Gibson issue C&D against Kiesel

Jez6345789

I saw a link to this posted and had a lookout of interest and you have to wonder why on earth Gibson are still pursuing these bully boy tactics over designs that are at best they days considered generic guitar shapes. 

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/gibson-sends-cease-and-desist-to-kiesel.2121457/

I was not really overly aware of Kiesel but again took a look at the offending shapes and in reality, the bevelled single cut looks more PRS than Gibson and the V is not really a classic flying V shape.

Ultimately the new Gibson business seems just as douchy as the Henry J after play authentic rubbish you would think they would just get on and make really great guitars.

I reckon we will see them have another go at PRS soon or are they just trying to build a portfolio of bullied smaller companies as licensee's to make their copyright cases.

skullfunkerry

I saw this on TGP yesterday and shook my head in amazement

ICBM

Jez6345789 said:

I was not really overly aware of Kiesel

...but you are now.

Nor was I - I'd never heard of them. Now I know they appear to be the successor to Carvin and probably retain a lot of the same quality.

Excellent marketing from Gibson's new chap.

normula1

I agree they look way closer to a PRS single cut than a Les Paul

Moominpapa

ICBM said:

Jez6345789 said:

I was not really overly aware of Kiesel

...but you are now.

Nor was I - I'd never heard of them. Now I know they appear to be the successor to Carvin and probably retain a lot of the same quality.

I Have a Kiesel HH2 ( the headless model based on the original Carvin headless Holdswroth sig.) It's a very nicely made guitar. Unfortunately they are expensive to get in the UK because of the VAT and import charges, but in the States they are a great deal compared to Gibson.

Philly_Q

They're no closer to the LP and V than everybody else's LP- and V-alikes.

Go after everyone, if you think you've got a case, or don't go after anyone, Gibson, you pathetic bullies.

skunkwerx

I wish people would stop buying their sub par generic un-inspiring archaic shite, just for one year. 

That'll learn em enough. 

They remind me of North Korea. Once a year their dictators put on a show of force by dragging out all the old outdated half broken legacy tools of war-time-gone-by and goose-step around like they could do some serious damage, if the year was 1960. 

Play authentic. My fucking ass-hole. 

RonnieHotdogs

one of their trademarks is WES MONTGOMERY® (U.S. Reg. No. 3494422) - they OWN Wes Montgomery? 

Rabs

The headstock on some of those Vs are very Gibson.. Probably what they are going after.. The LPish one.. No chance..

racefaceec90

didn't gibson plan to release a jimi hendrix strat back in 2009 

https://reverb.com/news/remember-when-gibson-tried-to-market-a-hendrix-signature-strat

tbh i had no idea about this until i read a comment on the play authentic video on yt.

those who throw stones etc

SteveRobinson

Shouldn't live in glass houses?

Sassafras

I'm gassing for a Kiesel now. Ta Gibson.

ICBM

skunkwerx said:

I wish people would stop buying their sub par generic un-inspiring archaic shite, just for one year.

They did in 2015...

soma1975

Definitely the new business model is to litigate smaller companies into a license agreement.

skunkwerx

ICBM said:

skunkwerx said:

I wish people would stop buying their sub par generic un-inspiring archaic shite, just for one year.

They did in 2015...

Ahh was that the bad qc year?

ICBM

skunkwerx said:

Ahh was that the bad qc year?

No, the QC was actually fine...

It was the year of the robot tuners, wide neck, horrible nut, and children being employed to scribble on the headstock.

Sales dropped about 80-90% on affected models, apparently. It was one of the things that precipitated the near-bankruptcy and change of management.

Not that it seems to have done them much good.

darcym

back to the "authentic" memes for Mark and Co though.

guitarmangler

Have Gibson ever won one of those cases? Or is it a blanket case to scare everyone away?They did the same thing to PRS with the single cut and Paul won. 
I would think that Kiesel will probably just drop those models, they’re probably small sellers compared to all the headless models they’re selling.
 Kiesel/carvin make excellent guitars, I’ve got two hh’s and they’re great. If the £ $ changes to our advantage and get another.

DefaultM

Pretty dumb. If someone wants a les paul are they really going to buy that kiesel singlecut instead? Completely different look overall, headstock, specs are very different and I bet the feel is opposite. 

CasperCaster

An interesting comment in the Cesar Gueikian interview (Gibson CMO) in Guitar suggests that they are trying to strike an Authorized Partnership deal with Scala guitars by partnering them with Kramer (a Gibson brand). Scala make both Gibson and Fender influenced guitars, but I wonder if they intend to go after other manufacturers in a similar way? Given their affinity with headless designs, are they perhaps persuing Kiesel as they won't sign up to an Steinberger Authorized Partnership deal? And perhaps Fender/Jackson/Charvel should go after Kramer? Now that would be fun, and Fender do have a £4.5million pound hole to fill after their recent fine...