Author Topic: Brand name "Alembic" protected ? (Read 577 times)

thebass · « **on:** October 07, 2003, 03:03:16 AM »

Hi Mica,

there's a discussion in progress on a german bass news group which assumes that the brand name Alembic is protected in Germany to be only used from an Alembic distributor near Munich. Is this true ?

Werner

adriaan · « **Reply #1 on:** October 07, 2003, 04:56:13 AM »

They own the internet domain www.alembic.de, which takes you staight to their site. I seem to remember that Alembic used to own the bass.com domain, and then sold that to the Bass brewery.

senmen · « **Reply #2 on:** October 07, 2003, 05:10:46 AM »

Hi Adriaan,
yes it is Station Music, the german distributor of Alembic. I think that they own the rights on the name in Germany as other dealers are not allowed to name the name. In ads of other dealers you mainly see A.....c printed i.e.

Oliver

adriaan · « **Reply #3 on:** October 07, 2003, 05:44:29 AM »

If you're selling a product, surely there is no way anyone can forbid you to state the true brand name. And I'm sure there are rules about advertising that require you to clearly state the product that you're selling. Or is it that Station Music is the only store in Germany where you can officially buy a new Alembic?

Dealers who print A.....c are probably just trying to let us impress ourselves with our secret knowledge of magical instruments (Geheimtip is a word that comes to mind).

Hey, I just want to play my Alembic.

senmen · « **Reply #4 on:** October 07, 2003, 06:34:18 AM »

Adriaan,
yes I think they are the one and only official selling point/distributor in Germany.
But anyway, I also haven?t bought my two Spyders in Germany because they had been much more expensive than the way I bought them.
And we don?t speak about EUR 50. So this money I can invest in another instrument....

Oliver

adriaan · « **Reply #5 on:** October 07, 2003, 09:31:11 AM »

(Message edited by adriaan on October 07, 2003)

adriaan · « **Reply #6 on:** October 07, 2003, 09:31:32 AM »

I bought my Epic in 94 for 2700 guilders, and now they sell for more euros. Knowing that the same amount in euros would already be about 2.2 times as expensive, plus inflation - I don't think I can afford another one.

rogertvr · « **Reply #7 on:** October 07, 2003, 12:13:54 PM »

Of course the question to Oliver is...where did you buy them from then Oliver? We demand to be told! :-)

Cheers,

Roger

valvil · « **Reply #8 on:** October 07, 2003, 12:28:26 PM »

Oliver bought his basses from Bass Central, you can still see pictures of them on the website.

Valentino

senmen · « **Reply #9 on:** October 07, 2003, 12:49:08 PM »

Hi Val, hi guys,
yep, I bought mine at Bass Central.
What can I say: great guys and a great service!

Oliver

rogertvr · « **Reply #10 on:** October 07, 2003, 01:23:56 PM »

Forgive my ignorance - where are Bass Central?

valvil · « **Reply #11 on:** October 07, 2003, 02:21:12 PM »

Bass Central is in Winter Park in Florida. Great site to see many Alembics (most of 'em sold however, these guys rock) http://basscentral.com/

Valentino

rogertvr · « **Reply #12 on:** October 07, 2003, 03:04:06 PM »

Oliver, what happens when you import into Europe? Doesn't the German system insist you pay import duty and sales tax?

Rog

senmen · « **Reply #13 on:** October 07, 2003, 11:44:02 PM »

Hi Rog,
of course I have to pay for the freight, the duty (3,7% of selling price and freight) plus 16% taxes
(based on selling price + freight + duty). But even with this the prices are much more interesting than here.

Oliver

palembic · « **Reply #14 on:** October 08, 2003, 12:15:24 AM »

If I may add something to that.
In Germany the VAT is 16 % for musical instruments.
Let me give you a quick break-down of us poor EU's buying an Alembic.
Salesprice: 5000$
Transport & Insurance: (estimate) 100$
Import tax: 10% = 500$
VAT (21% Belgium) = 1155$
Total = 6755$
Now there WAS (not that much anymore alas) 1 tiny light in this dark tunnel that the EU-currency was 20% higher in value than a US-dollar. SO you got to pay 1,20 dollar for 1 Euro.
That means that what you bought in the US was AUTOMATICALLY 20% sheaper.
Alas -as I said- I don't think that that is the case anymore. I don't follow it closely.

Paul the bad one

There ARE stores in EU who try to manage (with discounts and so) to get a guitar here simply at VAT difference, or lsightly lower, but that's the best you can get