Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

A fascinating blog entry from the Sonic Valley (PA) Guitar Show.

Fender is pursuing its right to make GENUINE FENDER relics. This is a case in which I agree with their points, on principle:

http://www.sonicvalleyguitar.com/2013/0 ... r-lawsuit/

There are a lot of haters out there. Some of these forums are just ridiculous. People are just nasty.

While I applaud their efforts to protect their trademarks, it seems to me that Fender is overreacting and being hyper-vigilant in protecting their trademarks after so many years of not doing so. ($2M per infraction? Come on..)

Besides, if they were in-tune with what the public want, Fender would buy this guy's business and employ him - that's what they've done in the past when somebody starts making Fender's own products better than Fender themselves (Fujigen Gakki, anyone?).

I don't think this has anything to do with relics. Fender saw someone selling products with their logo and sued them...as far as I can tell, anyway.

Fender has been lax in the past about trademark infringement, but they do seem to be waking up to the gaping hole in their revenue stream. However, in this case, Kelton Swade made it personal. Big mistake.

From the discussions on another (non-Fender) forum, I gather that Fender first asked nicely in an email, then called in the lawyer who asked a little more firmly when Mr Swade told them to hit the road in a profanity-laden response. When Mr Swade then further antagonized the legal beagle with yet another pithy response, the die was cast.

If he had merely said "wups- won't happen again", used the legit replacement necks which are widely available, and complied with FMIC's requirements about decalling, nothing further would likely have come of it. Instead he poked the bear. And he poked hard. Now he's in a world of hurt -legally- and really has no leg to stand on.

Moral- NEVER poke the bear.

aceonbass wrote:The guy put Fender water slide decals on the head stocks of his guitars, then told Fender tough. He deserves what he gets. I've always felt the same way about RIC copy cats, and this is no different. Fender has it's own line of reliced guitars, so they don't need to employ this guy and reward him for his thievery.

That's it, exactly.
The only person allowed to build guitars under the name of Fender seems to be John Hall

I'm not going to get heavy into defending him. But Kelton told me over the phone that the first correspondence from Fender was the correspondence regarding the lawsuit. As for the labels, all I can say is that the guitars I have seen do not have anything that says Fender on them.

I just think its disgusting how people rip this guy, they rip Paul, they rip Dale, they rip Jeffrey they rip everyone. If Kelton did something wrong in regards to trademark or whatever, then the courts will work it out. But in my opinion he is clear in what he does. But to call him some of things people have called him and say some of the things they do without having a clue is cowardice and wrong. We see it here with our own guys and it completely turns me off.

I Value true opinions. But I can make up my own mind. If Iistened to every negative thing written about Paul or Jeffrey I wouldn't have some of the cool stuff I have. And if I listened to everyone else on the other forums about Kelton, I wouldn't have one of the best guitars I have ever owned.

People rip me?

Breaks my heart...

Parenthetically, when folks are as talented as some of these crafters sure appear to be, why don't they simply make their own boutique lines with their own unique designs? Why take the chance and re-create someone else's unique piece? Why not take out your jigsaw and simply cut your own unique shape(s). Find your own voice in the wood and wire. If it's good, they will beat a path to your door. Paul's new line is perfect example.

If Mr Swade manufactured "Swade" guitars that had his own unique body and headstock shape, wouldn't it be better for him in the long run? Rather than build a reputation as a (possibly great) imitator, he'd be on his way to being the next Leo, Les, or Adolph. Instead, even if proven right by the court, he will always be the guitar-maker's version of a cover band.

"Rain" is an excellent band. They're great and I see their shows each time they blow through my area. But in the end, they're not the Beatles. Darn good cover band (and I have been in a few), but a cover band nonetheless.

Swade may or may not be the "Rain" of guitar builders, but he'll never be a Beatle until he comes up with something that is his own.

My determinedly neutral two bits.

jingle_jangle wrote:People rip me?

Breaks my heart...

Breaks mine too. But no one can or will change my opinion of you, Paul. I mean that in a good way, big fella!

bvstudios wrote:Parenthetically, when folks are as talented as some of these crafters sure appear to be, why don't they simply make their own boutique lines with their own unique designs? Why take the chance and re-create someone else's unique piece? Why not take out your jigsaw and simply cut your own unique shape(s). Find your own voice in the wood and wire. If it's good, they will beat a path to your door. Paul's new line is perfect example.

If Mr Swade manufactured "Swade" guitars that had his own unique body and headstock shape, wouldn't it be better for him in the long run? Rather than build a reputation as a (possibly great) imitator, he'd be on his way to being the next Leo, Les, or Adolph. Instead, even if proven right by the court, he will always be the guitar-maker's version of a cover band.

"Rain" is an excellent band. They're great and I see their shows each time they blow through my area. But in the end, they're not the Beatles. Darn good cover band (and I have been in a few), but a cover band nonetheless.

Swade may or may not be the "Rain" of guitar builders, but he'll never be a Beatle until he comes up with something that is his own.

My determinedly neutral two bits.

No one will be The Beatles. His guitars do have the label "Kelton Swade".

pre-zactly

Pardon my ignorance, but if the gentleman in question has been sourcing necks from Allparts et al, and all the hardware from other third parties, isn't he an assembler/refinisher rather than a builder? I had always thought the neck was the "hard" part of building a bolt-on-neck instrument. Once you have the "bits", it ain't exactly rocket science, though some care has to be taken in getting the neck/body relationship spot on.

antipodean wrote:Pardon my ignorance, but if the gentleman in question has been sourcing necks from Allparts et al, and all the hardware from other third parties, isn't he an assembler/refinisher rather than a builder? I had always thought the neck was the "hard" part of building a bolt-on-neck instrument. Once you have the "bits", it ain't exactly rocket science, though some care has to be taken in getting the neck/body relationship spot on.

I think you are mostly correct. I think the "art" is in the wood treatment and the relic job. I also believe that there is more to assembly than just placing parts on the guitar. You could give me all the parts, but no one would like how its put together.