What Happened with the Axis Wah?
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- Опубліковано 5 січ 2020
- We would like to thank Zapata for his transparency in this video and for being so supportive of Vertex and our team! If you have have not heard about the Axis Wah, here is a run down of what happened:
In 2014, Vertex Effects released the Axis Wah, a modded BBE wah that was made overseas. The origin of the pedal was not disclosed, creating a lot of controversy surrounding Vertex and Mason. The pedal was sold for a significantly larger amount than the BBE wah. After news was out about the Axis Wah, Mason came clean about the dishonesty that took place; you can read his statement here: www.thegearpage.net/board/ind...
However, every customer and dealership that ever owned an Axis Wah was provided a full refund, rebate, or exchange according to their desired restitution. In fact, we still leave the door open to any owner of the product that was previously unaware of refund options and keep a public record of all Axis Wah refunds on our website for anyone to view since 2014: www.vertexeffects.com/redemption .
The Axis Wah is not representative of our company values and the products we make. We've worked tirelessly to make a new impression and continue to maintain a high standard of quality and customer service with transparency around each product and its origins. All we can do is release the best sounding products possible and give our customers the best possible quality and support in hopes that with time we'll earn back their trust.
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On our livestream with Zapata, one of you asked about the Axis Wah. In 2014, Vertex sold a modded BBE Wah, keeping the pedal's origins undisclosed. Vertex, Mason, and
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Even with his initial description here he is trying to make it sound like he just wasn’t upfront about the original source of the pedal he was “modding”. Let’s be clear, all he did was change a pot, change the cosmetics and then goop everything inside. All of which are to coverup the evidence that it wasn’t a unique product he was making himself as he described and sold it as for years for twice the street price of the stock BBE wah. This isn’t the same as someone like Keeley who was heavily modding Blues Drivers by swapping a dozen discrete components, adding switches and functions, etc...and never covering up the fact but instead accurately marketing them as modified products. This guy didn’t sell a couple of wahs like this, realize the error of his ways and immediately make it right. He sold dozens and dozens and dozens for years all the whole charging double to change a pot and hide his deception. And then when he was caught dead to rights he continued to lie. Why would anyone believe anything this guy has to say?!
Dang, Mason! Way to be straight up honest and transparent. Watching you own what happened and make it right made me a fan of Vertex and is what got me interested in your company to begin with. I saw someone talking smack online and was like “what’s the deal?” I saw your response and was like “Let me see more.” I was one of the early subscribers to your new show and I know have the Boost and Dynamic Distortion on my board, with a steel string and Ultraphonix on their way. :) Keep it up! I just moved from the Bay Area to Maine, and I’m a little bummed I never got the chance to meet you in person! Maybe sometime in the future.
I'm sorry, if it were JUST the fact that 90% of the wahs were merely relabeled (very few that anyone found with changed pots or transistors) that might be one thing. But after that hit the fan, there was the cable that was supposed to be custom made for Vertex, and turned out to be over the counter (Belden?). There was the boost that supposedly allowed you to use a CV pedal that then wasn't in the circuit (it was, just an in/out loop like every other one out there except the Moog), and the volume pedal (which was just a plain Boss pedal with the label removed and goop and the tuner out disabled). And the SSS, which is a mu-amp designed by Jack Orman of AMZ Effects, lightly modded NOT some new thing arrived at after playing a Dumble extensively. The lies and 1/2 truths haven't really ended.
Are these facts? @vertexeffects is there truth to any of these claims?
@@0megalul309 Shouldn't be a big problem to add a tone control, either big muff or regular treble style control. Both increase the output impedance a little but it should still be a good buffer. I'm not sure how one would add an input gain control without needing an extra transistor or op-amp.
