Fender tells Lentz to Cease and Desist...

[Jim Shine]

Re: Fender tells Lentz to Cease and Desist...

"jackson shouldn't have a problem with the dinky, as it's their design variation and certainly discernable from fifty feet away."

Now that FMIC owns Jackson/Charvel, I have to wonder if they will invest into seeing if they can secure the Jackson/Charvel shapes and pull the same deal with those.

Personally, I don't mind what Fender and even Gibson is doing. It would be nice to see some fresh designs rather than the stale old recycled stuff we see today. I want to see some innovation rather than replication. I haven't had interest in a brand new guitar since my early years of playing in the late 80's.

[YetAnotherOne]

Re: Fender tells Lentz to Cease and Desist...

[ QUOTE ]
I've spoken to Neal Moser a lot about this issue.

The law says if you change 10% or more of the design, then you're okay. Problem is that nobody really agrees what 10% or more means.

[/ QUOTE ]

If Neal's lawyer told him that he needs a new lawyer.

[dinkyjacksonman]

Re: Fender tells Lentz to Cease and Desist...

If this continues, everything will end up like extreme designs such as Moser customs, Rico Jr,Extreme design guitars..
At least it will help people to play some heavy sh*t and I will be glad of heavy metal to be returned.

[toejam]

Re: Fender tells Lentz to Cease and Desist...

What a bunch of crap! Maybe Gibson should sue Fender for the Tele Deluxe and Tele Custom that have two volumes and two tones and the toggle switch in the same spot as a Les Paul. [img]/images/graemlins/brow.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[shreddermon]

Re: Fender tells Lentz to Cease and Desist...

[ QUOTE ]
also, with the internet, and forums like these, more of the little guys are going to get shots fired at them. i'm told that part of the reason lee lost his dealer status (which he was planning on not renewing) and got into strathead heat was over pictures posted here. we weren't the main reason, but icing on the cake.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not to mention those who - over and over and over [img]/images/graemlins/eyes.gif[/img] - posted things to the effect of "why do a J/C custom order, when GMW makes the same guitar with better quality and at half price" and "FMIC won't let me custom order a strathead Charvel, but GMW will."

Did they ever stop to think that people from FMIC were reading that stuff? [img]/images/graemlins/poke.gif[/img] It was only a matter of time. They practically put a target on GMW's forehead as competition, and identified it to FMIC's lawyers.

...Um, helllloooo? [img]/images/graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

Sssssshhhhh!!! Think about what you say, and how often you say it. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[Chuckracer]

Re: Fender tells Lentz to Cease and Desist...

I know this isn't the point, Shreddermon, but perhaps FMIC, instead of siccing their lawyers on anybody who is percieved as a threat, could have used that same energy towards being competitive in the market that GMW dominated.

If ya can't beat 'em, sue 'em?

[toejam]

Re: Fender tells Lentz to Cease and Desist...

[ QUOTE ]
perhaps FMIC, instead of siccing their lawyers on anybody who is percieved as a threat, could have used that same energy towards being competitive in the market that GMW dominated.


[/ QUOTE ]
Exactly. Lower the prices a little, put out a better product and go from there.

[Tekky]

Re: Fender tells Lentz to Cease and Desist...

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Can we include Jackson and Charvel in this? They also make offset double cutaway body shapes. Will they have to be "licensed" now?

[/ QUOTE ]

I wouldn't worry too much about Jackson/Charvel, since they are Fenders, and part of the same bottom line.

[/ QUOTE ]

Something tells me that this is part of the 15% price increase.

[Venomboy]

Re: Fender tells Lentz to Cease and Desist...

I will not stop making comments about other builders making something better for a lower price. I love Jacksons and if I was in the market for one would pay the price. I also love GMW's and they obviously make a great product, often at a lower price.

The admin on the BCR board posted and asked people to stop telling board members to get guitars made by Moser instead of BCR because it's a BCR board.

I say **** that. People are going to Moser and GMW not only because of price. They can talk to the builder on sometimes a daily basis. They can get images of the guitar being built. Sometimes TONS of images. They can spec everything to the nth degree.

If that's a specific condition of posting on a board, then that's pretty lame. Competition exists. Deal with it. Going after someone's guitar shape WAY after the fact is just lame.

Product parity exists. It's a fact of life. Sometimes there's very little to no differentiation in products.

I don't think we should hide our thoughts, feelings, etc about builders. I can understand not posting prices publicly because of that lame MAP **** and dealers not wanting to lose their dealerships.

But saying that GMW can build you something just as good or even better than a Jackson is not a bad thing. Not everyone will run to GMW.

[gtrbuyer]

GMW looses dealership??

****, when did Lee (GMW) loose his J/C dealership. I guess I have been living under a rock. Bummer...

[sully]

Re: GMW looses dealership??

i'm not suggesting that you stop recommending other builders by any means whatsoever! i hope that i didn't come across that way. just relaying what i'd been told about the strathead gmw issue.

we've got the "by other manufacturers" for the sake of discussing other makers; it's a good thing for sure!

sully

[fuel0707]

Re: Fender tells Lentz to Cease and Desist...

A dealer-friend of mine says that one of Fender's biggest competitors is all of the used Fenders floating around. If FMIC starts running all of the J/C-style builders like GMW, etc. out of business, I wonder if they'll find that instead of driving demand for new Jacksons and Charvels, they'll simply be increasing prices on the used market.

[Venomboy]

Re: Fender tells Lentz to Cease and Desist...

Hey Sully, I didn't take your comment that way at all.

I was just venting a bit over the BCR admin's comment and hoping that everyone keeps up the open communication over good values and good quality in guitars.

[RP]

Re: Fender tells Lentz to Cease and Desist...

I guess it's only a matter of time before Les Paul starts enforcing his "solid body guitar" rights and runs everyone else out of business.

[Newc]

Re: Fender tells Lentz to Cease and Desist...

GMW and Moser and Lentz can do 'em cheaper because they have a smaller crew than Fender. Fender cannot afford to pay Master Luthiers a deserved salary if they're in a price war with a smaller shop, and if the Masters leave Fender, Fender is doomed because the high-paying customers will follow those builders.

As for Charvel/Jackson paying a license to Fender for the Strat body, probably not, because Fender is making the Charvel bodies in the actual Fender side of the building on Fender's machines.

Fender won't pursue the market for rear-loaded Strat-shapes with their Stratocaster model, which is their flagship, so I feel they should let everyone else duke it out in that arena 9GMW, Charvel, etc etc). People will always buy Fender Strats and Teles because they have the tone and feel. Obviously if someone's building exact replicas of Strats (pickguard, same dimensions on the route, etc etc) then there's a legitimate beef, but if someone's just making one that LOOKS like a Strat, I see no problem. It's just a copy and the Fender fans know the difference between a Fender and a not-Fender.

Newc