Fender tells Lentz to Cease and Desist...

[jgcable]

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

I think it is well within their rights to protect their interests. I agree that they are going after the smaller companies because they are easy targets and good practice and precident so that when they do go after the large companies they will be well versed and prepared. An independent should be forced to come up with their own designs. Lentz should cease and desist. The guitars (what I have heard) are excellent but he is totally ripping off Fender's design. So are many other companies and most likely will catch the same wrath. It kind of makes you appreciate Parker, BC Rich, Steinberger, Gretch, Guild, Danelectro, Peavey, Rickenbacker and many other companies who have consistantly come up with their own designs year after year. Even Ibanez.. for the most part.. has stayed and created their own designs. It will be interesting to see if FMIC would ever go after a company as large as a Samick/Ibanez/Peavey.I don't think that will ever happen.

[Shawn Lutz]

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

It is a bummer but in all actuality they should have did this a long, time ago. From a business perspective it should have been done before 1960 [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] I never got why they'd do the headstock but not the bodies, if ya ask me there is no cooler shape than the Stratocaster. Granted I could do with without pickguards all the time but nonetheless, my favorite guitar shape. Bring back the full size Jackson now.

What does suck is that for years and years they let it be copied and now all of sudden they say no way.

[JACKSONFREAK]

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

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Hmmm... what will Fender do with the case of G&L?? G&L is an embarassment for Fender, since many highly visible publications, forums and even artists always assert that if you want a real vintage quality/vibe strat, go to G&L. That isn't really true, cuz G&L's are very different feeling (12" radius, larger frets, un Fender neck profiles, etc) but thats the perception.

But it would be in bad taste to go after G&L, a company started by George and Leo, two guys who have a right to use those shapes, especially if Fender lets copying in general go for 50 years. Maybe there is no legal 'right', but I would say George and Leo would have 'the blessing of the guitar community' to use those shapes. If you are Fender, do you attack part of your founders history?

Negative perception of these events on the web could have a large impact. Companies like Fender are all over the web, lurking on all the forums, gathering info about the marketplace/customers/trends/younameit. If there is a huge backlash across the web about this, they'll see it right away, and it will pose a problem for them.

If Fender went after everybody and their brother, it would definitely drive the used market for non Fender high end guitars up. Owning a NonFender would probably become much more like the in thing to do.

Most companies will pay the licensing fee though, if it comes down to that or go out of business, so just expect higher prices from competitors.

PRS is back in court fighting Gibson I believe. If they end up winning that could change things as well.

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Ummm fender already did sue Leo and George. Remember Musicman? Leo wasnt supposed to make guitars for 18 years after Ernie Ball aquiered the Musicman label. To which Leo did make guitars sooner then the 18yrs which then resulted in a law suit. Also G&L was sued by Fender for the Headstock use. when George and Leo still owned the company.
Yeah most of this was done by Fender circa CBS however history repeats itself. They will if they want sue anybody they want for any faximily of said designs. Strat,Tele, Pbass,jazz bass Etc. GIbson sued Ibanez and Tokai as did Fender for the use of the body shapes and Headstock shapes. Plus Ibanez had made a Les Paul with the same Gibson headstock and a set neck better than Gibson did at the time. It does happen. And it will continue to happen it's the way of the coorperate giants mentality. If you can't beat them sue them or buy them. Case inpoint of Gibsons' aquisition of Epiphone in the late 50's Epi was putting out similar designed semi hollow and hollow bodied guitars better and cheaper than Gibson was and they couldn't compete so they bought them. Fender will probably be doing some thing similar soon. They already bought Gretsch, Jackson/Charvel,Guild. Who's next? Rumour has it that Paul Read Smith himself wants out of PRS and may be selling the company. I don't know how accurate that is but it's out there.
Who would be a likely candidate to buy PRS? Ummm. Gibson? only because of design similarities; but Fender would be a better choice as to give Gibson a better run or their money. (just a thought).
It's all about the bottom line for the Monopolies that have consumed,destroyed,aquired, or shut down the competition.
Gil

[Jim Shine]

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

Leo's contract was for 5 years before he could become affiliated with any other manufacturers. Owning a company may have been longer, which would explain why with Music Man his portion of the company was actually CLF Research and not techincally Music Man (on paper anyway).

George Fullerton was never part of Music Man (I don't think Forrest White would have done the project if George had to be involved). That was Leo Fender, Forrest White and Tom Walkers company. George was with Ernie Ball during that time. The downfall of Music Man that led to its sale falls mainly on Tom Walker.

