Anybody know what Ed's got up his sleve?

[billikenn]

Although I despise Ed after all the trouble I had with him, I still check out his web once in a blue moon.

On his main page he has got a link to this:
http://www.edromanguitars.com/guitar/rickenbacker/ultratone_ric.htm

Normally I wouldnt take notice, but Im kinda in the market for a new guitar and after having one with piezo, I gotta have piezo on whatever I get.

I was thinking about using a pickup the world sensor under the saddles in the standard Tunematic style bridge - but that presents soem problems, such as changing the saddle material to a lighter material and fitting it all together tightly... - I think its possible, juts a pain.

Or I was thinking using a POTW sensor under a 650 bridge.

So I wonder who will be making this bridge for Ed, he is notorious for takeing a good product and giving it his own personal name and marketing it under a trademark. IE Blacksaddles piezo system is actually a Graphtech Ghost FAAS system.

Any Idea??

JP

[spencer]

Don't know - But I wish Ric would pull his dealership deal out from under him. I clicked that link and the first thing I saw was a Ric bridge with a giant cross through it and I thought WHY is this guy even allowed to sell them.

[bbobb24]

I'm sure that he sells too many guitars to worry about loosing his dealership.

[byu]

I like the quote 40% sweeter. How do you measure percentage of sweetness?

[doctorwho]

"... The bridge is made of solid brass and has delrin saddles, firmly seated in place on their adjustment screws ..."

Yikes! Sounds a lot like the original Tunamatic bridge on my 1967 Gibson ES-335TDC, except for the saddle material (mine are nylon).

[shamustwin]

He has a trademark symbol after the Ultratone name, and the ad itself implies there is an intrinsic intonation problem with Rickenbackers. The casual observer might get the wrong idea.

[doctorwho]

Hmmm... I'm not sure he owns it, at least from what I see at the USPTO site:

Word Mark ULTRATONE
Goods and Services IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Audio equipment, namely, keyboard amplifiers and public address (PA) systems
Standard Characters Claimed
Mark Drawing Code (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK
Serial Number 78410939
Filing Date April 30, 2004
Current Filing Basis 1B
Original Filing Basis 1B
Owner (APPLICANT) Red Chip Company Ltd. CORPORATION Trident Chambers Wickhams Cay Road Town
Attorney of Record Jennifer J. Baumann
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE

Word Mark ULTRATONE
Goods and Services IC 003. US 001 004 006 050 051 052. G & S: tanning lotion for use with indoor tanning beds. FIRST USE: 19990102. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 19990102
Mark Drawing Code (1) TYPED DRAWING
Serial Number 75429991
Filing Date February 6, 1998
Current Filing Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1B
Published for Opposition September 8, 1998
Registration Number 2286577
Registration Date October 12, 1999
Owner (REGISTRANT) Solar Cosmetic Labs, Inc. CORPORATION FLORIDA 4920 N.W. 165th Street Miami FLORIDA 33014
Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Attorney of Record Robert C. Kain Jr.
Type of Mark TRADEMARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE

It should be remembered that just putting ™ next to a word doesn't mean one has the right to claim that word as a trademark!

[atomic_punk]

It LOOKS like it is a Rickenbacker product, from the way it is worded, I know when I looked at it, I thought it was a Rickenbacker product. I hope a letter is on its way to Ed from JH.

[billikenn]

yeah the wording is tricky
"Rickenbacker UltraTone™ Solid Brass Bridge"
does imply that it is a Rickenbacker part

I got a reply from graphtech, they didnt state any future plans but stated that they do not have saddles to fit Ricks.
Plus ed states the saddles are delrin, which graphtech does not use to my knowledge.

JP

[billikenn]

they've got a picture of the bridge up now, still no piezo details though..


JP