Members scolfax Posted June 21, 2011 Members Share Posted June 21, 2011 I think the whole FB/Alpha/Joyo thing is an amazing story. When you read the TGP threads using Google Cache it has such an Emperor's New Clothes vibe it's funny. The story is such an expose of the whole boutique pedal market. Reminds me of the end of "Exit From the Gift Shop", where street art is simultaneously valuable and worthless at the same time. But then I saw this and it made me sad:http://cgi.ebay.com/Freekish-Blues-Alpha-Drive-O-D-Pedal-/300569994661?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item45fb5e25a5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 9520575 Posted June 21, 2011 Members Share Posted June 21, 2011 People don't want to loose money. neither do I .it is what it is. I never owned one, but I don't think people should be expected to charge 20 bucks for them. A fool and his money are soon parted, as the saying goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members erksin Posted June 21, 2011 Members Share Posted June 21, 2011 Don't paint us all with the same brush. But yeah I see your point - it's disappointing to say the least. So many times, boutique buyers have to buy sight unseen due to the limited distribution of most makers and trust is a HUGE component of the relationship between builder and customer. {censored}ty people will always try to take advantage, but that is certainly not unique to the effects world. Do your research and ask questions - ask LOTS of questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members melx Posted June 21, 2011 Members Share Posted June 21, 2011 no returns accepted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fetch Posted June 21, 2011 Members Share Posted June 21, 2011 I love how it says that it was a Thaddeus/Freekish production and that they 'worked together closely'. Mr. Thaddeus has something to answer for too don't you guys think? lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members macadood Posted June 21, 2011 Members Share Posted June 21, 2011 the {censored} is this Thaddeus character anyways?? i missed it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scolfax Posted June 22, 2011 Author Members Share Posted June 22, 2011 Don't paint us all with the same brush. But yeah I see your point - it's disappointing to say the least. So many times, boutique buyers have to buy sight unseen due to the limited distribution of most makers and trust is a HUGE component of the relationship between builder and customer. {censored}ty people will always try to take advantage, but that is certainly not unique to the effects world.Do your research and ask questions - ask LOTS of questions. There's going to be some collateral damage. The Alpha Drive was on my wish list, along with the Fuchs Plush and the Zen Drive. After a *lot* of subjective scrutiny, it was determined that the Alpha was in the "same class" as the Zen Drive, a TGP favorite. So for people who buy pedals just for their tone (not caring about country of origin, or too much about build quality), buying a Zen for over $200 just does not make sense. And if the Plush sounded a lot like the Zen... well that's gone from consideration too. I am not manufacturing this scenario. I feel very lucky that I didn't buy an Alpha last month. I *did* buy a Mad Professor Deep Blue Delay, and am now wondering if I had tried the $30 Joyo delay first would I have been just as happy with how it sounded? Now I have to apply that logic to the Formula No. 5, which is also high on my wish list. Surely it is in the same league as the Zen - a $200 boutique pedal. What questions do I have to ask so that I don't get taken advantage of? Only thing I can come up with is that on the YouTube clip of the guy playing Cinnamon Girl it sounded awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sonda01 Posted June 22, 2011 Members Share Posted June 22, 2011 has anyone heard of this thaddeus guy before? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members woolyh Posted June 22, 2011 Members Share Posted June 22, 2011 Someone got $200 for one last week on ebay. Current Wait Time Is 5.5 to 7.5 weeks?! Why Wait? Buy It Now! Ouch http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Freekish-Blues-Alpha-Drive-FREE-U-S-SHIPPING-/200616823209?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item2eb5b1c9a9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scolfax Posted June 22, 2011 Author Members Share Posted June 22, 2011 Ouch Holy smokes. I do *not* want to be that guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members erksin Posted June 22, 2011 Members Share Posted June 22, 2011 Now I have to apply that logic to the Formula No. 5, which is also high on my wish list. Surely it is in the same league as the Zen - a $200 boutique pedal. What questions do I have to ask so that I don't get taken advantage of? Only thing I can come up with is that on the YouTube clip of the guy playing Cinnamon Girl it sounded awesome. Whether or not you think a $30 pedal sounds as good as a $200 and is the $170 difference important enough to you? Only you can answer that yourself. I'll take issue with the comment that the Chinese knock off is equal to a Zendrive - unless you've tried them side-by-side of course. Hermida has established himself as a kickass builder of a fairly unique sounding drive that apparently a LOT of people thought highly enough to try and copy it. If you don't care to patronize his brand thats one thing, but don't imply that he's somehow taking advantage of people just because a Chinese megacorp and a scheister went after his pedal's sound. Personally, I buy pedals based on their sound to get a specific job done. If it costs $30, awesome. If it costs $200 (or more) it's worth it to me if it does what needs doing and inspires me to play music. Thats the same criteria I apply to all my gear regardless of price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scolfax Posted June 22, 2011 Author Members Share Posted June 22, 2011 Hermida has established himself as a kickass builder of a fairly unique sounding drive that apparently a LOT of people thought highly enough to try and copy it. If you don't care to patronize his brand thats one thing, but don't imply that he's somehow taking advantage of people just because a Chinese megacorp and a scheister went after his pedal's sound. I never said or implied that Hermida guy is taking advantage of people. But if he is selling something that can be had for 10% of the cost (yes, it's a crime that his pedal got copied), it calls into question the value that his product offers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mistersuperfly Posted June 22, 2011 Members Share Posted June 22, 2011 Um... can somebody do a quick play by play of what happened? