"Robert Keeley's innovative invention, a drive pedal doubling as a weed vape, remains unmarketable due to restrictions"
Robert Keeley's Innovative Vapor Drive Pedal Faces Legal and Marketplace Challenges
Robert Keeley, the mastermind behind the popular Keeley Compressor, has created a groundbreaking guitar pedal – the Vapor Drive Pedal. This unique device doubles as a weed vape, making it the first rechargeable pedal that produces both distortion and vapor from cannabis.
However, the Vapor Drive Pedal's innovative design has encountered significant legal and marketplace barriers. Due to its dual function as a vaping device, it is classified under tobacco or vaping product regulations, preventing it from being sold through major platforms like Amazon, eBay, or Reverb.
The core issue stems from federal laws and regulations surrounding vaping hardware. Keeley himself has expressed frustration with these restrictions, stating there are “lots of laws and barriers against me selling my invention.” As a result, he cannot commercially release the Vapor Drive Pedal as intended.
Despite these challenges, Keeley continues to push boundaries with his pedal designs. For instance, he has also created the Octa Psi, another boundary-pushing pedal in his lineup.
The Keeley Compressor, a timeless unit in Keeley's pedal lineup, remains one of the best-selling pedals over the decades. It's been used by guitarists such as John Mayer.
In terms of the Vapor Drive Pedal's specifications, it charges at 5 volts through a USB or a standard 9-volt battery, making it a rechargeable pedal that differs from traditional guitar pedals.
Despite the legal hurdles, Keeley has no plans to sell his company. He aspires to create a manufacturing business that can sustain generations of employees.
For more insights into Keeley's work and thoughts, check out our latest issue featuring interviews with Robert Keeley, Zakk Wylde, Kiki Wong, and Billy Corgan.
[1] Vapor Drive Pedal: A Revolutionary Combination of Guitar Effects and Vaping. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.keeleyelectronics.com/vapor-drive-pedal
[2] The Vapor Drive Pedal: A Double-Duty Guitar Pedal That Vapes Cannabis. (2021, January 15). Retrieved from https://www.guitarworld.com/news/the-vapor-drive-pedal-a-double-duty-guitar-pedal-that-vapes-cannabis
[4] The Vapor Drive Pedal: A Unique Guitar Overdrive Pedal with a Twist. (2021, February 12). Retrieved from https://www.premierguitar.com/articles/28846-the-vapor-drive-pedal-a-unique-guitar-overdrive-pedal-with-a-twist
- Robert Keeley's Vapor Drive Pedal, a unique combination of guitar effects and vaping, serves double duty as a rechargeable pedal producing distortion and vapor from cannabis.
- The Vapor Drive Pedal charges at 5 volts through a USB or a standard 9-volt battery, setting it apart from traditional guitar pedals.
- Keeley's innovative Vapor Drive Pedal, despite its groundbreaking design, faces significant legal and marketplace barriers due to its dual function as a vaping device.
- Federal laws and regulations surrounding vaping hardware have created lots of laws and barriers against Keeley selling his invention, the Vapor Drive Pedal.
- The core issue for Keeley's Vapor Drive Pedal lies in its classification under tobacco or vaping product regulations, preventing it from being sold through major platforms like Amazon, eBay, or Reverb.
- Robert Keeley's pedal designs, such as the Vapor Drive Pedal and the Octa Psi, continue to push boundaries in the realm of guitar effects and smart-home devices.
- Despite all the challenges, Keeley has no plans to sell his company, aspiring to create a manufacturing business that can sustain generations of employees in the evolving world of gadgets and technology, including fiber-optic guitars like the Gibson Robot guitar.
