Question about the Custom Shop

[IrfaanSE801]

It might sound like I'm whining or being senseless, but I have to ask. Why are there limitations on what (any company's) custom shop can make? I've been reading on threads the custom shop won't recreate another guitar, or make certain body shapes anymore. I can see the obvious reason of lawsuits, but isn't the idea of the custom shop to make a guitar EXACTLY the way you want it? We are paying the big $ for em, might as well give us what we want. Another plus is that most of these customs that could potentially be lawsuits are made for small time guys who gig out in small clubs. I doubt an insane amount of exposure would be given to the guitars in the case that the "suing" company would care. [img]graemlins/rant.gif[/img] All done now...

[charvel750]

Re: Question about the Custom Shop

My understanding is that Jackson cannot do the following: strat headstocks, Explorers, Flying V's ala Gibson, and anything else that infringes on another design. On the other hand, I have heard of strat headstocks coming out of there. Maybe you have to be very influential or know the top dogs. But think about this, what if anyone "borrowed" a proven idea and tried to make money off of it? Like, say I put a band together called Motley Crue and record all the hits. Then I sell them as my own, and maybe I even write one or two of my favorite songs for the album. That's an outrageous example, but there are copywritten laws for a reason.

[IrfaanSE801]

Re: Question about the Custom Shop

That's a very over the top example, but I see your point. I see a custom shop guitar being built a very much smaller issue, but I still see where u were going with that.

[charvel750]

Re: Question about the Custom Shop

John, by the way, what are you wanting from the Custom Shop?

[AK47]

Re: Question about the Custom Shop

Check this out. You can order explorers and Fender strat headstocks from the USA custom shop this is how. You place a Jackson custom order with a dealer in Japan for example for a Jackson explorer. The custom shop then makes it and sends it to Japan and the dealer ships it to you. I know people that have done this. I do the same thing with ESP explorers as they are not available here and have my dealer in Japan ship it to me. I just got two ESP explorers from Japan about two weeks ago. In Japan there are almost no copyright laws.

[charvel750]

Re: Question about the Custom Shop

AK, you sure about that? I think copyright laws extend internationally. Otherwise all foreign countries would capitalize on everything, but legally.

[Greg Crowe]

Re: Question about the Custom Shop

I know where Irfann is coming from. The Custom Shop now refuses to build King Kelly's w/ cutouts among other things. Actually, the Custom Shop doesn't like building customs period. The processes they have in place now and the workers they have are all geared to mass production of batches of USA Selects.

As far as getting stratheads out of the Custom Shop........ yes it can be done and has been done many times over the past few years IF you're a "friend" of the shop or you're an influential dealer wanting something special.

[Black Mariah]

Re: Question about the Custom Shop

Copyright laws extend to other countries when the other countries want them to. See most of Asia where the biggest piracy in the world happens, but nobody cares.

[Newc]

Re: Question about the Custom Shop

The Copyright laws are not what keeps America from being flooded with Jackson/Fender/Gibson duplicates, it's the import fees imposed on those items. It would cost more to ship it here than to make it, so those companies that ARE making "illegal" duplicates (Asian Ed Romans) are not finding it financially viable to sell here.
While Japan does recognize certain areas of the Trademark and Copyright laws, it really is important for a US company like Jackson or Fender to have an official outlet in Japan to service that market, otherwise they'll make one themselves and keep all the money [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Newc

[AK47]

Re: Question about the Custom Shop

Actually have you seen any Japanese catalogs for big guitar manufacturers overseas. There is enough possible lawsuits in one catalog to put Fender out of business. For some reason Japanese copyright laws dont really cover US made guitars. In 1999 when Gibson threatend to sue ESP for making the explorer body shape when they were cutting in to Gibson's sales ESP had to stop making the explorer shape. Since then I have been buying ESP explorers from Japan which are supposed to be for sale domestically only not for import. Lets put it this way I get them here into thUnited states for alot cheaper then I would when ESP had them available here for sale legally. The key to this argument is Japan is not supposed to import the guitars here but what stops a dealer from doing it. If the dealer gets caught then shame on them. There is not to many openings for guitar copyright import investigator and its almost impossible to track every guitar sold in Japan and where it ends up. If someone wants to host the pictures of my ESP explorers I will post them just to prove its possible.

[IrfaanSE801]

Re: Question about the Custom Shop

Well, the reasons are more clear as to why there are limitations on what we can order. TO the other dude, I'm not John, lol. Just quoted from one of the hardest working and smartest musicians in metal. As for what I want from the custom shop, it's nothing that can't be done. In 3 months I'll have the $ for it and I'll definatly be placing my order. I'll post specs when I place the order so I won't get hopes up for a pic of a kicksass looking 24 fret Rhoads. The reason I started this thread was because of the limitations on ESP's and Jacksons custom shops (only 2 I ever checked in with). It's hard to find a great company that builds awsome stuff at a reasonable price, but now it's getting harder to have them make your guitar to the complete specs u want. Thanks for all the responses, very interesting responses. [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[Jim Shine]

Re: Question about the Custom Shop

Ever see the ESP line of Seymour Duncan brand guitars? They are dead on accurate copies of Fenders. Headstock and all. However, those guitars are built in Japan. I don't know if you can order a 'lawsuit' model guitar from a USA factory regardless of where the dealer is located (you would need to have a buddy inside like Greg suggests). This is why Fender has a relationship with Fuji Gen Gakki to this day. Even when Fender halted importing of Japan made Fender's here in the USA for a few years, they were still in full force production for the Asian market.

If you want to deal with a real Custom Shop, you can always go to GMW.

[ June 30, 2003, 05:27 PM: Message edited by: Jim Shine ]