Gibson Lawsuit. Dean must stop producing V, Z and Gran Sport electric guitars.

[Paruwi]

Do we choose our guitars on the morals of those that made them? Or by the quality of the instrument and how well it jives with us?

Ij my case Yes and Yes

No more Gibsons - and more FGNs

 

[Hadronic Spin]

I am no fan of Gibson's self serving anything hype, nor am I fan of Fender's hype...I just dislike the Gibson juggernaut more.

I had been entertaining the thought of adding a Gibson LP slab with P90s, not now. This is what I can do as a consumer to send Gibson a message; that I ain't buying their brand. Would Gibson care if I boycotted their brand, not at all. They can always spray an LP a different color or put cracks in the nitro, and sell it to their faithful loyalists.

Gibson, the Harley & Davidson of guitars...

Yes, over the past couple of years, I have sent Gibson my money for 3 Epiphone purchases, but thankfully that was only all of $500.

Do I matter to Gibson, hell no. Does Gibson matter to me, nope.

So, Gibson, you can keep that Black Satin Les Paul Tribute P90, and the Goldtop Les Paul Standard '50s P90; I'll spend those dollars elsewhere, far and away from your pockets.

Regards

Jason--not in Gibson's demographic...

 

[DJGranite]

Hmmm… “have to be able”, see there… that’s the rub. If you’d said: “I guess you have to own one to understand“, you’d at least sound relatable.

I am perfectly able to afford as Many Gibson’s as I might like… I have owned a few, did not bond with any of them, even though (all but one feature on one of them) all were made perfectly well, they did not seem worth the cost to me, and they went back (not one made it past the return window). I’m glad you like yours, but don’t assume that if someone doesn’t have them, they can’t afford them Mr Howell.
View attachment 239236

If you read my post and you understand it you will note I made NO mention of money or the ability to afford one.
I'm not fixated on cash as you obviously are.
The word I used was HAVE, not afford, that was your word.
Don't try change the meaning of my post to suit your narrative.


I paid
1985 LP Studio $50 plus a car I got for free
1985 Explorer $600
1991 SG Celebrity $600
1993 LP Custom $1000
1995 SG Special $325
2001 LP Special $375
2005 LP Studio $400
2007 GOTW SG $800
2019 LP JR $475
Except for the '85 Explorer and LP Studio the rest were bought in the last 2-5 years.

I don't see the affordability issue.
Smart shopping will get you there.
I rent a room.
I live within my means.
I save my pennies to by the things I love.
Guitars and motorcycles.
I have 4 lung diseases, three with no cure, one that gets worse daily, so very little money at all.
Mr Howell I am not, in fact I doubt you could be more wrong.

As someone who "can afford as many Gibsons as I might like"
I suggest you into the mirror when seeking Mr Howell...
Your barking up the wrong tree.

Sorry no funny meme, I've wasted enough time on you

 

[SoundDesign]

If I am to own a Gibson I think it will be a Junior (but it has to be a dog ear and partial pickguard with rear control cavity) or a cherry burst. I'm thinking the burst is more realistic but I'd much prefer the Junior.

 

[Ahnlaashock]

Good for them, for protecting their designs.

 

[stratfreak]

Good for them, for protecting their designs.

But what about them stealing Fender's designs?

 

[dbrian66]

But what about them stealing Fender's designs?

I think Fender should make everyone stop making their design. But if Fender doesn’t care, than Gibson and all the others will continue. Why would they stop if they don’t have to?

 

[duceditor]

I think Fender should make everyone stop making their design. But if Fender doesn’t care, than Gibson and all the others will continue. Why would they stop if they don’t have to?

This is a point that some struggle to grasp. The personal ethics and morality are about as controlling in business as they are in the deep sea world or the jungle.

What does exist in its stead is "law." And law works -- whether we like this or not -- by oppositional dynamics. "Winning" and "losing."

I, myself, was not comfortable in this world -- one that also dominates the business side of the arts (including music, theater and film. And this my leaving the film 'biz' and finding a place for my talents in the then at least less ethics-free world of science and medicine.

Duribg my last years working in those related fields many I knew and worked with -- 'top' doctors and research scientists mostly connected to Harvard Medical (where I had my office -- said that things were becoming 'jungle like' there as well.

One superb researcher for whom I did many papers and a full text book spoke of leaving Harvard and moving back to Christchurch, NZ to, as she put it, get away from "all the pointy elbows."

Lawyers in these fields make the decision, not ethicists or moral philosophers.