It’s amazing how time changes people’s attitudes on these matters. When the freekish blues thing went down, followed by this, it was a MASSIVE controversy. I mean, we’re talking the watergate of the guitar gear community. People digging in on the gear page “well if you lied about this and this, you lied about that?”....”yup, that was a lie, too” 😮 *everyone faints*
It’s really difficult to overstate the magnitude of this “scandal”. But it really goes to show. Even with stuff like all the “cancellations” happening today, people really do have short memories. Customer bases come and go...hobbyists move on...new ones are born...(the pros like me are the only doofuses who stick around apparently)...people forget and the controversy fades with time. I’m sure there are a few OG internet guitar geeks like me who remember this, though. There HAVE to be. Rebranding was the “tonewood” of the effects world in terms of the battles fought.
Having your mistakes in front of the public and dealing with all of that fallout is hard, but working to restore your reputation and re-building from less than the ground up is harder. Much respect for your honesty and character. That speaks louder. My Steel String comes in this week and I can't wait to play it. Appreciate you, brother.
🙏🙏🙏 Thanks for watching and thank you for the perspective. Enjoy the Steel String!
Much respect to you my man!!! I've made mistakes and had to come clean and own up to it. The way you have handled this is exemplary. Thanks for sticking around, for not calling it quits, and for continuing to make these amazing pedals. My pedalboard would not be complete without my SS and looking forward to getting my ultraphonix hopefully tomorrow.
I appreciate that. Thank you for watching and the support!
Almost to the point where I will refuse to support anything Zapata is involved in going forward, just like I will never own or support Vertex because of Mason's ongoing sociopathic tendencies.
What are some examples of ongoing sociopathic tendencies?
Well, if you watch the original video of him selling this pedal, he is not coming clean.
ua-cam.com/video/FGZMo9MOM64/v-deo.html
@@andrewcrouse8840 Mason resold those rebranded BBE Wahs labeled "Vertex" on Ebay. The ones he refunded customers
for. He flipped his own returns. I bought one out of sheer curiousity, and when it arrived there was postage due because
he tried to shove a Wah box in a USPS Priority Mail Padded Flat Rate Envelope. Trouble is he had to use 2 of those envelopes
taped together to do so, but he only paid for the rate of one envelope. That little episode told me all I need to know about
Mason and whether or not he learned his lesson. He will short anyone and everyone --- even in little ways. It's in his nature. He probably can't help it. :)
Everyone messes up. Everyone deserves second chances. Good on you for addressing it. You deserve grace just like anyone else.
Holding yourself accountable and owning your mistakes is one of the best things a person can do especially to those that feel wronged by your actions. Props to Mason and Zapata for sharing their mistakes. We all have done dumb stuff.
I'm so glad you answered that question. I remember that and was not happy about it when it happened. The music industry is full of people trying to pull one over on someone else, just check craigslist 😬😆. Since watching your UA-cam channel I have had my opinion of you and that situation change. While UA-cam definitely promotes your brand, you are willingly giving away trade secrets in terms of pedal board building. You do it in a way that is not a promotion for your products, or having people on to brand drop their product. You simply give money saving ideas and professional techniques for working musicians. I thank you for that. At this point I will buy your products. I would be happy to know you and call you a friend. I know that sounds weird being the internet, but if our paths crossed is what I'm getting at. 😁
As a giant scumbag and majorly dishonest person myself, I can't judge you lol
Great upload! This really shows your humility and it's cool to hear that you went ahead and fixed your mistakes with the refunds. Good job to the both of you and thanks for the videos!
I'm searching for one of these wah pedals. Want to get one before the value skyrockets.
Thanks for the honesty. Im not an angel either, but when I screw up I own it! Glad to say I have one of your pedals.
As someone who watched this whole thing go down in real time, I feel that this is the best possible example of someone who made a mistake, owned up to it, made good on it, and has since contributed a whole lot to our collective knowledge of effects and rigs and acted with integrity ever since. I have a feeling he learned hard lessons and I have a ton of respect for Mason.
Thank you for your comment and reflection in this matter Mike! I appreciate your consideration.
