Rabs Posted July 16, 2019 Share Posted July 16, 2019 https://www.gearnews.com/gibson-ceo-announces-gibson-authorized-partnership-program/ Gibson CEO James ‘JC’ Curleigh has been interviewed by Jesse Knutson on Nashville’s News Channel 5 website and during the talk he announced a new program to work with boutique guitar builders. Gibson Authorised Partnership Program The interview, which has been uploaded to the Gibson site, starts off by talking about that infamous Play Authentic video with Mark Agnesi. The one where he warned builders to not use Gibson’s copyrighted designs and trademarks. “Tone and timing of that video, clearly, lessons to be learned, but guess what: we’re taking down hundreds of websites, thousands of guitars we’re intercepting that are knockoffs, so it served a purpose.” James ‘JC’ Curleigh, president and CEO of Gibson The interview then goes on to state that Gibson is planning to initially collaborate with three to four boutique guitar builders. Entering into agreements where the boutique builders acknowledge that they’re using Gibson’s trademarked body shapes. Royalties and Licences Potentially these builders may only be able to build a certain amount of those guitar shapes and will have to pay a royalty or license for the privilege. Curleigh goes on to say that Gibson would support the boutique builders with marketing. And that it is not meant to be a revenue generator for Gibson. But a way to allow them to continue using Gibson shapes in a mutually-agreed upon way. “We have to preserve and protect (our trademarks), but I think we can do it in a way that’s not confrontational, it’s more collaborative. “There’s a spectrum that occurs. And the spectrum can be wide, but it can also be definitive or grey depending on how you look at it, and the definitive part is the known counterfeit/knockoffs. They truly, they see a brand that’s iconic, they see it has momentum, and they want to take – just frankly – illegitimate leverage on that momentum through counterfeit product, and you have to hit that hard, you have to stop it fast, or it gets out of control, and quite frankly, it damages your brand. But not just your brand and your business, it puts guitars out there that confuse guitarists, thinking they bought a real Gibson, so that’s this spectrum here, you really have to be tough on that.” “While all this sort of noise was going on a month ago – about, ‘oh, Gibson goes legal,’ I mean, I gotta tell ya. I put the noise cancellation headphones on and I said: ‘We’re gonna pivot to collaboration.’ So literally, in the last 4 weeks, we’ve been starting this not just conversation, we’ve signed agreements with these collaboration partners, and then we’re like, ‘what’s next?’ Literally, I have an email from one of them saying, ‘wouldn’t it be cool if we put a stamp with both of our names or something that authorizes it’s a Gibson authorization partner?’ And we’re like, ‘yeah!’ So it’s not fully thought out, but boy, it’s got good intentions behind it.”- JC Curleigh Summer NAMM 2019 Gibson is expected to make the official announcement about the Gibson Authorized Partnership Program this Wednesday before Summer NAMM. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauloqs Posted July 16, 2019 Share Posted July 16, 2019 This is very interesting. I'm curious to see how this pans out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted July 16, 2019 Share Posted July 16, 2019 We’re gonna pivot to collaboration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 (edited) Is Gibson broke? Do they need someone to set up a go fund me page for them? who in there right mind would pay a fee to Gibson for building better guitars ? Edited July 17, 2019 by slimt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 7 hours ago, jdgm said: We’re gonna pivot to collaboration. Though I haven't heard this before, it sounds familiar from my working days. Corporate managements love to recycle language and watch it trickle down the line. It goes far, far... beyond the old 'BB' game Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 Interesting developments there. This snippet came from another link from that page: 'Dean Guitars various models have been around for decades and associated with many famous players. Gibson recently lost their claims for the Flying V body shape in EU Courts, so it isn’t a stretch to say they could lose in the US as well.' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Scales Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 Interesting idea, though it kind of sounds like making it up as you go...but benefit of the doubt to Gibson. i wonder if this is a means to dump the Custom Shop (or else kind of compete with an authorised, high quality version of yourself?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle fester Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 I thought it sounded like a step in the right direction, but agree with Scales - feels like they're making it up as they go along. Along with Gibson's positioning with guitar makers being a thing, I'm wondering what's going to happen with retail. Will we start to see Gibsons in small shops again... that's what I'm hoping for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinTheHood Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 Hmmm....I don't know. They lost in the EU and they would probably lose here too, just like fender did. It sounds like they are trying to scare companies into collaboration so they can build a case in court. If X amount of companies "collaborate" with them, it could sway the court to uphold their patents or whatever the deal is. It sounds like they couldn't kick down the front door, so they are trying to sneak in from the back. Same old same old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly campbell Posted July 17, 2019 Share Posted July 17, 2019 4 hours ago, billroy said: I thought it sounded like a step in the right direction, but agree with Scales - feels like they're making it up as they go along. Along with Gibson's positioning with guitar makers being a thing, I'm wondering what's going to happen with retail. Will we start to see Gibsons in small shops again... that's what I'm hoping for. I agree, I think they need to protect any design rights and they need to partner with small shops again/better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 In ten millenia, all MBA's will have evolved feet with eight to ten radial snakeskin boot toes so they can stick their feet in sixteen to twenty different doors at once and still stand up straight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 4 hours ago, badbluesplayer said: In ten millenia, all MBA's will have evolved feet with eight to ten radial snakeskin boot toes so they can stick their feet in sixteen to twenty different doors at once and still stand up straight. Whereas right now, most of 'em can tie their bootlaces without bending over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karloff Posted July 19, 2019 Share Posted July 19, 2019 I can understand Gibson wanting to protect their designs. who wouldn't. and if they have the legal right to, then why not ? one thing that drives me crazy is some of the videos on Youtube with guys bashing Gibson's quality & craftsmanship. alright, some slip through but part of me feels like it's a witch hunt, or a feeding frenzy. people piling onto the the bandwagon to bash Gibson. I love my Gibson's. they're my "go to's". I'll be buying them til the day I drop. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.