Gibson v Dean trial to start

[ErikH]

Gibson is not claiming copyright, but trademark. A trademark has no expiration.

 

[ICTGoober]

A trademark has no expiration.

Provided it is maintained and used.

 

[ICTGoober]

I would bet Gibson has much better lawyers, though, and that might be all you need.

Better, or more of them? If they were really good they wouldn't have lost any cases.

 

[ErikH]

Provided it is maintained and used.

In this case it certainly has.

 

[beaubrummels]

Looks like they have been filing for U.S. trademark on the body shapes. (Can't stop companies in foreign countries making them, however.) Don't know if they've been providing proper notification to the public, but they have been filing. Maybe they have a case? (ba-dump-bump)

https://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4801:z0lkmk.8.470
https://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4801:z0lkmk.8.469
https://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4801:z0lkmk.8.468

 

[Aceman]

I would bet Gibson wastes more money on lawyers, though, and that might be all you need.

Fixed

 

[Securb]

But the thing is, if you read the letter, it says they filed suit against the importer and distributor, not against the maker Ibanez.

Ibanez bought out the distributor in the early 70's and that became Ibanez USA. Lots of names with different divisions but all under the same parent company.

 

[Mincer]

Man - what a dooshbag business move.

At the end of the day, no one is confused about the difference between a Gibson and anything that looks like a Gibson. This isn't going to help Gibson sell guitars, it isn't going to stop people making Les Pauls, and whatever else.

Just a big waste of time and money on everyone's part.

Gibson doesn't care. They just want to win, and scare other companies.

 

[Synapsys]

Fixed

Being a lawyer here in Portugal, I do believe Ace aced it here.

 

[GuitarStv]

BTW the Mickey Mouse copyright expires in about 2 years time.

Like it expired in 1998? Disney has had the laws changed to protect the mouse once, I'd be surprised if they don't do it again. Copyright has constantly been extended by US law, well beyond any reasonable limits.

 

[Mincer]

Back on topic, please.

 

[Aceman]

Gibson doesn't care. They just want to win, and scare other companies.

Hey - here is an idea Gibson....just spitballing here, but maybe toss this around the board room:

Make REALLY REALLY good guitars, classics and moderns, at really competitive prices. Maybe channel all that Lawyer money into Quality, modern production, and reducing costs for customers while maintaining margins. Bah - what do I know.....

 

[Mincer]

Hey - here is an idea Gibson....just spitballing here, but maybe toss this around the board room:

Make REALLY REALLY good guitars, classics and moderns, at really competitive prices. Maybe channel all that Lawyer money into Quality, modern production, and reducing costs for customers while maintaining margins. Bah - what do I know.....

I would agree with this. But they clearly know there is a market for ultra high end instruments for by people who will rarely play them. That is baked into their business model. Let's face it, most of their customers are guitar fans, not musicians. I love my Gibson, but it is an 40-year-old, not-widely-respected model. I am priced out of their instruments these days, even though I am technically a Gibson artist.

 

[GuitarStv]

Hey - here is an idea Gibson....just spitballing here, but maybe toss this around the board room:

Make REALLY REALLY good guitars, classics and moderns, at really competitive prices. Maybe channel all that Lawyer money into Quality, modern production, and reducing costs for customers while maintaining margins. Bah - what do I know.....

You're asking them to do something that they have no experience with though . . . that would require total ground up changes to the company.

 

[Aceman]

I would agree with this. But they clearly know there is a market for ultra high end instruments for by people who will rarely play them. That is baked into their business model. Let's face it, most of their customers are guitar fans, not musicians. I love my Gibson, but it is an 40-year-old, not-widely-respected model. I am priced out of their instruments these days, even though I am technically a Gibson artist.

I'm not priced out of their range - but I don't buy them either. (one exception, obvious reasons - no apologies!)

 

[Securb]

I am priced out of their instruments these days, even though I am technically a Gibson artist.

You just have to shop smart and look for deals there are plenty of $400 Les Paul Standards out there.

 

[nexion218]

You just have to shop smart and look for deals there are plenty of $400 Les Paul Standards out there.

Or $300 Goldtops ..

 

[Ashurbanipal]

I would agree with this. But they clearly know there is a market for ultra high end instruments for by people who will rarely play them. That is baked into their business model. Let's face it, most of their customers are guitar fans, not musicians. I love my Gibson, but it is an 40-year-old, not-widely-respected model. I am priced out of their instruments these days, even though I am technically a Gibson artist.

No doubt a reason why there are fewer more prominent artists in their roster under 45/50 . Can only think of JJN, Marcus King, Halestorm, the guy from Greta Van Fleet... I guess when it comes moving units, that's what Epiphone is for.

Also agree with Ace – could put that money into stuff like qc, people's wages etc. Ideal hypotheticals, of course .

 

[GuitarDoc]

This whole thing is quite senseless...even if Gibson wins every trademark or copyright infringement case they win NOTHING. Players these days will buy the instruments they like at the price they want to pay regardless of the body or headstock shape (Ibabez, Kramer, Fender, etc. are in business BECAUSE they don't look like Gibson at Gibson prices). Yes, there will always be some who will buy the name, and that is what keeps Gibson in the marketplace, but it's NOT because they can't buy that headstock or body shape elsewhere.

All I can say is, get a life Gibson.

 

[nexion218]

I guess the idea here is probably not to gain sales, but to force competitors to lose sales.