WTF? ...Supporting Guitarism Section on Sound Magazine

[David Schwab]

One guy had an attitude, and said this to me: "it's on the public internet, so it's free and fair game to all"

That's self serving logic. You can use the same excuse that you can steal songs off the public radio airwaves, or plagiarize books from the public library.
Some people are lazy, and some don't have the talent to come up with their own ideas. Now I make a sell a copy of a '76 Music Man Stingray preamp, but I tell exactly what it is, and it's not copywrited or patented. On the other hand all my pickup designs are my own, and epoxy is real good at hiding things.

[RedHouse]

Yes it is self serving.

I know your preamp thing is not like my tail of woe, and BTW I do the same as you said with anything I do that isn't my own, tell 'em right up front it's not my material, no mistake I'm just the builder, unless of course the originator has stipulated that's off the table.

One fine example is buiding amps, so often I get guys that want me to build a new chassis of my own design/implementation into an existing amp and leave the "Marshall" or whatever badges/markings in place. I just say no. Unless it's a repair, restore, or a rebuild I want my own original products to have my own badge on the front even it they are stuffed into someone elses cabinet.

This doesn't speak to that but just to be clear in case I was not, that last case I was talking about was re-producing my original artwork (PCB layout) to create PCBs because of course an (old) circuit it'self is not copyright'able but the name and the artwork that creates a PCB is, and that was the issue. The guy (I'm not naming because he did stop and appologise eventually) actually handed my PDF to a PCB manufacturing house in Europe who made the boards. Each PCB actually had my name (BL Burt), the copyright symbol, and my trademark clearly visible on them in the "for sale" shot. All who came before that had at least omitted my name.
(but left my trademark so they could be sold as my work)

Imagine someone selling pickup covers (or whole pickups) with your logo on them as if they came from you and your shop. Nothing gets the blood pumping like when you see that or your name on somebody's product for sale. In a small way I can understand (but often don't agree with) J-Hall and Larry-D and their hyper vigilance about protecting their stuff, or anyting looks like it.

They used be an old saying: "give 'em an inch, and they'll take a mile" well we can't stop giving or the world will be a much crappy'er place but if we make it as uncomfortable as possible for others to profit from us w/o consent, well that's what we just have to do I suppose.

[Ronsonic]

As my former drummer translated "you guys are amazing blah blah blah gimme money blah the best band in blah blah I need your money blah blah where's the money blah blah blah."

[Intergalactic Tourister]

Geez, does _anyone_ really bite on this kinda shite?

* i request to receive one regular production item for each month....It may be a humbucker for each month.
* If possible a 5 or 15 watt tube amp for a year.
* a set of pick ups (2 humbuckers or 3 single coil for strats) from your custom shop.

Yeah, that'll be right!

I think asking Baris to first send you a PayPal payment of $30.00 to cover the shipping/handling would have been interesting. "Is he trying to scam ME now?"

[nienturi]

Hi There,

I wasnt available for a while because i had broken my right hand and at last yesterday i could get freed of plasters.

Anyway, i've read the written. Some of them are not directly relevant with me, the general issues with magazines etc.

First of all, i can understand what you've mentioned. I had a custom shop since 2010 with a partner of mine and we used to make guitars as well and we, too, had occasionally have those kind of e-mails. I apoligize for my first mail (the one that has revealed without my permission on the first post), if you find it harsh or rude. But the overlooked part of my offer is that was an offer and includes more than just typical reviewing. I offered reviews, advertisement movements, promotions etc. Not to be rejected directly i added my requests below. My thoughts were on the costs of pickup contruction. I got the unit cost of a humbucker or a single coil to one hand, the cost of professionally promotion staff on the other, and it seemed not bad at that time. Anyway, especially after my attention to this thread, the essence of comments changed and then they were so beneficial for me, thanks a lot for your constructive criticism.

I told what my goal was, you know, to prepare the ultimate pickup database is supported by interviews and reviews. There is another for Turkish market; boutique makers may have a chance. Check those prices (you can see the prices with dollar tags) for DiMarzios;

mydukkan.com :: Mzik Market

For Duncans;

mydukkan.com :: Mzik Market

As a summery, an ordinary guitar player who wants to have;

Seymour Duncan SSL-1, must pay $91
Seymour Duncan SSL-5 RW/RP Custom Staggered, must pay $107
Seymour Duncan Jazz or JB, must pay $124,
Seymour Duncan Phat Cat, must pay $136
DiMarzio HS-2 must pay $94,
DiMarzio PAF 36th, must pay $120,
DiMarzio D Sonic, must pay $149

Compare those prices with standart boutique makers prices, with Lollars for instance. A Turkish guitar player can choose better wound pickup in similar cost, if only he/she knows and trusts well. Same situation goes on with guitar and amp prices, too. You can check yourselves on that site mydukkan.com :: Müzik Market (this site is the most popular online equipment store, so that i've given as an example). Try to search “Fender” for instance.

There were lots of posts, so if i miss something, remind me to answer, help or clearify.

Best regards

[David Schwab]

I told what my goal was, you know, to prepare the ultimate pickup database is supported by interviews and reviews.

With all due respect, it sounded more like your goal was to get a lot of free merchandise:

For annual sponsorship, i request to receive one regular production item for each month. The item will be decided by me in a cooperative way with you. It may be a humbucker for each month. If possible a 5 or 15 watt tube amp for a year.
A set of pick ups (2 humbuckers or 3 single coil for strats) from your custom shop.
Any kind of promotional stuff like CD, DVD, catalogs, advertisements, flyers, company publishings (like Fender’s Frontline or PRS Signature magazines), t-shirts…
For further questions, alternatives, proposals please do not hesitate to contact me.

Now if you were doing reviews, you would get these on loan, and then have to send them back. That's the way it's usually done. You also wouldn't need an amp for a year.

Now if you meant you would evaluate pickup for a month, and then return them, you didn't say that, and didn't make a clear. The way I, and a lot of others read it was you wanted free gear.

[Intergalactic Tourister]

With all due respect, it sounded more like your goal was to get a lot of free merchandise:

Even if your goal was not to get a bunch of free stuff you still want the small boutique builders to assume all the risk for you.

When you show the competitors high dollar pick-up prices did you take into account shipping/handling/customs/taxes (maybe VAT) will all increase the cost of sending you gear.

Boutique builders assume all the risks already- financial, legal, et cetra.
Your current business model just seems to need propping up. I personally like your idea... just not the model or logistics aspect.

Trust is an issue too. No one on the forum knows who are.