I personally think that DemonFX crosses a line here - I'm not comfortable with them.
If there are no legal issues to pursue, they are of course free to sell their pedals to those who want them, but I am not interested in that kind of business model.
Of course there are other brands that copy pedals, and even boutique brands copy circuits.
I mean there are only so many ways to build a compressor or overdrive. The Cali76 is in itself a copy of the 1176 - but Origin brought something new to the table by fitting it into a pedalboard friendly enclosure and making it run off 9V.
Comparing the Behringer BOD400 and the Boss ODB-3, there's no chance of seeing one is a clone of the other straight away - you gotta look that up. Same with the Joyo pedals who often are 'inspired' by another pedal, but the name only gives a hint at what you're looking at and the outside looks nothing like the original.
DemonFX has spent money on the outward appearance and they put in a lot of effort to make their pedals look as close to the original as legally possible.
I do not think that DemonFX is actually damaging the sales of Origin effects. I know I want my Cali76 to be built in the UK and frankly, when Origin says they use top ingredients, I have no trouble believing them, while I would take the same claim from a company like Demon with more than just a pinch of salt (not that they ever made such claims). However, having a straight rip off of a design like the Cali76 available for less than a hundred bucks will be taking away sales from those companies that offer their own designs in a lower price segment.
I mean, when you're not willing or able to shell out Cali76 money for a compressor, but you want to have compression on your board, you'll look around for what's available in your budget. Looking at the Call76 by DemonFX,
you tell yourself "The Cali76 is well regarded and well loved, but I'm only a hobby bassist with a limited budget. I won't require everything the Cali has to offer and I'll probably be fine with a copy that is not quite as good as the original" and pull the trigger.
Brands like EHX, JHS or TC, to name a few, have more or less legit and original production units in that price range, and in the moment you order the Demon, you did not buy one of these.
So DemonFX rides on the success of others by copying established designs while damaging a third party that can't do anything about it.
All of this is, of course, just my personal opinion on the subject. I am by no means an expert in any of this, so take it as it is: The ramblings of a very young old man.
If there are no legal issues to pursue, they are of course free to sell their pedals to those who want them, but I am not interested in that kind of business model.
Of course there are other brands that copy pedals, and even boutique brands copy circuits.
I mean there are only so many ways to build a compressor or overdrive. The Cali76 is in itself a copy of the 1176 - but Origin brought something new to the table by fitting it into a pedalboard friendly enclosure and making it run off 9V.
Comparing the Behringer BOD400 and the Boss ODB-3, there's no chance of seeing one is a clone of the other straight away - you gotta look that up. Same with the Joyo pedals who often are 'inspired' by another pedal, but the name only gives a hint at what you're looking at and the outside looks nothing like the original.
DemonFX has spent money on the outward appearance and they put in a lot of effort to make their pedals look as close to the original as legally possible.
I do not think that DemonFX is actually damaging the sales of Origin effects. I know I want my Cali76 to be built in the UK and frankly, when Origin says they use top ingredients, I have no trouble believing them, while I would take the same claim from a company like Demon with more than just a pinch of salt (not that they ever made such claims). However, having a straight rip off of a design like the Cali76 available for less than a hundred bucks will be taking away sales from those companies that offer their own designs in a lower price segment.
I mean, when you're not willing or able to shell out Cali76 money for a compressor, but you want to have compression on your board, you'll look around for what's available in your budget. Looking at the Call76 by DemonFX,
you tell yourself "The Cali76 is well regarded and well loved, but I'm only a hobby bassist with a limited budget. I won't require everything the Cali has to offer and I'll probably be fine with a copy that is not quite as good as the original" and pull the trigger.
Brands like EHX, JHS or TC, to name a few, have more or less legit and original production units in that price range, and in the moment you order the Demon, you did not buy one of these.
So DemonFX rides on the success of others by copying established designs while damaging a third party that can't do anything about it.
All of this is, of course, just my personal opinion on the subject. I am by no means an expert in any of this, so take it as it is: The ramblings of a very young old man.
