So I post a couple Mutron clones on CL....

[Betty Wont]

...And an hour later I get this Email about my post:
"We seriously pursue those who clone our products and violate our trademarked intellectual property. Cease and desist the cloning of Z.Vex products and use of our name and names of our products. It's also disheartening you would do this to a local company.
--
Thomas Rehbein
Repairs Manager "

LOL. OK. So my listing is for a Mutron II and a Mutron III clone, and that is the only thing mentioned. No other pedals, or brands. So do these guys own Musitronics now? I looked them up, and they ARE a local company, (twin cities MN), but I don't see how I'm a competitor to them. I can't see that they even MAKE Mutron-like stuff.

[playpunk]

I would tell them to go pound salt.

[alanp]

Do ZVex now own the Mu-tron name?

[jimilee]

...And an hour later I get this Email about my post:
"We seriously pursue those who clone our products and violate our trademarked intellectual property. Cease and desist the cloning of Z.Vex products and use of our name and names of our products. It's also disheartening you would do this to a local company.
--
Thomas Rehbein
Repairs Manager "

LOL. OK. So my listing is for a Mutron II and a Mutron III clone, and that is the only thing mentioned. No other pedals, or brands. So do these guys own Musitronics now? I looked them up, and they ARE a local company, (twin cities MN), but I don't see how I'm a competitor to them. I can't see that they even MAKE Mutron-like stuff.

If they don't own or have anything to do with mutron, then yeah, they can go pound salt, it's none of their business what you do with your pedals.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Haberdasher]

maybe they thought you were selling mastotron clones?  wild-ass guess, I know...

[Rockhorst]

I hope you send them a polite e-mail back and they see the potential error of their ways. Depending on the details, their message may be the thing that is disheartening.

[flanagan0718]

I like how they act like they re-invented the wheel when it comes to fuzz faces. Also when did they acquire the Mu-Tron name...oh wait they didn't that's right too!

I guess I'm not one to talk...

[somnif]

Well according to linkedin, Mr. Rehbein does in fact work for Zvex.

But as far as I can tell Zvex has nothing to do with Mutronics or the newer iteration, Mu-fx (aka Beigel Technology Corporation). Perhaps you could put him in touch with Mike Beigel. As Mu-fx has not reissued exact copies of the old circuits, really no leg to stand on there either.

So, send him a very polite email to kindly sod off.

[kgull]

Only thing they can really copyright is the "artwork" of the board, i.e. the exact layout of the components, and the trademark. The circuit isn't really copyrightable. As long as you stay in the realm of fair use on the name (i.e. "this pedal is comparable to a Mutron" not "this pedal is a Mutron") and you didn't copy the original layout (betting you didn't) they don't really have a leg to stand on. They send that crap out to scare people and sadly, it tends to work a lot of the time.

Also, Zvex is about as "local" as Boss is these days.

Just scare tactics by greedy companies. Tell them to pound sand.

[dont-tase-me-bro]

Mike Beigel is the mutron guy - unless something changed, I don't think they are at all associated with z vex

[peAk]

Okay, I am confused.

Is it pound sand or pound salt?

[somnif]

Okay, I am confused.

Is it pound sand or pound salt?

Both are used, depending on your local vernacular. http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/go-pound-sand.html

[HamSandwich]

Can we get the play by play on this? Not a lot makes me happier than when big heads make dumb mistakes and get called out.

[AntKnee]

X2
If you do reply, I am curious to know what happens next.

[nzCdog]

Morbidly curious myself too