Chris Pile wrote:
Latest theory I've heard: During bankruptcy, Gibson laid off a bunch of factory workers. Many went to work for Dean. Now Gibson needs them back....
Hopefully Dean pays better and has better benefits.
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| We've been warned http://luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10123&t=52054 |
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| Author: | Hesh [ Sat Jun 22, 2019 4:39 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
truckjohn wrote: Guys, Remember that thousands of fake Gibsons come in from China annually... It's bad enough that Gibson and Martin fakes show up for sale in places like GC... You have to be an expert now if you want to buy a Martin/Gibson/Fender on CL anymore because there are so many fakes coming in.... Shoot - there are multiple websites and YouTube videos describing how to do it..... I believe this is a shot across the bow at that... So for example - pursue litigation against people illegally importing them rather than simply confiscating the illegal imports when they show up... This is sort of an issue like Napster was... Nobody cares about music sharing till THEY personally don't get paid.... It was OK for the big studios to get the shaft - everybody hates them.... But when a local artist can't sell his CD's because everybody downloads them for free - then he pays attention and steps into the fray..... I don't see the issue/problem. We repaired 1,167 guitars in 2018 and didn't see a single one of the guitars that you are describing. We do and did see a few "lawsuit guitars" from the 80's and 90's but nothing labeled G*bson that was a fake. When I say "repaired" our minimum service level is a full set-up where we spend about an hour and go over every inch of the instrument while also cleaning it. We do spot most things when we work on anything. If you want strings replaced go elsewhere I won't even take the instrument in because of our minimum. My point, to be clear is that it's pretty hard to pull the sheep over our faces and we would know if we had a fake in our shop or not. We did see a fake G*bson Mando abut five years ago that had had the head plate removed from a G*bson and then overlaid on a Chinese $100 Mando. It was obvious that it was a fake although someone did purchase it for $2,000. I agree with Brian that this is not a problem but moreover a nasty attempt by G*bson to become relevant again using the courts and press instead of actually producing a quality instrument and regaining their market the old fashioned way, earning it. |
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| Author: | Chris Pile [ Sat Jun 22, 2019 9:51 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
Latest theory I've heard: During bankruptcy, Gibson laid off a bunch of factory workers. Many went to work for Dean. Now Gibson needs them back.... |
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| Author: | Hesh [ Sat Jun 22, 2019 12:14 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
Chris Pile wrote: Latest theory I've heard: During bankruptcy, Gibson laid off a bunch of factory workers. Many went to work for Dean. Now Gibson needs them back.... Hopefully Dean pays better and has better benefits.
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| Author: | Chris Pile [ Sat Jun 22, 2019 1:39 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
Quote: Hopefully Dean pays better and has better benefits. Dean is located in Florida... that has a certain appeal over Nashville. |
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| Author: | B. Howard [ Sat Jun 22, 2019 2:39 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
I didn't even think Armadillo had any US operations until I just looked it up. |
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| Author: | Barry Daniels [ Tue Jun 25, 2019 10:43 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
Now Gibson wants people to turn in counterfeits. We could have a little fun with this: https://www.musicradar.com/news/gibson-is-encouraging-players-to-report-counterfeit-guitars |
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| Author: | Chris Pile [ Tue Jun 25, 2019 10:52 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
Oh, boy.... Click on the "exhaustive list" near the bottom of the article. They might mean business on this. |
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| Author: | B. Howard [ Tue Jun 25, 2019 11:55 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
Oh and it looks like they re-filed for the Howard name and logo. That was abandoned as of 5 years ago.... Tis why my instrumenst are all Brian Howard guitars. But a certain other maker with the same last name may want to be on the lookout. |
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| Author: | Bryan Bear [ Tue Jun 25, 2019 12:11 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
I just gave a causal glance to the list of trademarks. It appears that they have a trademark on the belly bridge? Also they have a list of "word marks." This list includes things like: Artisan Aeolian Viola Can they just trade mark English words? I'm not a fan of the now overused "artisan" but am I supposed to turn in every hipster I see? What if I wanted to take up the viola? Do I have to pay royalties to talk about it? 
