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Does this clone really sound like a Darkglass Vintage Deluxe?

Thir13teen

Thir13teen

Silence = Deaf
Supporting Member
Feb 12, 2012
1,536
1,436
USA
#1
I don't have any DG products, though I'm planning on getting a B3K. I stumbled across this video on YT and was wondering how accurate it is, but more importantly - I thought this would present a legal problem? I'm no expert in that field so what do I know?

 
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#5
Sounds similar but different. Definitely seems to be darker than the originals. I'm looking at his page and he's done a few others. I'm not sure of any legal issues that would arise. It's probably not worth the time to pursue that for Darkglass.
 
#6
If you read the description in that youtube video you would see that the guy builds pedals as a hobby. So, getting him to build you one and then pay for shipping with the higher Euro rate being at 123% it might be a wash to just buy the original with an established support system behind it.

As long as no patents or trademarks are violated, cloners are not breaking laws.

-Frank
 
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#8
I like that boutique clones are hand-built and slightly varied from original sound. I don't mind paying a little more if it's got something special going on and there aren't many made.
He needs solid color knobs that are easier to see against the design IMO. Also there are lot's of settings that don't have much use IMO. Nice sounding pedal from the demo though...
 
#12
Thir13teen said:
I don't have any DG products, though I'm planning on getting a B3K. I stumbled across this video on YT and was wondering how accurate it is, but more importantly - I thought this would present a legal problem? I'm no expert in that field so what do I know?

Click to expand...

I'm not super familiar with the "vintage" pedals so I couldn't tell you. But I'm a fan of DG. I was a b7k guy and now I'm a A/O guy and also use their Duality fuzz. I refuse to buy clones if I can help it. I like supporting and I encourage others to support companies like Darkglass that look forward and try to create new pedals instead of just copying or tweaking others by adding a blend or tone control or by undercutting the price of the pedal they are copying If everyone just bought clones sooner or later there wouldn't be anything left to clone because there would be no incentive to design anything new.
 
#13
boomertech said:
The electronics can look nothing alike but still be 100% the same. If he copied the DarkGlass PCB artwork then he is violating the law.

-Frank
Click to expand...

True that. :thumbsup:

Very few pedal electronic designs are likely patentable since so many of them incorporate prior art from other designs, and which were themselves based on standard circuits you can find in any electronics circuit encyclopedia going back to the 50s and 60s. Half of them advertise as being based on a Rat or other vintage pedal anyway.

Adding an additional gain stage or using some funny diode or obscure Soviet tube or transistor isn't enough original design to get you a patent. And if you do succeed in getting one because a USPTO inspector was asleep at the wheel while reviewing your paperwork, it'll be easy to get that patent invalidated.

Half the patents out there wouldn't stand up to a serious court challenge. Which is one reason why so few patent holders are ever eager go to court over something. Most times they just keep delaying and hope to make enough hassles for the person they've gone after that the person just gives up and backs down. Patent bullying is a well-known tactic in the tech world. Especially if the bogus patent holder is a big company with deep pockets and an in-house legal staff. They've crushed a lot of innovation by killing off small competitors with legal expenses and constantly filed court motions. It's gotten so bad in the IT world that now the business goal for most startups is to ultimately sell out to a large corporation. Because they know if they try to go it alone, the sharks will eventually lawyer them to death with bogus IP and patent violation lawsuits.

Lack of patents and enforceable patents are the main reason so few boutique pedal builders ever do anything but hurl insults at each other when they accuse each other of stealing "their" designs. And also why they almost all work something out in private with each other before they very publicly kiss and make up. They're usually both in a no-win situation because they're on such shaky legal ground. And they know it.
 
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#16
Thir13teen said:
I don't have any DG products, though I'm planning on getting a B3K. I stumbled across this video on YT and was wondering how accurate it is, but more importantly - I thought this would present a legal problem? I'm no expert in that field so what do I know?

Click to expand...

If it's a clone it's just an imitation of course its not going to be the same as the real deal! if it where that easy everybody would do it!! it's like asking if a real deal fodera is the same as a China made clone fodera !
 
#19
Bassbeater said:
-Except that pedal clones are often handmade by the engineer who cloned the original, and are frequently soldered point to point with better components than the original.
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Ok my bad.. the way the posting described it I was under the impression the OP was using the word clone as its a fake (iminitation) not manufactured by the same company , im sure im not the only one wh thought this based on many replies .
to me it's more of a generic version of the original and not a clone. But thats Just my opinion.
 

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