Fake Dark Glass Pedals

#81
I find it kinda interesting how people scream blue murder whenever Gibson “unfairly” sues smaller manufacturers for copying their iconic flying V body design or headstock, but suddenly turn into paragons of morality when someone makes an affordable copy of an expensive or hard to obtain pedal.

Behringer makes affordable functional copies of some classic pedals and folks are quick to cry foul. But when twenty small companies clone a Muff or a Phase 90 and maybe add a blend knob to the circuit or change a diode watch how quickly these same folks call it: Innovation!!!

Go figure. :rolleyes::cautious:
 
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#82
demon FX is pretty well known. i ordered several from china, and had a very positive experience in general with them.

Their chorus (analogman copy) was really quite nice. i think it cost a total of $28 or something like that. I gifted it to my brother, a professional guitarist, and he still uses it. no complaints.

i tried their blues driver, and at least two other pedals i can't quite recall.

my personal take on "is it ethical" comes down to "is this counterfeit or a clone."

it's very difficult to draw the line at "well, this one is super cheap so now this is basically a counterfeit" when you can all day spend $80-120 on tube screamer clones from reputable builders that are the same exact thing.

There is still plenty of value in buying the "real" ones. It's tricky, though.
 
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#85
I too would like to speak of the ills being wreaked on society by these pedals...

But frankly I have nothing. Counterfeits are one thing as they intend to defraud the consumer. This is not that, it's the opposite, giving consumers an affordable alternative that is undoubtedly of lesser quality in most every way. If a company goes out of business because another company makes affordable alternatives to their products then the problem is that the company has failed to meet pricing demands of the market, and that is solely on them.
 
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#86
Bass Jones said:
We are so spoiled. I didn't realize how spoiled we were until I was in UK recently. I tried to order something common on Amazon and had to wait THREE DAYS!!! I was even willing to pay for quick shipping but there just wasn't an option. I guess they don't have Amazon warehouses every other block like we do.
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Over here, a week is fast shipping lol. Two weeks is average. A month is normal for overseas
 
#87
Parzival said:
I don’t see it as a big thing because most don’t really if they are honest with themselves. I believe there is a certain snobbery that comes with a price point.
I think doing the same copycat stuff is accepted by a lot of folks because of its price point. For example, I’ve seen builders build copies and maybe adjust one little thing, but the pedal is not only marketed as a copy, but the pedal is made to look like the original. But, it costs a lot so I won’t get mad.
But let someone do it cheap like Demonfx in question and folks start getting high and mighty about it and talking about ethics and such.

If there is criticism to be levied at Demonfx, it should be in the area of quality of product.

Demonfx doesn’t even claim to sound the same in their marketing, only look the same.
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It definitely seems to relate to a pricepoint thing. Or how sacred the fans of that particular piece of equipment treat it. Like has been said earlier in the thread, most pedals are clones of clones of clones. How special is any of this, really? Nobody cries foul about a Muff clone and those even tend to be in the same ballpark price range. Muffs aren't boutique. They're not pricey. So people don't think they're special or care.

But if you hit the prohibitively expensive range people are very protective. What I find surprising though is just how up in arms this thread has been about it. Ibanez Ric Lawsuit basses and Chinese Rickenbackers/Gibsons threads have less heat in them and those are actually legally suspect or were.
 
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#88
bdplaid said:
That's same argument used to justify looting.
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Wow. What an absurd and elitist comparison.

Looting is a crime. Guitar pedals are capitalism, and a luxury item at that. If Demonfx has lost a lawsuit, please enlighten me. A quick internet search turned up nothing.

BDplaid does not approve of your purchase, now go to jail. Is that how it works?
 
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#89
BEADist said:
TB, help, I need advice.

I have 300 euro's to spend. Shall I :

1. Buy a Demon FX pedal and buy vegan steaks with what is left?
2. Buy a Demon FX pedal and donate the remainder to a good cause?
3. Buy a Darkglass pedal?

4. Bass>Cable>Amp=Done and keep the 300 euro's in case getting pulled over by the morality police?
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Eat you're gruel! That's all you get!
 
#90
if you don’t like the pedals, don’t buy them. Simple.

No need to shame other TB users for not having as much flex cash as you have. Absolutely no need to bring up civil rights movements as analogies to buying a guitar pedal of all things. It’s been an actual privilege posting my thoughts here, and that’s all I’ve got left to say on this thread.
 
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#91
Sputnik23 said:
Wow. What an absurd and elitist comparison.

Looting is a crime. Guitar pedals are capitalism, and a luxury item at that. If Demonfx has lost a lawsuit, please enlighten me. A quick internet search turned up nothing.

BDplaid does not approve of your purchase, now go to jail. Is that how it works?
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I don't care if they haven't lost a lawsuit or not.

They're a sleazy outfit in my eyes and I'll vote with my dollars.
 
#95
Zon master said:
The title of the thread says it all. They're not clones, they're cheap knockoffs. Demonfx use Darkglass packaging and branding to sell pedals. It's not illegal but it's a skeevy business practice imo
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It might be considered as “passing off”
In the Uk legal system.
That’s a matter for their legal teams and not of any concern to me.
( I don’t use pedals any way so don’t have a dog in the fight)
 
#97
Okay, lets take a look here.
upload_2024-3-8_0-44-13.png

upload_2024-3-8_0-45-25.png

Not only are the model names of the pedals identical, the cosmetics are by far close enough. Same typeset. There is an intent to trick going on here. If Demonfx doesn't need people to think their product is Darkglass, then maybe they could stop cloning the cosmetics and words to a tee.
 
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#98
kickysam49 said:
Okay, lets take a look here.
View attachment 5378236
View attachment 5378237
Not only are the model names of the pedals identical, the cosmetics are by far close enough. Same typeset. There is an intent to trick going on here. If Demonfx doesn't need people to think their product is Darkglass, then maybe they could stop cloning the cosmetics and words to a tee.
Click to expand...
How many people do you think have been tricked into buying DemonFX instead of Darkglass?
 
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