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Gear Discussion Forums => Gibson Basses => Topic started by: Dave W on February 01, 2013, 03:38:39 PM

Title: Gibson goes after Warmoth
Post by: Dave W on February 01, 2013, 03:38:39 PM
No more Gibson style bodies from Warmoth.

I saw on another forum that if you go to their site, go to Guitar/Body Builder and click on the SC1 -- their Les Paul type body -- you get this notice (http://www.warmoth.com/Guitar/Bodies/BuilderRedirect.aspx?i=5).

I went to the Bass Body Builder section and you get the same message when you click on their SG, Explorer, T-bird and flat-top single cut LP style bass bodies.



Title: Re: Gibson goes after Warmoth
Post by: Bionic-Joe on February 01, 2013, 03:40:30 PM
That is sooooooooo Lame considering hey are putting out junk these days... What is wrong if someone wants to make a bolt on t bird...or Fenderbird...Those guys suck.
Title: Re: Gibson goes after Warmoth
Post by: dadagoboi on February 01, 2013, 03:49:43 PM
I wonder if Rondo is next or if this is different enough:
http://www.rondomusic.com/AL2000627CSBF.html
Title: Re: Gibson goes after Warmoth
Post by: drbassman on February 01, 2013, 05:08:50 PM
Will this leak out to the NR builders?  I hope not.
Title: Re: Gibson goes after Warmoth
Post by: Denis on February 01, 2013, 06:58:38 PM
Quote from: drbassman on February 01, 2013, 05:08:50 PM
Will this leak out to the NR builders?  I hope not.

How many are building NRs these days, since BaCH has discontinued them? Lull, we know is.
Title: Re: Gibson goes after Warmoth
Post by: TBird1958 on February 01, 2013, 08:14:12 PM


I don't know about all of them, but since Gibson never copyrighted Thunderbirds they couldn't sue Lull.
They like to rattle the Sabre a lot tho.
Title: Re: Gibson goes after Warmoth
Post by: nofi on February 01, 2013, 10:19:26 PM
jeez. i guess fender could sue people until the end of time. i wonder why they don't.
Title: Re: Gibson goes after Warmoth
Post by: Dave W on February 01, 2013, 10:54:07 PM
Quote from: TBird1958 on February 01, 2013, 08:14:12 PM

I don't know about all of them, but since Gibson never copyrighted Thunderbirds they couldn't sue Lull.
They like to rattle the Sabre a lot tho.

It's trademark, not copyright. I don't think Gibson has ever trademarked either of the Firebird/T-bird body shapes but that doesn't mean they can't send a cease-and-desist letter claiming a common law trademark. More likely, Warmoth just decided to ax all the clone bodies and will come back with something similar but different enough to satisfy Gibson's lawyers. That's what other companies have done.

They sure could threaten Lull or even file suit, regardless. Not having a valid case doesn't stop some people, and Henry may be one of those people. Not likely that he would go after Lull, though. Is his even an exact clone?

Quote from: nofi on February 01, 2013, 10:19:26 PM
jeez. i guess fender could sue people until the end of time. i wonder why they don't.

Fender tried to trademark the Tele, Strat and Jazz shapes, but they failed, thanks to a lot of organized opposition. Just don't clone their headstock shape, or if you do, don't publicize it.



Title: Re: Gibson goes after Warmoth
Post by: drbassman on February 02, 2013, 08:27:46 AM
What about an NR like Carlo's with a Fender neck?
Title: Re: Gibson goes after Warmoth
Post by: godofthunder on February 02, 2013, 08:49:53 AM
  I'm guessing all us "Fenderbird" inspired builders are targeted.
Title: Re: Gibson goes after Warmoth
Post by: dadagoboi on February 02, 2013, 08:53:38 AM
Quote from: drbassman on February 02, 2013, 08:27:46 AM
What about an NR like Carlo's with a Fender neck?

Bring it on, mofos.  It would just give me a reason to move back to China ;D  Seriously it depends who has the best lawyers.  They do, obviously.
Title: Re: Gibson goes after Warmoth
Post by: nofi on February 02, 2013, 09:11:37 AM
 i don't think you guys will be in any trouble. i doubt gibson knows about you plus you would be very small potatoes to them. but...
Title: Re: Gibson goes after Warmoth
Post by: Bionic-Joe on February 02, 2013, 09:18:27 AM
I guess it's a good thing I'm Destitute and about to lose my house......or I would still be making my "Gibson" 8 string basses...
Title: Re: Gibson goes after Warmoth
Post by: Dave W on February 02, 2013, 09:38:57 AM
Comment from the Tele forum thread where I first heard about this:

QuoteWarmoth could start making replacement Gibson headstock cracks?

