Does anyone here build clones from schematics to sell?

[Rambo66]

I'm seeing tons of cool stuff here but I am not electronically inclined and I was wondering if someone here built pedals from schematics and sold them.

Thanks!!

[d95err]

It's a complex issue. Building a pedal or two for your friends and charging basically the parts cost is OK. However, to build and sell pedals you didn't design for profit, you need the rights to the design. That would require a commercial agreement with the designer. Places like Buildyourownclone etc have such agreements.

It's not difficult to build a pedal. If you buy a kit with a pre-drilled enclosure, you can finish a pedal in a few hours, even if you have no experience with electronics. You don't really need to understand *how* it works, just follow the instructions. Give it a try! (But be warned, it's highly addictive).

[goosonique]

(But be warned, it's highly addictive).

I like that bit.....oh yes 

[Unbeliever]

It's a complex issue. Building a pedal or two for your friends and charging basically the parts cost is OK. However, to build and sell pedals you didn't design for profit, you need the rights to the design.

No you don't, legally. Morally, most would say so (I hope).

[birt]

i never build exact clones. there's no fun in that (to me at least).


i allways build my own version with some mods or combine parts from different pedals to make my own

[d95err]

It's a complex issue. Building a pedal or two for your friends and charging basically the parts cost is OK. However, to build and sell pedals you didn't design for profit, you need the rights to the design.

No you don't, legally. Morally, most would say so (I hope).

Are you sure? Are there any legal cases to confirm this?

I'd say the design is the intellectual property of the designer as long as it is unique enough, regardless of if it is published in public or not. Most designs published clearly state that you are only allowed to use them for private purposes, not commercial.

[jrc4558]

I dont mind working off of schematics for customers. If I see a well thought out esign, I build it.

[markm]

I may be wrong but, I think this gentleman is looking for someone to build him something.
At least, that's how I read the question.
As far as copying circuits and selling them well, I can think of a few "boutiquers" doing this.
  MarkM

[Unbeliever]

Are you sure? Are there any legal cases to confirm this?

I'd say the design is the intellectual property of the designer as long as it is unique enough, regardless of if it is published in public or not. Most designs published clearly state that you are only allowed to use them for private purposes, not commercial.

Yes - as sure as I need to be to do it. Don't know. You can say what you like - but will you pay lawyers to take what you say to court, and spend thousands, if not 10s of thousands, defending a design that probably won't make you the same amount of money, even if you win?

So, if I redraw a schematic here without the warning, then build it, it's ok? By your reasoning, yes. Anything written down means nothing unless you have the money to make something out of it via the legal system. And - which legal system would that be? The one in the USA, Canada, China? That's one reason it's been hard to pin Behringer down.

This horse has been beaten many times before, RGs posts in the past have summed things up succinctly. Legalise aside, yeah, building for the price of parts for someone is most appropriate, I feel.

[guitar_199]

Well......I guess you could contend that the end user was buying the parts and contracting you to assemble said parts into a working unit.....   

[tcobretti]

Shying away from the legalities, what pedal do you want built?  Most of the pedals we make are commercially available, and it would be much cheaper to buy it than to have one of us build one.  A good way to get into this is to buy a pedal, then fine tune it.  Wahs are a great place to start, but there are tons of mods for most of the classic fuzzes/distortions.  Another good way to start is buy a Printed Circuit Board from one of the guys on this site who makes PCBs.  That way, all you have to do is select the correct components and solder them in.  My first pedal was a Brian May Treble Booster from GeneralGuitarGadgets, and it kicked ass.  The god of all pedal building sites is Geofex (link at the top of the page).  Almost every question you have is answered there if you want to get into building.  The other way to get info is searching the archives here.  I typically spend at least 30 mins a day surfing the archives.

[petemoore]

  I write schematic, build pedal, tune/tweek...and have 'em for sale...I have sold 1 pedal, about a year ago...Greg Plugged it into his Behringer combo amp and Had to have it, so he got it, He's since sold that amp and now uses a Classic 30.
  I generally ask or find out what the potential pedal user has for speaker and amp first, and what he/she intends the end result to be applied 'for', making sure the individual has all that and a nice guitar first...then recommend a pedal.
  THis doesn't bode well for increasing sales numbers. I don't care.
  Besides being *unique [*for lack of a less a better word]...The reason my pedal might be preferrable [to generic] is that I socket stuff, and do mods at will when asked, offer a 'trade for whatever I have' guarantee, and use quality everything...no jacks mounted into PCB etc.
  Other than debugging and modding [debugging takes 'chops', modding you can probably 'get real easy], you can build yourself a pedal that can be tweeked, be warned, the first hit can indeed be addicting.
 

