In these initial 6 months, only 350 for retail plus the crowdfunded units that backers decide on getting via the additional payment.
Have I read this correctly? The original kickstarter folks need to pay an additional 150€ to get the expression pedal?
I thought it was to get the dwarf they backed but hadn’t received
Yeah I believe that’s for the Dwarf. Also, I may be making an assumption here but I’m pretty sure the payment is just if you want to recieve it in that period. Otherwise, you will get it later. I think, hopefully the guys can confirm
Me to.
I’m pleased that the survey results are leading you down the path of hybrid Open Source and Proprietary. I realised in my survey feedback I should have emphasised:
1. Enlarge the pond
In previous posts people alluded to the fact that MOD and other providers are fishing from the same pond for customers. The “pond” is pretty small but the answer isn’t to squabble amongst each other and talk about Rip-off devices. Everyone would benefit from a world where plugin developers see a larger market for Linux based plugins. Work together with the other suppliers to standardise and share where possible so there truly is the kind of eco system that you’ve been talking about for years.
2. Differentiate and Monetize
That should still leave space to differentiate your own product. Android phone makers still manage to differentiate their phones through software (their own launchers etc) and hardware despite most phones being almost identical - far more of an issue than with linux audio devices.
If you can get the monetization of, say, the pedalboard store right you could be the equivalent of Google Play Store: used by and making money from the software used on competitors’ devices.
3.Ultimately focus on Hardware
Yes it’s incredibly hard to bring a hardware product to market but you’ve already done so several times and in the Dwarf you have a compelling product, with the potential to be a killer product. There’s all sorts of fancy software out there but it was the Dwarf’s hardware that gave it the wow factor for me (and many others I’ve shown it to). It’s easy for people to rip-off your software ideas, even if they’re proprietary, but much harder to do so with a good hardware design.
It may be that your supply issues are fixed (for now at least) and you can just push ahead if funding permits. If not you may have to keep your heads down until availability comes good, but either way it seems to me that focusing on shipping hardware (focusing on the Dwarf for the short to medium term) is your key differentiator from the likes of MODEP etc.
Some thoughts regarding the subscription model, where I would like to express the kind of things I would be willing to pay for. Sorry in advance for the long post.
This is coming from somebody that hates the idea of renting my device (the device loses functionality once I stop paying) or software licence subscriptions (the software cannot longer be used once I stop paying). I am also an enthusiast, playing some music for myself, not an intensive user, so I am here for the long run. If my device is not usable without subscription, I would probably not invest in trying to master it, and write it off and store it somewhere or resell it. Such an approach is not for me.
The kind of subscription model I would support includes:
Possibly other non-essential (virtual) goodies or privileges, that cost nothing to the company, that are not depriving others from essential functionality (e.g. some premium access to whatever, some insigna besides the forum name to show the active subscription, have a right to vote for some community polls regarding future priorities, etc). Maybe some giveback mechanism to reward long-term subscribers (e.g. after 12 months of continuous active subscription, 1 coupon worth 1-month subscription as plugin store discount).
Once I get access to something, I should never be deprived of it in the future (e.g. if one month, you decide to offer a premium plugin to subscribers, then that plugin is now mine). Of course, this would not apply to access to cloud service or such thing, which would of course be disabled. Basically, any upgrade (plugin, software, etc) I got during subscription should be still working after 5-10 years of having stored the device in a box.
As you can see anyway, most of what I propose is about “early access”, i.e. non-paying users will eventually get access, but would have to wait. Also, regarding exclusive access to an open-source plugin, the poor-but-wanting user could still get it off the github repo, possibly without the nice skin at first, so it is more for getting it conveniently directly from the plugin store.
(*) Regarding core functionality upgrades (i.e. new releases) with exclusive access: this means having to maintain 2 branches (the “free” upgrades, with just bug fixes, and the “premium” upgrade, the “premium” becoming the free branch after a while, and a new premium being put in place - premium may include “beta” access as well). In itself, this is adds also trouble, beside doubling the maintenance, as the beta users will be limited to subscribers. Also, plugins cannot rely on new functionality being present in all devices (it is less a problem if such plugins are also exclusive to the subscribers for the same period).
I am aware that some of this functionality would require development (especially user rights management) to be put in place, so it is not really easy at first, but maybe it can be developed over time. At the same time, it should be able to provide a steady income without much more investment than what was done until now.
