ART OF THE STOMP BOX: Celebrating The Visual Artistry of Effects Pedals

Art of the Stomp Box reveals the visual explosion on guitar effects pedals, treating their faceplates as a new, museum-worthy art form. Chris Cassone travels the world to interview and photograph over sixty boutique and legacy pedal makers—from Electro-Harmonix, ZVEX, and JHS to garage builders on Etsy and Reverb—capturing high-resolution, full-color images alongside histories, artist/designer profiles, and thematic backstories. The book pairs striking visuals with context: how names, graphics, and sonic intent intertwine to catch buyers’ eyes, featuring curated comparable case studies, customized “museum label” spreads, and insider stories including collaborations with players like Joe Walsh, Jack White and endorsements from industry tastemakers. Cassone’s background in music, production, and art appreciation fuels a compelling narrative and outreach strategy. Coffee-table-sized and accessible to players and fans alike, Art of the Stomp Box is both a celebration of pedal culture and a showcase of how design elevates sound, making it essential for musicians, collectors, gift buyers, and all their grandparents and kids.

Chris Cassone is a musician, writer, and photographer obsessed with the art on guitar pedals-and an art, drama, and music critic for Discover Hollywood. For Art of the Stompbox, he interviewed more than fifty builders-by Zoom and in person-across six continents, capturing their designs and stories in spreads. A former chief recording engineer, he fuses two worlds: recording-studio discipline and an art appreciation honed while working with corporate leaders inside the world's great museums. That cross-training shapes how he reads graphics, typography, and narrative on small objects. He's writing "Me & Ace - A 54-Year Rock 'n' Roll Friendship" and The Cakeman Chronicles about his family's Italian bakery and its struggles with the Mafia. He lives in Los Angeles with his childhood sweetheart wife.