ilovefuzz.com

As many of you know, Devi Ever the person, is working on re-entering the gear industry in the only way she knows how, with much drama and some manipulative lying thrown in for good measure.

We have not been abusive or vindictive. We have simply stuck to the contract agreement that we made when we bought Devi Ever FX in 2013. We have always paid her on time and in full, though she has claimed otherwise. We have never called her names or been transphobic.

For all of you that watched the Kickstarter failure or the drama related to her time in the video game industry (under multiple names and accounts related to pro and anti gamergate), you’ll understand why we are distancing ourselves. For those of you who might be inclined to take her side, I’d encourage you to do some research. We could post screen caps of her abusing other people, but we just don’t want to play her game. That isn’t who we are.

She has demanded that we sell the business back, but we have invested so heavily in it, that we cannot do so without taking a serious financial loss. She has claimed that we are making big money on her brand, and that just isn’t accurate. At this point, the plan is to run down our inventory and then be done with the business and her. She will be able to take back the website domain and social media accounts when we are good and done with them, as per our contract agreement. We hope to be long done by the end of the year.

It isn’t in our nature to bring attention like this to our brand. We really try to focus on making interesting pedals and assorted noise makers, but we have gotten a lot of questions on this and she is making a lot of false accusations that we felt the need to address.

So thank you for your continued support and love. Our next major update will come filled with delays and glitchy pitch shifters and will be much less of a drag to read.

As the owner of a Devi-era Hyperion and as someone who contributed to her gender changing campaign (sorry if my wording is not PC) I'm sorry to hear that your letting go of the DeviEver brand, logo is super cool and would make a great pedalboard sticker.
From what I've seen you've done well with the brand and I love that you actually put effort and paint the pedals which gives them a far more polished look than a sticker.
Your customer service has also been exemplary.
While I'm not familiar with all of Devi's drama, I know enough to know something is there and when Gwar here loses his temper on the subject you know she darn well f*cked up.

I don't really know what's been going down, but that is so so shitty to hear. Sorry for everyone involved basically. Seems like Devi has had to put up with some really shitty bullshit, but damn.

aens_wife wrote:She has claimed that we are making big money on her brand, and that just isn’t accurate.

Even if it were accurate, I don't think you're under any obligation (even morally) to sell it back to her---or especially to take a loss. That's exactly why you wrote up a contract. Maybe I shouldn't sound like I'm taking sides when I don't even know the details or the people involved (and it doesn't even impact my life). I'm just thinking of VHT and Fryette and what Devi might be doing if she had sold to AXL Guitars or some huge brand that would REALLY deal exclusively in their own self-interest. I was under the impression that you did Devi a great favor and are really cool/fair/nice people and were out to help Devi*. It think it was awesome of you to help out, even if it's blowing up in your face. That sucks.

*if I'm wrong, and you guys were dicks then never mind and get your shit right

To be fair, we did not buy the brand to help her out. We bought it because we thought we could generate enough income for me to quit my second job, which we did. That is part of why we are being rather protective of it. We have a mortgage and kids and bills to pay, not to mention employees and business debt to cover.

We aren't perfect, by any stretch, but her accusations are pretty far off base, in my opinion.

I don't believe it matters why you did what you did, all you owe anyone you make a deal with is that you honour the deal.

If I have a favourite guitar that I sell because I'm no longer gigging and I need the money, then unless the buyer agrees to keep it and sell it back to me when I get back on my feet it's theirs to do with as they wish, not mine. No matter what I have invested in it I have relinquished any right to it at the point of sale.

I've sold a friend of mine a few guitars, and bought at least one back (and I have three more of them here on loan at the moment ) but if he chooses to sell them all then that's got to be fine with me as they're not mine.

I've learnt a few things in the last 12 years of running my own business and whatever happens this certainly looks like something you're going to learn from.

Hopefully it won't prove an expensive lesson, if it's any comfort whatsoever I'm hoping to add a shiny new ARF to my board in the next week or two

aens_wife wrote:To be fair, we did not buy the brand to help her out. We bought it because we thought we could generate enough income for me to quit my second job, which we did. That is part of why we are being rather protective of it...

