Gibson threatening the mandolin and guitar luthier community

[MikeHalloran]

...Fender lost its case for the Stratocaster body shape so who knows. As with all things legal, you have better odds at a slot machine.

But is able to protect their headstock shapes for the Tele® and Strat® as does Gibson the seagull top curve of their guitar 'stocks. Go figure.

[Wolfboy]

Some of the best makers have found little ways to express their view of the F5. A couple examples are Tom Ellis and his use of Western Maple. It I’d beautiful when Tom completes them with his perfect finish work and incredible sound. Will Kimble has made some great 2 points and now some great looking head stocks. These are not the only ones, but they are examples of excellent luthiers who dared buck hypertraditionalism.

Monteleone comes to mind too, with an extended scroll and slightly flattened upper point - nice subtle individual riff on the classic F5 design.

[Mandolin Cafe]

An editorial that came out a couple of days ago that contains much of what has already been covered by other news outlets but has some observations some of you may find of value:

Gibson Guitar Declares Shift In IP Enforcement After Most Recent Public Backlash

[bradlaird]

Thanks for that link, Scott. How did I know that the ultra-trendy word “pivot” would be on the quote? Haha. I do enjoy following this thread though I find studying the comments more interesting than the actual content. Gibson... ah... just give me their old teens and twenties “Gibsonite” flowery verbosity. The current crowd at Gibson ought to read those sometime.

73

[sebastiaan56]

This debacle going to make a lot of students of Public Relations, Marketing, Corporate Law and Product Design very happy. I can see literally hundreds of thesis’s (is that a word) exploring every detail of what is an unmitigated PR disaster. It will rank with the exploits of Lee Iacocca, unfortunately the company will probably go the same way. How can they be so short sighted?

[Jeff Hildreth]

Curleigh fries ?

[Ray(T)]

This debacle going to make a lot of students of Public Relations, Marketing, Corporate Law and Product Design very happy. I can see literally hundreds of thesis’s (is that a word) exploring every detail of what is an unmitigated PR disaster. It will rank with the exploits of Lee Iacocca, unfortunately the company will probably go the same way. How can they be so short sighted?

It probably is but, unfortunately, an invalid use of an apostrophe. I suspect the word you’re looking for is “theses”.

Carry on folks; fascinating thread!

[Timbofood]

If they made sports equipment maybe they would make..




Wait for it...







“Curliegh Cues”
I know, to the corner!
Just a little Monday morning fun.

[MikeEdgerton]

For those that feel this signals the end time for Gibson I can tell you this is by far not the worst PR Gibson ever brought upon themselves. The brand will survive.

[FLATROCK HILL]

For those that feel this signals the end time for Gibson I can tell you this is by far not the worst PR Gibson ever brought upon themselves. The brand will survive.

Yes... Lots of bad PR moves over the years. Not sure how bad it has to get to signal the "end time for Gibson".
I trust you'll let us know if you receive a 'Cease and Desist' notice over your avatar.

[MikeEdgerton]

If I do I'll just put tape over my avatar.

[Caleb]

For those that feel this signals the end time for Gibson I can tell you this is by far not the worst PR Gibson ever brought upon themselves. The brand will survive.

Indeed. I’d be willing to bet that the average Joe who’s been dreaming for years of getting a Les Paul doesn’t even know this has happened, and wouldn’t care anyway. He just wants his Les Paul.

[Wolfboy]

I’d be willing to bet that the average Joe who’s been dreaming for years of getting a Les Paul doesn’t even know this has happened, and wouldn’t care anyway. He just wants his Les Paul.

Maybe, but I can't help thinking that if I were about to drop five or six grand on a new electric guitar, I'd be doing a bit of research beforehand to inform my decision...and it only takes a few minutes of web-surfing to come across not only the recent legal/PR debacle but also tales of new Les Pauls' headstocks breaking off and other quality-control nightmares.

[Caleb]

Maybe, but I can't help thinking that if I were about to drop five or six grand on a new electric guitar, I'd be doing a bit of research beforehand to inform my decision...and it only takes a few minutes of web-surfing to come across not only the recent legal/PR debacle but also tales of new Les Pauls' headstocks breaking off and other quality-control nightmares.

I see the (valid) point, but I believe emotion and human nature wins out in these situations, because images of Jimmy Page, Slash, BB King, et al, playing a Gibson is what matters in the minds of most consumers. The Gibson folks know that.

[Wolfboy]

I see the (valid) point, but I believe emotion and human nature wins out in these situations, because images of Jimmy Page, Slash, BB King, et al, playing a Gibson is what matters in the minds of most consumers. The Gibson folks know that.

