Barefoot Buttons
It's strange the details that fail to progress with guitar gear over the decades. Companies spend a lot of time trying to reduce pedal size, but neglect others. For instance, we now have nano pedals. Yet, the footswitches remain small.
Have you ever tried to turn a pedal on or off when you weren't wearing shoes? It's not a very comfortable experience unless you're using a Boss pedal.
Switch it up
There have been a few attempts at switch designs over the years, but none have stuck. I'm not sure why more guitarists don't complain about the switches on pedals. It seems as if they just accepted; it is what it is.
I have pretty poor eyesight. Often onstage, it can be challenging to see the exact position of the switch on a pedal. I may have a basic idea where it is, so I have to aim and go for it. But that doesn't always leave me with a feeling of confidence.
I wished there was a way to press down pedal switches with or without shoes more easily. Well, a couple of years ago, I found a product called Barefoot Buttons. I first saw them on the Analog Man website.
The modifier
I was quite delighted when I received some Barefoot Buttons. You install them over your existing switch and tighten the set screws to hold them into place with the included Allen wrench. They are easy to install.
“Using the Barefoot Buttons led me to experiment with turning effects on and off more often in song arrangements”
Using the buttons led me to experiment with turning effects on and off more often in song arrangements. It made pedalboard dancing so much more enjoyable. I was no longer concerned with hitting the pedal switch.
I liked Barefoot Buttons so much that I keep buying more to put on every one of my pedals. They quickly turned into a gig accessory I required.
One is not like the other
Unfortunately, not all switch sizes are the same. It seems as if this would be a detail that would be uniform across all pedals. But it's not. Luckily, Barefoot Buttons are available in a variety of sizes. They pretty much fit most pedals at this point.
The varying switch size and height is something I didn't fully realize until trying to fit Barefoot Buttons to pedals. There are different head types and lengths of switches.
You have to take a good look at the pedals you'll be using Barefoot Buttons to measure how high they are as well as wide. Barefoot Buttons makes skirtless buttons for low sitting switches as well.
I also really like the Big Boy buttons for pedals that sit in the back of the pedalboard. The Big Boy buttons sit twice as high as the standard buttons. It makes it easier to reach back and turn pedals on when they would usually get lost in a sea of other pedals. I use the Bog Boys on my Fulltone Supa Trem, which generally sits at the back of my board. Hitting the stock switch can be a little tricky as it sits a bit low, and the pedal faceplate is slanted. Now the Supa Trem is much easier to engage.
Barefoot Buttons are made from aluminum and are lightweight. You're not adding much weight to the pedal. They also come in different colors. I like seeing the splash of colors on the board for style, but also makes seeing the pedals easier. You can even color-code by the flavor of the pedal. Go ahead, indulge your inner nerd!
Looptopia
It may seem small, but it's a quality of guitar life upgrade. They're great for practicing in your apartment with a looper. I'm sure we've all been practicing at home with looping. We go to engage a TC Electronics Ditto (or something similar), and it gets messed up because the switch is hard to engage while wearing socks or your favorite fuzzy slippers.
“Turning the pedals on and off with Barefoot Buttons is the same, whether wearing shoes or not.”
Turning the pedals on and off with Barefoot Buttons is the same, whether wearing shoes or not. It's a brilliant product that doesn't get enough spotlight. People are always talking about the sound of pedals, and that's important. But functionality is also significant.
Loosely goosey
One trick worth mentioning is sometimes the screws on the Barefoot Buttons come loose from vibrations. My pedalboard ends up in trucks or airplanes quite often. I do a lot of touring, and travel which leads to the jacks coming loose on pedals. I have to check from time to time when I pull my pedalboard out.
The fact the screws come loose on the Barefoot Buttons isn't a flaw. It's just the nature of screws and vibration. I have used clear nail polish to lock in the screws. Some may not like this as nail polish can be sticky. It has been suggested to me to use Loctite, which is a better solution.
I first apply some nail polish or Loctite to half of the screw as I'm twisting the screw in its final turns. This way, some of the polish/Loctite is in the threads. You are thus preventing it from coming loose.
If done correctly, it holds the screws in place from vibration. If you're traveling a lot with your pedalboard, you should also check the jacks on your pedals. They can also come loose from vibration over time.
Mini-me
Barefoot Buttons now offers mini-buttons, which great for MXR shaped pedals that have two switches on them. You'll find dual switches one some JHS pedals as well as Chase Bliss.
The mini Barefoot Buttons are larger than the switch, but won't hit the other close button. These styles of pedals I find particularly hard to engage as the switches are very close together. The small buttons make them a little easier to engage even when your pedals are packed like sardines. I'll take every bit I can get.
Package contents
Quite honestly, I can't believe pedal companies don't just include them with their pedals. That would be a nice touch. Barefoot Buttons seem like an accessory that more people would rather than a free guitar pick. Barefoot Buttons cost the manufacturer more, but, I feel more players would appreciate the functionality. Who wouldn’t like them?
I don't feel like these buttons are a fad that will come and go as some accessories do. I think we've all been waiting for a solution to turning pedals on and off more easily.
