Re: Bass players - what's a good stomp pedal for FAT tone?

[Mark McGlinchey <markmcglinchey@gmail.com>]

I will concede that you clearly know a lot more about circuit design
and the work that goes into than me and I am aware that this probably
isn't the place for this discussion.

Two points I would add before concluding are; please stop using the
term stealing and theivery (the reason I initially responded at all)
as simply put, it is not the case and I resent the implication. Also
the analogy presented below is an extreme strech, "manufacturing,
styling, distributing, marketing and maintaining" someone building a
clone at home does not involve any of this and when you download a
song you get the artists work in it's entirity, you get their
performance and every nuance that went into producing it. I would
argue that building a clone is more the equivalent of recording a
cover version in your bedroom for your own listening pleasure. That is
why download a song is illegal and can very much be described as
stealing and cloning a fuzz pedal is not.

Anyway, I have never built a clone of a pedal zvex or otherwise as I
don't have the time nor inclination but I would personally not
discourage others from doing so. I apologise if this is a sore point
with you and now that I know that I concede in future not to recommend
such things on this list and/or point people in the direction of
information to help them do it.

Cheers,

Mark.

On Thu, Jan 28, 2010 at 5:46 AM, Charles Zwicky <cazwicky@earthlink.net> 
wrote:
>
> Mark,
>
>  Thanks for the response.  I just returned from a session and while I 
>was on
> the train to the studio I was considering the justification for stealing 
>/
> bootlegging / copying commercial effect pedals... the argument that you
> presented was that boutique pedals were  "clones with tweaks" ...  This 
>is
> like arguing that you can illegally download a song because it uses a 
>I-IV-V
> chord sequence.  I think it's just that naive.
>
> Consider the amount of work that goes into designing, tweaking,
> manufacturing, styling, distributing, marketing and maintaining a line of
>  effect pedals, and  the comparable amount of time and money spent
> arranging, recording, mixing, mastering, duplicating, packaging, 
>marketing
> an album.
>
> It may be flattering to think that people will steal your work because 
>it's
> that good, but the bottom line is the bottom line.    In both cases the
> parties involved intend to support themselves through their efforts, and 
>the
> cynical thieves who help themselves to the work  justify their action by
> devaluing the work, in essence blaming the victim.
>
> Food for thought,
>
> Chuck  Zwicky
>
>
>> Sorry I didn't see this post, I guess you got me on my conscience with
>> this one as I do feel slightly less comfortable knowing it was your
>> design. Congrats on that by the way it is great, I wish he would do a
>> vexter version though, i'd be all over it then.
>>
>> On Wed, Jan 27, 2010 at 11:13 PM, Charles Zwicky 
><cazwicky@earthlink.net>
>> wrote:
>>>
>>>  Well,  I designed the circuit.  I licensed it to Z-vex,  and I think
>>> it's
>>>  unethical to steal.  Just because something is legal does not mean 
>it's
>>>  morally correct.
>>>
>>>  Karma indeed...
>>>
>>>  -Chuck Zwicky
>>>
>>>>  Unless Zvex holds a patent on this circuit it does not infringe upon
>>>>  intellectual property.
>>>>  It may be in questionable taste, or even bad karma, but it isn't
>>>> illegal.
>>>>  Here's one of several web posts I found on the issue:
>>>>
>>>>  http://www.intelproplaw.com/Copyright/Forum/msg/385.shtml
>>>>
>>>>  "The copyright only protects the mode of expression, not the idea
>>>> embodied
>>>>  in it.
>>>>  Unless there is a patent involved you are free to make as much use of
>>>> the
>>>>  circuit
>>>>  as you want."
>>>>
>>>>  Jeff
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>  -----Original Message-----
>>>>  From: Charles Zwicky [mailto:cazwicky@earthlink.net]
>>>>  Sent: Wednesday, January 27, 2010 12:20 PM
>>>>  To: Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com
>>>>  Subject: Re: Bass players - what's a good stomp pedal for FAT tone?
>>>>
>>>>  It does infringe upon intellectual property, however, and as a
>>>>  musician you should respect that.
>>>>
>>>>  -Chuck Zwicky
>>>>
>>>>>  It's not thiervery, only PCB layouts can be copyrighted and at the 
>end
>>>>>  of the day most modern boutique pedals are simply clones with 
>tweaks,
>>>>>  case in point the Malekko pedal I recommended which is a clone of 
>the
>>>>>  Brassmaster but it would be way harder to build and if you get a
>>>>>  Germainium one source good trannys could be a pain.
>>>
>>>
>>>  --
>>>
>>>  ...
>>>  http://www.zmix.net
>>>
>>>  http://www.esession.com/ChuckZwicky
>>>
>>>
>
>
> --
>
> ...
> http://www.zmix.net
>
> http://www.esession.com/ChuckZwicky
>
>