Are Replicas Legal? Cannot find the right custom 7 string

[FarBeyond]

Does anyone know who makes the best Ibanez replicas? Because I cannot find any Ibanez RG 7 or 8 strings with upside down headstock, nor specific finishes like various camos and natural satin finishes, different colored bindings, lightning Inlays or the ibanez shark style inlays, and of course the very elegant Kahler locking systems (but with a Floyd Locking Nut),...

if good luthiers who make replicas right to spec exist, does any one know if whether these replicas are legal for me to play in my band?

I found 2 companies in poland but how do i know if they are high quality.

Thanks

[GuitarBizarre]

they're legal as long as you don't pass them off as a real ibanez. That means headstock decals are out. Ibanez don't prosecute this as much as some other companies do, but play it safe.

If your guitar is custom, why WOULDN'T you want to show off that you have a custom guitar anyway?

[FarBeyond]

Originally Posted by GuitarBizarre

If your guitar is custom, why WOULDN'T you want to show off that you have a custom guitar anyway?

Because they will be exact ibanez body specs.

And do you know the best replica custom builders i should look into?

[Bildi]

ET Guitars (link at the top of the page) would be my pick. I've only ever read good things about them on this forum.

[FarBeyond]

Originally Posted by Bildi

ET Guitars (link at the top of the page) would be my pick. I've only ever read good things about them on this forum.

ok i checked out some but the ran seems to be the most killer of all. look at their gallery of how amazing guitars they make.... is anyone better than Ran?

http://www.ranguitars.com/gallery.php

[Timbaline]

I would recommend ETguitar or Mike Sherman guitars. I have heard great things about ET guitars, but I have yet to play one. I have played one of my friend's Sherman 7-string, it played and sounded like a dream, I had a handgasm and an eargasm while I was playing it.

[eviltwin]

Ran has been discussed here before, looks great, good reviews as well, but serious questions remain about the legality.

http://www.jemsite.com/forums/f19/ra...ght=Ranguitars

US case laws have already established that it won't be legal to replicate the headstock shape.
Even without the logo it would still be trademark infringement. Also if it's just a one-off.
I don't know if EU law couldn't be used to prosecute them either.

But whether or not a particular luthier is bothered by this is a different matter. You could have a luthier make you an Ibanez spec neck and he could claim he was just customising an existing neck if Ibanez decides to go after him. It would be overkill to go after every single one-man shop, but an operation like Ran is a different matter.

Guitars body shapes, however, cannot be protected, neither as patents (only construction or production methods) nor as trademarks. PRS has won a lawsuit over this with Gibson.

Because they will be exact ibanez body specs.

Those who can recognise the shape should also be able to tell that it's not a regular Ibanez, or think it's just a refinished Ibanez.

If I were a luthier I wouldn't even want to make such a thing without putting my own special headstock on it and prominent logo, but it seems to work for Ran; they've been doing it for 10years and haven't been sued out of business yet. They don't appear to have updated their website in the last couple of years either.


What strikes me is that they will actually use a different Ran logo/font for each replica, matching the original font and such, see RAN with DEAN wings, Ibanez script logo, ESP /LTD font, etc. That alone should be grounds for legal action.

[BeboRock91]

wow, they even copy Manne's shape