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As a father and a husband, you owe Devi nothing more than what's in the contract. You made a decision based on what you perceived was your best interest and if Devi has a problem with that, sucks to be her. I was following Devi at that time and she had no problem with it. You guys did what was right by YOUR family, and I personally have absolutely no problem with it.

Damn. Don't allow her to continue with the additions you've made. New contract!

Damn, I'm just getting into modular and I'm looking forward to pickup up some dwarfcraft goodness.

Has this fucked up the Pittsburgh/Big Distortion Sound Machine collaboration?

dub wrote:Damn, I'm just getting into modular and I'm looking forward to pickup up some dwarfcraft goodness.

Has this fucked up the Pittsburgh/Big Distortion Sound Machine collaboration?

No, that is still happening. I am not sure if we will build more than 100 or so of those, though. We may just come out with another fuzz thing for it. Not entirely sure yet...

Now take this for what it's worth (which isn't much probably) but as someone who really isn't "in the know" with pedals, I remember working at a local shop when we started selling the "Ooh LaLa" made pedals.
That was the first time I had seen or heard of a soda miser or a torns peaker or a TBD etc.

While pedal lovers will really know a particular brand keep in mind that the majority of people going into guitar shops probably know of very few brands.

All of that is to say, and I could be wrong, I don't think you NEED to keep the D.E brand alive.
Most any time one company buys another it is because the purchased company has products that the buyer wants.
They might keep the other brand active for a bit but the goal is to glean the products that they want and then dump the rest.

Now you paid money for all the names and designs etc so they are yours as long as you want them.
Taking the Soda Miser as an example: "Soda-miser" is a far more recognizable name than "Devi Ever".
So just like there was the "Ooh LaLa" Soda-miser, now it will be the Dwarfcraft Soda-miser. Etc.
Just fold the best stuff into your product line and terminate the rest. (Which I'd imagine is the plan anyway!)

You could always pull a Gibson (with what they did to epiphone) and start using the DE brand on a line of inexpensive imported effect pedals. :-) it can become the beginner brand. ;-)

.

.................

This whole situation just breaks my heart.

I loved the brand of Devi Ever since I was 13, and I loved the improvements you guys were making. It sucks Devi has to run my favorite brand into the ground.


If your reading this Devi, fuck you and the ground you shit on.

I would be calling an attorney. If you can't afford one, I would find the closest law program and talk to someone there. Great experience in IP law for someone to help you out with.

I don't know what your contract is, but I've seen a fair share of contracts for the creative industry. My guess is that you are under no obligation to sell. In fact, I think some of the above comments are brilliant. YOU invested in making an unstable brand, stable and sustainable. That is a big fucking deal. YOUR time and money invested is equal if not greater in value than the husk of a business you purchased.

I would not sell readily. I would also ignore any slander or slap her with a libel suit. For real. You should not be manipulated by someone who is mentally ill. Just talk to a lawyer and follow the law, and ignore all the drama she is stirring up. Most importantly, DO NOT GIVE HER WHAT SHE WANTS. You are caving into her insanity and you are doing no one any favors by doing that, including to her.

IF she wanted to start over, she totally could with a new brand and that would be that. She did it once with Effector 13. She has enough name recognition she'd be fine.

She had no problem selling you the IP when she needed the money. Now that you've resuscitated it, after years of video game dev not working for her, she thinks you owe her something? You didn't see Dave Smith trying to force Yamaha or who ever bought Sequential Circuits to give him that name back before the terms expired. Hell, Oberheim still isn't Obereim. Do not stop fighting for what is yours.

Get a lawyer.

This is crappy. I really like the Devi line. And agree that you guys definitely improved it. Screening the boxes over stickers is huge. They look so good.

My question, or comment, there must be something in the contract allowing her to make demands or you can tell her where to go... And which box of shit to jump in when she gets there.

Legally, something is not right.

Keep Devi! Contracts!!!!!!!!!!!!!