Hi Willy:
I didn’t see you come on but I saw what happened…
I hope the Board’s O.K. ??
Bill…
That’s very wacky. I noticed netscope trying to connect to something weird after I hit add reply, so I ran adaware - nothing…
That’s very wacky. I noticed netscope trying to connect to something weird after I hit add reply, so I ran adaware - nothing…
Just bypass that echo plug 
EDIT: When I first read the 20bux post there was only one instance. This board is acting up again…
I just checked my server message board…
They’re saying that lately they’re being hit with unusually high levels of “Spam”… I hope that has not happened, here… To cause this…
Well, what do I know…
Bill…
just done a virus test, cleaned a couple, consider this a test…
I had subscibed to this post and had about 15 emails, I thought the topic got really hot LOL… oh well. 
Just Willy repeating himself for emphasis. He really loves that tuner.
Heh, back in the day of Mackie versus Berry, Mackie gave up just becuase they couldn’t afford the court fees. Roland is a bit of a bigger animal, you suppose they’ll squash Berry? I read an interview with one of the chief engineers at Aphex and he was complaning about Berry stealing designs whole sale and saying for whatever reason a class action suit was not a possibility. If 10 companies each took out individual suits at the same time against Berry, Berry would be sunk. I am surprised this hasn’t been discussed over martinis between companies at a NAMM show yet.
The new stomp boxes admittedly look similar to the Boss units, but then so do the digitech pedals that have been around for a while. No-one seems to accuse them of copying
link to digitech
Personally I can’t see much wrong with producing some inexpensive units aimed at the youngsters just starting out, or as backups or occasional units. If you are going to use a piece of kit day in day out then you can justify the higher price of the quality brands. Berry is opening up equipment to people who cannot justify big bucks.
I have a fair bit of their gear and its always worked for me.
Maaszy
Roland is a bit of a bigger animal, you suppose they'll squash Berry?
I think berry are going to take over the world with an army of chinese workers...
I think berry are going to take over the world with an army of chinese workers...
| Quote (maaszy @ Jan. 23 2005,10:15) |
| Personally I can't see much wrong with producing some inexpensive units aimed at the youngsters just starting out, or as backups or occasional units. If you are going to use a piece of kit day in day out then you can justify the higher price of the quality brands. Berry is opening up equipment to people who cannot justify big bucks. |
There is nothing wrong with that. Berry supplies useful things for us. But there is something wrong with theft - and that's what they did with Mackie, stole Mackie's property. That's what this looks like to me as well. Intellectual property is still property. You would not want me to steal your work, your million dollar song, e.g., and then say that it was OK because I was just trying to get it to the customers at a lower cost.
Although if you think that I have a million dollar song feel free to steal it and we'll talk terms later.
In the US, the looks of a device are patentable as a “design patent”. Probably also true in most other countries; patent law has largely been internationally harmonized in the last two decades (just as copyright law has). If the stompbox manufacturers have design patents on their products, then they have good grounds to sue (depending on how close the copies are, which is somewhat subjective but it’s an old subject with plenty of ).
Whether they can afford to sue is another matter, of course. I bet Behringer has a busy legal team!
Well, the closeness issue is important. Think back to the… oh what were they? POD’s? something. But anyways, they have been making them for a long time now, and they look just like the BOSS pedals. Just a metal box with nobs. Not quite as close, granted, but still pretty close. And the question also remains, does BOSS hold the patents to the looks of the pedal? perhaps they never thought to, and now it is coming back to bite them. Who knows.
Oh, there might also be trademark issues. Again, though, I think it only applies if the manufacturer went to the trouble of getting their designs trademarked. (Like Harley trademarked the sound of their engines. They might not be able to sue a company who made engines that happen to sound like Harleys, but they did win against a company that added parts specifically for the purpose of making it sound that way.)
I had another look at some of the new products today and they are not even trying to hide who they are ripping off in some cases…
“The ADI21 has a DI recording output, and its sound is modeled on the Tech21® Sansamp Acoustic DI*”
[there was no footnote for that asterix btw]
"Its sound was modeled after Dunlop® Dimebag Darrell Signature Crybaby® From ####."
But the price is still mighty attractive.
I can’t afford a Tech21 but I will be able to afford the Behringer…
My wah is not like it used to be but can’t justify buying a new Dunlop one. The Berry one is easy to find $70AUS for…
Rich
Dunno about this one…I’ve got a no-name stereo chorus pedal that has a boss box. I thought it was a case of someone doing a bit of circuit design and contracting Roland to make it for them. Heck, we see that sort of thing all the time, even from the big dogs. How is this different than some music store contracting with Ernie Ball to make “Store Brand” strings or something?
well, it isn’t contracted by. it is “inspired by”.
well, it isn't contracted by. it is "inspired by".
When I first read this thread I was actually wondering if it wasn't contracted. Kinda like the "No Name" or store brand supermarket items (says catsup on the bottle, costs half as much but it's actually made by Heinz) Might make sense for a company like Boss to get a small cut from the Chinese importers that are going to overrun the market with cheap knockoffs anyway, and keep their "Brand Name" pedals for more discerning tastes (at much higher margins of course).
I'm not really serious I just like to keep the conspiracy theorists motivated. Besides, the last stomp box I bought was well over ten years ago...a Digital Delay that cost more than most of the 5 year old rack mount do-it-all boxes on eBay.
When I first read this thread I was actually wondering if it wasn't contracted. Kinda like the "No Name" or store brand supermarket items (says catsup on the bottle, costs half as much but it's actually made by Heinz) Might make sense for a company like Boss to get a small cut from the Chinese importers that are going to overrun the market with cheap knockoffs anyway, and keep their "Brand Name" pedals for more discerning tastes (at much higher margins of course).
I'm not really serious I just like to keep the conspiracy theorists motivated. Besides, the last stomp box I bought was well over ten years ago...a Digital Delay that cost more than most of the 5 year old rack mount do-it-all boxes on eBay.
Bottom line: buying them isn’t breaking any law. It’s up to the original manufacturers to police their rights in these matters. However, the ethical question remains and it’s up to each of us to decide whether we want to reward Behringer’s business model or not. If we do, we do run the risk of killing the goose that lays the golden eggs: what will Berry do when they’ve put all the companies they copy out of business? Does anyone here want to buy stuff that Berry designed themselves?