Mason of Vertex Effects comes clean.

[311boogieman]

The fact that this guy thinks he has a future or keeps saying he will show people what he is about now thru his actions is the worst part.
Just fucking to away.

Agreed.

That's been my contention too. I have a degree in Psychology. Not that that qualifies me to see through bullshit better than others. I am a fairly pessimistic person though

I could take his confession and cut it up and demonstrate where I feel the uncertainty specifically but let's just say for now it is there. I think I was actually sickened a bit more after reading it than before. As someone else mentioned, I think he revels in his sneakiness. Also, I don't think he should have had his wife proof-read that apology as the only critiquer. In addition to his lawyer weighing in, he should have had one of his close friends that had been wronged read it as well. His wife doesn't know the extent of everything. She was probably just trying to grasp what Mason was laying down and I bet she hadn't read all the threads regarding this on TGP.

To summarize for myself:

1.) Mason has probably always been a habitual liar and genuinely sneaky guy.
2.) My original prediction was correct. He started off re-badging the BBE Wah to gather funds for real product and when the orders started to come in, it was hard to stop.
3.) His Wah was exposed some 2 years ago evidently.
4.) Lately TGP exposes his lie in a big way and 3 or 4 threads are created.
5.) Mason denies everything and heavily pushes back. Even deletes FB and YT comments.
6.) Many, including our very own CodeMonk and molteratx, provide proof.
7.) Mason's supporters come on and tell people, 'So what? It sounds good right? Don't pile on - you have no evidence.'
8.) This increases Mason's ego even more.
9.) About a week ago Mason creates a 'come clean - final word' thread on TGP.
9.5.) Landau and Bonamassa and others release statements
10.) 2 days ago Mason 'confesses' in thread on TGP.


Not sure if I remember what #9 was exactly, maybe someone can refresh that for me. I've only been following this for about a month.



I don't know Mason, never used his products and do not have a dog in the fight. I honestly have never even heard of Vertex until this fiasco. I'm also not very technical nor consider myself a Wah (or even a pedal) connoisseur. I am however a forgiving person.

(I basically cross-forum posted this from another forum (UG) as the time-line I think is somewhat helpful for those that are not in the know.)

 

[NaturalBornBoy]

FWIW, Mason has started issuing refunds.

A friend of mine and myself have chosen partial refunds for our cable purchases as we've opted to keep the cables instead of returning them. We received our refunds 2 days ago via PayPal.

 

[ewill52]

meanwhile...orders for the BBE wah are exploding!

 

[maddnotez]

meanwhile...orders for the BBE wah are exploding!

HAHA

Don't forget to sweep the pot.

I agree with most of your guys's comments. My only question is how can rebranding be legal?

What stops BBE taking every last penny this guy would ever see?

I don't know these laws but any rebranding to me sounds like theft. I am not sure how it is legal? Even Ford did this and it happens all the time?

Someone please explain that nonsense.

 

[Schaf]

meanwhile...orders for the BBE wah are exploding!

HAHA

Don't forget to sweep the pot.

I agree with most of your guys's comments. My only question is how can rebranding be legal?

What stops BBE taking every last penny this guy would ever see?

I don't know these laws but any rebranding to me sounds like theft. I am not sure how it is legal? Even Ford did this and it happens all the time?

Someone please explain that nonsense.

The way I understand it, he bought the wahs, changed some esthetic pieces for the exterior, a shiny knob and adjusted the pot to effect the sweep (for the more expensive one (VOS), he replaced the pot. Gooped em up and sold them.

BBE sold a bunch of wahs to Mason, so I don't think they were too concerned. He changed the way they looked by adding some bling. Plus, when the shitstorm ensued, I'm sure they're sales have improved when everybody thought that the 140 wah sounded like a 250 or in some cases 300 (vos) wah. And now they'll probably come out wiht a model with the "hand selected VOS part" and charge 50 more for it.

The advertising was very imaginative. Like he said he hand made some of the parts that you would need a major manufacturing operation to make. I'm thinking it was the inducer? not sure. People that don't know how things are made, just bought into it hook line and sinker. Some of the stuff that he said was either manufactured on site or was hand made was unbelievable. But it's almost like claiming he handmakes the capacitors and resisters, etc. would be a good parallel.

