Digital modeling and profiling technology, similar to Napster's influence, is reportedly taking a substantial portion of the market share from traditional pedal and tube amplifiers, according to Brian Wampler.

In the ever-evolving world of music technology, Brian Wampler, founder of Wampler Pedals, has identified a significant shift in the pedal and tube amp market. Digital technology, he believes, is eating into the traditional market, and the industry must adapt or face the consequences.

Wampler Pedals, a company renowned for creating signature pedals for artists like Brad Paisley and Andy Wood, has had to adapt and evolve in response to this digital threat. One of their innovative moves was the launch of the Catacombs delay and reverb pedal. With this product, they made the plugin version available free with each purchase, and simultaneously released the plugin for $49.99.

The company is now considering various pivots and unique spins on products to keep customers interested and to introduce new capabilities that they may not currently possess. This strategic move is aimed at ensuring Wampler Pedals remains a preferred choice for musicians in an increasingly digital world.

Other companies in the industry, such as IK Multimedia (ToneX Pedal/One) and Mooer (GS1000), have already taken the plunge into digital technology, developing and releasing guitar effect pedal plugins and multi-effects devices. The past decade has seen a boom in stompbox design, offering a wide variety of pedals, from Bigsby-style vibrato to high-functioning digital delay pedals, and even genuine spring reverb.

Digital modelling technology is disrupting the pedal market, allowing users to "capture" pedals or amps digitally and use them in hardware units like Neural DSP Quad Cortex or Kemper Profiler. This technology offers a level of customisation and portability that traditional pedals cannot match.

However, Wampler suggests that pedal brands have two options: they can either ignore the digital threat and wonder what happens in the future, or they can adapt and evolve to offer players something unique to keep them engaged with the brand. By embracing digital technology, Wampler Pedals is taking the second path, ensuring they remain at the forefront of the industry.