That is the current world -- leaving some of us wishing for another one. "May Your Kingdom come..."

-don

 

[stratfreak]

I think Fender should make everyone stop making their design. But if Fender doesn’t care, than Gibson and all the others will continue. Why would they stop if they don’t have to?

Because it's hypocritical and sleazy not to.

 

[Ahnlaashock]

I am not on Fender's board or their lawyer. Why they did not protect their designs is something you would have to ask them. If they had simply allowed small dealers to sell their product, the massive strat knockoff market never happens. Fender and others created the conditions that hurt their brand, and stand by those destructive policies.

 

[Toddcaster64]

I’ve never had any interest in these shapes. nor in buying a Chibson…… until now.

 

[Paruwi]

Fender and others created the conditions that hurt their brand

by offering overpriced guitars in a debatable qualitiy.....

basicly the 'Made in Japan' versions of the big brands saved their asses

IMO of course

 

[Afrika61]

I don’t get the impression that people are ripping on Gibson for its own sake. They make a (generally) good quality guitar. That’s a given. I’ve owned several and I still have my ‘72 SG. It’s great. Literally worlds better than any recent SG I’ve played, btw, but so what? The point is there are lots of guitars that can go head to head with Gibson. Gibson fanboys don’t want to admit that but it’s a fact. Especially today, when the playing field is 1,000% more level than say 30-40 years ago. Again, that doesn’t mean Gibson sucks. But are they overpriced? In my opinion they are (and I can certainly afford one). Has their quality control declined? Not just a few have said as much. Is their lawsuit rife with hypocrisy? In my opinion it absolutely is.

I don’t know. I don’t hate Gibson. I just don’t Iove them unconditionally. Nor do I with Fender either.

You remind me of a conversation that I had with a former Gibson emplyee a few years ago.
We talked for about two hours about guitars in general but then it finally came time ask him Why he left what was admitidly his dream job: his reply was that he liked working for Gibson when it was a guitar company that made quality guitars but when they made the transition to making expensive guitars for collecters of high end relatively rare guitars, he knew it was time to move on,...

 

[stratfreak]

I wonder if this is the end for the Michael Schenker V produced by Dean

Dean Michael Schenker Electric Guitar - shopgoodwill.com

Dean Michael Schenker Electric Guitar We do not offer pick-ups..Brand:DeanModel:Michael SchenkerType:Electric GuitarUPC:N/ASerial Number:O06103627Color:Black & WhiteDescription:Dean Michael Schenker Electric GuitarApprox. Dimensions:17x2x45 inCondition:Powers on in brief testing. Not fully...

shopgoodwill.com

 

[duzie]

Dean Michael Schenker Electric Guitar - shopgoodwill.com

Dean Michael Schenker Electric Guitar We do not offer pick-ups..Brand:DeanModel:Michael SchenkerType:Electric GuitarUPC:N/ASerial Number:O06103627Color:Black & WhiteDescription:Dean Michael Schenker Electric GuitarApprox. Dimensions:17x2x45 inCondition:Powers on in brief testing. Not fully...

shopgoodwill.com

How do they work the shipping charge ?
Do they use a specific shipper ?

 

[shingh2002]

Meh. I still want a 335 and an SG. I don’t really have any interest in Dean. Not even the ML, which is made famous by one of my heroes Dimebag Darrell Abbott. I would much rather the old Washburns!

 

[otma]

I think Fender should make everyone stop making their design. But if Fender doesn’t care, than Gibson and all the others will continue. Why would they stop if they don’t have to?

I don't think Fender suffers in the slightest bit from the profusion of cheap Strat copies, any more than Gibson does from the profusion of cheap LP and SG copies. I think it's the opposite. Those guitars help them. Kids who grow up playing cheap imitations are more likely to want to graduate to the real thing when they can. It's what they're used to, but better. No one will say "I have an SX, don't need an American Standard Strat now."

So this isn't about the designs. It's about hurting an actual competitor. A company whose offerings, while notably different, appealed to many of the same players who might otherwise buy Gibson. It's about trying to grab more market share by reducing options for players, and claiming this is a benefit to them. Like @duceditor pointed out, this is how the system is set up to work, and how it gets used.

It sucks, because it's not about us. It never was.

 

[stratfreak]

How do they work the shipping charge ?
Do they use a specific shipper ?

you can calculate the shipping before you bid

I'm supposed to receive a guitar from them tomorrow. Fed Ex shipping cost $18.84 from Iowa to San Antonio, TX. Not too bad IMO.