That TGP thread was crazy. Major shit slinging. But I think Rez is right about the guy thinking he still has a future in the biz is just delusional. Anyway, the way I see it, he finally confessed (even though it was after months of denials), said he was going to make good on it (which I highly doubted, never happens), seems to still making good on the refund (which as I said never happens), and they still have their foots on his throat. Many of whom never did business with the guy. I mean let it go. The guys career is over, He's been humiliated and there come a time to just let it go.

My 2 cents.

 

[sjk]

meanwhile...orders for the BBE wah are exploding!

HAHA

Don't forget to sweep the pot.

I agree with most of your guys's comments. My only question is how can rebranding be legal?

What stops BBE taking every last penny this guy would ever see?

I don't know these laws but any rebranding to me sounds like theft. I am not sure how it is legal? Even Ford did this and it happens all the time?

Someone please explain that nonsense.

The way I understand it, he bought the wahs, changed some esthetic pieces for the exterior, a shiny knob and adjusted the pot to effect the sweep (for the more expensive one (VOS), he replaced the pot. Gooped em up and sold them.

BBE sold a bunch of wahs to Mason, so I don't think they were too concerned. He changed the way they looked by adding some bling. Plus, when the shitstorm ensued, I'm sure they're sales have improved when everybody thought that the 140 wah sounded like a 250 or in some cases 300 (vos) wah. And now they'll probably come out wiht a model with the "hand selected VOS part" and charge 50 more for it.

The advertising was very imaginative. Like he said he hand made some of the parts that you would need a major manufacturing operation to make. I'm thinking it was the inducer? not sure. People that don't know how things are made, just bought into it hook line and sinker. Some of the stuff that he said was either manufactured on site or was hand made was unbelievable. But it's almost like claiming he handmakes the capacitors and resisters, etc. would be a good parallel.

That TGP thread was crazy. Major shit slinging. But I think Rez is right about the guy thinking he still has a future in the biz is just delusional. Anyway, the way I see it, he finally confessed (even though it was after months of denials), said he was going to make good on it (which I highly doubted, never happens), seems to still making good on the refund (which as I said never happens), and they still have their foots on his throat. Many of whom never did business with the guy. I mean let it go. The guys career is over, He's been humiliated and there come a time to just let it go.

My 2 cents.

Just wondering, I've seen the newer apology thread but never saw any of the earlier epic huge threads...were they just locked or were they deleted as well? If they are still around I'd like to check em out!

 

[AndyK]

Geez, coincidence - I just bought a used Marshall DSL 50 from Mason - it was shipped out yesterday.

 

[Kelly]

meanwhile...orders for the BBE wah are exploding!

HAHA

Don't forget to sweep the pot.

I agree with most of your guys's comments. My only question is how can rebranding be legal?

What stops BBE taking every last penny this guy would ever see?

I don't know these laws but any rebranding to me sounds like theft. I am not sure how it is legal? Even Ford did this and it happens all the time?

Someone please explain that nonsense.

The way I understand it, he bought the wahs, changed some esthetic pieces for the exterior, a shiny knob and adjusted the pot to effect the sweep (for the more expensive one (VOS), he replaced the pot. Gooped em up and sold them.

BBE sold a bunch of wahs to Mason, so I don't think they were too concerned. He changed the way they looked by adding some bling. Plus, when the shitstorm ensued, I'm sure they're sales have improved when everybody thought that the 140 wah sounded like a 250 or in some cases 300 (vos) wah. And now they'll probably come out wiht a model with the "hand selected VOS part" and charge 50 more for it.

The advertising was very imaginative. Like he said he hand made some of the parts that you would need a major manufacturing operation to make. I'm thinking it was the inducer? not sure. People that don't know how things are made, just bought into it hook line and sinker. Some of the stuff that he said was either manufactured on site or was hand made was unbelievable. But it's almost like claiming he handmakes the capacitors and resisters, etc. would be a good parallel.

That TGP thread was crazy. Major shit slinging. But I think Rez is right about the guy thinking he still has a future in the biz is just delusional. Anyway, the way I see it, he finally confessed (even though it was after months of denials), said he was going to make good on it (which I highly doubted, never happens), seems to still making good on the refund (which as I said never happens), and they still have their foots on his throat. Many of whom never did business with the guy. I mean let it go. The guys career is over, He's been humiliated and there come a time to just let it go.

My 2 cents.

Just wondering, I've seen the newer apology thread but never saw any of the earlier epic huge threads...were they just locked or were they deleted as well? If they are still around I'd like to check em out!

They were locked. You can still find them, as far as I know.