z.Vex? Or that Colorado loves the sound of Chase Bliss pedals emanating through the mountain air?
As mentioned above, Hawaii gives away its status as a high-end studio destination for the great and good, showing a preference for the price-y quality of Universal Audio. Michigan proves a bit more budget conscious, though – seeking out information on Mooer pedals.
Meanwhile, Indiana and New York, are all about supporting their local gunfighters – in the form of Wampler and Death By Audio. And it’s fitting, as the destination for dreamers, that California is prone to some Strymon Blue Sky thinking.
Lastly, a perhaps overlooked talking point, is that Boss – the ubiquitous, go-to pedal giant, for what seems like forever – appears to only occupy the sixth place on the most searched for list (across the whole US). If that’s not a sign of the huge growth in independent pedal builders and effects innovators we’ve experienced across the past decade, then we don’t know what is.
Overall, it’s a strange and fascinating picture of the players across the country and all credit to Pedal Haven for putting in the time and research required to draw it up.
Head to Pedal Haven to view their full breakdown of state’s pedal search preferences.
