In Defence of Vintage and the Bargain Basement
I have to take umbrage with the reponse to the reader about why guitarist
does not review the cheap knockoffs of Les Pauls etc.
The response that we respect the trademarks and innovations of the leaders was complete and utter rubbish.
listen if vintage was doing something illegal then you can be sure they would have been sued into bankruptcy by Gibson by now.
I did not see any such reticence when the mag reviewed the Les Paul knock off made by PRS, what they too sexy to ignore.
The reader had a very valid point, these cheap guitars are wjhat we all started on first before moving on to better things, unless we got very lucky, you have done a massive diservice to those readers that cannot afford gibson or even epiphones eqivs.
I though that Guitarist was for those people taht do have money and those that do not, I for one would appreciate a review of a low end of our fave guitars.
I suppose the point of view depends on whether you've had the bollocking of your life from someone very high up at Fender USA, threatening to sue simply because we printed a 'My Guitar Is....' that featured some guy's 'Strat' he'd built himself. We have, and it still gets thrown in our faces from time to time!
Big companies defend their copyrights very strenuously, believe me, and we took the decision well over ten years ago that we wouldn’t, for the most part, review Strat, Les Paul or Tele copies – or, indeed, copies of anything else.
The Vintage gear you mention is actually different enough – technically at least - not to infringe any copyrights as, you’re right, Gibson, Fender et al WOULD crush the company in short shrift. The headstock of the V6, for example, bears little resemblance in technical terms to that pf the Strat, so that’s fine. And what about the headstock of the TCs? Not even close!
Fender find it much easier and cost-effective to sue a magazine than it would to chase after some nebulous Far Eastern company that simply knocks out as many shit Strat copies as possible before moving onto to something else, so we will always be ultra-careful and if there’s any doubts, we won’t review the product: it’s that simple.
And you’ll remember that the US courts decided that the PRS Singlecut didn’t, in fact, breach Gibson’s copyright…!
With my player’s hat on, though, I understand exactly where you’re coming from, and the simple fact is that you can get a great guitars (Squier or Yamaha for example) for well under £150. Of course I realise that that’s still a decent sum, but no-one would pretend that being a guitarist is a cheap occupation – I dread to think how much money I’ve spent on gear in the 30 years I’ve been playing…
Let’s face it: a new electric that retails for under £100 isn’t going to be very good is it? That can be the review…
Good and fair question though, so thanks for that!
Mongo like candy.
I could be wrong here but I seem to remember several round up type reviews of low budget guitars of a "reminiscent" shape in Guitarist over the years.
TBH I think that the big 2 are rather odd if they have been short with the publishers at times over reviews of copies. -I can't quite understand the reasoning, and I would far prefer that a big manufacturer doesn't try and use it's weight to pressurise a publisher.
Re: In Defence of Vintage and the Bargain Basement
Or the other way around. I used to use a 1991 Jem exclusivley but, since getting my hands on a Vintage V6, the Jem now stays in it's case. The Vintage just seems so much more versatile.Originally Posted by Fevriul
So, I've gone from playing a guitar with a RRP of £1000 to one that I picked up for £115.99p !
In the words of Bootsy --- 'If it ain't on the one then it ain't no fun !'
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While I sympathise with this view - you're a business that doesn't need to incur unnecessary hassle - does that mean that we won't see any Blade or G&L reviews? I'm sure I've seen their shapes somewhere before...
Has anyone pointed out to the big companies that it's the guitar magazines that are their primoe source of publicity? How would they react if, having tried to tear you off a strip about reviewing a cheapo, someone told them that they should frame the VG Strat review as it was the last Fender product they'd ever see reviewed in Guitarist?
Like I said, I understand why the decision was taken, but the big boys need to learn that they need you as much as you need them.
In this case, G&L does, of course, still retain very close links with Fender (and an ASAT only bears a passing resemblance to a Tele, after all), while Blades don't have the same headstock (or electronics), so are suitably different to make any sort of legal 'copyright breach' case a difficult one: just ask Gibson and Paul Reed Smith!
Good points well made by everyone here – many thanks. It’s constantly knotty subject that we do wrestle with on a regular basis!
Mongo like candy.
Difficult isnt it, seeing that 90% of modern guitars can trace their line back to either a LP, tele, strat or 335, the occasional litigation of "copies", seems a bit arbitary-bullying almost. The minor changes in headstock design dont really fool anyone. At te end of the day they are still copies-very good ones and often better.
I would like to see a more regular round up of entry level guitars, the new pacifica for instance and for the mag to recommend best buys at entry price points.
Competition is a good thing and as soon at the big boys realise that and the part magazines play in promotion, the better for all.
Im bad to the bone. Just like Jesse, no Sid James
After the PRS ruling I was very surprised that the likes of Yamaha didn't go the whole hog and do a Les Paul-a-like.
Gibson / Fender don't have the money to crush Yamaha. And more to the point the Japanese Courts have a special understanding for Jap companies that are 'improving' on inefficent western design!
ESP build identical Gibbo copies for the Jap only market. Gibson don't bother challenging anymore because they will lose in Japan.
Sibella: He says he wants to go to Europe to expand his mind.Louis: He certainly has room to do so.
I'd rather Guitarist stop mentioning Gibsons continual construction & finish flaws in the text and yet still give 4.5 star reviews. Its sickening.
You'll take a small builder to task like Woodworm which I've seen you do but Gibson somehow get away with it. We all know David Blunkett runs quality control in Nashville. Lets just admit it.
If I ran Guitarist I'd review a Fender Japan J-Craft grey import guitar up against a Highway 1 as there about the same retail, but the J-Craft will have the build of a US Deluxe. Another reality never mentioned in Guitarist pages.
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I'd rather you reviewed stuff that I can actually get without taking a trip to Japan or dealing with direct with a Japanese company, but there you go.
Red ones are better.
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