JHS hate

[HelpImaRock]

Over the years, if you count the average number of people that I played for at a gig, and multiply that by the number of gigs, there are hundreds of thousands of people that I've played for. Do any of them have any accusations against them? Am I wrong for having played for them? When Sinatra played for gangsters (everyone who played Vegas in that era did), does that mean he (and every other musician in that town) is a gangster? We have to be really careful about who we tie to what - the rumor mill is really good at making tenuous associations seem significant.

Josh is pretty up front about what pedals he took inspiration from, and he does his own twist(s) on the circuit - a couple of his latest pedals are multiple versions of an old standard in one housing. You can compare, if you want, the "original circuit" to his modded version (and Keeley's). He also does original stuff - I have one of his Haunting mids pedals, which was originally done on a lark - a Halloween thing, but it turns out, it's a very useful device, so they re-issued it.

Haunting Mids was an HCFX joke and an entire forum was created with the name when people started fleeing that place going back to '05 or so. That Josh created a pedal without knowing the history, or just didn't care when he named it, is equally as funny.

 

[Raoul_Duke]

I hate to open a can of worms, but if any of you go to church then you probably support anti-LGBTQ stuff on at least some small level, because the majority of religious groups are exclusionary in that regard.

As for the copy-cat stuff, I know nothing. Did he violate any patents?

 

[direwolf333]

 

[micguy]

Ignoring the fact that Fender’s original amp came straight out of a circuit provided by a tube manufacturer and published in a circuit encyclopedia.

Same goes for effects pedals. Most are just riffs off circuits that go back to the golden age of radio. There’s very little original design in the effects world. One big reason why virtually no effect pedal is patented.

About Fender, yes, the circuits they started with are found in the RCA tube manual, and Marshal re-arranged things a bit (but not much).

But pedals based on "the golden age of radio?" - that's generally thought to be the 1920's through the 1950's. All those radio circuits were based on tubes, and...almost no pedals use tubes. I think that one is a miss.

The biggest reason no pedals are patented is... the companies that make them don't have the resources to hire the lawyers necessary to do patents right. I have a bunch of patents. I got a dollar for all my inventions (that's how it's done). The lawyers we hire to do the legal work surrounding patents (I've seen the bills, I was responsible for signing off on them at one point) - yeah, no small company can afford those expenses. That's the reason pedals generally don't get patented - the company can't afford it.

 

[micguy]

I hate to open a can of worms, but if any of you go to church then you probably support anti-LGBTQ stuff on at least some small level, because the majority of religious groups are exclusionary in that regard.

A lot of churches (especially non-denominational churches) follow a guy that was radically inclusive. If you're human, you're welcome at any of the churches I've played at.

 

[40Hz]

All those radio circuits were based on tubes, and...almost no pedals use tubes. I think that one is a miss.

Oh I dunno.

Filters, distortion, etc. employ the same circuit functional designs. Whether implemented in tube or transistor topologies strikes me as more a difference in implementation rather than design.

Especially considering how transistors were positioned as “tube replacements” when they were first introduced, and how transistor manufacturers took pains to point out how they were conceptually identical as far as doing circuit design went. No different than replacing one tube in a design with another. The details of the ancillary circuitry might change to match the electrical requirements of the specific tube. But the two different tubes ( or transistors) are what’s performing the actual function.

 

[Smooth Operator]

*Facepalm*
First world problems I guess.
Shouldn't buy anything from China (Apple Products, Amazon Products etc.) then considering they are engaging in Ethnic Cleansing of the Uyghur Muslims.

I find it odd when people hate other people, for hating other people.

 

[Nev375]

I hate to open a can of worms, but if any of you go to church then you probably support anti-LGBTQ stuff on at least some small level, because the majority of religious groups are exclusionary in that regard.

The loudest and most belligerant members of a group are not necessarily the majority.
I cannot speak to actual numbers, but I for one, do not represent that model.

Religion is a taboo subject on Talkbass, so I dare not comment further.

 

[kranahan]

This thread has gotta be shut down by EOD today…

 

[Rolling Thunder]

This thread has gotta be shut down by EOD today…

In before the lock!

 

[Rolling Thunder]

 

[micguy]

Oh I dunno.
Filters, distortion, etc. employ the same circuit functional designs. Whether implemented in tube or transistor topologies strikes me as more a difference in implementation rather than design.

