scotch
It's not rocket science!
- Nov 12, 2006
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Fender Decals On Non-Fender Basses
- Thread starter JAUQO III-X
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Fender owns the name Fender. And by doing so they can stick a big fat Fender decal on a blimp if they want.
If you're intimating that Fender's aren't Fenders because Leo Fender is gone... It would be incorrect. The entity that bought/ aquired Fender gets the rights and everything that goes along with it. They can do whatever THEY want.
scotch
It's not rocket science!
- Nov 12, 2006
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Easy question, easy answer- any instrument made by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (or previous corporate entity owning the Fender Trademark).
That was easy. Whether or not you personally approve of their corporate structure, business practices, factory locations or choice of employee health care plan changes that.
Of course, if you don't like any of the above, you have a right not to purchase a Fender! That was easy!
The point you're missing is, If indeed Fender does put the name on ANYTHING in order to sell it, so what? They have the right to do that, they own the name and they are the only ones that have the right to use that name (other than Leo's descendants) any way they see fit. Any company that Fender owns or gives permission can use that name on any product they make. Counterfeiters cannot. Period.
Smokey the bassist says:
Buyer beware!
This is why u have to know what to look for with this stuff, not just headstock decals, but identifying other parts that look suspicious...especially on vintage Fender stuff that goes for insane amounts.
So many (well done) fakes out there, if you get ripped off dropping too much for a fake Fender, then it's nobody's fault but your own. Should've done your research or bought from an authorized dealer.
Buyer beware!
This is why u have to know what to look for with this stuff, not just headstock decals, but identifying other parts that look suspicious...especially on vintage Fender stuff that goes for insane amounts.
So many (well done) fakes out there, if you get ripped off dropping too much for a fake Fender, then it's nobody's fault but your own. Should've done your research or bought from an authorized dealer.
Engine207
Losing faith in humanity...one call at a time.
Yeagh, that'd be me. That's a '03 MIM p-bass that I got for a hundred bucks, which I considered a steal. This is the first decal change it got:
Last year, I'd swapped that neck for my Warmoth fretless. Since Mr. Fender felt that the frets made his bass a "precision", I figgered that without them, mine was an "imPrecision"
I hope some unsuspecting buyer doesn't mistake mine for a vintage early 70's imPrecision, or the original for one of the now-discontinued "Grand Theft Precisions"
Exactly MY point! Thank you! If Fender doesn't care, why should you? I love Leo's designs! I own a KILLER J bass...it just doesn't have an "F" word on it.
I'm pretty sure selling something that isn't what you say it is... Is fraud. Hence the laws against rolling back odometers or counterfit money.
I'm not defending fraud or fraudulent acts by any means, but we can't prevent people from committing crime. We can only protect ourselves with education.
? I would say you're vastly mistaken. Fender does indeed give a damn, why else would they make it so difficult for one to get an official logo replacement decal? Your assertion makes no sense.
I'm not defending fraud or fraudulent acts by any means, but we can't prevent people from committing crime. We can only protect ourselves with education.
We certainly can, but not by rolling over and giving up and saying ,"Oh well they're gonna do it anyway." It would also help if people would stop rationalizing it and helping to finance these crooks by buying these fake logos and telling themselves "Well as long as I don't sell it as a Fender it's OK."
I do agree, it is indeed incumbent on us to educate ourselves, but even experienced and seasoned veterans can occasionaly be fooled by a good fake.
Truly they CAN put that logo on anything, and do. Totally their option to do so. They also license the use of their headstock profile to such parts builders as Warmoth and USA Custom ( which pay a fee for the use of that profile). So If Fender made money licensing the design who cares if a Fender logo gets slapped on it? I just don't see that this is a big deal. Is trying to rip someone off wrong? Sure but the initial question in this thread was not about that. It was merely a "why did you?" I simply say, if Fender doesn't care why should anyone?