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members InnerVision Posted June 22, 2011 Members Share Posted June 22, 2011 Um... can somebody do a quick play by play of what happened? Ditto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members onyxrhino Posted June 22, 2011 Members Share Posted June 22, 2011 Its tempting to me to read this whole saga as confirmation of my long-held suspicion that all of you guys who obsess over one low/medium gain OD vs another low/medium gain OD are {censored}ing nutjobs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BryanMichael Posted June 22, 2011 Members Share Posted June 22, 2011 For the most part, ALL pedals are pretty much a handful of components that cost $15 when purchased in sufficient quantities, but I'm willing to pay someone for their labor and ideas. But, yeah - a $20 pedal can sound just as good as a $200 pedal, the problem most people on this forum seem to have is equating $$$ with quality/tone/function and that simply is not the case. A $3000 Gibson Les Paul does not sound $2500 "better" than an Epiphone. Some things just have value for what they are...or pretend to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrweems Posted June 22, 2011 Members Share Posted June 22, 2011 those informed. inform us that don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members eti Posted June 22, 2011 Members Share Posted June 22, 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdSshwczaTYhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdSshwczaTY vs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JR13 Posted June 22, 2011 Members Share Posted June 22, 2011 Um... can somebody do a quick play by play of what happened? from what I understand, and I may be incorrect. Freekish- Blues has been taking cheap Jo-Yo pedals, gooping the PCB, rehousing them and selling them for much more. The admins on TGP have banned any and all threads about the pedals which just added to the "conspiracy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dap99 Posted June 22, 2011 Members Share Posted June 22, 2011 Isn't the zen drive basically a tube screamer? Not saying it doesn't sound good but if iirc it is so u could diy one or ask someone here to and save a few bucks. Or not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scolfax Posted June 22, 2011 Author Members Share Posted June 22, 2011 Um... can somebody do a quick play by play of what happened? The Freekish Blues Alpha Drive was the hot Dumble-style pedal for the past two months on The Gear Page. It compared favorably to the Hermida Zendrive and $500 Ethos pedals. Supposedly the pedal was hand-built in some dude's US basement and cost $170. It was discovered that the pedal was actually a slightly modified and disguised $30 Chinese Joyo Ultimate Drive, which in turn was a Fulltone OCD knockoff. To add insult to injury, the administrators of The Gear Page have deleted all threads about the Alpha Drive, and will kick you off the site for even talking about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members triviani Posted June 22, 2011 Members Share Posted June 22, 2011 What is funny in this special situation is 1- that people tried hard to justify that the heard once a Dumble amp and this pedal was reaaaally close to what they remember. 2- that guys at TGP would have never EVER said the same from the original China made $30 pedal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ILOVEMYFENDER Posted June 22, 2011 Members Share Posted June 22, 2011 Joyo GAS may be coming soon. I want to support the OGs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 9520575 Posted June 22, 2011 Members Share Posted June 22, 2011 For the most part, ALL pedals are pretty much a handful of components that cost $15 when purchased in sufficient quantities, but I'm willing to pay someone for their labor and ideas. But, yeah - a $20 pedal can sound just as good as a $200 pedal, the problem most people on this forum seem to have is equating $$$ with quality/tone/function and that simply is not the case. A $3000 Gibson Les Paul does not sound $2500 "better" than an Epiphone. Some things just have value for what they are...or pretend to be. my gibson les paul sound $45 better then an aria les paul. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members erksin Posted June 22, 2011 Members Share Posted June 22, 2011 I never said or implied that Hermida guy is taking advantage of people. But if he is selling something that can be had for 10% of the cost (yes, it's a crime that his pedal got copied), it calls into question the value that his product offers. Funny - if anything, I see it as calling into question how a maker can sell something for $20 or $30 and pay his people a living wage. AFAIK, Alf makes them himself. He's not buying parts on anywhere near the scale the Chinese knockoff maker is. And lets not forget, he had to do all the legowrk developing the circuit in the first place - that is obviously owrth something. Whether or not you choose to support somebody's hard work and creativity or just toss $30 overseas is up to you. I guess 'value' is another one of those subjective things you need to decide for yourself. I see value in supporting the people who actually create the stuff instead of pirating and profiting off the fruit of other's labors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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