It's hard to lose a bad reputation but I'm glad that you came clean about it, guaranteed refunds to everyone who wanted one, and moved on to create some truly great sounding pedals, because it really does seem to be your calling.
Any way you look at it, that was a scumbag move. Do I sound bitter? Yup. Why? Because I got burned by VERTEX.
Hi Gee! We don't refute that or our part and responsibility in the sale and marketing of this product. You may or may not be aware of our restitution options for anyone that purchased this product unknowingly of what it was and provide full refunds, rebates, exchanges, credits, or the difference between the Axis Wah and the Barcus Berry Wah in the event that you want to keep the pedal. Just email our customer service team (info@vertexeffects.com) with the serial number of your Wah and your receipt (or we can contact the dealer you bought it from on your behalf if you know who you got it from) and we can get the ball rolling on whatever restitution option you desire. We keep a space on our site dedicated to this and tracking all the Axis Wah redemptions and have since 2014 with this first happened: www.vertexeffects.com/redemption
Been hearing a lot of demos. But it is the sound in this video that made me buy a Nyle compressor.
Respect, Mason. You're an example of professionalism, decency and talent. I admired your work before but after just learning about this happening and the path you chose to take I've come to respect you as a person. Best of luck in your endeavours and I'll surely keep being a happy Vertex buyer, user and supporter. Leo
Thank you Leo for your support! Hope to continue to see you around on the channel!
Good on you Mason. That took balls to tell the story.
On another note, I purchased the Steel String pedal being delivered any day now. Can’t wait
Mason, I continue to find more respect for you. I don't think either of you needed to own up for mistakes of the past, today. Still, it makes a difference in the world where we all make mistakes. Thanks to both of you today.
What's hilarious about these wah's now is they're probably worth 3x what they were then & in the future will be worth 10x what they were.
Much respect, Mason! EVERYONE makes mistakes and deserve a second chance. You manned up and did the right thing. Again, much respect !
My brother, the Vertex Boost is an incredible product and it’ll probably stay on my board forever. What you did/did not do will not change my mind.
Salute for the courage in saying the truth, you are double or more than the man you were back then. Keep making good content. Cheers!
P.S. are the Steel stringer still on discounted price and free shipping?
Real winner there on the right 😬
Zapata?
@@VertexEffectsInc why is he drunk driving 🤪🍺
really appreciate the honest self-reflection - it's a virtue that's in short supply these days
You did the right thing to address this. People really need to move on.
Mason, love you my bro! 👍🏼🎸
Michael Angel 🙏🙏🙏 let’s hang soon!
Everyone’s human 🙏
Everyone is human. I still say the ultra phonix and the steel string supreme are some of the best pedals around. I have a gladio that doesnt do what the ultra phonix does but together they are beautiful
Hey Mason, love your honesty bro, you owned up to a mistake, we all make them and I have to say I have more respect for you and your products. I recently purchased my first vertex pedal “steel string” and I have to say it’s one of the best investments I’ve made when it comes to guitar pedals. You have both my respect and my business! God Bless
My first question ..can I get an Axis Wah,i think it could be a great investment...when I was young there was alot of guitars looked like strats teles les paul..they all had different names on them..now i'm old there is still alot of guitars around that look like strats teles and les pauls..with different names on them...some are highly covetted and expensive..I think this is blown out of proportion..if the instrument works and is desirable who cares who's name is on it..again if your unhappy I will buy the wah.
I'm sure you could find one on Reverb or eBay.
@@VertexEffectsInc Yes one on reverb cool ,i hope you don't mind,I am going to inquire,I don't really see what the issue is i think someday this pedal will be sought after if not already,I like your work love the ultra phonix..head up ol boy.
Props Mason...
Hello vertex hello Mason keep doing what you are doing bro
Thank you, I will
I love that you guys are still around and making great pedals.... And that all the trolls (everyone) on The Gear Page forum can't stand that you guys are still successful despite whatever happened. Kudos to you guys!
