Warwick Wins Legal Dispute with Gibson

Warwick has announced on Sept. 22 the Federal Supreme Court dismissed the appeal of Gibson against a judgement of the Hamburg Higher Regional Court revolving around the legal dispute over the sale of V-shaped electric guitars. According to a company statement by Warwick, “Gibson cannot assert any claims under the German Unfair Competition Act (UWG) against the V-guitar created by Warwick seven years ago.”

The proceedings were based on a lawsuit filed by Gibson. In 1958, Gibson launched the Flying V, the first guitar with a V-shaped body. The model was made famous by such musicians as Jimi Hendrix, Lenny Kravitz and the German band Scorpions. In 2014, Gibson filed a lawsuit against Warwick, which sold a V-shaped guitar approximated in shape under the “Framus” brand. In July 2017, the Hamburg Regional Court decided in favor of Gibson, but, according to the company statement, The Higher Regional Court overturned this decision in November 2020 stating that despite a subsequent adoption of design elements, Warwick had not acted unfairly.

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