The Genius of JHS Guitar Pedals and Josh Scott: A Masterclass in Creative Marketing

The Genius of JHS Guitar Pedals and Josh Scott: A Masterclass in Creative Marketing

If you’re not immersed in the guitar world, the name Josh Scott or his boutique guitar pedal company, JHS, might not ring a bell. And if you’re asking yourself, “What’s a guitar pedal, and what does this have to do with marketing?”—let me break it down for you. Guitar pedals are those magical little boxes musicians stomp on to create effects and transform their sound. Josh Scott’s JHS Show on YouTube has become the ultimate guide for guitarists, both novice and seasoned, to get the most out of these tone-shaping devices.

Guitar players are notoriously quirky about their gear. We cling to technology born in the 1940s and 50s, debating analog versus digital, tonewoods, string gauges, and more with a passion that borders on obsession. Our buying decisions are driven by a blend of nostalgia, practicality, and an emotional connection to our instruments. These habits could fill an entire blog series—maybe I’ll explore that in the future—but today, let’s focus on the JHS Show and its brilliance.

In a world where every brand seems to have a blog, vlog, or YouTube channel, most of these efforts feel like thinly disguised sales pitches. JHS may have started its YouTube channel with similar intentions, but it has evolved into something far greater. At the time of writing, the JHS Pedals YouTube page boasts over 515K subscribers, and it’s growing daily.

Josh Scott isn’t just selling pedals; he’s building a community and educating the guitar world. The genius? He doesn’t limit the content to JHS products. The majority of the show highlights pedals from other brands, often direct competitors. Imagine running a YouTube channel that showcases your competition’s products—it’s almost unthinkable. In the early days, his competitors questioned why he was promoting their gear. But Josh wasn’t interested in tearing others down; he was showing guitarists the vast possibilities within their reach, no matter their budget.

Josh is also a historian of guitar culture, weaving stories of the rich history behind these devices and teaching viewers how to achieve their desired tones. One particularly controversial video, The Bad Monkey Does the Klon, demonstrates the power of this approach. In it, Josh compares the sounds of the humble, discontinued $50 Bad Monkey pedal with the legendary Klon, a rare overdrive pedal that sells for as much as $10,000. The video sent the guitar world into a frenzy as players marveled at how similar the two sounded. The resulting buzz drove the price of the Bad Monkey to over $500!

But Josh’s goal wasn’t to inflate the market value of a forgotten pedal—it was to show that great sound isn’t about price tags. Whether you’re working with a $50 pedal or a $10,000 one, it’s about how you use it. When the message got lost in the hype, Josh even created a follow-up video to re-center the discussion.

So, what can marketers learn from the JHS Show?

• Ditch the Hard Sell – Consumers don’t want to be pressured. Let them explore and decide for themselves.
• Educate Your Audience – Teach something valuable; time is precious, and people want to walk away smarter.
• Entertain While You Inform – In a noisy world, capturing attention requires creativity and fun.
• Think Beyond Your Brand – Promoting the broader industry or even competitors can foster trust and credibility.
• Build a Genuine Community – Collaboration with industry experts creates lasting value and relationships.

Josh Scott’s approach is refreshing because it’s rooted in authenticity, passion, and generosity. The JHS Show isn’t just about selling pedals; it’s about celebrating guitar culture, empowering musicians, and making the world of effects accessible to everyone. It’s marketing at its best—helping people solve problems, find inspiration, and discover their own creativity, all without the hard sell. That’s a lesson any brand could take to heart.