[Trypp Powell]

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

If I worked for Fender, I'm sure I would take an interest in said company protecting its designs and market. However, as a consumer, my interests are best protected when there are a number of companies competing with each other to provide me with goods and services.

The whole GMW thing has been a real let down for me since I was going to finally pull the trigger on one when I received my year end bonus. I've toyed with getting one for almost two years, so I've pretty much reached the point of no return on what I want in that guitar. I'll probably go with the new headstock design, which I'm sure will be out by then. After all, body shape, neck profile, electronics, quality of build, etc. are what is really important. I can learn to live with a non-strat headstock on a hot rodded strat.

What I will not be purchasing are anymore instruments made by Fender, Gibson, or one of the companies they own. I have to question the quality of an instrument made by a company that feels it cannot compete on build, tone, and price. There are a fair number of small luthiers building great guitars for very reasonable prices.

[Chameleonfong]

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

[ QUOTE ]
What I will not be purchasing are anymore instruments made by Fender, Gibson, or one of the companies they own. I have to question the quality of an instrument made by a company that feels it cannot compete on build, tone, and price. There are a fair number of small luthiers building great guitars for very reasonable prices.

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I know of a pretty good luthier who makes great guitars at very reasonable prices.

Check the URL http://www.sullyguitars.com

Only problem, he has this aweful lookin lilac shirt with "Spam" written on it and a matching fag lilac baseball cap. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Fong

[RP]

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

[ QUOTE ]
If I worked for Fender, I'm sure I would take an interest in said company protecting its designs and market. However, as a consumer, my interests are best protected when there are a number of companies competing with each other to provide me with goods and services.

[/ QUOTE ]

If I worked for Fender, I'd be embarrassed that the company had refused to go through proper channels to protect their designs back when they could and is now an ownership group that was likely in diapers when these designs were created is trying to backdoor their way into protections fifty years after the fact.

The protections should not apply to the designs because Fender chose not to enforce any rights it might have had to the designs.

The term "aspirin" was a registered trademark at one point, having been registered in 1899. It only took until 1921 for the company to lose their trademark protection because the term had become generic. Yet we're going to allow Fender to assert their rights for the first time fifty years after the fact?

[Outlander]

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

Well that's one good thing for Jackson being owned by Fender. I don't think they'll sue themselves or mess too much with a proven seller (soloist).
But we can't really be too sure of anything can we?
Morgan ya got your ears on?

[dinkyjacksonman]

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

Then Fender increased 15% of Jackson list price.
[img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[Firebird V]

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

You can be sure of that! LOl

[yard dawg]

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

well how about a fmic boycott?? I suggest dont make any new purchases untill they retract there lawsuits..Use the forum as a bully pulpit...there are lots of great jacksons already for sale..and well strats are like dirt there is tons of em...Everyone complains but sometimes we need to make a stand for something we believe in..Maybe the gibson forum will start boycotting them too so they'll leave PRS alone and start competeing and not sueing..there are too many little guys who amke a great guitar for a great price..If it doesnt have a strat headstock so what ..How many great songs were written without a strat headstock...If this keeps up line6 will be next..for stealing tone..then the blues guys will sue for stealing there b minor riffs..Boycott FMIC..why not ?

[Sandman0170]

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

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Use the forum as a bully pulpit...

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Um, no.

[hamerguy]

Re: GMW loses???

When I look at Fender's Guild line FMIC already produces a Les Paul copy. Same for Gibson producing Strat and Tele copies with it's Kramer and Valley Arts brands.

[Chuckracer]

Gibson is doing their part...

This just in: Gibson is no longer allowing it's dealers to post pics of their in stock guitars. It seems Musicians Friend, Music 123 and those sheds are pissy cause they can't post a pic of each of their guitars. So they give the company description and a generic Gibson photo. The small guys have in some cases multiple pictures of each guitar. Big shed don't like that, complains to Gibson, who cuts the legs off the small dealers to save face. Well, guess who's spending more money on guitar orders with Gibson? Right, the big sheds.
Welcome to the new American business, spearheaded by Wal Mart. What with Fender going all sue-happy towards the small builders and Gibson trying to wipe out the little dealers, someday there will be two builders and two sellers, and every store will be GC. Won't that be lovely?

BTW, Gibson just hiked their prices by 30%. Yes, 30%.

[Sukisyn]

Re: Gibson is doing their part...

Ouch! So much for getting a new Les Paul. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]