I'm not defending fraud or fraudulent acts by any means, but we can't prevent people from committing crime. We can only protect ourselves with education.
I agree. My point was just that it's almost impossible to always catch those who are intentially trying to trick you. We should be aware, but if you get fooled it's shouldn't be that the consumer gets a, "too bad so sad, you should have known!" kinda response...
Those "official logos" are available all over the place. Maybe not direct from Fender but you can get them! Fender made this monster by sourcing out "fenders" in every price point thinkable and licensing the headstock to a few builders ( again for a buck ) so who cares? If you want a fender, educate yourself and KNOW the source you're buying from. Other than that, put a fender logo on a pen, coffee cup, toilet paper and who cares... no harm done.
- Mar 24, 2005
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- Seymour Duncan/Basslines SMB-5A Endorsing Artist
. . .
It's their prerogative to do what they want with a copyrighted trademark they own. It doesn't matter when Fender himself left the company.
Enzo Ferrari has been dead for years. That doesn't give you license to counterfeit his name.
Disclosure: I am a bit torn on the issue. While I agree that there is an issue with resale...modifying your own instruments I don't have an issue with. Let me play Devil's advocate here though.
We are talking about applying a label...what about swapping out other components? (perhaps this has been brought up before in this thread...my applogies)...if you switch pickups can you still call it a fender?
...or here is a crazy thought....what if you have a genuine Fender neck and swap it with a non-Fender body....such as this:
That is a genuine Geddy Lee jazz neck on a Thunderbird body. Let's assume that I put a blank neck plate and pickguard on there so there is no obvious markings that it is not a Fender. Am I commuting a "crime" by selling this to someone who isn't smart enough to figure out that this sin't a Fender? It could easily be resold as a Fender by our deceitful label analogy (assuming an inept buyer).
What if I had a licensed Fender neck and put it on that bass (with a unlicensed decal)....it is obviously not a stock Fender. Is the decal still an issue? What if I put a Fender decal somewhere on the body (that was an official sticker from Fender...say a bumper stick or something)...or if I put it on the neck....would this still be an issue? ...even if it is obviously not a Fender...despite the excellent craftsmanship of this hypothetical application
To me this whole issue is a tough call. Knowingly reselling an instrument as counterfeit is obviously wrong, but crafting your own to look like an original is not (assuming you made your own decals)....the act of selling it as such is (as stated above).
As much as I hate to say it: Caveat Emptor
At least within the TB community there are knowledgeable people to help us stray from purchasing fraudulent goods..unfortuately I am sure we are a small fraction of the bass playing community at large.
jc
We are talking about applying a label...what about swapping out other components? (perhaps this has been brought up before in this thread...my applogies)...if you switch pickups can you still call it a fender?
...or here is a crazy thought....what if you have a genuine Fender neck and swap it with a non-Fender body....such as this:
That is a genuine Geddy Lee jazz neck on a Thunderbird body. Let's assume that I put a blank neck plate and pickguard on there so there is no obvious markings that it is not a Fender. Am I commuting a "crime" by selling this to someone who isn't smart enough to figure out that this sin't a Fender? It could easily be resold as a Fender by our deceitful label analogy (assuming an inept buyer).
What if I had a licensed Fender neck and put it on that bass (with a unlicensed decal)....it is obviously not a stock Fender. Is the decal still an issue? What if I put a Fender decal somewhere on the body (that was an official sticker from Fender...say a bumper stick or something)...or if I put it on the neck....would this still be an issue? ...even if it is obviously not a Fender...despite the excellent craftsmanship of this hypothetical application
To me this whole issue is a tough call. Knowingly reselling an instrument as counterfeit is obviously wrong, but crafting your own to look like an original is not (assuming you made your own decals)....the act of selling it as such is (as stated above).
As much as I hate to say it: Caveat Emptor
At least within the TB community there are knowledgeable people to help us stray from purchasing fraudulent goods..unfortuately I am sure we are a small fraction of the bass playing community at large.
jc
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