Dano Cool Cat................ CLONES!?!

[hazelwould]

Over the past few days there has been some reverse engineering going on over at freestompboxes.org. The have picked apart the Cool Cat "Transparent Overdrive ($39)," and the "Fuzz ($29)." Both are exact (except one variation in the fuzz circuit) replica's of boutique pedals. Soo.... *Drum roll* here is what they are:

The Transparent Overdrive is: THE "Timmy" by Paul Cochrane.... A well reviewed stripped TS Clone. It's supposed to sound very amp like and awesome.

The Fuzz is: The "Peach Fuzz" by Frantone. Supposedly a flexible great sounding fuzz.

Both of these are pretty expesive pedals... The Timmy sells for $200 used! And the Peach Fuzz sells for $325 NEW!!! WTF?!

Overall... I think this is one of the first corporate clones of a boutique circuit. I wonder what the others are...?

The thing is also, it's not like they're cheap clones that ruin your tone either. They are true bypass, with metal enclosure, and metal jacks. So they're pretty quality. If this isn't the biggest middle finger to the boutique industry... I don't know what is.

[Ghost Hip]

Ah yes, but is there pedal PINK?!?!?

Thats rather gay, dano's still have a disadvantage, their enclosures are ugly. They could clone a GodZilla, but could they use a giant cat firing lasers out of its eyes at terrified japanese citizens as a graphic?

The answer is no.

[hazelwould]

Isn't the Peach Fuzz a modified clone of the Big Muff?

Haha... yes.

[Gunner Recall]

It's been said on the other forums...the odd thing here is the big guy ripping off the little guy, not the other way around.

You could make the best muff clone man has known, but you'll never move more units than EHX (nor will it even dent the earnings of said company).

While it does force the little guys to create new and weird effects, it could stifle creativity if these guys can't make a living off of their signature pedals.

The bottom line? Dano pedals still look like crap and I won't go near them.

[hazelwould]

My bottom line... If they sound good. I don't really care... I'm shameless that way.

[aen]

HOW DARE THEY CLONE CLONES?

[aussy]

Different markets so it wont affect the builder really
Gives me a chance to try out some "boutique" designs at my local store though :>

[masked elwood]

if the Timmy is a stripped clone of a TS9 and the Peach Fuzz is a clone of a modded Big Muff...then i don't really see what the problem is.
wasn't the french toast pretty much a foxx tone machine? i don't remember anyone having a problem with that.

maybe i'm not understanding something, but it doesn't seem like a big deal to me. it would bother me if they cloned a ground up original design like one of devi's, but for pete's sake....we're talking a TS9 and a Big Muff...not a synth mangler.

elwd

[Ghost Hip]

, but for pete's sake....we're talking a TS9 and a Big Muff...not a synth mangler.

elwd

Word.

[masked elwood]

wasn't the french toast pretty much a foxx tone machine? i don't remember anyone having a problem with that.

also--yes, that is true, but the current president & CEO of Danelectro is the original designer of the foxx tone machine.

oh yea...i forgot abut that... ...good point. but there are tons of people doing the same thing. how many big muff, rangemaster, tone bender, fuzz face copies are there out there? ... yea..i know it's kinda different, but also kinda the same.

The Transparent Overdrive is: THE "Timmy" by Paul Cochrane.... A well reviewed stripped TS Clone.

i'm not up on the Timmy, so i was referring to the first post...and even still...note the word "IF".

if the Timmy is a stripped clone of a TS9 and the Peach Fuzz is a clone of a modded Big Muff...then i don't really see what the problem is.

since it's not a TS9, then i mos def do see the prob.

thanks for the correction.

elwd

[Gunner Recall]

Cloning is cool if you are doing something dfferent to the design or the original is no longer in production. Doing straight up clones of a pedal in production and just changing the name? Really weak.

Though it seems to have motivated paul to branch out and get to work on some other designs he's been kicking around

He's got some new od with a full on eq with sliders...and something special for the approaching anniversary of the timmy.

Paul must really be ticked though...usually quiet and pretty reserved but he's been posting a bunch the past few days.

[hazelwould]

part of me feels bad for the guy... But you know, JUST as Devi said this is free marketing!!! I'd call danelectro and make sone demands: 1.) a website 2.) an elf to do all my pedal building, and 3.) the pedals name changed to "Timmy Clone" or "Timmy Redux" and my website listed on every one.

[hazelwould]

I was corrected at FSB that both Timmy and peach fuzz are orignals... Though there are some similar traits to other pedals...

[masked elwood]

its all good, sorry if i came off all serious-like, i just really love my Timmy and have always thought poorly of Dano, now I just have an excuse to really rip them apart

oh.. not a problem...i like learning things.

elwd

[hazelwould]

I'd call danelectro and make sone demands: 1.) a website 2.) an elf to do all my pedal building, and 3.) the pedals name changed to "Timmy Clone" or "Timmy Redux" and my website listed on every one.

part of the problem here is that Dano would laugh and hang up on him. He has no liscence or patent on the circuit. They can do all of this and he has absolutely no legal recourse.

I see what's frusterating... But, getting into this biz... It's the name of the game. You've gotta be smart and adapt. Or have 30 different pedal designs

Pauls gotta get a site and a better way to reach his customers or he'll never grow... And this kick ass circuit will die and the pedals floating around will be the future Klons. If you wanna really make money elliminate waiting lists. Customers want instant gratification. A $100 pedal could easily be an impulse buy. A wait takes that away. Then people sell they're pedals used and he gains nothing. Now is his time to act. Either he will play or he'll fumble.

The only pedal I really care about waiting for is the fingerprint.