;D

Title: Re: Gibson goes after Warmoth
Post by: jumbodbassman on February 02, 2013, 09:42:44 AM
Quote from: dadagoboi on February 02, 2013, 08:53:38 AM
Bring it on, mofos.  It would just give me a reason to move back to China ;D  Seriously it depends who has the best lawyers.  They do, obviously.


This is Henry being Henry.    Most litigious person i have ever worked with.  I remember him being proud when talking about all the infringement lawsuits he has filed.    
When he paid out the loan after selling him Baldwin we celebrated big time.   That being said there were some small lawsuits since then but mostly regarding the prior BOD to Henry buying the company  and some employee related stuff.  Now of course that GE Capital have parted ways I hope he sues them big time....
Title: Re: Gibson goes after Warmoth
Post by: TBird1958 on February 02, 2013, 12:05:44 PM
Quote from: jumbodbassman on February 02, 2013, 09:42:44 AM

This is Henry being Henry.    Most litigious person i have ever worked with.  I remember him being proud when talking about all the infringement lawsuits he has filed.     
When he paid out the loan after selling him Baldwin we celebrated big time.   That being said there were some small lawsuits since then but mostly regarding the prior BOD to Henry buying the company  and some employee related stuff.  Now of course that GE Capital have parted ways I hope he sues them big time....


I remember bringing up this with Mike Lull and he basically laughed, Gibson (Henry) doesn't have a leg to stand on at least re the Thunderbird. OTOH Warmoth's T Bird body is no great shakes..............Hardly a loss as far as I'm concerned. 
Title: Re: Gibson goes after Warmoth
Post by: lowend1 on February 02, 2013, 11:18:30 PM
Quote from: TBird1958 on February 02, 2013, 12:05:44 PMOTOH Warmoth's T Bird body is no great shakes..............Hardly a loss as far as I'm concerned. 

Except maybe for this one they had a couple of years back. Priced too rich for my blood, but a beauty nonetheless.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y247/lowend1/bp649a-1_zpsc345d81a.jpg)
Title: Re: Gibson goes after Warmoth
Post by: Bionic-Joe on February 03, 2013, 09:18:56 AM
The neck sticks out WAY too far.
Title: Re: Gibson goes after Warmoth
Post by: TBird1958 on February 03, 2013, 09:49:58 AM


What Baz said! The pocket rout on that ensures fail. The Warmoth guys showed up at a Seattle Talkbass GTG and when I questioned them about it they admitted it, and said they were thinking about disco'ing it anyway........
That is a nice plank tho.
Title: Re: Gibson goes after Warmoth
Post by: lowend1 on February 03, 2013, 02:52:50 PM
I fell in love with that tobacco burst flamed top. I wanted it just to hang on the wall as is.
Title: Re: Gibson goes after Warmoth
Post by: godofthunder on February 03, 2013, 02:55:40 PM
 I never had a problem with the Warmoth neck pocket, nice upper register access. I've got long arms, felt good to me.
Title: Re: Gibson goes after Warmoth
Post by: uwe on February 04, 2013, 08:24:27 AM
Scott Gibbon!  :mrgreen:

I could do that too probably, I can even comfortably play the long deleted Epi Gothic Extreme bass with its shark bite SG Body and a double octave longscale neck thru structure NOT set deep into the body (you don't need to with a neck thru construction, it will still be stable). But that bass' low F is probably outside of the comfortable reach of 95% of bass players. I's sure that its designer had long arms and no one noticed until too late. It was deleted in less than a year.

(http://www2.epiphone.com/images/newxbass.jpg)

Or maybe the "Extreme" in its name alluded to extremities ...  :mrgreen:
Title: Re: Gibson goes after Warmoth
Post by: gearHed289 on February 04, 2013, 09:28:01 AM
Quote from: Baz Cooper on February 03, 2013, 09:18:56 AM
The neck sticks out WAY too far.

Agreed. Plus, why is it 1-3/4'' thick?