Stupid Question of the Day

[Newc]

Re: Stupid Question of the Day

How is it not a stupid question? It's common sense: the Strathead is a trademark of the Fender Stratocaster model, and cannot by nature of the copyright/trademark appear on any other production model guitar. If Fender want to put out Strathead Telecasters and Tele-headed Strats, that's one thing, but they will not do Strathead Guilds, will they? No, of course not, because Guild never owned the Strathead trademark. Why would Fender allow production Strathead Charvels or Jacksons, when Jackson was ordered to NOT use the Strathead back in the 80's? How has the trademarking of the Stratocaster changed just because Fender bought Jackson?
Will we see a Guild Warrior or Gretsch Kelly or a Ramirez SweeTone? No. So why does anyone assume we will see Strathead Charvels? What is the difference between Jackson's trademarked bodies and Fender's trademarked headstocks? None.

Newc

[XXX]

Re: Stupid Question of the Day

one word, Squire! different line but strat heads!

[necrotechno]

Re: Stupid Question of the Day

So go buy a freakin' Squier. Me, I'll settle for the stringtree-less tiltback pointy headstocks...

[Chuckracer]

Re: Stupid Question of the Day

Newc, do we have to? I mean, really now.

You and I and many others spouting off here went through the flame war where this was debated to death. It may be clear to you, I, and the other freaks who were there, but to someone just coming in to this mess, it may not be as clear cut.

All I'm really asking is we be cool and tread lightly. Don't cut the guy to shreds because he missed our little internet drama.

Brad, Fender can do whatever Fender wants to do with the strat headstock shape. If they want to put them on Charvels, Guilds, Squires, Rogers drum kits, or whatever, they can and will and probably won't ask us if we dig it or not.
Squire was started by Fender and they must have wanted strong assoication with the Fender line so the used the strat headstock. Jackson/Charvel is a seperate entity and they obviously intend to keep the lines very seperate, so they in all likelyhood won't use the Fender head any more than they would use the Jackson headstock on Guilds.

[bobbyvee]

Re: Stupid Question of the Day

Man, what a tough crowd, I had no idea this room was so full of CEO and CFO's of companies. Lets make one thing straight a company the size of fender will do what they want when they want; just to make sure the revenues and margins are in place. Jackson/Charvel is not a seperate identity any longer and is owned under the Fender name and if they want to put a strat head on a Charvel they will. There is no infringment of rights in this case. Just one mans little opinion

[toejam]

Re: Stupid Question of the Day

Never mind. [img]graemlins/band.gif[/img] I wanna be sedated!

[ December 18, 2002, 08:14 PM: Message edited by: toejam ]

[XXX]

Re: Stupid Question of the Day

chuck, i know! i was just stating that fender did do anouther type with a strat head, will they do it to jackson? i dont think so but i was just making a point

[Lordofgain]

Re: Stupid Question of the Day

Morphine for everyone! [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[ December 19, 2002, 01:44 AM: Message edited by: Lordofgain ]

[VitaminG]

Re: Stupid Question of the Day

Speculating about whether Fender will ever use stratheads on Jacksons & Charvels is pointless, given that back when the sh!t hit the fan on the other (Ezboard) JCF, Morgan (or one or more of the other Fender guys) said that not now or ever would Fender be putting stratheads back on these guitars. It's not just in Newc's opinion that Fender won't be doing it, it was confirmed by representatives of the new parent company. He also confirmed that because of the strathead's distinct association with the Fender marque, they would not be putting that headstock on Charvels, Jacksons, Guilds, or any other acquired guitarmakers because to do so would dilute Fender's market identity.

And Morgan, Brad and friends also all confirmed that they DO consider Jackson a separate entity. They have no intention of putting Lace Sensors & pickguards on Jacksons, and they recognise that with their backing, Jackson can make inroads into a market that Fender have so far been unable to crack. Why would they buy Jackson just to turn it into another Fender plant? If they wanted Jackson guitars out of the way and off the market, why wouldn't they just buy the company and shut down production? As Chuck said, they intend to keep the lines separate because each are the best guitars in their respective markets.

[bobbyvee]

Re: Stupid Question of the Day

I guess on last question, if Fender hired Wayne or Grover to build Charvel looking guitars, and say they put Strat headstocks on and called them fenders; how many of us would go buy them?

[Chuckracer]

Re: Stupid Question of the Day

To me that would depend on wether it was a good guitar or not. I don't care who designed it or who built it. Nor do I care what it says on the headstock. To a point.

But to answer your question, if it was a good guitar, then sure.

[Newc]

Re: Stupid Question of the Day

Considering Mike Shannon works for Fender (one of the top Jackson builders back in the day, for those who don't know) it IS possible that Fender would do a rear-loaded Strat-shape with Strathead, but since they own Jackson/Charvel, they would not do that as it would compete directly with Jackson/Charvel, and the company would lose money. Maybe once they see a return of the money they put out for Jackson, but I doubt you'll see any such thing at NAMM 2003 or 04.

Squire was started by Fender as a dirt-cheap entry-level Fender Start line to compete with Silvertone and Harmony and all those other crappy Strat knockoff makers. Luckily, Squires got popular enough to push the cheeseballs out of the market for a time. There's a difference between "Hey, let's buy this company and put our trademarked designs on it" and "Hey let's start a new line that is cosmetically similar to our main line".

I still say it's painfully obvious even to a complete newbie that Fender will not put Stratheads on anything that does not say "Fender" on it, and they will not put "by Fender" on Jackson or Charvel heads. They haven't done it with Guild, have they? Didn't think so.

Newc

[GodWentPUNK]

Re: Stupid Question of the Day

Welcome to the board and don't be put off by the guys here, for the most part they are pretty good Joes

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">thanks LoG,

joe...

[bobbyvee]

Re: Stupid Question of the Day

I've never seen a guild look like a strat in the first place. But Charvel's pretty close to start with, and about losing money to compete with itself, how about trident and carefree, Chevy and GMC, Nissan and Infinity, I think they all still make money, giving people the same thing.

[necrotechno]

Re: Stupid Question of the Day

They haven't put "by Fender" on Guilds, no. But they have put the name "DeArmond" on headstocks that used to say "Guild;" and the name "Squier" on headstocks that used to say "DeArmond." So there's no telling what the Fender goofballs will do next.

Like I said before: if you want a Strathead, get a Warmoth.