Is Gibson getting litigious again?

[shreddermon]

http://gmpguitars.com/all_shapes.htm

Just noticed this on the GMP guitars website. Note the "exciting new redesign in the works" over many of the Gibby-like GMP body styles. Makes me wonder if this is an indication that Gibson has started throwing around C&D letters again, threatening legal action. ...Didn't they learn their lesson with the PRS lawsuit? LOL

Anyone heard anything?

[MuttznMongrelz]

They did stop Warmoth from make LP Bodies not too long ago.

[j2379]

Probably, I always wondered how Hamer and Dean did/does it. Do they royalties?

[shreddermon]

Not as far as I know. The PRS lawsuit made it pretty clear that "similar" does not necessarily mean infringement on Gibson's designs. As long as a reasonable person can know the difference, it's legit.

[neilli]

I thought there was actually a licensing agreement between Hamer and Gibson?

[shreddermon]

You may be right about Hamer.

[xenophobe]

Is GMP big enough to fight that sort of battle? Sometimes it's just easier to fold...

[MuttznMongrelz]

Is GMP big enough to fight that sort of battle? Sometimes it's just easier to fold...

The more financially viable option and simply slightly redesign your product for future consumption by the masses.

[shreddermon]

Oh yeah, that's exactly what Gibson would be counting on. They're the 800 pound gorilla in the room, so they bully the small guys who can't afford a protracted legal battle. Regardless of the fact that the PRS case's precedent means that, in all likelihood, Gibson would lose the lawsuit! Their much bigger financial standing means they simply need to bleed the other guy into legal submission. ...It's total BS!

[neilli]

As I recall, GMP had already pulled their star-body off for a 're-design', so MAYBE it's just an extension of that..

[Dog Boy]

Why would Gibson want a C&D over the Firebird, Vee and Explorer shapes but leave the Pawn Shop out of it? The PS is the most "Gibson" thing GMP makes.

I imagine those models just weren't moving and they wanted to revamp them? IMHO the GMP headstock just doesn't work with those models and I could see why they might not be selling in great numbers.

BTW here's a PS I've owned for about a year. Its kinda a one trick pony but its a cool trick.

[shreddermon]

Anything is possible. Arguably though, from a body style perspective, the Pawn Shop is significantly different "enough" from a LP. Carved top vs. arch top, etc. So it may not have "needed" a redesign vs the other body styles. PLUS Gibson lost the PRS lawsuit on the LP/single cut body style itself, so maybe their lawyers might argue the other models have no legal precedent. It'd be BS, but that's what you do when bullying smaller companies with legal mumbo-jumbo.

I agree about the GMP headstock on the other body styles, though. Looks great on a PS, not so well on other body styles. It'd be a good move for them to offer a couple of alternatives more tailored to those other body styles.