DemonFX: Affordable Alternative or Straight-Up Copy?

Some companies clone a circuit. DemonFX sometimes seem to clone the name, the artwork and nearly the whole visual identity too.

So where's the line between an affordable take on a classic circuit and simply copying someone else's product?

DemonFX aren't squeaky clean here. But listen to the pedals and the argument gets more complicated.

I've been covering them since 2022 (the Prince of Tone in July, the Jan Ray in October), and we're now past 30 DemonFX pedals on the channel. So this isn't a take based on something that arrived in the post yesterday.

Why people buy them

The appeal is simple. You want a particular sound, and the original is expensive, scarce or stuck behind a waiting list. DemonFX get you into that territory now, for much less.

Most of these players aren't collecting boutique pedals. They want to plug in and get a usable sound without paying silly used-market prices. And honestly, can you blame them?

Where it gets awkward

Tube Screamer, Rat and Muff circuits have been reinterpreted for decades. They're common language. Trouble starts when a company copies a boutique pedal that's still on sale, with similar artwork or the same name.

The Jan Ray is the easy case to discuss. The original is an expensive low-gain overdrive known for a transparent, slightly pushed clean sound, a bit Timmy-like, and the DemonFX version gets you that idea for far less. But they've used the same name. I'm no lawyer, so take what I'm saying with a pinch of salt, but borrowing a circuit and a name is borrowing more than an electronic design. That's a pretty clear cut case, right?

The Prince of Tone is the more complicated one. Getting an Analogman King of Tone new has meant a waiting list that I hear can run to six years, and used prices can end up above new. The designer sees nothing from a used sale either. So is the DemonFX really worse? Possibly, because a used King of Tone is an authentic product changing hands, while a new DemonFX is a fresh sale built on someone else's design and identity. Simple fact is, if you want an Analogman one today, you can't get it... so are DemonFX terrible for plugging that gap?

The catch: some of them sound good

If they all sounded bad, this would be easy. Unfortunately, some sound pretty good. The AT-DS is one of the strongest performers in my DemonFX back catalogue, and that tells me people want to know if it delivers, not just whether there's drama. Then the defence changes: you're buying a sound, not a logo.

Fair enough. But most makers give a Rat, Screamer or Muff their own name, look and tweaks. DemonFX more often say "the thing you already know, but cheaper", whether that's a Keeley four-knob compressor, a Keeley Caverns (the Ravine) or an EarthQuaker Ghost Echo (the Ghast Echo). That isn't only about rare pedals.

The Behringer parallel only goes so far, too. Their case is that rare or discontinued gear becomes available to people who could never afford it. DemonFX use a similar argument for pedals that are still being sold.

So, where's the line?

It's personal, and it won't sit in the same place for everyone. For some players, the sound is all that matters. For others, the designer's ability to earn a living from their work matters just as much.

Are DemonFX good? Some, absolutely. Good value? Often. Squeaky clean? No. Is buying one wrong? That's up to you.

I'd love to hear where you land in the comments, but please be kind to each other. Does the name and artwork change things for you? And if the original is effectively unobtainable, is the copy easier to justify?

NUX Amp Academy Stomp Just Got A LOT Better For Free

Nux Amp Academy Stomp V2.0.5 - NuX listened

The NUX Amp Academy Stomp was already one of my favourite budget amp modelling units, but version 2.0.5 adds a couple of features that users have been asking for pretty much since launch.

And best of all? It’s free.

The thing that most Amp Academy Stomp users will be excited about is a brand-new modulation block, finally giving the the unit access to effects like chorus, phaser, flanger, tremolo, rotary and Uni-Vibe-style sounds.

Now, in the world of modelling units, it isn't exactly revolutionary, however it is something that a big proportion of the community have been asking for since day one. I understand why NuX didn't include it to start with (it is the Amp Academy, not Rig Academy - right?). That being said, you were relying on whatever outboard effects to bolster your setup. Now you can add modulation directly into the Amp Academy, so realistically this has now gone from the brain of your rig to potentially the entire rig itself. It is worth mentioning also, you can move the block around the signal chain too. This is a huge signal that NuX are listening to what people want from their units.

There are some familiar-sounding effects in there too. The phaser does exactly what you’d hope, particularly when paired with a bit of gain, while the rotary is genuinely lovely. The Uni-Vibe is another one where I’d probably crank the effect further than the default setting because, well, subtlety isn't always what we're looking for with a Uni-Vibe.

