Girls and gender expansive youth, this way!

[niftyprose]

https://www.premierguitar.com/mojohandfx-grrrocker

"Mojo Hand FX has partnered with the non-profit program Girls Rock! Grand Rapids (GR!GR) of Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities to develop the GRRRocker, a limited edition overdrive pedal, with a special sound and story... As the name notes, this pedal is a nod to the Riot Grrrl movement to support sound exploration and experimentation for girls and gender-expansive youth."

I don't make this stuff up, honest. NP.

[frodog]

So... any issues with that? It won't make a dent in the wave of hostile legislation against trans rights or women's bodily autonomy, but a good cause nonetheless. And the pedal doesn't look half bad, I'd get one.

[oldangelmidnight]

Are you confused by the term gender expansive? It's becoming more common as a way of weeding out dickheads.

I don't love that they're seen as a marketing bloc now but it's widely reported that most new guitars are bought by girls in the last couple of years.

I think this pedal is ugly and the ad copy is dumb but if some money goes to a good organization, I guess that's fine. It's hard to know what Mojohand's intentions are here.

[niftyprose]

Depressed rather than confused. I think it's crass and manipulative in the worst way for a vendor to market a particular type of distortion circuit as being somehow appropriate for a grouping of "girls and gender-expansive youth" because some focus group has identified it as the next demographic for exploitation. I'm surprised to have to explain this stuff.

[frodog]

The article states: "The artwork, color scheme, and overall idea for the pedal were created by GR!GR campers and volunteers during camp week 2019. Volunteers later took the idea to Mojo Hand FX and worked together to develop this one-of-a-kind pedal." I believe you have it backwards and are reading too much into it. With that being said, we are living in the late stages of capitalism where pretty much every movement will be co-opted in order to sell you a product. This whole site basically revolves around a niche commodity fetish. But still, I don't think Mojo Hand is the worst company to make such a pedal and it doesn't really bother me. Besides, Kathleen Hannah arguably killed off 'riot grrrl' when Le Tigre made that god-awful campaign song for Hillary Clinton.

[niftyprose]

Well, a board devoted to effects pedals ain't the place to anatomize my weltschmerz, that's f'sure. I'm just gonna gasp out the word "hypostatization". Then I'm gonna sigh into my calvados. Hic.

[coupleonapkins]

Then I'm gonna sigh into my calvados. Hic.

End credits 2 thread


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqj4uXzhBSs

[retinal orbita]

I can't imagine walking into a guitar store being female or trans would be a positive experience 99.99999% of the time so if they can walk in and there's something specifically marketed away from the almost exclusively male centred products, the Big Muff/Saucy Box/Swollen Pickle/etc, and not just "hey girls here's a pink tubescreamer" that might be a positive experience. I don't know for sure. I can't speak for anyone else.

Capitalism bad, etc, but also guitar store very bad and inclusion good!

Also let's not kid ourselves, Mojo is going to be boycotted and blacklisted by a very vocal segment of angry people even in 2023 over something that should not be an issue so good for them, I don't keep up with music industry news but it's not like I'm aware of a lot of other pedal companies doing this.... maybe they are? And if so good for them!

[Bartimaeus]

@niftyprose i totally get your initial reaction, because usually this stuff is used super manipulatively. but in this case it seems like they're doing it right, partnering with a non-profit sets it apart. they're trying to make a difference within the confines of capitalism, whether that's too much of a compromise is up for debate.

for contrast, there's the dreadbox nymphes, a synth that's "dedicated to all abused and oppressed women" https://www.dreadbox-fx.com/nymphes/

to me the worst is the line "Each time you play a note on this synthesizer, imagine that you soothe their pain away and you will become a better human being & synth player."

literally telling people to imagine making the world a better place (rather than actually doing it) in order to be better at synths... unreal.

[Ghost Hip]

Girls Rock chapters rule, and if GRGR was involved designing the pedal why wouldn’t it be made with that demographic in mind? I’ve seen that org put on some fun shows and they teach young people how to play instruments and perform. They made a pedal with mojohand and you don’t like the copywriting being directed towards the demographic they work with? I don’t see anything suggesting the bluesbreaker circuit is best for this demographic but that the GRGR volunteers and campers were part of designing it.

Sooooo how do you feel about the st vincent ernie ball guitar?

[karmablock]

I'm glad this place hasn't changed much.

[D.o.S.]

This whole site basically revolves around a niche commodity fetish.