RIP Fulltone

[BoringPostcards]

Gotta love the corny boomer TGP types raging at GuitarCenter in the twitter comments.
They were going to spend tens of thousands of dollars!!!

[stevejamsecono]

And I'm gonna say something in support of Sweetwater, here. He gave to Mike Pence, the governor at the time. Recall about 10 years ago when Target found itself the subject of outrage for "donating to an anti lgbt group". In both cases, their donations were passed along from the entities they donated to. And in both cases, they gave (and give) to politicians on both sides of the aisle. It's pay to play, and this is standard practice for basically every company in America that makes a lot of money and has more than 50 employees or so. So if you want to boycott a company for that kind of wishy washy corruption-lite, by all means do. There's nothing wrong with that. Just do your research and be consistent.

But as someone who's supposedly on the losing end of these donations, here's what *I* find to be a meaningful metric for what a company's values actually are: Their HR policies and whom they actually hire. Sweetwater is in Indiana. You can't get much more "legally allowed to discriminate" than you can in Indiana. And Sweetwater is a conspicuously equal opportunity hirer in a sea of homo and transphobic racist white people. So give that some consideration, as well. His company may be one of the safest spaces in Ft. Wayne for minorities to work, and that's not something I'd be hasty to attack. From all accounts I've heard, he's an outstanding employer who provides excellent benefits, and I think we all know what they're like to do business again. I don't like that he plays the corporate favoritism game, but all things considered, I'm fine with overlooking it.

Can confirm here from firsthand experience. Obviously it's not a perfect situation but Sweetwater does a lot of good in Fort Wayne and has a great culture from what I've witnessed.

[somanytoys]

Dang it, I have his stereo tremolo and I don’t want to find an alternative. I have looked and it really fits the bill the best. Dang it.

I wouldn’t sell it. As for other products, just buy from the used market if it’s something that you really want.That’s money that was already spent to the manufacturer, and so the products have now been “laundered”, in my opinion. It doesn’t go to the manufacturer.

I don’t knowingly support asshole companies, but I’ve bought some pedals either directly or indirectly without knowing their political aspects. I don’t feel that I’m overly naive, but I really didn’t think that too many owners and companies would have right leaning tendencies or support them, since very often, with music being an art, a great many musicians are more left leaning, and people/companies should know their customer base.

I bought 2 of the Supatrem stereo tremolos and a Mas Malo pedal directly from Fulltone, and a JHS Colourbox from a dealer. I love them all and I’m keeping them, because they’re great pedals, and the money was already spent, however blindly it may have been at the time. Everybody has to learn, it doesn’t say in the product description that purchasing their product props up authoritarian regimes or discriminatory movements.

The advantage is that you can buy used, which hopefully is cheaper anyway (especially right now, I guess) and that funds the owner of the pedal with new money to spend somewhere else. Or, possibly buy something else that’s similar, if another company makes one good and similar enough, there are so many builders now.

There are ways around things, and as was posted above, tape can be your friend if it really becomes a sticking point.

[timtam]

Another one bites the dust ... Fender CS builder John Cruz ...
https://www.gearnews.com/has-fender-sac ... john-cruz/

[mackerelmint]

Ugh, I'd heard the name but he really looks like a dildo. Like the kind of guy who thinks Gene Simmons the person is a really cool dude.

Couldn't see the post in question, but I'm just gonna take the contents of the book on faith since the cover is lame as hell. Fuck that guy.

[somanytoys]

Gotta love the corny boomer TGP types raging at GuitarCenter in the twitter comments.
They were going to spend tens of thousands of dollars!!!

Luckily, I haven’t seen any of that, but that seems about right. So it seems like between the 2 schools of “political opinion”, some people will be propping up some companies on one side, and the others will be propping up the other companies.

I guess all builders are going to have to choose a side now, and put it out there as a statement, and plant their flag on a hill.

Interesting times.

[andy_tchp]

I guess all builders are going to have to choose a side now, and put it out there as a statement, and plant their flag on a hill.

Or they could just...not?

[somanytoys]

I guess all builders are going to have to choose a side now, and put it out there as a statement, and plant their flag on a hill.

