Pirate's Cove

A case of Trump Derangement Syndrome or simply trying to protect their property? Or just some TDS from Rolling Stone?

Gibson Hits Trump Guitars With Cease and Desist

A guitar company touting an endorsement from President-elect Donald Trump has been hit by a cease and desist order from Gibson.

According to Guitar World, the 130-year-old guitar manufacturer confirmed that it had sent the warning to Trump Guitars owner 16 Creative “as the design infringes upon Gibson’s exclusive trademarks, particularly the iconic Les Paul body shape.”

The Trump Guitars website lists an “American Eagle Series” inlaid with Trump’s campaign slogan “Make America Great Again” in “authentic pearl” up the neck of the guitar with the number “45” branded on the headstock.

Although it’s not clear if Trump owns the company, Trump Guitars claims they have the “only guitar officially endorsed by President Donald J. Trump” and the homepage shows the president-elect holding one of the guitars.

One of the acoustic guitars features Trump signing its body, and according to its product page, “Only 275 of these beautiful guitars will be signed.” While a non-signed guitar costs $1,250, a six string baring Trump’s signature runs for more than $10,000.

For anyone looking for additional ways to light cash on fire, Trump Guitars also sells the “Presidential Series” in black, gold and red finishes.

“Light cash on fire.” TDS or reality? There are plenty of Gibson, Fender, PRS, Jackson, and other guitars that are unbelievably expensive, and most people who play are not professional and have no need, but, they still buy. Personally, I wouldn’t.  From Guitar World

The Trump Guitars site indicates the guitar brand is owned by 16 Creative (pitched as a “veteran owned, multi-focused branding agency”) and says that the instruments are “custom designed and developed by a veteran-owned company with the help of a master luthier”. (snip)

In recent years, Gibson has staunchly defended its intellectual property. For instance, it remains embroiled in a long-standing lawsuit with Dean over its usage of V and Z-shaped guitar designs and the Futura headstock.

The thing is, lots of companies make guitars similar in shape to the Les Paul. Dean, ESP (the LP body in the photo looks more like an ESP from the cut), and others, including lots of off brands you can find on Amazon. 16 Creative makes LPs, acoustics

The electrics feature mahogany bodies and necks and 22-fret rosewood fingerboards. Like official Les Paul guitars, they feature two Volume and two Tone controls for their Maga ’45 ‘buckers, though unlike a traditional Les Paul-style construction it is a bolt-on neck.

It’s the two and two that could cause problems, as that is a Gibson style, while others tend to have a one and two. Using the word “buckers” is also a red flag, since Gibson/Epiphone have Burstbuckers and Probuckers. Quite frankly, they might be nice as a decoration, but, it would be a pain to play on that neck, with all the lettering, rather than the typical inlays on 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, etc. The body overlays are nice, though.