PRS lose singlecut lawsuit...

[Hot _Grits]

Forgive me if I'm way late, but has anyone heard about this?

NASHVILLE, March 12 (UPI) -- Gibson Guitar has won a U.S. trademark infringement case against manufacturer Paul Reed Smith for copying Gibson's Les Paul single cutaway model guitar.

A federal court judge in Nashville Thursday agreed with Gibson's complaint that Paul Reed Smith had violated U.S. patent and trademark laws by making the copycat guitars without permission from or compensation to Gibson. Gibson, which trademarked the Les Paul distinct body style in 1987, claimed in its lawsuit that Paul Reed Smith had been making guitars, called the "PRS Singlecut" with the same Les Paul design since 2000 to capitalize on the original Les Paul's popularity.

The century-old instrument manufacturer began making the Les Paul electric guitar, named for the veteran guitar player, in 1952. The style remains one of Gibson's most popular instruments.

Monetary restitution to Gibson will be decided at a hearing in 90 days.

-Crikey. Now's the time to get a singlecut, I'm guessing....

[xerxes]

yeah, there was a thing last week about that.......



still a weird story.

[Guitarist]

Yep, totally ridiculous.

[Spoonman]

I dont think they're similar enough for that verdict to have been valid.

headstock, scale length, the special prs cutaway, bridge, allt aht stuff, its just wrong.

[Hot _Grits]

Hopefully It forces PRS to make what I think could be it's coolest guitar yet: A McCarty with a thicker mahogany back.

[Spoonman]

Doesnt a McCarty already have a pretty hefty body?

[Hot _Grits]

Originally posted by Spoonman
Doesnt a McCarty already have a pretty hefty body?

Slightly thicker than my CU22, but not by much. I'd like to hear what one sounded like if the body had a Les Paul-like thickness. Perhaps two layered pieces: one solid one as thick as the current back, and a chambered piece added between the top...

[chcjunior]

Originally posted by Spoonman
I dont think they're similar enough for that verdict to have been valid.

headstock, scale length, the special prs cutaway, bridge, allt aht stuff, its just wrong.

That was my knee jerk reaction as well. When you can the difference between the Les Paul and the PRS Singlecut from 10 feet away, it doesn't seem like a justified case. There's so many guitars that are somewhat similar in appearance simply due to the fact there's only so many body shapes out there. I'm curious as to how they legally determine when one brand has crossed "the line".

[xerxes]

ok, the reason for the lawsuit was prs basically didnt pay gibson for the right to use the shape....

[Hoss]

yeah i think the "pre-lawsuit" singlecuts prices are gonna go through the roof now!!!???

[JfromHouston]

Originally posted by Hot _Grits
Hopefully It forces PRS to make what I think could be it's coolest guitar yet: A McCarty with a thicker mahogany back.

That would be killer! Throw on the IRW neck, thick hunk of mahogony with a carved maple cap. Insane

[That90'sGuy]

Originally posted by Hoss
yeah i think the "pre-lawsuit" singlecuts prices are gonna go through the roof now!!!???

Yeah, as if they weren't expensive enough before

[MattPete]

I think Fender should sue Gibson for making single-cut solid-body guitar bodies. The Telecaster came out first, afterall.

[Surgeon]

I think the guy who invented the first stringed instrument should sue everybody else... Then I think the guy who invented music (hitting bones together or something) should sue all of us for stealing his concept... what a nice world we live in....

[xerxes]

its the point that its a copyright....

[Gearjoneser]

Originally posted by Hoss
yeah i think the "pre-lawsuit" singlecuts prices are gonna go through the roof now!!!???

If PRS is forced to cease making the Singlecuts from 2005 +
THAT would be very interesting, because it would force
about 25 other guitar manufacturers to stop at the same time.
AND Singlecuts would become bigger collector's items.
Time to buy a Singlecut. Not because of increased value, but because it'll be PRS's "lawsuit model" and become more desireable, like Hoss said.

On the flipside, PRS could sue Gibson for coming out with
the LP Doublecut with 24 frets. Gibson would claim they've been making that shape since the 50's, but Gibson started doing
24 frets, after B.C. Rich and PRS did it, to the best of my knowledge.

[Hot _Grits]

What's next? Mesa suing Peavey over using diamond plate on the front of it's amps?

[mrfjones]

Originally posted by MattPete
I think Fender should sue Gibson for making single-cut solid-body guitar bodies. The Telecaster came out first, afterall.

the tele is technically a double cut away, it has a little notch cut out right about the neck, look at my avatar.

[lastwinj]

Originally posted by Hot _Grits
What's next? Mesa suing Peavey over using diamond plate on the front of it's amps?

you would be amazed at what randall and company has patented and sued over........

germ

[Empty Pockets]

Ugh...without copycat and imitators there'd be no cool stuff in the world...

And it's not like you see PRS suing Schecter over their copycat guitars...or Fender suing every single other guitar company there's ever been...seriously, who hasn't made a Strat copy at this point?

Stupid money-hungry such-and-such...(insert anarchy here)