“It produces the most amazing distortion, but I can’t sell it”: Robert Keeley has invented a drive pedal that is also a weed vape – but he’s not allowed to release it

In this day and age, it’s become much more difficult to produce a guitar pedal that really reinvents the wheel. Despite such challenges, Robert Keeley once did come up with a stompbox that promised to take the industry to a new high point – but he’s not allowed to sell it.

The renowned pedal builder has masterminded some truly timeless units, from his eponymous Keeley Compressor – beloved by John Mayer, which has been one of the best-selling pedals over the decades – to the more boundary-pushing Octa Psi.

None, though, come close to his Vapor Drive Pedal – an overdrive pedal that doubles as a weed vape.

In the new issue of Guitar World, Keeley is asked about the Keeley creation that failed to catch on and explains, “I have a pedal that you can smoke/vape weed/THC out of. It’s the first rechargeable pedal, and it produces the most amazing distortion.

“It charges at 5 volts through a USB or the standard 9-volt battery, but I can’t sell it on Amazon, eBay or Reverb because it’s a tobacco or vaping product.

“There’s lots of laws and barriers against me selling my invention. So I scratch my head and take a toke from my cordless Vapor Drive pedal.”

Keeley Electronics unveils the Manis Overdrive - The Evolution of a Mythical Legend - YouTube

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It’s highly unlikely that the Vapor Drive will ever see the light of day, which is unfortunate, because we imagine it would prove to be rather popular among many guitarists. Heck, those on the hunt for a vape that looked like a piece of guitar gear would probably have been keen, too.

Still, by the sounds of it there’s at least a prototype knocking about somewhere, so a hands-on demonstration is something weed (ahem) like to see happen at some point down the line.

Still, if Keeley ever gets permission to revisit the design, he has plans to keep building pedals indefinitely.

“I don’t plan on selling my company,” he says. “There may have been a time in the past, but this is what I love doing. I like the idea of creating a manufacturing business that can sustain generations of employees. Martin, Gibson, Fender, Dunlop and Electro-Harmonix have done it; maybe Keeley can.”

Visit Magazines Direct to pick up the latest issue of Guitar World, which features interviews with Robert Keeley, Zakk Wylde, Kiki Wong and Billy Corgan.