JUNE 5 | PRS, GIBSON | LEGAL
Gibson Loses Case Against PRS
The United States Supreme Court has denied Gibson Guitar's final appeal in a six-year legal battle against Paul Reed Smith Guitars and its Singlecut guitar model. The 6th circuit U.S. Court of Appeals dismissed the trademark-infringement suit last September, and the Supreme Court was Gibson's final legal avenue. PRS now has the right to, once again, make and sell Singlecut guitars.
After Gibson filed suit, alleging that PRS's Singlecut violated the trademark of its Les Paul line of guitars, a local federal district court judge initially sided with Gibson. That court ordered PRS to stop sales of its Singlecut. That led to PRS's appeal to the Sixth Circuit.
"I am delighted for our employees, our dealers, our customers and the industry," said Paul Reed Smith, company founder. "Everyone was extremely supportive of our cause and our company over the last six years, fully embracing our decision to fight back against Gibson's charges. My thanks especially go to those in the industry who helped educate the court: the media, our industry peers, guitar craftsmen and industry scholars. Their help was invaluable.”