Or they could just...not?

They could choose not to, but some people will take that how they want as well. The “if you’re not openly with us, you’re against us” mentality.

[stevejamsecono]

I guess all builders are going to have to choose a side now, and put it out there as a statement, and plant their flag on a hill.

Or they could just...not?

They could choose not to, but some people will take that how they want as well. The “if you’re not openly with us, you’re against us” mentality.

Maybe? I mean Boss is keeping quiet and I'm not wasting any thought worrying about them because of it. I think it's more just like... people can't just say shit and expect other people aren't going to hold them accountable for it. Like, that age of the internet is coming to a close for people who interact with others on a business level. Frankly, it's a great tool to have because otherwise (and granted, Fulltone is too small to have this issue) these massive companies basically just do whatever and interfere with government unimpeded, so having a tool that can swiftly bring their fortunes down on something embarrassing is essential, if you ask me.

[Telliot]

Another one bites the dust ... Fender CS builder John Cruz ...
https://www.gearnews.com/has-fender-sac ... john-cruz/

Good riddance.



Fucking asshole.

[MechaBulletBill]

what a bellend

[s_mcsleazy]

Another one bites the dust ... Fender CS builder John Cruz ...
https://www.gearnews.com/has-fender-sac ... john-cruz/

Good riddance.



Fucking asshole.

he looks like the stereotypical boomer that wanted to be a rock star and complains "kids nowadays need to stop listening to rap, it's not real music, all they talk about is guns and girls" while listening to ted nugent

[somanytoys]

Or they could just...not?

They could choose not to, but some people will take that how they want as well. The “if you’re not openly with us, you’re against us” mentality.

Maybe? I mean Boss is keeping quiet and I'm not wasting any thought worrying about them because of it. I think it's more just like... people can't just say shit and expect other people aren't going to hold them accountable for it. Like, that age of the internet is coming to a close for people who interact with others on a business level. Frankly, it's a great tool to have because otherwise (and granted, Fulltone is too small to have this issue) these massive companies basically just do whatever and interfere with government unimpeded, so having a tool that can swiftly bring their fortunes down on something embarrassing is essential, if you ask me.

I’m pretty sure that Boss US is owned by the Japanese parent company, and they may decide not to take a stance on a primarily American issue, though it seems to have gone global.

It was all just speculation based on what we’ve read on this thread, what’s been posted in other forums by musicians (on both sides of the issue) and lots of other places on the web, as well as the companies of all stripes that are rushing to put some kind of statement out there.

Some are not, and that’s their business. Whether that will be good or bad, time will tell.

[OffYourFace]

yeah I have a friend in Japan. Culturally, they're very non-confrontational... according to him and he is Japanese.

[UlricvonCatalyst]

They could choose not to, but some people will take that how they want as well. The “if you’re not openly with us, you’re against us” mentality.

Maybe? I mean Boss is keeping quiet and I'm not wasting any thought worrying about them because of it. I think it's more just like... people can't just say shit and expect other people aren't going to hold them accountable for it. Like, that age of the internet is coming to a close for people who interact with others on a business level. Frankly, it's a great tool to have because otherwise (and granted, Fulltone is too small to have this issue) these massive companies basically just do whatever and interfere with government unimpeded, so having a tool that can swiftly bring their fortunes down on something embarrassing is essential, if you ask me.

I’m pretty sure that Boss US is owned by the Japanese parent company, and they may decide not to take a stance on a primarily American issue, though it seems to have gone global.

It was all just speculation based on what we’ve read on this thread, what’s been posted in other forums by musicians (on both sides of the issue) and lots of other places on the web, as well as the companies of all stripes that are rushing to put some kind of statement out there.

Some are not, and that’s their business. Whether that will be good or bad, time will tell.

Maybe the difference is that Boss pretty much exclusively mass-produces utilitarian products at a generally affordable price point, as opposed to all those 'boutique' builders whose products are perceived as being very, very special, partly as a rationalisation for their hefty price tickets.

Those 'special' pedal suppliers may feel more inclined to justify themselves at this time.