The Five: Mojo Hand’s Brad Fee
Brad Fee lives in the best of both worlds. As founder of Mojo Hand, he gets to guide the design and construction of some pretty sweet boutique effects pedals. As the man behind internet retailer Tone Factor, he gets to supply guitarists with boutique stomps from around the globe all while keeping first hand tabs on the competition. WTDP? met Brad at the recent Austin Pedalfest where he and his Tone Factor crew supplied many of the pedals that were sampled. We hooked up with him again at the Arlington Guitar Show and asked if he’d be willing to take a pass at our five little questions. See his answers after the jump!
WTDP?: When and why did you start making effects pedals?
Brad: My first “attempt” at pedal assembly was a Craig Anderton Tube Sound Fuzz kit that I bought from Paia around 2000 or so. I immediately butchered it. I ended up requesting help from a fellow that I knew through the internet named Joe Delisi. That was the beginning of a great friendship and a lasting partnership. Joe has worked with me from day one (at Tone Factor) and is now one of the main builders for Mojo Hand, doing assembly on the Huckleberry, Mule and Copperhead. I’ve had so much help from people in the effects community. I can’t take much credit. Some of the best builders in the business are responsible for what’s under the hood of the Mojo Hand effects. I’m just lucky enough to count them amoung my friends.
WTDP?: At what point did you realize ‘Hey, I might be able to make a little money doing this.’?
Brad: My story and approach are probably very different than a lot of pedal builders out there. I sort of stumbled my way into manufacturing from my involvement in the retail side of the business. I never went through the “pedal building as a hobby” phase like most guys. Mojo Hand started out as the Tone Factor Custom Shop, before eventually splitting into it’s own company. It was basically a promotional thing that took on a life of it’s own. I was shocked the fist time another dealer contacted me about carrying some of my pedals. That’s the first time that I realized that we may really be on to something.
WTDP?: Is there a stomp out there you wish you had made?
Brad: I’d have to go with a classic and say the Big Muff. It’s such a ubiquitous sound, and a huge part of several records that I love.
WTDP?: What’s on your workbench right now?
Brad: We have a killer new Flanger scheduled to come out next month called the 770. It’s had great response from testers and I’m really looking forward to the release.
WTDP?: You’’ve got free reign to assemble your dream trio. If you’re on guitar, who’s playing bass and drums (alive or dead)?
Brad: I’m going to go with a couple of classics again and say Geezer Butler on bass and John Bonham on drums. If these guys could find a new guitar player they’d be doing alright.
Rock on, Brad!
