Urgent: Help us cancel the double cream trademark held by DiMarzio

[Clint 55]

Re: Urgent: Help us cancel the double cream trademark held by DiMarzio

Duncan should trademark all black.

[Laughing Kookaburra]

Re: Urgent: Help us cancel the double cream trademark held by DiMarzio

I do believe that there are more pressing issues.

[WolfeMacleod]

Re: Urgent: Help us cancel the double cream trademark held by DiMarzio

This is a thing?

Yes, it realle is a thing. And it's a big thing, in the guitar industry. The petition to cancel is real, and the USPTO wants to know that people other than the petition filer are affected by the trademark. If you are a guitar player, you are hindered because you are not free to choose the brand you wish, if you want a cream humbucker.

[IWantDoubleCream]

Re: Urgent: Help us cancel the double cream trademark held by DiMarzio

Yeah. If you want the possibility of being able to buy double cream Seymour Duncans some day, I hope you will send in a declaration.

[ICTGoober]

Re: Urgent: Help us cancel the double cream trademark held by DiMarzio

This is a thing?

[IWantDoubleCream]

In 1981, DiMarzio trademarked the appearance of uncovered PAF style humbuckers featuring two cream colored bobbins. For many years, Gibson PAF pickups featured a random assorted of cream or black bobbins beneath the nickel silver covers, and many of these featured two cream bobbins. Many guitar players removed their humbucker covers, so having two cream colored bobbins was not an exclusive aesthetic at the time of the trademark filing. Nevertheless, the US Patent and Trademark Office granted this trademark to DiMarzio, to the effect that if you want to buy an uncovered PAF style humbucker with two cream bobbins in the United States, you must buy that pickup from DiMarzio. The details of this trademark can be viewed here http://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=73...e=statusSearch

There is a petition to cancel the trademark underway, on the grounds that the double cream appearance is aesthetically functional and limits consumer choice. However, the USPTO has stated most recently that they require evidence that other guitar owners, aside from the petitioner himself, also hold the view that the double cream trademark causes them damage as a consumer of after market guitar pickups.

If you share in the view that the double cream trademark causes you damage as a consumer, we would greatly appreciate your help in establishing that many guitarists are harmed by this trademark. What we would require is that you download this form LINK EDITED OUT , print the document out, and then follow these steps:

1. Complete Paragraph 1 with name, city/state of residence, and approximate year you began buying guitars and accessories.

2. Complete Paragraph 6 with an accurate, personal statement about the impact of this trademark registration on you. Do you believe you are harmed because you’re unable to buy cream-colored pickups from other manufacturers whose cost, quality, or brand you prefer? This does not need to be lengthy or over-the-top; just a true statement of your belief about the impact of this registration on you.

3. Read the full declaration and confirm it is accurate, then enter the date, type or print your name and sign it.

4. Either scan the form, or take a legible photo of the form, and email the scanned or photographed document as an attachment to [email protected]

We need these signed documents by Monday, March 13th.

Thank you for your help,

Andrew Flanders