Yes, they all use resistors and capacitors, but you're reaching there. To design a tube screamer with actual tubes would be a VERY different undertaking than doing it with op amps - the op amp is a relatively sophisticated device that does the work that would require several tubes, and a bunch of resistors and capacitors. It does sound like a fun project, though.

 

[40Hz]

Did he violate any patents?

There were never any patents to violate. The who kerfuffle came when one pedal builder (who had built up a bit of an entourage despite not having any real claim to original design) accused Josh of JHS of “stealing” one of “her” designs.

Things rapidly escalated from there.

 

[two fingers]

Selective outrage at its best. Nobody hates Mike Lull or Sadowsky for ripping off Leo Fender. Nobody hates all of the boutique ampakers in tue guitar world for making copies of Marshall, Fender, and Vox circuits (which pretty much ALL of them are). And, lest we forger, a huge percentage of tue pedal market is clones. Muffins clones, Klon clones, tube screamer clones, rat clones, etc.

Somehow we piled onto this one guy for doing the same thing many legends in the business do. Interesting...

 

[jbybj]

There were never any patents to violate. The who kerfuffle came when one pedal builder (who had built up a bit of an entourage despite not having any real claim to original design) accused Josh of JHS of “stealing” one of “her” designs.

Things rapidly escalated from there.

Ones mental health is not something to be ignored.

 

[bobdabilder]

Ibtl

 

[Obese Chess]

Over the years, if you count the average number of people that I played for at a gig, and multiply that by the number of gigs, there are hundreds of thousands of people that I've played for. Do any of them have any accusations against them? Am I wrong for having played for them? When Sinatra played for gangsters (everyone who played Vegas in that era did), does that mean he (and every other musician in that town) is a gangster? We have to be really careful about who we tie to what - the rumor mill is really good at making tenuous associations seem significant.

I agree with you - there's a significant difference between "I was hired to play a gig by these people, I don't endorse what they're doing, hell I didn't even know about it" and "I worked with these people as a collaborator because I thought what they were doing was cool."

*Facepalm*
First world problems I guess.
Shouldn't buy anything from China (Apple Products, Amazon Products etc.) then considering they are engaging in Ethnic Cleansing of the Uyghur Muslims.

We are all free to vote with our wallets as we see fit. As the saying goes, there's no ethical consumption under global capitalism!

This thread has gotta be shut down by EOD today…

Well hang on now. We've already broken the rules about politics and religion, let's see how many more we can break before the mods wise up!

(just kidding please don't put me in time out)

 

[40Hz]

Yes, they all use resistors and capacitors, but you're reaching there. To design a tube screamer with actual tubes would be a VERY different undertaking that doing it with op amps. It does sound like a fun project, though.

It’d be embracing difficulty for difficulty’s sake if you ask me. Sounds like something the guy who has that Look Mum! No Computer Youtube channel might tackle however.

 

[Tim Schnautz]

For those of you who were curious - it looks like about fifteen years ago the owner was employed as a musician by an evangelical group in Kansas City which has come under repeated fire for funding the persecution of LGBTQ people in third world nations, tax avoidance/bribery/corruption, and is rumored (though the rumors are well documented) to function more like a cult, with lots of incredibly nasty/unsavory stuff happening to members, particularly women and children. Many of these allegations came to light after the owner of JHS had already left the group*, but people were pretty wound up about it in like, 2014-2015. Haven't seen anything since until this thread.

The "copy" pedals are a separate issue that I don't have strong feelings on.

* - EDIT: I should note that there is absolutely zero evidence that he had any knowledge of or involvement with any of these things, only that he was a hired musician for some of their services.

the media will make up anything to get their point across.
Just ask David Koresh or Randy Weaver

Anyhow, Yes, Id heard that He was working to get out of the "guilty by association" thing.

 

[HelpImaRock]

As for the copy-cat stuff, I know nothing. Did he violate any patents?

It's very difficult to patent an analog electronic circuit as common as a guitar pedal. You may be able to copyright it as art, but that's rarely done as well. You can claim rights to digital circuits, like when EHX beat Mooer in court for directly copying the POG in the Tender Octaver, but that seems to be it.