Early G&L headstock shape - SC- and SB- series

[derick]

Say, I have a question about the early g&l headstocks. The story is that Leo received a cease and desist letter from Fender in spring of 1983, complaining that the G&L headstock shape was too close to Fender's and must be changed. Now, the very similar SC- line of guitars and SB- line of bases kept their non-pointy headstocks beyond the end of Leo's life in 1991. Does anybody have a clue why this was?

I'm assuming that the SB and SC line of instruments had already hit the market but not sufficiently to get CBS's corporate attention, and thus was not mentioned in the cease and desist letter. I don't know that this is true, but it's the only reasonable explanation I can come up with...

Either way, by mid 1983 the L- series of basses were incorporating the pointy head stock shape, and later instruments such as El Toro all had the pointy shape.

Regards,

-Don

[Craig]

Say, I have a question about the early g&l headstocks. The story is that Leo received a cease and desist letter from Fender in spring of 1983, complaining that the G&L headstock shape was too close to Fender's and must be changed. Now, the very similar SC- line of guitars and SB- line of bases kept their non-pointy headstocks beyond the end of Leo's life in 1991. Does anybody have a clue why this was?

I'm assuming that the SB and SC line of instruments had already hit the market but not sufficiently to get CBS's corporate attention, and thus was not mentioned in the cease and desist letter. I don't know that this is true, but it's the only reasonable explanation I can come up with...

Either way, by mid 1983 the L- series of basses were incorporating the pointy head stock shape, and later instruments such as El Toro all had the pointy shape.

Regards,

-Don

Here is a post we have from the past: "Lawsuit" G&L Headstocks ?

[derick]

Okay, this is a statement by Dave McLaren regarding the Feb. 1983 letter from Fender's attorneys about the G&L headstock shape:

"That was all a <censored word> show by Schultz and didn’t need to be taken seriously at the time. Remember, my dad had given him the job. Schultz knew nothing about or gave a crap about guitars period, but dad though Schultz had managerial potential. Leo would have slapped Shultz right back and dad would have laughed. Really, nothing has changed. What if someone there thought they could start some crap with me? The regret would come so fast I’d almost feel bad that someone in IP wasn’t warned that Fender Avenue should not be messed with."

That quote doesn't exactly answer my question, but apparently some of the ancient "legal issues" still can raise a hackle or two on Fender Avenue.

Edit: The posting software has shielded our fragile sensibilities from offense, but the censored word in the above quote starts with an S and ends with HIT. FYI.


Regards,

-Don