Gibson licensing builds to Echopark Guitars?

[67Mopar]

I've heard that Gibson is licensing Gibson guitar builds to Echopark Guitars. I did a Google search, and found several nightmarish comments regarding this company. Does anyone here have any experience with Echopark Guitars? Are they as bad as some people are saying?

[Silence Kid]

Re: Gibson licensing builds to Echopark Guitars?

...So did Gibson get bored waiting for their dial-up to connect and do a HotBot search on Echo Park's reputation - or did they knowingly accept another PR bungle thinking they could power through it? You can't make this stuff up, huh.

Before the 100 page flaming Echo Park threads of shame started coming around, I remember the guitars being pretty well lauded/gorgeous - apparently the move to Detroit and teething issues related to that exist as the pivot point. I've never dealt with them, but it's a shame to watch anyway.

[Mincer]

Re: Gibson licensing builds to Echopark Guitars?

I don't know anything about that company...but I think only a few companies took Gibson up on their offer to license their designs. I am sure some interesting court cases will happen in the next year or so.

[67Mopar]

Re: Gibson licensing builds to Echopark Guitars?

I don't know anything about that company...but I think only a few companies took Gibson up on their offer to license their designs. I am sure some interesting court cases will happen in the next year or so.

Why would Gibson license their designs, especially after releasing that goofy "play authentic" clip?

[jeremy]

Re: Gibson licensing builds to Echopark Guitars?

ive not seem many echopark guitars in the wild but they seem to have gotten into the hands of some people that i appreciate like charlie star

[DavidRavenMoon]

Re: Gibson licensing builds to Echopark Guitars?

Why would Gibson license their designs, especially after releasing that goofy "play authentic" clip?

So they can make some money from the builders copying their designs. In their mind it’s offsetting the money they lose when people buy other guitars.

I doubt they will be able to defend their trademarks because they never tried to defend them for the past 40 years. Fender tried this and lost. The court said they allowed their designs to become generic.


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[AlexR]

Re: Gibson licensing builds to Echopark Guitars?

Why would Gibson license their designs, especially after releasing that goofy "play authentic" clip?

Business 101 here really.........

Much easier to make money off those reallywanting to use things like the headstock shape and other aspects. Fender has done the same thing already with Warmoth and others.

And a licensing agreement makes it Authentic for those makers of course. But just for shape rather than the ability to put a G logo on there.

[St_Genesius]

Re: Gibson licensing builds to Echopark Guitars?

I wish they'd license the headstock shape to THEMSELVES for the Epiphone line.

[67Mopar]

Re: Gibson licensing builds to Echopark Guitars?

ive not seem many echopark guitars in the wild but they seem to have gotten into the hands of some people that i appreciate like charlie star

Speaking of Charlie Starr. I purchased a set of Tyson Tone 57 Wind P90's for my LP Deluxe goldtop last year, but never installed them. I traded a set of Ludwig drums for a new 2015 LP Less Plus P-90 Goldtop. The Less Plus sounds so good, I ended-up tossing the Tyson's in my top drawer. Everyone has a top drawer, don't they?

[DavidRavenMoon]

Re: Gibson licensing builds to Echopark Guitars?

I wish they'd license the headstock shape to THEMSELVES for the Epiphone line.

But that was Epiphone’s headstock since before Gibson bought them.




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[St_Genesius]

Re: Gibson licensing builds to Echopark Guitars?

I know. Still don't care for it on LPs, SGs and the like.

But that was Epiphone’s headstock since before Gibson bought them.




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[AlexR]

Re: Gibson licensing builds to Echopark Guitars?

Gibsons only mis step here (and it was a BIG one) was that rant by Agnesi.

The market for clones is tiny.......I hang out on luthier forums here and there, and even there you get only a fraction of the builds being full-on Gibson clones (including logo). Most of the builders are individuals who are making only for their own use and maybe 1 or 2 instruments.
Since Bartlett guitars and Gil Yaron moved to putting their own designs into place, there are no 'high volume' boutique builders any more.

They can make great money from places like Warmoth and Precision too.........if they charge the right price.

[PFDarkside]

Re: Gibson licensing builds to Echopark Guitars?

Is Echo Park going to be making “Gibson” guitars or are they going to be making “Echo Park” guitars with body and headstock shapes matching Gibson’s?

My friend has an Echo Park, he loves it. I don’t know the era, but I’m fairly certain it’s Detroit.

[67Mopar]

Re: Gibson licensing builds to Echopark Guitars?

Too bad. This is what we call authentic authenticity.

Authentically authentic authenticity.

[67Mopar]

Re: Gibson licensing builds to Echopark Guitars?

Off-topic here, but since I'm thinking about it... A couple of years ago, I got to play a 1959 LP Standard, and a 1958 LP Standard. What amazed me, was how light they were! I don't think either one of them weighed more than 8 lbs. The owned explained why this was the case... Wood from the top of the tree is lighter than the bottom. I believe one of his guitars was an Echopark. It looked like a funky shaped Telecaster type thing.