There's even a mono octave tucked into the effects section, with controls for up and down, which isn't something I heard many asking for, but it is a great addition to have. Although I'm not often an octave user, I found myself losing a good few moments getting lost in those thick octave down tones, adding weight to some simple rock riffs. Absolutely sublime. 

And then there's shimmer reverb.

I'll be honest, I'm not the world's biggest shimmer reverb enthusiast, and the one included here isn't perfect. Your mileage may vary, as they say. But it is another option, and it's hard to complain when all of this has arrived as a free update.

Native NAM A2 Light support.

Let's face it, this is the reason that V2.0.5 has been getting a lot of attention.

Alongside the existing NUX amp models, you can now load native NAM A2 Light profiles, including profiles from Tone3000. I tried a few of them, including a Fender Deluxe Reverb, a Pink Taco and a Tone King Royalist, and the quality was really impressive.

The thing that stands out with these A2 profiles is how responsive they feel. Roll back the guitar volume and the amp reacts in a very convincing way, add to that the fact you can run the A2 profiles but still have access to the dual IR engine as well, we are getting some serious versatility.

And that's really the exciting part of this update.

The Amp Academy Stomp already offered some very good built-in amp models, but adding native NAM A2 Light means you've now got another route to some seriously convincing amp tones without needing extra hardware.

Key Takeaway

Let's be realistic: not every part of the update is perfect, and the shimmer isn't going to blow everyone's mind.

But native NAM A2 Light, a proper modulation block, rotary, Uni-Vibe, octave and more… all in one free update?

Yep. NUX did good.

If you'd like one of your own, consider using my affiliate link below:
Nux Amp Academy Stomp affiliate link https://thmn.to/thoprod/620898?offid=1&affid=2735

I Tried Five AI-Generated Boss DS-1 Settings… So You Don’t Have To

AI is everywhere at the moment, and apparently that now includes telling guitarists where to put the knobs on their Boss DS-1. So, when I was on holiday recently, I came across a a slew of guitar pedal settings shared on Facebook page that I was suggested for me. It had all the hallmarks of just being pumped out by AI with the eerily generic, yet professional look to it. The post that really caught my eye was based around the Boss DS-1. At first glance, some of them looked… questionable. So naturally, I did the only sensible thing: I dialled every single one in to see whether they were actually any good.

The results were a little more surprising than I expected.

The first setting was called “Tight Rock Rhythm”, promising sharp attack and a focused riff tone. The settings were pretty conservative, with everything hovering around noon. And you know what? It wasn't actually bad. It was a perfectly usable DS-1 rhythm tone. Granted, it was essentially setting everything at noon, so it wasn't going to sound terrible, but first impressions are good. So far, AI was winning.

Next up was “Fat Lead”, supposedly designed to give you less bite and more body for smoother solos. Again, the settings were hardly revolutionary, but the resulting tone was actually pretty decent.

Two settings in and I was beginning to wonder whether I'd massively underestimated our robot overlords.

Then came “Bleach Grit”, apparently inspired by Kurt Cobain. The problem was that the settings were almost identical to the first tone. I figured, trying the same setting again isn't going to yield different results, so why not stick it into a driven amp?

It wasn't terrible, but needing to rely on a driven amp to make a supposedly specific DS-1 setting work was… let's say, less than convincing. Especially when I am pretty familiar with the DS-1 and I know you can get Kurt tones out of it when you know how to set it properly...

And then we got to the big one: “Vai Saturated Lead”.

The tone control was pulled all the way back. Anyone who's used a DS-1 knows just how sensitive that control is, so I was expecting an incredibly woolly mess. What I got was… not particularly saturated.

It certainly didn't sound like the high-gain tone the settings claimed to be targeting. In fact, calling it saturated felt rather generous. Finally, we had “Satriani Lead”. The settings looked suspiciously similar to the previous one, apart from the level being absolutely maxed out.

Unsurprisingly, it wasn't exactly a convincing recreation of Joe Satriani's tone.

So, after putting all five through their paces, my verdict was pretty simple: the generic settings weren't necessarily terrible, but the artist-specific ones were definitely not even close. I think this is myth busted: AI creates slop tones.

For now, if you want great pedal settings, I reckon we're better off sticking with the humans.