Thanks for the support and confidence! I suspect there was no outcome that would be satisfactory from some of The Gear Page crowd no matter what happened.
Lol masons face as his guest talks about how he could’ve killed a child while intoxicated 😂
Dude. I made a comment on group I just got added to on Facebook. I saw an Eric Johnson sweetwater rig video and suggested that he needed your expertise URGENTLY. LOL. And some guy mentioned this issue. I saw this video. You sir are a gentleman and making mistakes I's life. If you ain't making mistakes you ain't trying hard enough. Nuff RESPEK.
I had heard there was a big thing of sorts and mason had squared it all up . That was it ? Id jus kept it . Oh hell, lol movin on .
Old news. Let's move on.
Didn't Howard Dumble start out modifying fender bassman amps and selling them for ten times the amount? I kinda don't see the difference, that's how most pedal makers start out right? Maybe im missing something..
I think the obvious difference in the two situations is that Dumble didn't try to obscure what it was (at least to my knowledge). Dumble modded Fender amps, still looked like Fender's. In retrospect, if I'd just been straight about it, it would have saved a whole lot of headache for everyone.
@@VertexEffectsIncAh, I see.. in retrospect we all would have done a lot of things different I'm sure. I've had several tough lessons. I'm not the same person I was 5 years ago. You still do a great job and build beautiful pedal boards. It's a skill only few have. And as far as haters go.. You live in Cali, build sick ass pedal boards for pros, get to chill will Zeek and have a great support system. So screw 'em, Point is you owned it. Live and learn! Hope to work with you someday.
Mason, you're a brilliant technician and a stand-up guy!
Dear Mason, unfortunately there are people who cannot see anyone’s success. The only thing for what people can complain about you - is the fact that you did not say anything about your mods on this wah pedal. My respect and support goes to you! Just keep going!
P. s. I am shocked about JB’s statement… such a shame!🤦🏻♂️
Thanks for the support!
Since the issue in discussion, Mason has made right.
JHS, Keeley, and a few others have professionally modded people's units and even sold units for a marked up price. This is no different, in my opinion.
I think the lesson here is that transparency is key to the people of the world. Keep on pushing through Mason 🤙
I don’t’ hate Vertex, but to compare the Axis scandal with the likes of Keeley is a complete joke on so many levels and an insult to Robert Keeley.
@@thesphericalguy9018 I would appreciate it if you read the whole comment and actually understood it before responding with a blind defending eye to interpretation of why I said what I said.
WHAT I've said was, for a time, Keeley had straight up been selling boss units that he modded, but he wasn't rehousing them or calling it his own. The act of modding and reselling on Mason's part is no different. The ISSUE (here's the part where you actually read) was that he'd branded it his own and wasn't honest about it when there were accusations -at first. He came clean about it and made right. Transparency, that's what I'm talking about. Had he been marketing the wah as a modded BBE and not his own, it would have been no different than Keeley, JHS, and any other pedal modding company on the market.
@@RobertNolan The way you present this is void of any nuance and is only valid if you look at the world in black or white. Mason's "modifications" where basically cosmetic only and goop was used to hide this, nothing really professional about it. Keeley did actual circuit mods, open for anyone to trace, and his prices IIRC where very reasonable. Do actually think people would've bought an Axis wah for that price if Mason was truthful about the "mods" done? The answer is NO. So for you to sit there and say that Mason and Keeley basically did the same thing (except for the blatant lying) is, in my opinion, an insult to Keeley. There is absolutely no excuse to anything Mason did back then. Not the wah, nor the rebranded cables, nor the cable plugs "produced in the EU for Vertex", nor passing off a board built by LA Sound Design as his own work.
If you only had an inkling as to how wrong you are.
@@davidjonpeckinpaugh9295 Who are you talking to?
The gear page is very tribal. If they say a turd is good, then it is!