PS. One example of subscription model that works for me is Humble Bundle’s: I get free games every month (even though there is generally only 0-1 game that I’d care to try, at most, and often actually, I already own these ones 
) and a discount that rewards my long-term loyalty (increased discount after a few months of continuous subscription). If I stop subscribing for a month and restarts the next, I lose the long-term bonus, and even though most games are not quite interesting to me, I’ll never know if next month’s rewards are useful, therefore, I have an incentive not to put my subscripion on hold. In MOD case, there is even the incentive that this helps the company to stay afloat. That is, if the subscription is not too high, keeping the subscription alive even at times where it brings little benefit is rewarding.
Hi @Dave_Parker
the mentioned reply is generating a bit of confusion between Tier 3 Dwarf units and Expression Pedal units.
The 150€ additional payment is meant to receive a Tier 3 Dwarf unit plus a 150€ rebate coupon.
A Dwarf production batch will immediately start if we manage to make the reboot and backers that decide to pay the additional 150€ will receive their units as soon as production is ready, which shall take between 4 and 6 weeks.
The Expression Pedal has the design ready and approved samples from qualified suppliers, but it was not yet mass-produced.
If the reboot happens, we will immediately run a pilot batch of about 10 to 20 units to prepare for initial mass production before the end of these 6 months. The funds for this pilot batch are included in the reboot budget.
There is not yet a decision on how we will proceed with delivering the owed Expression Pedal units. In the worst case, we will resort to a solution similar to the Dwarf, where we request additional payment in exchange for vouchers, so to adjust the cash flow.
I keep my fingers crossed that you will manage to make the reboot.
I simply can’t afford to make another contribution.
The company I work for has also suffered through the pandemic and may not survive the winter …and I shall be out of work.
But I wish you all the best, success with the reboot, and hope that the toll on the physical and mental health of you and yours is kept to the absolute minimum.
Hi,
i want my Tier 3 Dwarf. Where can i do my additional payment.
why you have deleted this morning’s messages?
another thing:
If we don’t want to pay those 150€ do we still have chances to have our tier 3 dwarfs?
I don’t think they were deleted. Discourse – this forum’s software – was recently updated and it’s been acting weird. This morning I got the same notifications as 2 days ago and my messages from yesterday are gone too.
I think it’s nice to hear that there is a chance of getting my tier 3 founders Edition dwarf. I also went the Raspberry Pi route in the meantime, because waiting is a pain and also sold all my effects equipment.
Two things:
first:
paying 150€ on top of that and getting a plugin store coupon sounds not quite serious in my opinion. Don’t get me wrong but it sounds like a scammer telling me to pay another amount of money and triggering my needs.
second:
Are there commercial plugins in a value of 150€ in existence ? (some are already included in the dwarf). Are there more then those: commercial-plugins – MOD Devices website
serious questions no offense…
Renounce to my tier 2 contribute could be considered as investment?
The MOD team has worked out a minimal financial plan to reboot the company. Therefore it is needed to take the max out prices for production into account. That means, the 150€ extra, (I understand any backer it’s a extra cost) is nothing extra for the MOD company. It’s just the minimal (or less) amount of cost to produce the devices and send them out, as promised. The return as coupon for commercial plugs is all what could be provided to reduce the pain for you a bit.
No worries about that. If the reboot happen, there will pop up a couple of new plugs in the store, and, not all of them will be free. 
Dear fellow MODders,
looking at the current level of committed funding I kindly invite more people to participate as we are close to the final date (2 more days) and there is still a considerable gap to reach that 200K target.
A reboot won’t happen (in the least painful way currently planned with continued operation of all sites, services, etc.) without more people joining the effort.
Sitting back and waiting for others to provide the funding will not work here, so it could be YOU to make the difference and provide the final missing piece to reach that goal.
I know that many people are frustrated or do not have trust anymore or are just pissed. But there are also many others who have voiced support for MOD and the team or just want to get a working device.
So if you are willing and trusting and can afford it, chime in with the effort to make MOD float again! All relevant details are provided in the first post of this thread.
(I am in no way affiliated with MOD, just a tier 3 backer who wants MOD to succeed and use the Dwarf to play with my guitar and other things)
Same for me. Still waiting.
At now I’ve no job, so I can’t put any money in the reboot. Only thing I can do is loose my contributions as dwarf backer and donate to the community… Only I don’t know if it’s possible and how to do it.
Here to let you know I’ll pay the extra €150 to get my hands on my Tier 3 Founder’s edition unit.