Supreme Court gives Gibson the big middle finger

[hgsmith]

Just saw were the US Supreme Court declined to hear Gibson’s appeal against PRS.....go PRS! Gotta love that single cut.
It may be a good idea for Gibson to worry about there own business.

[shreddermon]

http://www.prsguitars.com/news/stori...singlecut.html

Now, if only this would lead FMIC to allow J/C to make Gibby-like body styles again.

[YetAnotherOne]

No big surprise since something like 99% of all appeals to the Supreme Court are rejected without being heard though I still think that but for their trial counsel's extreme incompetence, Gibson could easily have won this one in the trial court.

[Tashtego]

Why do you say their trial guy was so bad?

[sonicsamurai]

lol didn't gibson lose purely because an employee pointed out that only a complete twat could confuse a prs with a gibson at the point of sale... a point well made...2 different looking guitars, clearly labelled, everything about them is different apart from the single cutaway concept and a round butt...there's far more closely copied versions out there...I think gibbo were just jealous that ppl are buying prs' coz they think they're better quality and generally nicer guitars...

[StukaJU87]

This is good news for those that prefer the PRS single cut to the Gibson LP. Congrats to you guys that were looking forward to this.

Me? I'll stick with the Gibson Les Paul.

[pagemalicious]

lol didn't gibson lose purely because an employee pointed out that only a complete twat could confuse a prs with a gibson at the point of sale... a point well made...2 different looking guitars, clearly labelled, everything about them is different apart from the single cutaway concept and a round butt...there's far more closely copied versions out there...I think gibbo were just jealous that ppl are buying prs' coz they think they're better quality and generally nicer guitars...

That's because PRS ARE better quality than what Gibson has been producing lately. Personally i think their guitars feel weird, like it's a struggle to play them. Plus some of the gibsons i've played sound weaker than PRS's

[sonicsamurai]

prs have nicer necks i think and although i like weighty guitars some people could prefer the lighter weight of the prs. The colours and finishes are nicer, and i agree i have heard stories from ppl about dodgy les pauls a lot recently mainly in the finishing of the guitar. plus singlecut trems have a greater flexibility and nice trems so it would be ashame to lose those if it ever happened. they also have much much better fret access. Les pauls are terrible after about the 14th fret....

[sonicsamurai]

personally i really like the classic look of les pauls - i actually find the prs' a bit too boutique for me...

[shreddermon]

2 different looking guitars, clearly labelled, everything about them is different apart from the single cutaway concept and a round butt...there's far more closely copied versions out there.

+1. And this is why Gibson lost - their argument had little or no merit.

I think gibbo were just jealous that ppl are buying prs'

+1 again. This case was all about Gibson trying to litigate another firm out of "their market", rather than competing & winning sales based on the quality/value of their own product.

As much as the Gibby Les Paul is an industry classic design, in no way, shape (...pun intended ) or form is the PRS Singlcut a LP "copy". And neither would Jackson Explorers, Roundhorn Vs, etc. "Only an idiot" would think so. :ROTF:

[pro-fusion]

I know one of the lawyers who argued on Gibson's behalf earlier in this case (went to law school with him), and we've sort of agreed to disagree on this one. The two guitars just aren't similar enough to me for there to be a trademark issue.

[GodOfRhythm]

I agree pro-fusion. It is the negative side-effect of their extreme popularity.

I found this case interesting and I'm going to read into it and look at the different rulings. (At law school myself atm).

[Sanctuary]

Didn't this happen months ago?

[Joe_Steeler]

IMHO, Gibsons suck dirty monkey balls.
Although, I recognize and respect that some people will always like them because of the rock icon thing.
Just like I like PRS soooo much more than Gibson, I know plenty of people that will put down PRS because they are in relatively terms the new guy on the block. Even though it has been already twenty years, oh well.

I am glad for PRS and hope Gibson learns a leason.

[shreddermon]

I found this case interesting and I'm going to read into it and look at the different rulings. (At law school myself atm).

Here's the final Court of Appeals decision:

http://www.ca6.uscourts.gov/opinions...5a0387p-06.pdf