Deadbeat Audio is doing a similar thing with little objection but people would rather harass someone who’s addressed this ad nauseam. Smh do better guys.
Class act. I would have been annoyed if someone asked me about a past mistake I made that I have already apologized for and made amends to. But Mason has handled and is continuing to handle his mistake very well.
I didn't get fucked over with the Axis wah so I don't care bout that. Matter of fact Mason has personally answered my gear questions in DM,s I've sent to him. That's a pretty cool thing for the owner of a company to do. Until (if) he fucks me around idgaf what he did in the past. I did some dirt in my past too. I understand if people don't and won't support Mason and Vertex, I really do. Do you then haters. Nobody's forcing you to buy Vertex pedals. But there's a hell of a lot of people that will and that's the only ones you should worry about Vertex. Fuck the haters. You're still making money and producing great pedals. Maybe someone else's designs still for all I know, but idc as long as you give me great customer service with that shit. I owe no company or pedal business anything. I'll buy chinese copies, direct clones, rip offs, if the price is right. I'll do me and the rest of you can do you and be all "ethical" and shit. Keep on doing you too Mason. Vertex = winning
People will always try to pull down others who are doing better than themselves. Everyone makes mistakes. If it’s a continuous pattern then I see a problem but addressing one mistake and trying to make it right is all anyone could ask for. This is a very hard business to be successful in. I applaud Mason for being a man of integrity and facing his mistake head on and taking steps to make it right. Doing the right thing is sometimes harder. Mason has more than redeemed himself.
Didn’t JHS start his career by tweaking already existing pedals-change a few parts and charge double what they normally cost? 160$-for a JHS modded BOSS TR-2 which is normally 50-70$ and no one says anything........I’m failing to see the major error as this has been done a million times. Also at this point isn’t any circuit a clone of a older circuit in some way shape or form? Also-if the wah sounds good regardless of where and what it is-what’s the problem here? I like your pedals and your channel. Keep the good work coming man.
Drew, I think it was one of those situations where the "cover up" was bigger than the crime. My attempt to obfuscate the reality of the pedal being re-branded with a few parts changes when it was evident and obvious was the real problem. If my approach was to be candid about what it was without any attempt to deny or undermine what the pedal was I think the fallout would have been substantially mitigated, but rather, doubling down as I did, make it difficult to backpedal what my intentions were in ever releasing the product. In any case, I appreciate you watching and your feedback on this matter.
@@ryans9029 hahaha you don’t need to question any motives, I don’t know you, or care what you think about it
an opinion is an opinion.
Just like you think That a sticker-justifies overcharging for a few swapped electronics on a baseline priced pedal
Sorry-agree to disagree
As I’ve said and will continue to say-if it sounds good, then what’s the problem?
At the end of the day I have pedal clones I’ve paid 1/4 of what major companies charge.
Plus at this point every pedal is “inspired by” a already existing circuit
As a question of ethics?-that’s a entirely different topic
Thanks for the opinion I didn’t ask for
I see where your coming from to a point
Just don’t agree
Anyway , Take care
H8Rs gonna hate...Splat! Move on!
Still people cant let go!?!?!?! Move on!
People who hating on mason about steel string nux clone and the audacity of him calling out this companies u need to watch this. It's better to support a small company for a larger price than buying from unknown large empire making oem products.
Thanks for the feedback!
Sure sounds like you're backpedaling significantly from your earlier apology. You make it sound like a marketing error. And there's these ongoing issues ...
Passing off LA Sound Designs boards as your own. The whole Joe B pedalboard thing. Claiming known guitarists as endorsers when they weren't. Selling store-bought cables as your own design. Didn't you claim to be a degreed EE?
The Axis Wah thing is just the tip of the iceberg.
I'd love to try the Ultraphonix pedal. But until you can clear up or own up to all the continuing 'honesty' issues, I won't touch one.
