Legal
Intellectual Property & Custom Builds
AU Effects is a boutique workshop that builds guitar pedals and related electronic products based on our own designs, customer requirements, and, where appropriate, designs or concepts that are publicly documented or otherwise made available to customers.
Custom and customer-requested builds
Customers may ask AU Effects to manufacture a particular pedal, circuit, modification, enclosure configuration, or other piece of equipment. Where we reasonably understand that a requested build is permitted and does not knowingly infringe another party's rights, we may manufacture it for the requesting customer.
The fact that a design, circuit, image, document, or other material is publicly available does not, by itself, mean that it is free from intellectual-property restrictions. Customers are responsible for ensuring that any permissions, licences, or other authorisations required for their intended use have been obtained where applicable.
Respect for intellectual property
AU Effects respects the intellectual property rights of designers, manufacturers, artists, musicians, companies, and other creators. Nothing on this website should be interpreted as a claim that AU Effects owns third-party intellectual property, as a transfer of another party's rights, or as permission to reproduce, distribute, manufacture, sell, license, or commercially exploit protected work without the rights holder's authorisation.
We do not intend to encourage, facilitate, or promote copyright infringement, trademark infringement, design infringement, or any other unauthorised use of another party's intellectual property.
Project showcases and website documentation
From time to time, AU Effects may publish photographs, descriptions, or other documentation of builds that we have completed. These posts are intended to showcase our workshop work and document projects completed for customers.
A project appearing on the AU Effects website does not necessarily mean that AU Effects owns the underlying design, circuit, artwork, trade mark, brand, or other intellectual property associated with that project. Its appearance on the website should not be interpreted as permission for others to reproduce, manufacture, distribute, or commercially exploit third-party intellectual property shown or referenced in the project.
No promotion of unauthorised commercial use
AU Effects does not promote or encourage the unauthorised commercial exploitation of intellectual property belonging to others. Manufacturing an item at a customer's request does not, by itself, mean that the customer or any other person has permission to commercially reproduce, distribute, sell, license, or otherwise exploit a third-party design.
If we become aware of credible information indicating that a requested build would require unauthorised use of protected intellectual property, we may decline the request or ask for appropriate clarification or authorisation before proceeding.
Customer responsibility
Customers requesting custom or reproduction-style builds are responsible for providing accurate information about the intended use of the requested item and for obtaining any permissions, licences, consents, or other rights that may be required for that intended use.
AU Effects does not provide legal advice concerning whether a particular design, circuit, name, artwork, or other material may legally be reproduced or commercially used. Customers should obtain independent legal advice where the intellectual-property status or permitted use of a requested item is uncertain.
AU Effects original work
Original AU Effects designs, artwork, photographs, branding, written content, product descriptions, graphics, software, and other original materials created by AU Effects remain subject to the rights applicable to those materials. Unauthorised reproduction, distribution, modification, or commercial exploitation of AU Effects' own protected materials is not permitted except where authorised by AU Effects or otherwise permitted by applicable law.
Third-party names and references
Product names, brand names, trademarks, logos, and other identifying references appearing on the website may belong to their respective owners. Such references may be used for identification, description, comparison, compatibility, historical context, or documentation of a customer-requested build. Unless expressly stated otherwise, AU Effects does not claim ownership of those third-party marks or suggest that the relevant rights holder sponsors, endorses, or is affiliated with AU Effects.
Questions or concerns
If you believe that a project, image, product listing, description, or other material appearing on the AU Effects website raises an intellectual-property concern, please contact us with sufficient information for us to review the matter.
This page explains AU Effects' approach to intellectual property and custom builds. It is not a substitute for professional legal advice.