Members Grantus Posted March 29, 2010 Members Share Posted March 29, 2010 In my work as a tech journalist, I frequently check out what's going on at the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC). A guy named Geoffrey Lee McCabe, a jazz guitarist and inventor, has filed what's called a section 337 complaint against Ibanez, Floyd Rose, and other companies claiming they are violating his patents. In a section 337 complaint, the patent holder typically asks the USITC to ban the import of infringing products into the U.S. In this case, McCabe says he has a patent on headless or tuner-less electric guitars equipped with fulcrum tremolos. Although many of these cases are settled, a ruling for McCabe could mean that those kinds of guitars won't be able to be imported. McCabe's complaint is against: Floyd Rose Guitars, HHI, Ping Well Industrial, and Ibanez. Here's the USITC press release: http://www.usitc.gov/press_room/news_release/2010/er0329hh1.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Alex_SF Posted March 29, 2010 Members Share Posted March 29, 2010 The press release really left out a lot of detail -- I had to go to the USITC document site and look at the complaint itself to figure out what the alleged patents are and what particular products he's complaining about. I uploaded a copy of the complaint here -- minus the extensive exhibits. But it looks like he's specifically targeting the Floyd Rose "Speedloader," the Ibanez "SynchroniZR" trem unit, some of the Ibanez "Edge-Zero" trem units (with the "Zero Point System"), & guitars that have those units installed on them from the factory. Apparently Kahler licenses the technology in some of McCabe's patents and incorporates that technology in their products. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sk8centilli Posted March 29, 2010 Members Share Posted March 29, 2010 Awhh damn... no more imported Floyd Rose, really? 'ats a shame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grantus Posted March 30, 2010 Author Members Share Posted March 30, 2010 The press release really left out a lot of detail -- I had to go to the USITC document site and look at the complaint itself to figure out what the alleged patents are and what particular products he's complaining about.I uploaded a copy of the complaint here -- minus the extensive exhibits. But it looks like he's specifically targeting the Floyd Rose "Speedloader," the Ibanez "SynchroniZR" trem unit, some of the Ibanez "Edge-Zero" trem units (with the "Zero Point System"), & guitars that have those units installed on them from the factory. Apparently Kahler licenses the technology in some of McCabe's patents and incorporates that technology in their products. Good job, you had more patience to dig for that stuff than I did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockStringBendr Posted March 30, 2010 Members Share Posted March 30, 2010 steinberger anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grantus Posted March 30, 2010 Author Members Share Posted March 30, 2010 steinberger anyone? They don't seem to be included in the complaint. That could be for a lot of reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EADGBE Posted March 30, 2010 Members Share Posted March 30, 2010 In my work as a tech journalist, I frequently check out what's going on at the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC).A guy named Geoffrey Lee McCabe, a jazz guitarist and inventor, has filed what's called a section 337 complaint against Ibanez, Floyd Rose, and other companies claiming they are violating his patents.In a section 337 complaint, the patent holder typically asks the USITC to ban the import of infringing products into the U.S. In this case, McCabe says he has a patent on headless or tuner-less electric guitars equipped with fulcrum tremolos.Although many of these cases are settled, a ruling for McCabe could mean that those kinds of guitars won't be able to be imported. McCabe's complaint is against: Floyd Rose Guitars, HHI, Ping Well Industrial, and Ibanez.Here's the USITC press release:http://www.usitc.gov/press_room/news_release/2010/er0329hh1.htm Do you think he has a case? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grantus Posted March 30, 2010 Author Members Share Posted March 30, 2010 Do you think he has a case? Hard to tell, I haven't reviewed the complaint in detail, and patent law is a strange and arcane thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RaVenCAD Posted March 30, 2010 Members Share Posted March 30, 2010 Hard to tell, I haven't reviewed the complaint in detail, and patent law is a strange and arcane thing. It's like reading fuckin Shakespeare, complete with some thee's and thou's thrown in.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ashasha Posted March 30, 2010 Members Share Posted March 30, 2010 Gives new meaning to the term 'lawsuit Ibanez' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bengerm77 Posted March 30, 2010 Members Share Posted March 30, 2010 Awhh damn... no more imported Floyd Rose, really? 'ats a shame. Schaller Floyd Roses are imported from Germany:poke: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tim gueguen Posted March 30, 2010 Members Share Posted March 30, 2010 Could be a nuisance suit. He hopes if he makes enough of a pain of himself one of the parties involved will pony up a nice chunk of change to make him go away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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