[markm]

I "loaned" out a pedal I built to a friend of mine.
He used it for a couple of rehearsals with his band + a couple of jobs.
I asked him what he thought of it. He said  he loved it, handed be a couple hundred bucks 
and now it's his.
It's the only one I've sold but, It certainly made ME feel good except, I had to build another!

[spinoza]

I would not mind selling basic pedals like ABY boxes, footswitches, splitters, etc. But for real effects I would make sure that it's a custom design, something you can't find in commercial effects or on the internet. I'm not good enough to create such effects at the moment, but I'm experimenting different circuits and someday I'll be able to create my dream pedal.

Meanwhile, I don't mind selling effects to friends for the price of parts. They are fun to make and I learn alot from these builds.

[markm]

Most common effects produced by Boutiquers or even Production companies for that matter,
are based from common circuits that have been around for years. Think about it, how many different
compressors out there, both mass produced and boutique are just the Dyna circuit tweaked??
Fender amplifiers were built from circuits out of old RCA tube manuals.
I don't think this is as "sensitive" an issue as it's being made out to be.
Now, Names, Logos, enclosure design etc.....that's where the copyright issues begin.

[stumper1]

Now, Names, Logos, enclosure design etc.....that's where the copyright issues begin.

Exactly!

[Rambo66]

I'd like to get a Way Huge Foot Pig clone if at all possible. I would even try and build it myself but I have almost ZERO experience using a soldering iron (I built some guitar cables one time.........that's it). I read somewhere on this site that Mr. Huge said he doesn't post the schematics of Way Huge pedals but he has no problem reversed engineered a pedal to get a schematic. I believe he said he's done the same thing at one point. He's even posted the schematics to other pedals on this site. I could be wrong but I don't think so. Please don't flame me if I am, that is just my understanding.

So having said that, how would suggest a person like me with almost no experience get started?

Thanks!

[spinoza]

So your point is that

a) It sucks that somebody does reverse engineering of other pedals and is bothered by people stealing "his" ideas.
b) You are asking us for an easy newbie project.

So, to answer A, that's more of an ethical problem.

B) Try the booster or the "easy face". Get test wires with alligator clips. They will save you time and effort as they permit you to test a whole circuit with almost no soldiering to do. If you like it, you can do a permanent wiring. By then you'll probably be hooked, so you can buy a multimeter, more parts, etc.

Aslo, don't try to understand everything at once. In fact you don't even need to understand what you are doing at all. Just follow the step by step guide. My first build took me around 15 minutes to do on a prototype board. Then it took me 15 hours to understand how it works. Most schematics you'll find here can be built with no electronics knowledge at all.

I'd say try a fuzz face clone. They are fun, they are great, and you'll still be using it on stage in 20 years. On the other hand, the "booster" is very, very easy but I doubt you'll find a use for it for live gigging. Another suggestion is the blackface fender bassman amp head clone: http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=41277.0

[Rambo66]

So your point is that

a) It sucks that somebody does reverse engineering of other pedals and is bothered by people stealing "his" ideas.

I don't think I said anything about me thinking it sucks for someone to reverse engineer a pedal. I was just saying that he didn't seem to have a problem with someone doing it. If I could find a schematic for a Foot Pig I would be elated AND I got the impression that he would be ok with it. I mean, he's not making them anymore and it's not like I'm interested in building and selling them as a line of pedals. I just want one for myself.

[Deathmagus]

Of course I do.  I'm charging for the parts, the man-power, and the (general electronic) know-how.  I'm not charging for specific copyrighted pedal know-how.  This may seem to be picking nits, but I *do* deserve compensation for buying parts, taking the time to learn how to solder, and actually doing the soldering.  Additionally, I usually tweak my "clones" out so it's not like I'm building an exact replica.  Right now, I've just finished building a TS-808/9/10/X clone that does more than any of the original TS series did.  If the info on how to make something is available legally on the web for free, than he has a right to build that pedal himself, and he also has the right to contract that job out to someone more adept at it - namely me.