Sorry, but that is a silly perspective IMO. You’d prefer only one of each physical pedal than so things don’t become clichè? Only one Tube Screamer? Steinway piano?
This mentality of “if too many people have it it isn’t cool” doesn’t make sense to me.
If you feel that way it’s fine. I can only assume you don’t enjoy building and designing your own effects. I do. They don’t always work great, lol, but I like the process and trying to come up with different places to but a trimmer, finding unique parts etc and when it works and I’ve got a fuzz tone that doesnt sound like anything else (to my knowledge) I find it very satisfying.
You don’t ever hear a certain effect and not only instantly know the pedal, but also think you’ve heard it a million times before ?
I love new and unique tones. Tom Morello blew me away when I first heard Rage. Kill switches, tapping an Allen wrench on the strings, whammy etc all we’re awesome. But then when I started to see lots of other guys doing the exact same techniques, i didn’t think “that’s awesome”, I thought “they are copying Tom”....
Obviously there is always going to be some copying, influences etc, but I still really enjoy fresh and unique tones, especially in this day and age.
Annie Clark of St. Vincent for example, wow... unique playing, cool use of fuzz and harmonizers, who else sounds like that ?
I totally get consumer behavior though. I know lots of people want to go to the store and buy a pedal that you plug in and it sounds a certain way. Likewise lots of people want to turn a dial and have a great tone. I’m honestly not knocking anyone for that, I’m simply saying that based upon my own taste and preferences, I enjoy something unique when possible.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve got a bunch of store bought pedals still, and I’ve got presets that match a given amp or player, but my favorites are still my DIY ones.
I’ve got a bunch of Fender guitars too, they play great, but my favorites are my partscasters I did myself. They aren’t better per say, but they are more personal to me.
If you want turn key effects, more power to you, I hope Cliff hooks everyone up. But, I think folks should also give the DIY a try. I wish I did it 20 years ago. I would of saved thousands of dollars on buy and sell, and it’s just a pretty fun hobby, related to guitar, IMO.