Folks

Why doesn't Fender stop this?

http://info.ricardo.ch/Fenderman0

http://www.ricardo.ch/kaufen/musik-und- ... 666606090/

http://www.ricardo.ch/kaufen/musik-und- ... 669734048/

This guy sells decals.



I just wonder why it isn't possible to call this "Ricardo.ch" platform and ask them to stop it.

Cheers

David

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"Humans think they are smarter than dolphins because we build cars and buildings and start wars etc...and all that dolphins do is swim in the water, eat fish and play around. Dolphins believe that they are smarter for exactly the same reasons."

Hi David. You're in Switzerland, give 'em a ring why not, see what they say?

Unfortunately, I suspect just calling and asking might not do the trick...

Cheers - C

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Ceri

I contacted the guy directly. He blatantly told me I cannot do anything against it. Ricardo (the platform) says they are not aware of a law that would forbid him to sell fake decals.

So yes, I think Fender has to send a mail/letter. This guy sends to the whole European area, one of Fender's key markets. I wonder how many fake Fenders carry his decals.

Cheers

David

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"Humans think they are smarter than dolphins because we build cars and buildings and start wars etc...and all that dolphins do is swim in the water, eat fish and play around. Dolphins believe that they are smarter for exactly the same reasons."

Good work! Respect to you for making the effort.



Many, I'm sure. We see enough DIY fake necks on Ebay, for starters.

Unfortunately, given the response you got out of them I suspect a letter from Fender wouldn't be enough. They have to have their lawyers write, threatening legal action, and in turn they have to be ready to back that up. That's a lot of hassle and expense to close down one little brand-violating decal operation - one amongst many, I'm afraid.

We don't know how seriously Fender takes this sort of brand infringement, prima facie law breaking though it is. I'm guessing they have their hands very full with trying to defend their product against the full-scale guitar counterfeiters and would regard this sort of thing as too small to bother with - though of course they'd never say that in public.

I think this level of thing is down to peer pressure amongst us end users. When the subject of fake decals comes up here on the Forum some people go into loud reading-the-riot-act mode, about how it is wicked and illegal; which it certainly is. Good luck to them, but I'm doubtful that line really works on the average kid out there who just wants to make his cheapocaster look like the real thing, so my approach is simply to suggest how amazingly uncool it is to stick a fake logo on a guitar. Like the people who have a Ferrari badge on their keyring - as they climb into their Fiat hatchback. Guys should man up and stand by what they've got.

And by all means we can bombard platforms such as this ricardo.ch and the sellers on it with emails of protest. If they get tired enough of it they may do something about it. I believe this has worked with Ebay in the past.

Cheers - C

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Ceri

If Fender sends them a lettter, they'll add "Fender decal" to their blacklist and keep an eye on it. The last thing they want is trouble.

But I am not sure if Fender really claims the rights for these "Fender" decals. Do you know for sure?

Cheers

David

// Edit: Ricardo runs a page where owners of a copyright can submit their claim, but it's only available in German and French. Fender Germany should really take care of it:
http://www.ricardo.ch/ueber-uns/de-ch/r ... tzung.aspx

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"Humans think they are smarter than dolphins because we build cars and buildings and start wars etc...and all that dolphins do is swim in the water, eat fish and play around. Dolphins believe that they are smarter for exactly the same reasons."

They most definitely do. Fake logos are illegal brand infringement, pure and simple. Fender take that very seriously, though how much they actually do about it in real life we don't know.



Ah, now that is interesting. That would be worth passing on to Brad. He might want to do something about it, or pass it on in turn to whoever in the company deals with this sort of thing. Perhaps in Fender-Europe.

In the past Brad has said:

Cheers - C

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Ceri

Dropped him an e-mail.

Cheers

David

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"Humans think they are smarter than dolphins because we build cars and buildings and start wars etc...and all that dolphins do is swim in the water, eat fish and play around. Dolphins believe that they are smarter for exactly the same reasons."

This is a favorite website of our very own resident scam artist, Paris.

And now for one of my many tangents:

Yea, phoney decals are phoney decals and just like bugs, they will always be around us. Those on the 'crusade' really have to acknowledge this and get over it.

I honestly don't understand why so many people take it as a personal affront when yet another bootleg source arises. This is essentially Fender's problem alone and diligent research on any prospective owner's part can verify the authenticity of virtually any Fender instrument.

As always, this is merely IMO where YMMV.

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You dig?

+1 Martian

Posting links here seems counter-productive, and might well be helpful to the seller, basically free advertising.

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---> "The amp should be SWITCHED OFF AND UNPLUGGED before you do this!" <---

Por favor, disculpe mi español, no se llega a la práctica con mucha frecuencia.

Don't understand either why some people get all het up about this and go on a crusade. Have people not got better things to do with their time? Let fender do their own police and detective work. They already make masses of profit, they can well afford it.

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Luck won't do it and ignorance can't

George Van Eps.

I'm checking this platform every day because I sometimes buy stuff there, mostly pedals or something. So I'm not out for a crusade, it's just something that's too obvious to ignore.

I got my answer from Fender already, the rest is now up to them.

Cheers

David

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"Humans think they are smarter than dolphins because we build cars and buildings and start wars etc...and all that dolphins do is swim in the water, eat fish and play around. Dolphins believe that they are smarter for exactly the same reasons."

I think a lot of people have a problem with fake decals because of fake guitars. That simple.

Who hasn't been offered one? Spotted it or worse bought it? Only to realize the thing was not what it claimed to be. Or know someone who was taken in by one only to have their elation crushed?

That's why I despise the decal industry.

String em up I say.

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No no and no

Martian, i generally agree with you but this is not one of those times.

People like you, (and, I would like to think, me,) aren't likely to be taken in by anything short of a brilliant counterfeit. But these scammers prey on people without vast knowledge.

If we report these sources when we run across them, we make it harder, and hopefully less profitable for them to produce their fake products.

"All it takes for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing"

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

I suspect it's not just the decal industry. There's probably thousands of bootleg Fender T-shirts being sold as well, if my experience with this is any indication...