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| Author: | Chris Pile [ Tue Jun 25, 2019 12:49 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
They even have Bill Monroe and Wes Montgomery on the list.... I wonder if their families know about this? |
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| Author: | Conor_Searl [ Tue Jun 25, 2019 12:57 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
I wonder too about the fact that they're casting such a wide net with this stuff? I get wanting to clamp down on forgeries, but guys like Dean, while maybe using some similar aesthetic choices are really doing something completely different and offering a product that you couldn't get from a Gibson. And the guys that do build quality replica's or products in a similar vein, as far as I've seen are working at such a smaller scale that this stuff must be more damaging to Gibson's reputation than the number of guitars those guys sell. As many have said, this is a colossal misstep and by doubling down it represents a giant missed opportunity. |
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| Author: | Glen H [ Tue Jun 25, 2019 6:46 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
Hmm no patents on the three piece x brace with cloth holding it together or the plastic screwed on bridge. Wonder why. |
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| Author: | Freeman [ Tue Jun 25, 2019 9:50 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
Also interesting that they got J-45. J-50 and J-200 and a few of the named guitars, but no L5 or ES175 or any of the others. I guess I'm still OK calling my double cuts 335's. |
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| Author: | Chris Pile [ Fri Jun 28, 2019 3:30 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
Perhaps the worm is turning? https://guitar.com/news/gibson-loses-fl ... -eu-court/ |
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| Author: | Glen H [ Fri Jun 28, 2019 6:28 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
Interesting and too bad for Gibson huh. |
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| Author: | Evilfrog [ Sat Jun 29, 2019 11:19 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
I really dislike patent trolls. |
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| Author: | Jim Watts [ Sat Jun 29, 2019 6:24 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
Bryan Bear wrote: I just gave a causal glance to the list of trademarks. It appears that they have a trademark on the belly bridge? Also they have a list of "word marks." This list includes things like: Artisan Aeolian Viola Can they just trade mark English words? I'm not a fan of the now overused "artisan" but am I supposed to turn in every hipster I see? What if I wanted to take up the viola? Do I have to pay royalties to talk about it? Bryan, I just filed for trademarks on each letter of the alphabet. I expect licensing agreements to begin rolling in any day now. You've all been warned
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| Author: | Bryan Bear [ Mon Jul 01, 2019 12:57 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
Jim Watts wrote: Bryan Bear wrote: I just gave a causal glance to the list of trademarks. It appears that they have a trademark on the belly bridge? Also they have a list of "word marks." This list includes things like: Artisan Aeolian Viola Can they just trade mark English words? I'm not a fan of the now overused "artisan" but am I supposed to turn in every hipster I see? What if I wanted to take up the viola? Do I have to pay royalties to talk about it? Bryan, I just filed for trademarks on each letter of the alphabet. I expect licensing agreements to begin rolling in any day now. You've all been warned I was going to type a response but realized I couldn't afford it. Wait, rats! How much is this going to cost me? |
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| Author: | B. Howard [ Mon Jul 01, 2019 1:06 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
Appears out may be all about collecting royalties.... MusicRadar: Gibson shifts 'from confrontation to collaboration' in copycat row. https://www.musicradar.com/news/gibson- ... opycat-row |
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| Author: | Bryan Bear [ Mon Jul 01, 2019 1:11 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
B. Howard wrote: Appears out may be all about collecting royalties.... MusicRadar: Gibson shifts 'from confrontation to collaboration' in copycat row. https://www.musicradar.com/news/gibson- ... opycat-row It would be interesting to know what the backlash would have been if this was their first message instead of the earlier video. |
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| Author: | Chris Pile [ Mon Jul 01, 2019 3:03 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
You can absolutely count on the backlash having an effect on them. They are changing tactics because they've had the s**t slapped out of them for two weeks. I seem to recall suggesting this (somewhere on the internet) as the best thing they could have done. If Gibson quietly contacted everyone they think is ripping them off - ask for a $1 for every instrument produced from say 2015 until now, and then from now forward. Makers could afford it, and the lawyers could all go eat dirty diapers instead. I would see that as a win-win for the stringed instrument industry as a whole. |
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| Author: | B. Howard [ Tue Jul 02, 2019 6:31 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
Chris Pile wrote: ask for a $1 for every instrument produced from say 2015 until now, and then from now forward. Makers could afford it, and the lawyers could all go eat dirty diapers instead. I would see that as a win-win for the stringed instrument industry as a whole. They gonna want way more than a dollar.... Ever try dealing with Gibson corporate? |
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| Author: | Chris Pile [ Tue Jul 02, 2019 9:20 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
Quote: They gonna want way more than a dollar.... Of course they will, but about a dollar per unit is all they deserve. |
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| Author: | Barry Daniels [ Tue Jul 02, 2019 12:01 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
And then they need to send 90 cents of that dollar to Martin for every flattop, x-brace and dreadnought they make. |
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| Author: | Chris Pile [ Tue Jul 02, 2019 1:18 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: We've been warned |
Martin does not think Gibson ripped them off. No need to start another fight. |
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