Gibson threatening the mandolin and guitar luthier community

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Engineering licensure is handled by each state, and some are more agressive about the misuse of the term than others. Generally speaking, if services are offered publicly, you cannot call yourself an engineer unless you are registered/licensed to practice engineering in the state where the work is being performed. There are no such restrictions on naming positions internal to a company. So, if I employed someone in my own business, I could give that person the title of "Photocopy Engineer" for example. That would not typically be a violation of state law. Now, if my company publicly offered the services of our "Photocopy Engineer" or "Photocopy Engineering services" we'd be in trouble with the board of licensure.

I don't think any state has an Acoustic Engineer license. Someone offering that service would typically be a mechanical or electrical engineer who specializes in acoustics. Since Gibson doesn't offer those services publicly, I doubt their label is a violation of any state law. That said, I'm not familiar with the licensure laws of every state.

I think you are mostly correct, but I have dealt with the state of Tennessee over the issue of using a professional term. In my case it was attaching the term "architect" with a modifier, much like attaching "acoustic" to the term engineer. As the lady from the state explained to me, any modifier attached to architect implied that I was a registered architect in Tennessee. I had to change my stationery when I worked in Tennessee to use the term "designer". IN my case, it did not matter whether it was an internal term used in a company or me as an individual. I could not use the term. I would bet that the same applies to the term "engineer".

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So, you would be suing because they sold you a great mandolin? (Derrington, Harvey, etc,....)

Jeff, I think you missed my entire point. The point is not that I or anyone else was sold a great mandolin. It is a push back for their bullying that has been taking place for many years now and in my case a little personal. Regardless, if using the term "Acoustic Engineer" is a violation of the Tennessee licensing statutes, why should they be allowed to ignore it? I can't.

[Jeff Mando]

Jeff, I think you missed my entire point. The point is not that I or anyone else was sold a great mandolin. It is a push back for their bullying that has been taking place for many years now and in my case a little personal. Regardless, if using the term "Acoustic Engineer" is a violation of the Tennessee licensing statutes, why should they be allowed to ignore it? I can't.

Sure, I get it. I was just making a point. My uncle is almost 90 years old and still is very proud of his engineering degree and injects it into conversation daily, although he has been retired for decades. It is a source of pride and it is a territorial thing. OTOH, my grandfather was an engineer and retired with that title from the railroad, although he held no college degree. I don't know if Lloyd Loar was a licensed engineer or not, but it would seem at this point the title of "Acoustic Engineer" would be "grandfathered in" at least as it pertains to the Gibson job title, IMHO.

I think it is just a fancy or honorary way of saying "Supervisor of the mandolin division" and signed as a way of being "inspected by...." so to speak.

If I sketch out the plans for a dog house on my kitchen table and then buy the lumber and build it, well....I have "engineered" that dog house. The term can be certainly be used without licensing or any certification.

Then again, nobody cares that Doc Watson wasn't a medical doctor.....

[ollaimh]

Makes me happy that the only corporate instruments I own (and I own quite a few instruments) are Fender and Godin.

well the extended godin family are nice people, i'm sure you know that. boucher is one of their cousins or nephews. but granddad godin had trained a dozen or more relatives. he wasnted to build the quevecois guitarre back during the rise of quebecois pride. all the local folkies played his instruments. good prices and everthing they design is well thought out.

[Verne Andru]

well the extended godin family are nice people, i'm sure you know that. boucher is one of their cousins or nephews. but granddad godin had trained a dozen or more relatives. he wasnted to build the quevecois guitarre back during the rise of quebecois pride. all the local folkies played his instruments. good prices and everthing they design is well thought out.

I used to respect Godin. Bought several instruments of theirs over the years - expensive ones at that. Then I had a first hand experience with them and have since put them on my "don't buy list."

My son bought an Ami parlor guitar. We took it to my luthier (ex-Larivee guy and the best in town) who did a setup and got it playing nice. Year or so later I noticed a bump at the back of the headstock.

Contacted Godin customer service which turned out to be the most horrible I've ever experienced. The repeatedly denied any responsibility. After making some noise they agreed to take it back for inspection.

They concluded the truss-rod had broken the neck (duh) and it wasn't something they would fix, replace or warrant in any way - they simply send it back and said "tough luck."









I've visited their booth at the NAMM show many times and find them to be full of themselves and very condescending so, based on first-hand experience, I'll never buy another Godin product - period!