JHS Pedals founder and self-confessed gear obsessive Josh Scott has opened up about the origins of the NOTAKLÖN – the DIY stompbox kit that blends the legendary Klon circuit with the simplicity of flat-pack furniture, all for under $100.
Speaking to Guitar World, Scott reveals how the do-it-yourself spirit of the Swedish furniture giant inspired the design of the modular overdrive pedal, which debuted in 2023.
“It came from me loving the Klon,” he says. “But there are so many good replications or clones of the circuit, and I wanted to do something unique. After several years of wrestling with that dynamic, I had an epiphany at an IKEA.”
That moment led him to think about what psychologists call the “IKEA Effect”: the idea that people value things more when they assemble them themselves.
“That’s a big piece of IKEA’s success,” says Scott. “And it felt like a really fun idea. I saw a product where parents who love the JHS brand could do something as a craft with their kids. That’s how we filmed the video and marketed the product.”
While there’s no shortage of Klon-style pedals or DIY kits on the market, Scott says the NOTAKLÖN stands out for its playful and approachable design.
“There are clones of the Klon circuit, even DIY kits, but there’s nothing as simple, modular, intuitive and almost Lego-like as the NOTAKLÖN,” he explains. “I don’t have vast ideas about changing or reshaping the market, but I do think it’s a truly innovative way to make a pedal.”
Not everyone, however, shared in the fun.
“It even irritated a few people,” Scott admits. “I saw a couple of other pedal builders who seemed to be annoyed by how toy-like and fun it was. And to me, that was the whole point. I wasn’t trying to change the world – I was trying to create a product that got parents to build something they love with their kids.”
Since then, JHS has followed up with the NOTADÜMBLË, released earlier this year. And while some might see the company as leading a new DIY pedal trend, Scott is quick to put things in perspective.
“There have always been DIY kits – JHS is not special in that,” he says. “[But] I do think that our product line is less intimidating and more satisfying to build for most customers. Not everybody wants to solder; not everybody feels like they can, and that’s okay. We give them a product they feel comfortable with. To me, that’s how it changes the game.”
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