It’s rare for me that a brief lull in activity, enough to justify a moment of contemplation, comes at the most traditional time to do so. But I’m finding myself at an interlude between projects—which is to say, production is humming along, my next prototype is still in transit, and my bench is cleared off—and it’s a good time to reflect.
Time seems to pass in sporadic leaps for everyone these days so I can’t be surprised when I look up and a year has passed. But I was wonderfully surprised at just how much we crammed into this one.
Our core goal this year was to keep up momentum with new releases, and that we did. This year we introduced The Bard, the Science Mother preamp, and Prismatic Wall. The latter two both defied expectations. What I thought would be a fun one-and-done for fans of Science Amps has proven to be much more. And Prismatic Wall was such a long-running project that I had no idea what it’d feel like on the other side. We’re still dazzled at the variety of sounds people get out of it.
Aside from new pedals, we also released new firmware for Sending V2 – which almost feels like a new pedal. Things were quieter on the collab front, though we did release a fun dual pedal with our friends at Benson Amps (worry not, we are currently making more).
Amidst the chaos, we all found time to make music. The shop band, Weird Machine, released its debut EP in March. Brad and myself teamed up with our good friend (and beta tester) Damon on drums, with Miranda engineering and mixing and EAE graphic designer/solder junky emeritus Zach Weeks mastering. Jasper’s excellent band Woid Bear also released their debut EP this year (which Zach also mastered), and I released an Ember Wreath tape (which Miranda also engineered!). To put our work to use on our own terms, making the sounds we want to make, feels endlessly gratifying.
This year wasn’t without tough times. Our fellow Hypertriangle Inc collaborators at Asheville Music Tools were in the thick of Hurricane Helene, and while the shop and team were OK, Hawker and co got heavily involved in disaster relief efforts for their community and loved ones. To support from afar, we helped organize a raffle with multiple gear brands and raised over $33,000 for local nonprofits in Asheville. Many of the smaller towns in Western North Carolina still have a long road to rebuild, but the community spirit is strong.
Looking forward prompts a strange mix of positive and negative anticipation. 2025 marks the 10th year of Electronic Audio Experiments as a brand, which is a milestone I never thought we’d hit. I suppose a celebration is in order, probably in June (which is when the first Longswords came into being). Even so, I must admit the current mood in the industry is trepidatious. There is no sugar-coating that tariff increases are going to harm the entire electronics industry, of which guitar pedals are but a minuscule fraction. And economic protectionism tends to produce a ripple effect, which may disrupt an already fragile global market. Furthermore, we’re on the other side of a once-in-a-lifetime pedal boom. Riding that wave is what helped us grow from a spare bedroom operation into a proper business, but now I hope to find a healthy balance of coasting and making new things. And if you know me, there are so many new things I want to make.
So, with equal parts optimism and dread, we soldier on to 2025. We’re grateful to our fellow pedal makers, our dealers, our many suppliers, and of course to you: the community of musicians making a joyful racket with our work. Thank you all and happy new year.
-John