I guess my question to you is "backpedaling" relative to what? My "Coming Clean" statement? I say pretty clearly that this is an abbreviated summary to contextualize the question posed by the viewer and I also post links to the original The Gear Page statement in the description for any unknowing viewer to learn more on their own or compare the summary I'd give to a more detailed written overview with spirited commentary from The Gear Page members. If the intent were to whitewash my responsibility or dilute what I'd done, as you suggest, why bother sending a viewer wanting to know more right to The Gear Page, presumably a place where I'd have the least charitable read on my behavior? Also, that same link fully names my culpability with the Belden 9778 guitar cables and any of my educational credentials brought up in your comment . I'll post again here in case you missed it: www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads%2Faxis-wah-announcement-coming-clean.1477492%2F
As a consequence of the Axis Wah, and having lied and been caught, it exposes me to other accusations of wrongdoing without the requisite of evidence (other than anecdotal) by the accuser or presumption of innocence in the court of public opinion - e.g. your “tip of the iceberg” comment. The inertia, generated by me having lied, provides so much top spin, it makes it pretty easy to get agreement and consensus on any claim from casual viewers no matter how detached that claim is from reality. It makes it almost impossible for me to chase down every claim of impropriety, or attempt to disprove it as any claim that parallels the narrative of the Axis Wah is presumed to be true with almost zero friction. Often engaging in these conversations and bringing the factual context and evidence on these topics to mediums like The Gear Page end up being 1 against 20, 50, or 100. The loudest voice wins, and whatever the prevailing opinion is becomes the new truth - guided by emotions, not by a careful evaluation of what can actually be proven factually.
The LA Sound Design claim you bring up I think is worth examining. It is true that upon leaving college at 22 years old, and wanting to pursue music as a part time or full-time career, I paid LA Sound Design to put together a rig - this was about 15 year ago. However, there were complications that couldn’t be remediated, which ultimately led me to make my own pedalboard from the ground up within months of receiving it. I did re-use, shorten, or completely remake some of the patch and power cables that came with the original board. I also re-used the A&S Case Company pedalboard surface and laminated plywood risers that the original board came with (which were widely used from Bradshaw at CAE to Friedman at Racksystems as a pedalboard surface and riser standard). This, however, isn’t the same as taking a newly built pedalboard from another builder, photographing it, and then using it on my website as an example of my work as has been implied.
Nevertheless, for now, let's just presume for the moment that everything that’s been said about repurposing a LASD pedalboard to promote my business and pass it off as my own is all true. Presuming this is true, why then wait for Axis Wah to report this damning information years after the initial instance had supposedly happened (about 8 years had passed by that point before I ever saw anything publicized to this end)? LA Sound Design was pretty much the high water mark since the early 2000's for rig builders with an "All Star" client list with plenty of influential customers on The Gear Page, and other forums. If I was starting a business in the embryonic stages on the back of his work, why not just nip it in the bud and post something about it then? A small rig builder with zero influence versus a respected rig builder - one word from him would have pretty much been game over on any gear forum. Secondly, even if the supposed depiction of LA Sound Design's work as my own brought a customer in the door, wouldn't I then have the burden to deliver work of equal quality to a legendary builder? Or, at least to the degree that it could be visually qualified by that customer? According to LA Sound Design, I was incapable of this and had no skills, and if so, how could this have been a functional business?
The claim is essentially saying that I knew nothing about building rigs or doing assembly prior to having owned a LA Sound Design pedalboard, and simply by owning the rig and depicting it on my website (as claimed), I was then bestowed with a magical ability to be able to solder cables, route neat cable looms, build custom interface/buffer boxes, and attract hobbyist, professional guitar players, and recording artists to hire my services. That just doesn’t add up.
