# Blank Boss-style enclosures?



## MattG (Oct 19, 2022)

I did a little research on this, so pretty sure the answer is "no", but I'll try anyway: does anyone know if it's possible to get blank Boss-style enclosures?  (Short of buying super cheap used/broken Boss pedals.)


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## WheatAndBarley (Oct 19, 2022)

Your best bet is probably to buy the cheapest non-functioning boss pedal on reverb and refinish it yourself.


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## Harry Klippton (Oct 19, 2022)

I thought small bear had them, or at least something similar


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## benny_profane (Oct 19, 2022)

Harry Klippton said:


> I thought small bear had them, or at least something similar











						The Bare Box #1,  Plain & Undrilled
					

Small Bear Electronics DIY Parts




					smallbear-electronics.mybigcommerce.com


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## MattG (Oct 19, 2022)

Yeah, I saw those.  That gets half-way there, with the knobs being well out of the way of the footswitch.

But as someone in another forum said, "The Boss design is an actual _pedal_, everything else is simply a button."


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## Bricksnbeatles (Oct 19, 2022)

Nope. I’ve done plenty of research on this. There was one company that was making something vaguely boss-like but they were absurdly expensive. Best bet is buying cheap boss pedals locally on Craigslist. I have a few projects in the works with boss enclosures that are currently secret to all but a select few people, but I’ll hopefully be posting more about them soon. Boss enclosures are difficult and relatively expensive to come across to say the least 😅


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## MattG (Oct 19, 2022)

I wonder if someone like Tayda could offer enough volume to contract with the factory that makes Boss enclosures, and offer them to the DIY community.


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## Bricksnbeatles (Oct 19, 2022)

MattG said:


> I wonder if someone like Tayda could offer enough volume to contract with the factory that makes Boss enclosures, and offer them to the DIY community.


im pretty sure boss has a ton of protections for their IP to prevent that from happening


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## mnemonic (Oct 19, 2022)

I wonder if boss does have any kind of trademark or patent on the case shape. 

ISP use roughly the same shape for their decimator noise gate, so I would guess not?


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## MattG (Oct 19, 2022)

Boss has been using that style for so long, it’s possible some IP protections have expired.


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## music6000 (Oct 19, 2022)

MattG said:


> Yeah, I saw those.  That gets half-way there, with the knobs being well out of the way of the footswitch.
> 
> But as someone in another forum said, "The Boss design is an actual _pedal_, everything else is simply a button."











						Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor Pedal for sale online | eBay
					

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor Pedal at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



					www.ebay.com


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## RetiredUnit1 (Oct 19, 2022)

I was thinking about the same thing yesterday....  Now I'm wondering about using magnets with a standard lid.  Obviously one side would need a magnet and the other steel.  Still in the "hmmm.... what if I...." process....


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## RetiredUnit1 (Oct 19, 2022)

And there there was this:


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## Chuck D. Bones (Oct 20, 2022)

How much are you willing to pay?  That eBay offer is attractive if the price doesn't get bid up too much. You don't just get the box, you get pots, knobs, jacks and maybe some other good parts.


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## DAJE (Oct 20, 2022)

You can't copyright something like the shape of a box, that's not how copyright works. You _can_ copyright the artwork _on_ the box. 

Trademark is what covers things like company names and things that are recognisable to consumers like a distinctive container. I am certain that Boss has their iconic design locked down by trademark, and to own a trademark you have to defend it, so anyone selling lookalikes would be hearing from Boss' lawyers very swiftly.


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## Deperduci (Oct 20, 2022)

the basic box(similar to what SBE sells) is likely fair market, the lid/footswitch plate is probably where the patents lie...those are also about 45 years old. Is this a personal item or you gonna make up like 20~30 of them for Reverb?


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## DAJE (Oct 20, 2022)

Deperduci said:


> the basic box(similar to what SBE sells) is likely fair market, the lid/footswitch plate is probably where the patents lie...those are also about 45 years old. Is this a personal item or you gonna make up like 20~30 of them for Reverb?


Trademarks, not patents. Patents are for new inventions, not basic stuff like boxes. Patents also expire relatively fast, while trademarks are forever, as long as you defend them from copiers. I took an interest in this stuff at one point so I learned the differences between copyright, trademark, patent, etc.


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## scheffehcs (Oct 20, 2022)

If you go that route, don’t forget the old digitech boxes too:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1155644980...bnEoMKWRX-&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY


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## finebyfine (Oct 20, 2022)

scheffehcs said:


> If you go that route, don’t forget the old digitech boxes too:
> 
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/1155644980...bnEoMKWRX-&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY



ditto electra pedals


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## music6000 (Oct 26, 2022)

music6000 said:


> Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor Pedal for sale online | eBay
> 
> 
> Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor Pedal at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!
> ...


Winning bid:
US $21.50

Congratulations to the person that purchased it!!!


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## Feral Feline (Oct 26, 2022)

The closest I ever found was Rixen, which used to offer something like a Boss enclosure as a kit ...







You could get them pre-painted, too, but I'm not even sure if they're still around; I wanted one, but they were too expensive (maybe what @Bricksnbeatles referred to?).


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## Bricksnbeatles (Oct 26, 2022)

Feral Feline said:


> The closest I ever found was Rixen, which used to offer something like a Boss enclosure as a kit ...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That’s the one. Iirc they were like $60-70 per enclosure right?


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## Deperduci (Oct 26, 2022)

at that price, may as well buy a Boss and mod it...


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## music6000 (Oct 26, 2022)

Deperduci said:


> at that price, may as well buy a Boss and mod it...


Ended:
Oct 22, 2022 , 12:53PM
Winning Bid $21.50









						Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor Pedal - Broken - for parts  | eBay
					

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor Pedal - Broken - for parts at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



					www.ebay.com


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