PRS wins Gibson lawsuit

[dolivas]

http://www.prsguitars.com/news/stori...singlecut.html

STEVENSVILLE, MD) June 5, 2006 — Paul Reed Smith Guitars is very pleased to announce that the United States Supreme Court today denied Gibson Guitar's final appeal of a Court of Appeals decision upholding PRS' right to make a single cutaway-style guitar. When first introduced more than six years ago at the NAMM show, the PRS Singlecut® quickly captured the attention of artists and critics, winning awards for its design and quality. Seeking to stop competition to its Les Paul brand single cutaway-style guitar, Gibson moved aggressively, filing a suit in Nashville that asserted trademark infringement. After several years of expensive and drawn-out litigation, the local federal district court judge initially sided with Gibson. That court ordered PRS to stop sales of its Singlecut®. Several companies joined PRS in urging the appellate court--the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit--to reverse the decision. Last year, the Sixth Circuit ruled that an injunction should never have been issued by the lower court. The court observed that Gibson conceded that only "an idiot" would ever confuse a PRS Singlecut® and a Gibson Les Paul. Based on that concession and the overwhelming evidence, the Sixth Circuit found that Gibson's trademark case had no merit and summarily dismissed the suit. The Supreme Court's decision today leaves the Sixth Circuit opinion in place and ends Gibson's multi-year effort to thwart legitimate competition under the guise of intellectual property law.

Paul Reed Smith, the company founder, stated: "I am delighted for our employees, our dealers, our customers and the industry. Everyone was extremely supportive of our cause and our company over the last six years, fully embracing our decision to fight back against Gibson's charges." Smith added: "My thanks especially go to those in the industry who helped educate the court: the media, our industry peers, guitar craftsmen and industry scholars. Their help was invaluable.”

Hopefully the last remnant of Gibson's never ending lawsuits.

[Nubus]

Yeah seriously, they need to chill with the suing. I mean come on. It's like me trying to copyright my bed head. I should sue the pants off all these hipster kids. I did it first, and it just came to me naturally.

[mikegee]

Originally Posted by Nubus

Yeah seriously, they need to chill with the suing. I mean come on. It's like me trying to copyright my bed head. I should sue the pants off all these hipster kids. I did it first, and it just came to me naturally.

yea, its like campbells soup trying to patent the can C'MON! yeesh...

[mikegee]

the irony in the lawsuit is that i am almost 100% sure gibson did not design or build the first single cutaway guitar. i dont know who did, but i bet they are having a big laugh over this decision

[Whoopysnorp]

I love the fact that this went all the way to the US Supreme Court. The same legislative body that makes decision regarding abortion, the death penalty, presidential elections, and so forth had to resolve a dispute about an electric guitar design.

[mikegee]

Originally Posted by Whoopysnorp

I love the fact that this went all the way to the US Supreme Court. The same legislative body that makes decision regarding abortion, the death penalty, presidential elections, and so forth had to resolve a dispute about an electric guitar design.

yea, really! i can imagine all the supreme court justices sitting in their chambers playing the two guitars, jamming and talking about the merits of the case hehe

rock on, judges!

[dagosto]

I wonder if they brought marshall stacks into the courtroom to see if they sounded the same too.

[Bellringer]

Can you imagine how much money this lawsuit will add to future Gibson and PRS guitar prices!?! Guitarists who are already paying big bucks on these high priced guitars are going to pay for this ridiculous case. It makes you wonder if all these super expensive Artist signature limited edition guitars are being made to make up some faster cash.
I can't believe they even thought they had a case.

[johnS]

Originally Posted by Whoopysnorp

I love the fact that this went all the way to the US Supreme Court. The same legislative body that makes decision regarding abortion, the death penalty, presidential elections, and so forth had to resolve a dispute about an electric guitar design.

Hey, a couple of weeks ago the ruled in a matter concerning Anna Nicole Smith. So why not electric guitars!

[smopo24]

Originally Posted by johnS

Hey, a couple of weeks ago the ruled in a matter concerning Anna Nicole Smith. So why not electric guitars!

i agree, while it seems frivolous, this could have set a precident for decades. supreme court rulings have a heavy weight in the future judgements of other cases, and it could have made any guitar manufacturer with a single cut style guitar subject to prosecution - similar in style or not!