So what can't be cloned?

I just wanted to start a thread (mostly for fun) containing a list of gear that people generally consider unable to be cloned (and why it can't). Whether it's some tube that is rarer than hens teeth with no suitable replacement, a transformer with lams made out of magic pixie dust, resistors made out of Al Capones belly button lint, or whatever. The first item that comes to mind is a Fairchild compressor, although Anthony Demarra offers a clone for sale. And the purists chant "it's not the same, it's not the same..." Are they right? Another example that comes to mind is a pre-war Martin D-42, who's old-growth eastern spruce is no longer availible on the market. Are there similar examples in audio electronics? Germanium based solid state devices maybe?

Is there any beloved piece of vintage gear that simply can't be reproduced?

-Chris

I haven't been around the block many times yet regarding DIY but I'm still waiting to see a clone of a Fairchild 670 by an individual (and no, I am not talking about some company like Man-l*y, I mean Joe Public). That would be damn kewl. :thumb:

What can't be cloned?

That which hasn't been built yet...

and that's what really interests me.

Can't they even clone PEOPLE now?

Well i guess a large-format console can be cloned/build (looking at what Brain Roth did) but i would say that for the normal DIY'er without access to needed machines/much money/much time it's pretty undoable.

Also i would say that it's impossible to clone things like the Soldano SLO100 guitar amp as it uses custom wound transformers not available to the public (as i understand it). Well i talk about doing a 100% exact clone.

Flo

..Anything containing and driven by "locked" software, e.g. nearly any digital stuff..

[quote author="gyraf"]..Anything containing and driven by "locked" software, e.g. nearly any digital stuff..[/quote]

John Ste*phens (of Step*hens tape recorder fame) got into hotrodding telecine machines ( film to video transfer machines).

Well, he had a B*osch machine that was out of production, and he wanted the firmware source code so he could modify it. They refused to give it to him, so he spent months and completely reverse-engineered it by stepping every function and observing its effect throughout the entire system. That's real hacking.

[quote author="NewYorkDave"]What can't be cloned?

That which hasn't been built yet...[/quote]

Agree. If it has been done, it can be done again. It's just a matter of time, money and knowledge. Personally, I don't think that everything is worth cloning. I really don't understand why you would want to do that. I have to agree with Dave on this:

It's the stuff that hasn't been built yet that is really interesting.

/Anders

Boss PH3 Phaser.
Stephen

U47 because the lack of tube?

chrissugar

ANYTHING can be cloned when it comes to audio hardware...

the only factor is $$$

even digital products.. can be reveresed for the right price.

as dave mentioned.. the more interesting thing is what hasnt been done?

[quote author="chrissugar"]U47 because the lack of tube?[/quote]
Just order a large quantity of them, and someone will make them for you - or even a small quantity. Just a question of money...

Best regards,

Mikkel C. Simonsen

the authority that a good original idea brings cant be cloned. most people cant think of a good one, so they copy some one else's. This is in no way isolated to pro audio by any means. You could build the most exact hardware clone of something and no matter how intense it is, someone else still thought of it first. You cant clone the impact and authority of someone else's idea. Shit, look at brian johnson. That guy has some fairly awesome moments but on the best night of his career he was outshined before ever hitting the stage.

dave

Just order a large quantity of them, and someone will make them for you - or even a small quantity. Just a question of money...

Click to expand...

I don´t think anyone would make a VF14M or a AC701k tube nowadays...

Or a Langevin 5116B input transformer! :grin:

Well, this one Guilherme will try winding for me, if I can ever manage to buy the lams...

He said this one is very doable, as well as the output one. In fact he thinks the output one is even harder than the input, despite the very thin 48 wire on the input one...

Well you can't really clone anything old, because the parts have aged. I mean is an original LA-2A that has been recapped really original? My DIY LA-2A kicks ass, but almost nothing is the same, MF resistors, Jensen transformers, ADL T4B. How identical must a clone be to be a clone? 99.9%? UA considers the new 1176's to be a clone, but it is way less of a clone then their LA-3. My GSSL compressor clone doesn't sound exactly like the real SSL unit, but it's close. Maybe 98%. There are so many components like transformers, caps, resistors, LAYOUT, even solder, and wire that change things.

What makes a clone a clone?

Is it just because I am using someone else's schematic?


My list of un-clone-ables

U47, 670 (tubes)
John Hardy, and M@nley, gear etc. (fiscally impractical)
Tape Machines (really impractical)
True Neve / API modules (transformers / op amps)

define clone? when you think about it no matter what you use as a bases it isn't a clone as it will never be 100% exact copy of the original. even if you do an exact copy of the original it's still not right as aged parts do sound different. as stated before with endless supply of money you can try and copy anything even moonley is it ever practical doubtful. I don't think to clone everything is the answer who needs another company making a 1073 and such. better off trying to design something new? plus personal satisfaction of making something new is way cool.

A rare early series Philips Phillicorda tube organ!!

Not because it not possible to do it, but
because none would be insane enough to do it!!

Every key (5 octaves keyboard) had its
own set of tubes generating oscillators
and amplifiers and filtering (minitubes)!!

I have never seen so many tubes in one place!!

In later revisions this was replaced by transistors!

I really regret i trowed mine away! :green:

kkrafs

54 Butterscotch Tele
58 Les Paul