YouTube
Gear Demos
For many years now, I have been creating demo videos of guitar products and modifications on my YouTube channel - and what started out in 2016 as (badly!) comparing 3 BBD chorus pedals using just a webcam and SM57 in my dining room has now grown into a part-time job.
My gear addiction…
In recent years I have begun working with select manufacturers to show you new products - but even then, I carefully consider every commission I take on and only agree to make videos with gear that I’m fairly confident I’m going to love, and would willingly buy myself. I say no to a lot more requests than I ever say yes to, because being genuinely excited by the product in question is essential for me to be able to show it off to you with honesty and conviction. I’m no fan of the ‘Worst Product Ever?!’ clickbaity side of YouTube, and am only interested in being enthused by whatever it is that I’m plugging into.
Authenticity and keeping this job exciting is paramount to what I do - and for that reason, I never charge a fee for making demo videos for manufacturers. The only thing I ask is that any shipping/customs fees are taken care of, and if you’d like the product returned to you after the video is finished, return shipping is covered too. This just ensures it doesn’t actually cost me to make your video. But, needless to say, making free videos for people doesn’t put food on the table - so if you’re happy with the end result, are in a position to do so, and/or you see an uptake in sales as a result, there is a donate feature at the bottom of this page. Paying what you think the video is worth, and only what you’re financially able to, is all that I ask manufacturers to bear in mind when I choose to work with them.
I use old-school handwired tube amps running at proper volumes; recorded through premium-quality speakers and cabinets; with studio-grade microphones and outboard gear; at the highest bit & sample rates; and with zero post-processing or audio enhancement. Video-wise, I’m now using a multi-camera setup and shooting 10-bit 4K25 S-Cinetone with a fully configurable lighting rig. So, a lot has changed since those shaky, early days in the dining room!
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If you’re a manufacturer and are interested in me putting a video together for you, please note the following points.
And - if afterwards - you still believe I’m the right fella for the job, please do get in touch and I’ll gladly let you know if demoing your product is something I feel suited to do!
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Whilst my videos will inevitably be a mixture of both, I primarily focus on demos - i.e. explaining what a product does/its background; demonstrating the range of sounds it can create; and then encouraging the audience to share their views on what they’ve heard. I’ll say if an aspect of a product really impresses me, but I’m not really here to spoonfeed anybody with my own subjective personal opinions or biases. I do not consider myself to be an influencer of any kind.
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…and I only own the equipment needed to do that. There’s nothing wrong with digital kit, but if you’re looking for somebody to show off presets, sub-menus, tap-tempo and MIDI functionality through modelling software and IR’s, I’m not your guy! I’ve been lucky to build a large collection of classic guitars and tube amplifiers; the majority of which stick to the highest quality original 1950’s/1960’s specifications, as this is what suits my personal preferences and playing style. A blackguard Tele twanging through a Dr Z Z-Wreck - absolutely! PAFs through a screaming JTM45 and silver AlNiCo - oh yeah! But I shan’t be djenting or dooming anytime soon, or looking to set a pedal up using an App.
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Making creative sounds available to everybody at all price points is the fantastic world that we live in, but I’m much more likely to want to try out something that has been built by hand, offered by a small independent business and contains the finest components available than the next budget market-flooder destined to divide ethical opinions on TheGearPage.
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A lot of other channels feature outstanding musicianship - my approach is far more basic and primitive (though commenters often tell me this is a style that aligns more with their own abilities, and thank me for playing chords!)
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Sometimes manufacturers ask for their product to be used in an original music track to highlight its versatility in addition to the demo video. I can do this, but this is generally something I do have to request some degree of payment for, as it takes several full days of work to write, record, mix & master the track, as well as filming the whole recording process and creating a multi-cam edit where everything is synced up.
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If you have a discount code for potential customers, or you use traceable links to monitor how much traffic a certain source has driven, including these in the video description can be discussed.
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Most importantly: when making an enquiry for me to demo a product, please tell me why you love it and what makes it unique! If it’s just ‘my take on the fabled green Japanese 4558 overdrive’, it probably won’t be for me.
Donate For Gear Demos
If you are a manufacturer and you feel the demo video I have made for you is worth something to your business and your product, please consider using the donation function below. I never charge to make videos, and have always resisted having any sort of membership/sponsorship/Patreon/etc as I need to keep my work schedule flexible to manage health issues. But YouTube royalties alone barely cover the cost of buying plectrums, so if you feel I’ve done a good job in showing off your product, I’d really appreciate any financial contributions you believe are warranted.
If you are a general viewer of my channel and my content has helped you to make better purchasing decisions, or it’s just been something you’ve appreciated watching, the button below will give you the option to throw me a few coins to help keep the content coming. Any contributions - no matter how small - are always massively appreciated!
