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The infamous "Gonkulators" from Ali Express
Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2024 12:43 pm
by Zork
Hi. Most of us have probably heard about the Gonkulators on Ali Express that seem to come from the exact same factory than the originals from DOD. I just noticed there are other pedals under the same brand "Ginean" that have the same enclosure but some additional controls or different control layout than the DOD pedals:
Now, apart from the ethical point of view, what does it mean? Is it an attempt to avoid copyright problems or is the general assumption these are exactly the same as the originals wrong? Has anyone ordered one of those and has compared to DOD? What are these?
Re: The infamous "Gonkulators" from Ali Express
Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2024 12:53 pm
by Tall Walls
I'm not aware of a DOD Klon, so is the Divine Knight a 250 with an added Freble knob? And what happens when I crank up the Preset on my Hairy Show?
Re: The infamous "Gonkulators" from Ali Express
Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2024 1:00 pm
by 01010111
I love the artwork on these. If they're made in the same factory as the og DODs, does that mean these are as ethical as the OG DODs?
Re: The infamous "Gonkulators" from Ali Express
Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2024 1:20 pm
by Tall Walls
So, obviously the Modulator is a Gonkulator. The only three-knob distortion in the recent DOD lineup is the Chthonic, which has knobs in the orientation of the Divine Knight here--someone would be in for a surprise if they were expecting a Klon and got a dark fuzz instead. The Hairy Show is clearly a Carcosa--the toggle is even still labeled "Demhe" and "Hali," which is kind of wild. The only four-knob distortion is the Gunslinger, so that's probably what the Excitation is. The Preamp Boost is the BiFet Boost. The "Customize Overdrive" doesn't match up with anything in the DOD catalog that I can think of, but it seems like Ginean makes more than DOD copies. I'm partial to the artwork on this phaser:
Poking around a bit, it looks like they also have the Massive distortion, which is clearly a Boneshaker--and costs more than the actual Boneshaker that I got when DOD was blowing them out!
Re: The infamous "Gonkulators" from Ali Express
Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2024 1:24 pm
by Chankgeez
I picked up one of the Modulator RINGMODs (because ring mod, natch, and I love the deer graphic). Sounds just like I remember a Gonkulator to sound.
I asked Tom Cram about it. He said it seems they're built on pilfered actual Gonkulator pcbs.
Don't know anything about the other pedals.
Re: The infamous "Gonkulators" from Ali Express
Posted: Mon Dec 09, 2024 1:45 pm
by Gone Fission
I think it's funny that they have a Boneshaker clone for $38.47 when I got a bunch of DODs for $40 a pop.
Still, the $35 Carcosa clone is interesting. Diode mods are on my back burner for one of my two.
Re: The infamous "Gonkulators" from Ali Express
Posted: Tue Dec 10, 2024 8:34 am
by coupleonapkins
Tall Walls wrote: ↑Mon Dec 09, 2024 12:53 pm
And what happens when I crank up the Preset on my Hairy Show?
Yu cee gott
Gone Fission wrote: ↑Mon Dec 09, 2024 1:45 pm
I think it's funny that they have a Boneshaker clone for $38.47 when I got a bunch of DODs for $40 a pop.
Still, the $35 Carcosa clone is interesting. Diode mods are on my back burner for one of my two.
All of these peddles should pay ME for lookin' at their honkin' graphix I mean GEEEZ

Re: The infamous "Gonkulators" from Ali Express
Posted: Wed Dec 11, 2024 2:05 pm
by Zork
Uh oh, that doesn't look too good. See also the yt comment section.
coupleonapkins wrote: ↑Tue Dec 10, 2024 8:34 am
All of these peddles should pay ME for lookin' at their honkin' graphix I mean GEEEZ
The "Modulator" and "Preamp Boost"graphics are cute imo. But the rest looks a lot like 90s funfair rollercoasters.
Re: The infamous "Gonkulators" from Ali Express
Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 12:52 am
by alexsga
is one of them the Meatbox?
Re: The infamous "Gonkulators" from Ali Express
Posted: Tue Dec 24, 2024 8:00 am
by coupleonapkins
alexsga wrote: ↑Tue Dec 24, 2024 12:52 am
is one of them the Meatbox?
I do knot beliebe sew, but only s'cuz the DOD Meatbox (both versionnes) had a component that was both significant and of a limited supply, pilfered board or not.
Also, I cannot imagine how it'd be marketed in an appealing way on the knockoff tiership, as to mine ears it was always a sub-freaking exciter that could blow yer speakers out with regular usage, and that might seem like a huge problem for a fly-by-night outfit that just wants to cash in with as little fanfare or speedbump as possible, but I'm sure sombuddy tried 2 du it! Prove me wrong, internette!

Re: The infamous "Gonkulators" from Ali Express
Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2025 12:16 am
by alexsga
found some new Ali Express fakes, some others besides DOD

:

Re: The infamous "Gonkulators" from Ali Express
Posted: Fri Feb 28, 2025 9:21 pm
by BitchPudding
alexsga wrote: ↑Sat Feb 08, 2025 12:16 am
found some new Ali Express fakes, some others besides DOD

:
But how do they sound?

Re: The infamous "Gonkulators" from Ali Express
Posted: Sat Mar 01, 2025 12:06 am
by alexsga
for $100 i kinda wanna try the Crowther out