How an industry Titan ripped off the BluGuitar AMP 1 

Yeah, he's a great dude. Very knowledgeable and super kind, too.

100% agreed! He's a great guy and brilliant, too.

What gear were you playing from them?

Bullshit

I had the Iridium for a few weeks and it's a GREAT amp. I really want to try the Mercury too. Only reason I don't still have it is because I had a bad case of option paralysis. It has so many great sounds you get stuck trying to have all of them at the same time and the amp just doesn't work like that. On the other hand, while I won't entertain the blackstar Amped 1/2, I did enjoy the HT Stage 100 that I demo'd on my channel. I think for a 3 channel tube amp with built in cabinet simulation that you can configure on your computer via a companion software app and run the amp without a cabinet for under $1000, there's really not much else on the market quite like it in that price range. The Mesa MK VII can do all of that but at a significantly higher cost.

Jonathan Here. My only experience with Blackstar is the HT-1M and I found it to be surprisingly great for such a small amp. I have yet to try any of Thomas' stuff, but it's on my to-do list.

What gear are you rocking?

Right?

@@ToneLoungePodcast I've always wanted a blu amp1 iridium as an emergency gig backup, probably time to get one I might (gasp) buy it new, just to support Thomas. It would be my 3rd or 4th time not buying used in 30 years 😂

Same here! :)

I'll third and fourth that.

Oh shit, this does change my view of Blackstar as a whole..

you can't patent a circuit Serkan, anyone can open a device , put the same components in the same order and sell it - my Klon clone is just that

@@frankcarter6427he can patent the product as intellectual property. The Amp X isn’t just circuits, it’s an amp, modeler, IR loader and multiFX board. There are heads that are similar, but as a pedalboard product, he has a claim. The problem is that patents can take a while to get and there’s no rule against another entity applying for the same patent which would either lock up or toss out the process. I went through this process years ago with a speaker design so I have a little insight into how the process works.

@@frankcarter6427You can copyright a circuit if it is a unique design! Just because there are clones out there doesn’t mean they aren’t breaching copyright, it just means in many cases the copyright owner doesn’t have the will or finances to litigate.

@@jasonlewis5350 then why didn't he?

@@frankcarter6427 because he's not interested in law suits, or even money. His full focus is on getting GREAT TONE.

Good point!

Yes, mainly latency. But this is very critical as it gives a huge difference in feel. After years of line6 in my living room, I bought a Delta King to indeed enjoy the directness of an analog Amp. Very noticeable with certain sound choices and styles of pkaying.

Sounds like you need both units ;)

Precisely! Portable and great sounding, with an appealing price point, is 100% something I'd love to rock.

If you love their products, then don't let that influence you. It's all business and these folks can sort things out amicably.

It seems to be a pretty successful product for them.

Have you contacted Thomas for a 1Control?

I think that Thomas is a very reflective person when it comes to the landscape of gear out there. He knows that other companies (including his former employer) are trying to compete with him in the very category he created. But he’s also aware (and this is just my subjective view on things) that his product is pretty superior in direct comparison, simply because he’s very demanding in the field process of development and doesn’t cut corners.

you can't patent a circuit and the copy isn't pretending to be a bluguitar product - tough, but he just has to deal with it.

Yeah, the BluGuitar stuff is a wise investment, and hold a great resale value.

Yeah, the Blackstar does not seem to hold up well against the Amp1, or other pedalboard amps we could mention.

He definitely is the most humble person ever!

Yes, it’s the power amp section they ripped off, specifically the output transformer.

no you didn't

There's a lot of great products out there. It's a great time to be a guitarist.

According to Thomas, inside this year finally!

Truly, it's not Behringer who finished off Moog, it's everyone who bought from them instead of Moog. I bought the XR18 mixer to use with my band and they claimed you could control it wirelessly with an iPad. The wireless encryption tech is like 20 years old, been cracked for a long time or it's open. Then they were rude when I asked why not a better wireless protocol and said well, you can add another wireless router. Don't buy from Behringer.

100% agreed!!!

Yip, had a Voyager, couldnt afford to keep it. Later got a Behringer Model D, but didn't like the build quality. Last year got a Grandmother and love it, especially with my modular. It's unfair that software has protections that circuits so not. And maybe partly why we have so much digital tech, cheaper to manufacture often too

​@@Scott__C It's true that Behringer wouldn't be able to do if there weren't customer willing to buy it up. But, then even so, I suspect the majority of Behringer customers aren't aware of their business practices, haven't thought it beyond what's affordable to them. As for me, had a Moog Voyager RME, but had to sell it because I needed the money. Later bought a Behringer Model D, sounded good, but hated the build quality compromises. Later, bought a Grandmother and love that. That's the sad thing about Moog, they were making their best instruments since the originial Minimoog, with the One, Matriarch & Grandmother. Now I hear they've discontinued the Moog One. Sad, but not good. I suppose soon we'll see Marshall, for example, doing the same with say the JCM800 reissues, maybe a little after they hike the prices by 1k.

We are super excited to see the AmpX coming as well! :)

@@ToneLoungePodcast Pardon if I missed it, but what are the thoughts on HK black spirit series from Blug's perspective, especially being a specialist for HK for years?

I am not sure what Thomas thinks, but it was very obvious when, as soon as Thomas was gaining traction with the Amp1, H&K suddenly had a huge interest in making a similar product line around high-wattage compact amps...but so did other manufacturers.

Jonathan Here! I never played any of the BluGuitar stuff but Frank has and tells me they are awesome.

100% part of the game, unfortunately.

Your money, your call.

Very true. Basing a product on something that already exists is alright, as long as it's not so close that it is almost a 1:1 copy.

Oh shit! How did they do that?

Maybe you are right. We shouldn't forget that guitar may morph into something different in the coming years, and we may see new innovations and designs that may be easier to copyright.

Despite the sarcasm, you have to keep in mind that Thomas dedicated years of research on his pedalboard amp, only for a more successful company to copy his work. Usually small companies copy the big ones, not the other way around.

@@ToneLoungePodcast Yeah and all early Marshall's are Fender amps. If they broke a copyright law then they should be held to account. If they didn't then Blug should have protected his design more.

That happens in every industry. Before the iPhone came out, all other phones were either flip phones or copies of Blackberry. After iPhone, pretty much all phones copied the iPhone. And they had patents. Heck, all computers are derived from Xerox had in the early 1970s but didn't want to market because they were making lots of money.

Fair point!

Awesome!

You'd have to re-watch the longer format of this podcast to get that answer.

If not patented then there's no chance.

Circuitry cannot be copyrighted. Naming and branding is a Trademark issue.

Behringer would be out of business then.

@@wabisabi7399 it can't be patented, it can only be copyrighted and blackstar aren't pretending it's a Bluguitar product - go on the internet, there's 1000s of green tube screamer clones - same circuit, similar case, different name, lower price - completely legal and good for the consumer

@@matthewf1979 yep - my Klon and tubescreamer copies are examples of just that

What is the Bluguitar or Blackstar ?

@@benallmark9671Blackstar

@@benallmark9671 Blackstar, ex-Marshall guys.

You did an A/B comparison between both?

Really? What, are you a lawyer or something? Or do you know more than Blackstar and Thomas about this?