Garth wrote: Thu Mar 24, 2022 11:41 am

TylerDeadPine wrote: Thu Mar 24, 2022 11:33 am That's fun. An old buddy got a cease and desist thrown at him for https://www.musicradar.com/news/say-hel ... hos-preamp, and my attitude is always "well then you guys do it!" (mind you the graphics were probably a big part of it, ha), would like to see if they got that front end right

Fuck Roland. That's some nonsense there. They let Music Group get away w/ all their similar clones - like the TC Electronics June 60 pedal for instance - just because they know Uli will defend himself. This is similar to the C&D did against Pepers Pedals in NZ for that really rad-looking Peavey-Rage-in-a-pedal they did.

Fucking bullies are bad enough, but corporate bullies are THE WORRRRRRRRRRRST.

It does suck. They should embrace the parody/homage in what's a tiny niche market. Having said that, I'm guessing the graphics are what really did them both in. Boys and girls, if you are copying electronic designs or parts thereof, don't riff on their graphics too.

Sometimes a cease and desist letter is just that. A bluff. I had friends in a band called Ditch Witch that got several cease and desist letters over their 10 year existence. They just ignored it and they never sued. A band and a tractor/implement company aren't close together though. When you are in the same field it's probably wiser to shut it down.

tommy wrote: Thu Mar 24, 2022 5:46 pm don't riff on their graphics too.

It's been a while since I read about this, but I believe that's the only area that they can persue legal action after the patents run out.

Interesting!

TylerDeadPine wrote: Tue Apr 19, 2022 11:56 am Interesting!

Hahaha. I think that should be answered with a hearty "is it though?"

Dr Tony Balls wrote: Tue Apr 19, 2022 3:13 pm

TylerDeadPine wrote: Tue Apr 19, 2022 11:56 am Interesting!

Hahaha. I think that should be answered with a hearty "is it though?"

haha - I think this might be one of those "doesn't sell great but turns out to be a legitimately good instrument in it's own right you can get for cheap in a couple years". black bound thunderbird with ebony fretboard? kinda nice

well, kind of - binding looks a little wack, pickguard is undeniably "is it though?"

TylerDeadPine wrote: Tue Apr 19, 2022 3:21 pm

Dr Tony Balls wrote: Tue Apr 19, 2022 3:13 pm

TylerDeadPine wrote: Tue Apr 19, 2022 11:56 am Interesting!

Hahaha. I think that should be answered with a hearty "is it though?"

haha - I think this might be one of those "doesn't sell great but turns out to be a legitimately good instrument in it's own right you can get for cheap in a couple years". black bound thunderbird with ebony fretboard? kinda nice

well, kind of - binding looks a little wack, pickguard is undeniably "is it though?"

Is interesting in that T-Birds are not for me but other people make them sound good and it’s probably a neat bass.

Too bad about the ridiculous price and the Gene Simmons association.

ErikG wrote: Tue Apr 19, 2022 5:10 pm Too bad about the ridiculous price and the Gene Simmons association.

mAYBE THIS wiLL cHAnGE yOUR mIND

https://ampeg.com/support/files/Discont ... Manual.pdf

TylerDeadPine wrote: Tue Apr 19, 2022 5:35 pm

ErikG wrote: Tue Apr 19, 2022 5:10 pm Too bad about the ridiculous price and the Gene Simmons association.

mAYBE THIS wiLL cHAnGE yOUR mIND

https://ampeg.com/support/files/Discont ... Manual.pdf

What? A Country AND Funk “Popping” setting?

I stand corrected.

I would happily rock that bass. Can't wait till they're peanuts in a few years.

the pickguard is the only serious deal-breaker for me which at least that's an easy fix (& obviously the whackadoo Gibson pricing). The rest still looks like some plastic-y tactical tough-guy gear to me. I wouldn't expect the prices to come down much but if it ends up being a gateway into an affordable Thunderbird down the road for others then that's pretty cool I guess. IDK. Is this a thing that happens to Gibson stuff? I thought it all was pretty much all staying above like $2k. Christ and there's a LOT of KISS nerds out there at their peak lifetime earnings...

The Ampeg cabs that went with those Punisher heads were supposedly pretty good sounding but I cannot verify. 2x15 in a fridge cab. Those I'd be happy to try out as they're mostly free of the dopey graphics & what not.

Gene Simmons: Crap
Thunderbird bass: Not crap
Gene Simmons G2 Thunderbird Bass: Probably crap but mostly because it has his name on it.