No doubt, and that's probably what's kept Gibson in business at all in recent decades.

[MikeEdgerton]

I wonder why Ford hasn't send out any cease and desist letters to guys like this. This was a Ford design that they were selling back in the 30's.

[Timbofood]

I wonder why Ford hasn't send out any cease and desist letters to guys like this. This was a Ford design that they were selling back in the 30's.

That is a very interesting question!?
How do all the kit car body people get away with that? Mike, you generally find some very interesting tangents to go off on! One day we will have to share a cocktail and have a handful of laughs!

[Bill McCall]

Some kits are licensed, some are not. Maybe not specifically that style.

https://www.core77.com/posts/34829/Y...-the-1965-Body

[sblock]

It probably is but, unfortunately, an invalid use of an apostrophe. I suspect the word you’re looking for is “theses”.

Carry on folks; fascinating thread!

When I was in grad school, a fellow student once wore a button that said "Feces on theses!"

[Mandolin Cafe]

Just published today, headline from front page of Music Inc. Magazine:

Gibson 'Declares War'

Gibson Brands has issued at least 13 cease and desist letters to guitar manufacturers claiming trademark infringement on specific models including the Flying V, Explorer, ES and SG body shape designs, according to intellectual property attorney Ron Bienstock of Scarinci Hollenbeck, who represents the recipients. Letters have also been sent to Gibson dealers stating that the company is protecting its trademarks. --snip--

Read the rest on their web site.

Quote from the attorney representing these companies:

"The goodwill they may have had is over. They're going to open up a multiple-front war," he said, referring to the now-deleted YouTube video released by Gibson last month."

We're in possession of one of the letters referenced in the last sentence of that paragraph. Working to reshare it this afternoon, just double-checking a couple of details.

[Mandolin Cafe]

The letter to Gibson dealers referenced above. This was acquired elsewhere online so was technically already under discussion though you won't find it on a Google search. This has been converted from its original format into an image.

You'll need to click each of the two images to see the text as I wished to leave them in their original size/state.

Page 1



Page 2

[DHopkins]

Quote from the attorney representing these companies:

"The goodwill they may have had is over. They're going to open up a multiple-front war," he said, referring to the now-deleted YouTube video released by Gibson last month."

That legalese for "We've been sitting on our thumbs until now" and the unstated idea is: "We hope it's not too late."

[danb]

In Honor of Mr Bill Monroe's 73987 (celebrating it's 96th birthday today!), I think this is an image worth sharing.




This scratched logo should remind us all something very important about the fractuous relationship this company has had with their customers.

You could say that Orville Gibson's designs were watered down and made commercially viable in the early 1900s by the corporate mentality.

You could also say that the company super-saturated production to meet the demands of a fad instrument in the 1910-1920 range.

It's also fair to say that Lloyd Loar and Guy Hart introduced a lot of innovative designs that brought the quality of the instrument forward, at the cost of revenue and commercial failure.

But now, after multiple sales of the branding and trademarks.. I see little left of the soul of the company. There are some good people left of course, but this cancerous litigation against the very people that have kept the market for mandolins alive is incredibly short-sighted. This is the approach of a company that is looking to cash out and pawn all the quality for minimal gains. By attempting to consume luthiers that kept the instrument alive and viable, they are really just pissing in the wind.

[MikeEdgerton]

That's hysterical. I did an avatar with that last night. Now I had to put tape on mine.

[Jeff Mando]

For those old enough to remember..........

(actually, I feel like I should include that before most of my posts.....)

Anyway, there was a brief controversy in 1968 when the "then new" Opel GT car was introduced and someone said it looked just like a miniature Corvette.....again, maybe a cartoon version, at best???!!!! Reflections on a more innocent time.......

More currently, the current model Chrysler 300 looks a lot like a Bentley to more than a few people.......according to the internet....probably helped by the fact that most people probably haven't seen a Bentley.....

anyway.....

my thoughts.....should I.....no.....don't do it, Jeff, well, OK.....here goes......

there was a recent thread about someone playing a song they thought was public domain in a bar/church/whatever and it turns out it was written by someone still living and an overwhelming amount of people rose to the defense of the songwriter to make sure they got their nickel royalty..............to which I respond, jeesh, if you had 20 million 5 cent royalty checks, you would be a millionaire songwriter..............now let's start clamping down of those churches, OK?????!!!!!

quite similarly, but somehow opposite, 99 percent of mandolin luthiers make an exact copy of Gibson's patented design (the F5) and in total violation, but in this case......wait for it......yep, Gibson is the enemy for designing something great and wonderful......right??!!!

I know this is about corporate takeover and timing and the way they are trying to enforce things,,,,,but, still......just sayin'........