Eastwood Building Series I Guitar

[lbpesq]

Eastwood guitars is taking deposits for a copy of a Series I long scale guitar that looks like Carlos Alomar’s Alembic with the 6-in-line headstock.   Not surprisingly, they aren’t even trying to replicate the pickups/electronics.


https://eastwoodguitars.com/collections/custom-projects-list/products/eastwood-sp-i#features-specs


Bill, tgo

[hammer]

I have no idea as to what the law says about this but if this doesn’t violate some aspect of it, I can’t imagine what would. With all three of their “Alembic” models they are essentially indicating an attempt to copy the original in just about every way other than the electronics. Which brings up the question, What makes an Alembic and Alembic and is their anything proprietary about being “Alembic.”


PS For the attorneys out there a layman’s oriented response would be appreciated.

[jazzyvee]

Co-incidentally I watched a David Bowie concert on TV this weekend where Carlos Amor was playing guitar and his series I alembic.

[gtrguy]

They make some interesting copies. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!

[BeenDown139]

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!

unless of course, you're the imitate-ee.

[lbpesq]

With all three of their “Alembic” models they are essentially indicating an attempt to copy the original in just about every way other than the electronics.

They do a Wolf copy and now this.  I don't believe they copied any other Alembics, unless you are referring to their Tiger copy.  That's not an Alembic.  Irwin built it after he had left Alembic so, if anything, Alembic copied Irwin.  I'm not an intellectual property lawyer, but my understanding is that body shapes are hard to protect - look at the hundreds of manufacturers who have made "Strats" and "Teles" over the years.  Most of the "lawsuit guitar" stories are urban legend.  Gibson did prevail in protecting their design of the open book head-stock.  And I doubt anyone is going to confuse the Eastwood $1500 guitar with an actual Alembic Series guitar.  And what's with the slanted bridge on the Eastwood?

Bill, tgo

[adriaan]

And what's with the slanted bridge on the Eastwood?

There are a few early Alembics with slanted bridges. Best guess is they're using a picture of the original guitar, photoshopped some knobs, as it is they're looking for enough people to put up an advance to actually start production.

[edwardofhuncote]

I was just thinking, that looks like the actual Alomar Alembic guitar, just with a different control cluster. The grain pattern on the upper body wing gives it away.

[David Houck]

This appears to be the picture they used for the photoshop.  It's a copyrighted image belonging to Heritage Auctions.

https://dyn1.heritagestatic.com/lf?set=path%5B2%2F0%2F3%2F203526%5D&call=url%5Bfile%3Aproduct.chain%5D

[KR]

INFO from their Facebook page:
For years, our customers have been asking us to release a tribute based on one of Alembic's incredible designs of the past. So, we thought if we're going to do one, we may as well go way back to where it all began!
The Standard Point was the first guitar design that Alembic offered, and its shape can best be described as nothing short of iconic. If you had the good fortune of seeing David Bowie live between the 70's and 2000, chances are you would have seen one of these guitars in the very capable hands of Carlos Alomar.
Our SP-I Guitar will pay tribute to the original in great detail, although we have decided to update the electronics to the exceedingly popular on-board effects loop as seen on our Wolf and Tiger guitars. The guitar will be manufactured in our top Korean factory and has a true neck-thru design, not a bolt-on or set neck. You will NOT be disappointed in the quality!
Not as bold as those early rip-off versions we saw made by Fernandes

[DaveD]

Sorry but that's more effed up than a soup sandwich!

[sonicus]

Beyond good and evil , be thine beckon !
Approve I do not  ,of such copy work !
Collective manifestations of minds,shall indeed tip the scale of Karma.
The Mystic Law of Cause and Effect ,saves .
A reciprocal force may indeed rule .
Of such , the balance of the Universe

[xlrogue6]

My son's first fretless was an Eastwood Ampeg copy. It's an OK bass, but its resemblance to the real deal is strictly cosmetic. Meh.

[BeenDown139]

my clone used to sleep alone, these days not so much...

https://www.ebay.com/itm/In-The-World-Domestic-Guitar-Manufacturers-Prototype-Alembic-Alenvik-Fujigen/143987801096?hash=item2186577c08:g:BMgAAOSwebNgXAeZ

[HyAlembicK]

KR, did you have that speal planned, or have you been doing this sooooo long its just natural?

Niko