Gibson goes after Warmoth

[Dave W]

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.

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.

[Bionic-Joe]

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.

[dadagoboi]

I wonder if Rondo is next or if this is different enough:
http://www.rondomusic.com/AL2000627CSBF.html

[drbassman]

Will this leak out to the NR builders?  I hope not.

[Denis]

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.

[TBird1958]

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.

[nofi]

jeez. i guess fender could sue people until the end of time. i wonder why they don't.

[Dave W]

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?

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.

[drbassman]

What about an NR like Carlo's with a Fender neck?

[godofthunder]

  I'm guessing all us "Fenderbird" inspired builders are targeted.

[dadagoboi]

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  Seriously it depends who has the best lawyers.  They do, obviously.

[nofi]

 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...

[Bionic-Joe]

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...

[Dave W]

Comment from the Tele forum thread where I first heard about this:

Warmoth could start making replacement Gibson headstock cracks?

[jumbodbassman]

Bring it on, mofos.  It would just give me a reason to move back to China  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....