VFE has canceled his authorized builder program

xefned

xefned

Well-known member
Peter of VonRutter Family Effects (VFE) wrote to me through Reverb to clarify how his files may be used.

Short version: you may not sell pedals of his design “as a for-profit entity.”
Those of you who bought DIY files (or the full Motherlode) from VFE might find this information useful.

Notes from Peter:
  • The authorized builder program has recently been canceled.
  • That doesn't mean individuals can't build and sell his designs; it just means that you cannot do so as a commercial (for profit) entity.
  • You can't advertise that you do custom builds of a VFE Pedal.
  • You can't list them on your own website.
  • Peter never authorized other builders to use the graphics. (In most cases, he purchased a license to use and modify someone else's artwork for commercial use. That license does not extend to third parties. Even if it did…)
  • Your graphic must be visually different from Peter's—whether built commercially or not. That way customers don't get confused about who built the pedal.
You may think this post is unnecessary to anyone who can read, but it all came as a complete surprise to me.
I broke nearly every rule above, and I was an authorized builder. (To be fair, I was only an authorized builder for 2 months. I planned to re-enroll once I got the kinks worked out.)

As a result, I cleared out the Woodchipper I had for sale on Reverb.
I'm not stirring up trouble. I hope some of you find this useful.
 
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I understand why VFE would not want someone selling pedals that might be misunderstood as being "authorized by VFE", "official VFE", or guaranteed by VFE builds or something like that. But I thought there was no restriction selling a pedal that used the VFE PCB so long as it was clear that VFE was otherwise not involved or responsible for the product.

I don't see how he could stop someone from selling pedals they built so long as they are not misrepresenting the pedal as being made by VFE even if you disclose that you are building it using a VFE board or a VFE circuit that you made from a file that was purchased from VFE. I never understood that the concept of whether someone was a recognized "authorized" seller was tied to having "authorization" to build and sell peals with those boards.
 
I saw those come up for sale and went to the vfe site to see if he had listed any authorized builders yet and that whole section was gone. I was curious what had changed.

The rules all made sense to me but I guess it was a 'read the fine print' type situation that wasn't gonna work for everyone.
 
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xefned said:
You may think this post is unnecessary to anyone who can read, but it all came as a complete surprise to me.
I broke nearly every rule above, and I was an authorized builder.
Click to expand...

Are you saying that you weren't permitted to sell them as a commercial entity / on your own website before the authorized builder program was cancelled? If not, what was the point of the authorized builder program?

What happens to the folks who invested money building up a bunch of stock with the sole intention of selling them as an authorized builder?
 
Robert said:
What happens to the folks who invested money building up a bunch of stock with the sole intention of selling them as an authorized builder?
Click to expand...

I bought enough parts to build 5, hoping to recoup the costs of mislabeled enclosures, resulting from an error in the official VFE documentation in the motherlode package. (The top row of knobs swapped positions from the previous version to the “SPS” version and was mislabeled in the VFE documentation.)

So that's Tayda UV printing + drilling + enclosure cost + gloss layer x2. (~$30 down the drain.)

What happens? I dunno. I guess I sell them as complete parts kits to fellow DIYers.

Re: mislabeled knobs. I warned everyone who got a Woodchipper PCB from me about the issue, and mentioned it in this fine forum. Peter eventually acknowledged the error, and corrected his build documentation. So the folks who downloaded the files after August 2023 have accurate build docs. If, like me, you got them in 2022, swap thusly...

1713184309507.png


Now I've devolved into bitching. Sorry.
 
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Harry Klippton said:
The frequency with which he changes direction is dizzying to say the least.
Click to expand...

I can't help but wonder if the timing of this along with the re-release of "official" builds is more than coincidence.

VFE Pedals | Reverb

Shop VFE Pedals on Reverb
reverb.com reverb.com

I mean no offense to Peter whatsoever, I didn't read the fine print (or the bold print either), but I kind of thought that was the whole point of the authorized builder program.

Why would anyone pay for permission to build a clone with a completely different name that they can't sell commercially? What were you paying for? Permission to use a DIY project (that you also paid for) for DIY purposes, and the ability to later sell it as a used pedal on the Facebook marketplace? That's... confusing.

If they can't be sold as a VFE pedal, and they can't be sold by a for-profit entity, how were they referenced on the Authorized Builder Portal? "Hey, check out these completely unrelated pedals for sale at a loss built by this not-for-profit hobbyist!"?

If I come across as bashing that's not my intent, I'm genuinely curious/confused. I never quite understood how this program was going to work, and I'm even more confused now.
 
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Robert said:
Are you saying that you weren't permitted to sell them as a commercial entity / on your own website before the authorized builder program was cancelled? If not, what was the point of the authorized builder program?
Click to expand...

I think he *just ended* the program on the night he wrote me through Reverb.
I initially took my listing down. Then he listed a woodchipper for sale about 5 hours later.

I wrote to the only other seller on Reverb with a DIY Woodchipper for sale, and he was not aware that the program had ended.
 
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So I just want to Confirm, he was all done with it & now he's doing it again???
I never bothered with the stuff with all the Pot Specs!!!
I have purchased a lot of Pedals, he never made the list!
 
Robert said:
Why would anyone pay for permission to build a clone with a completely different name that they can't sell commercially? What were you paying for? Permission to use a DIY project (that you also paid for) for DIY purposes, and the ability to later sell it as a used pedal on the Facebook marketplace? That's... confusing.

If they can't be sold as a VFE pedal, and they can't be sold by a for-profit entity, how were they referenced on the Authorized Builder Portal? "Hey, check out these completely unrelated pedals for sale at a loss built by this not-for-profit hobbyist!"?
Click to expand...

I know, right? I may be a dumbo by not reading fine print, but when I saw the phrase “commercial license,” I assumed that meant it was OK to list them on my website, and even advertise that I build VFE pedals.

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Also, I'm a complete hobbyist. I've only sold 2 pedals ever on my website, and neither were VFE designs.
 
From another thread:

cwsquared said:
I emailed Peter yesterday about what we can do with "extras" from our personal fabrication runs. I just got a response:

You are free to do whatever you like with the extras, even selling them for a profit. The only thing you can't do is set up a shop where you have VFE PCBs for sale perpetually.
Click to expand...

I wonder if this is going to get shot down as well? 🤔
 
xefned said:
I know, right? I may be a dumbo by not reading fine print, but when I saw the phrase “commercial license,” I assumed that meant it was OK to list them on my website, and even advertise that I build VFE pedals.
Click to expand...

I suppose the catch here is that the program has been cancelled, effective immediately, without notice.

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