JHS discontinues Ross Pedals line

November 1, 2024 · 3 sources

JHS Pedals has announced it will discontinue the Ross Pedals line, the legacy effects brand it brought back in 2023, and will sell off remaining inventory at $79 per unit starting Friday, November 15 at midnight Central Standard Time¹. The Ross brand was founded in the 1970s by Charles "Bud" Ross and went through four eras of pedals before the JHS revival¹.

Founder Josh Scott gave unit figures in a JHS video: 4,500 units sold at the immediate release, 5,400 by the end of 2023, and 334 units from January 2024 to the time of the announcement¹. Guitar.com reports fewer than 400 units sold in 2024, with 333 sold since January². Scott said a buy-back of 1,000 units from dealer shelves convinced him the market was not interested in the line¹. He said 3,700 pedals remain in inventory¹².

The remaining stock is priced at $79, down from $189¹. Scott said a Ross pedal costs about $76 to make¹². He said the shutdown involves no lay-offs¹. Guitar Journal reported that the discounted pedals sold out quickly, with many buyers purchasing whole sets³.

JHS described the outcome in a video description: "The Ross re-release did not go as planned. We loved it, the market did not."¹ Scott said the project had become "a leech on my energy and time"².