Pedal Plagiarism

[dronerstone]

Just received the DemonFX Gladiator from Amazon. Build quickly far exceeds the $65 price point.

Having a blast gaining up the Two-Rock CRS. The right side of the pedal is way too bass heavy when pushing gain past noon, but the left side adds an excellent high gain "channel" to the CRS. I like it.

The original Gladio has trim pots and dip switches, one of them is for bass, I believe.

Does the Gladiator have them?

 

[gearJunkie]

The original Gladio has trim pots and dip switches, one of them is for bass, I believe.

Does the Gladiator have them?

On channel 1 (left) it has a "comp" switch that reduces dynamic range when active. Channel 2 (right) has a jazz/rock switch that cuts or boosts treble frequencies.

In the middle is a switch for single or double mode. Single allows one side at a time where double stacks the 2 channels.

Left side is a soft clipper and right is a hard clipper.

 

[dronerstone]

On channel 1 (left) it has a "comp" switch that reduces dynamic range when active. Channel 2 (right) has a jazz/rock switch that cuts or boosts treble frequencies.

In the middle is a switch for single or double mode. Single allows one side at a time where double stacks the 2 channels.

Left side is a soft clipper and right is a hard clipper.

I know. No reason to explain photos to me.

I meant trims and dips on the inside.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

I like my King of Drive. The pots are flimsy AF and the paint chips when you glance at it but it sounds really good. It and the Brig into a clean amp would be all I'd need in a pinch.

 

[gearJunkie]

I know. No reason to explain photos to me.

I meant trims and dips on the inside.

I haven't opened it up yet. I'll take a look at it later today and report back.

 

[dronerstone]

I haven't opened it up yet. I'll take a look at it later today and report back.

Nice, thanks much!!!

Mine is in the mail, but since it's coming from China it'll take some time.

Unfortunately, Amazon over here only sells the more popular Demonfx pedals (KOD, Duellist, for example) and the Gladiator isn't one of them.

 

[gearJunkie]

Nice, thanks much!!!

Mine is in the mail, but since it's coming from China it'll take some time.

Unfortunately, Amazon over here only sells the more popular Demonfx pedals (KOD, Duellist, for example) and the Gladiator isn't one of them.

There are two trim pots labeled presence and bass.

There are also two slider switches. One is not labeled, and the other is labeled "dual/split" (set by factory as dual).

Too early in the morning here to experiment with the switches to determine what they actually do. Will report back later.

 

[dronerstone]

There are two trim pots labeled presence and bass.

There are also two slider switches. One is not labeled, and the other is labeled "dual/split" (set by factory as dual).

Too early in the morning here to experiment with the switches to determine what they actually do. Will report back later.



View attachment 23847

Niiice, looks like it's indeed a "faithful" copy of the original. Good to know!

DAMN, that PCB even says "Gladio 2.1c" in the bottom left corner.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

and the paint chips when you glance at

That's by design, like a nitro-finished guitar, so that you can authentically generate your own wear to give it that authentic worn-in look, but avoiding the authentic timeline that that usually takes.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

That's by design, like a nitro-finished guitar, so that you can authentically generate your own wear to give it that authentic worn-in look, but avoiding the authentic timeline that that usually takes.

Could be, or, y'know, it was like $35 and coated with strawberry jam before packaged. Same great taste.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Could be, or, y'know, it was like $35 and coated with strawberry jam before packaged. Same great taste.

Have you bought strawberry jam lately?!?!? That shit is expensive...

 

[gearJunkie]

Niiice, looks like it's indeed a "faithful" copy of the original. Good to know!

DAMN, that PCB even says "Gladio 2.1c" in the bottom left corner.

It looks like the unlabeled switch in the lower left of the PCB adds some hard clipping diodes to the soft clipper channel.

 

[dronerstone]

It looks like the unlabeled switch in the lower left of the PCB adds some hard clipping diodes to the soft clipper channel.

Yup. Really looking forward to that pedal.

 

[SillyOctpuss]

The main problem with the cheap pedal brands is they often have errors in the schematic they've used. How big the error is will determine how different they are from the original. Robert at pedalpcb has had a look at a few of these clones and found errors with a lot of them.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Have you bought strawberry jam lately?!?!? That shit is expensive...

Actually no. I don't think we've bought any Jam for several years since we've started making plum jam from our tree. This year's going to be a huge batch

 

[0XI0]

Meh. there’s a reason this stuff isn’t considered IP or eligible to be patented. Clone away imo. Even better to clone with small tweaks which I think is kind of the norm

I think if you come up with a recipe that's really good it should be cloned, tweaked, augmented. there's really not many og circuit designs that actually do something unique (like individual amp distortions recipe are different), thinking harmonic percolator, sansAmp, HM-2. the gazillion clones/variations of tube screamer are just a gazillion techniques to grill a steak.

 

[maguchi]

The main problem with the cheap pedal brands is they often have errors in the schematic they've used. How big the error is will determine how different they are from the original. Robert at pedalpcb has had a look at a few of these clones and found errors with a lot of them.

^^^Truf dat. And most often it means the incorrectly copied pedal don't sound that good.

I like the idea of happy accidents. Where a company tries to clone a circuit and messes it up. And in messing it up they come up with something new and cool sounding.

 

[dronerstone]

Received the Gladiator this morning, and I'm afraid to say it, but it's surprisingly good, and a huge joy to play.

Which is not a surprise, imho, because they 1:1 stole the PCB design, it even says "Gladio 2.1c" in the lower left corner.

I expected to like channel 2 more, but I'm leaning towards channel 1 at the moment. Both are nice, that's for sure.

It sings!

Also, no import taxes. Cost me 55€ in total.

Well done, China, well done.

PS: maybe I shouldn't be too worried, since the full-size Gladio isn't in production anymore.

 

[HomespunEffects]

I just buy teh circuit boards off the Internets and build my own clone. …

Come on, man. Make your own PCBs.

 

[adam]

Come on, man. Make your own PCBs.

And your own resistors while you're at it!