If I weren’t delivering high quality work, why would many of the high profile guitar players that I attracted and worked with for many years continue to use my services, year after year, if the quality and execution was poor, or I didn't know what I was doing? Most of these higher profile guys were all ex-CAE/Bradshaw clients that had already experienced his gold standard. By the time they got to me, they had super high expectations for workmanship and quality. Even following the Axis Wah, none of these guys, to my knowledge, came forward with workmanship issues, quality issues, or anything to do with my rig builds for them. Except one: Joe Bonamassa - as you noted.
Joe commissioned me to build him a pedalboard after seeing the rigs I’d built for Josh Smith and Kirk Fletcher during a New Year’s Day gathering in 2014 (approximately 9 months before the Axis Wah “Coming Clean” post mentioned in the first paragraph). The real issue, as I understand it, began with a discrepancy around the billing after the rig was completed and delivered to Joe. Regrettably, I did not have a discussion of costs with Joe prior to us delivering the rig which could have prevented this. After the pedalboard was delivered to Joe with an invoice, the billing was above Joe’s expectations, and created upset as a result (we charged the same rate for Joe as we charged any other customer at the time including Josh Smith and Kirk Fletcher who were my introduction to Joe). A few days later, this invoiced figure was negotiated down to a rate that was amicable to Joe based on his expectations.
Then in September, the Axis Wah controversy came to a head, at which point Joe had come forward on his website forum about his experience with me building his pedalboard. Joe explained that the rig didn’t sound right, that he had issues with noise, and the rig had to be taken to another rig builder to remedy the issue. He also continued to say that the cost was above market rate for the work, and cautioned against anyone considering my products or services.
I was more embarrassed than anyone to read Joe’s statement. The last thing any rig builder would want is to upset or send a faulty product to one of the most influential guitar superstars in the world. Although I have no doubts of the sincerity of Joe’s statement, what would I have to gain by sending him something that wasn’t up to par? I will be the first to admit, as I’d imagine is the same with any rig builder, that no matter how good you are, no builder will bat 1.000 on every rig. However, we all have testing procedures in place to catch every possible issue prior to shipping a rig to a customer. At the time Joe’s rig was going through a Marshall Jubilee as his main amp, and we used the closest amp we had to test with for sound and fidelity (Marshall JCM2000), and communicated closely with Joe as we went through the build sending texts updates to show the progress of the rig, to get him as close to being in the room with the rig prior to receiving it.
Nevertheless, what Joe received was not to his expectations. As rig builders, that is our responsibility to each and every customer to deliver a bulletproof rig that functions perfectly. However, our ability to be able to take corrective action for a customer (Joe or otherwise) and resolve an issue is only possible when the customer communicates with us about a problem - and, over the months that Joe had the rig in his possession, we didn’t hear anything from him regarding the rig not meeting expectations. The only problem communicated to us was at the point Joe received the pedalboard, where he communicated that our rates were higher than his expectations.
I wish it had gone down differently and had a chance to remedy this for Joe over the course of the months he had the rig prior to making his public address. Understandably, the timing of this coinciding with the Axis Wah, plus feeling overcharged from our initial work together, certainly wasn’t a recipe to bring Joe back to the table after the fact. It was a business deal that didn’t go to plan, that I wish I could’ve changed.
Outside of this, there is no evidence that I was delivering anything less than satisfactory to my customers in terms of rig builds and quality. Many of my long-time, notable professional clients had multiple rigs built by me over the course of 7-8 years, all of whom spoke highly of my work and professionalism and provided all my highest profile client referrals. Painting Joe Bonamassa as the rule, rather than the exception, is just not reflective of the facts.
Lastly, the Ultraphonix is a great pedal, if you want the D*style overdrive in a compact format, it does it really well through most clean amps. However, there are others out there that are also great. Rockett, Mad Professor, and the Gladio pedals all have stellar reputations, and I'm sure between them you’ll find something that will get you in the ODS zone tone-wise. I hope one of those pedals work out for you :)
Sure glossed over the EE question in your reply Mason.
@@PartyChicken407 doesn't really seem like he glossed over anything there imo