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Topic: Cole Clark Lap Steels |
Mike Ihde
From:
Boston, MA
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Tom Gray
From:
Decatur, GA
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Posted 31 Jul 2009 6:21 pm |
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I don't know why nobody thought of the combination steel/skateboard before. It was right there in front of us.
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www.tomgraymusic.com |
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Michael Johnstone
From:
Sylmar,Ca. USA
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Posted 31 Jul 2009 8:26 pm
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| Actually that's an old idea. Back in the early 80s,Drew Steele from local Malibu band "The Surf Punks" played a wireless skateboard guitar of his own devising. It was very well built out of an expensive skateboard,Mightymite neck and DiMarzio pickups. He would ride it out on stage feeding back,kick-flip it up,grab it and start playing the opening riff to "Shark Attack". It wasn't necessarily gonna always be in tune. Ya kinda had to be there..... |
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Steve Hamill
From:
California, USA
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Posted 31 Jul 2009 8:47 pm Lap Dog
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| If anyone has checked out one the Lap Dog models with the horseshoe pick-up, I'd be interested to hear your impressions. |
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Mitch Druckman
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 31 Jul 2009 10:35 pm
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| Does anyone know if his horseshoe model has a real horseshoe pickup, or is it a flat single coil with a plastic or non magnetic top. |
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 1 Aug 2009 8:44 am
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Well, according to the web site, it's a real horseshoe pickup.
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| The Lap Dog is a solid body, 6 string lap steel guitar. A great sounding, sweet playing bare bones approach, using quality tone woods and components and of course, the Cole Clark Horse Shoe single coil pickup. Tackle this with your favourite tone bar and a little tube warmth, you’ll be amazed at the punch the Lap Dog delivers. You might even say it bites. |
I'm sure Cole Clark would be happy to answer any other questions you might have.
_________________
Brad’s Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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David Soreff
From:
North Las Vegas, NV
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Posted 1 Aug 2009 1:19 pm
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| Love that Violap....best of both worlds |
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Vince Luke
From:
Iowa, USA
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Posted 2 Aug 2009 2:55 pm
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| Love that Violap.... |
Me too. Semi-hollow steels still fascinate me for some reason. I say "for some reason" because I've never played one nor heard the full spectrum of what something like the Violap can do. Just seems cool in theory, at least.
I wonder how the Violap compares to Asher's Dual-Tone model? They seem similar in concept, though have different pickup options. How 'bout someone buy one of each and post some sound clips? 
Vince |
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Bob Stone
From:
Gainesville, FL, USA
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Mike D
From:
Phx, Az
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Posted 9 Aug 2009 8:35 am
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| Since Ric is enforcing a trademark (ie, the look, not function of the 'Shoe) against guys like Lollar and Aiello I'm also curious how he is managing to provide them. |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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James Kerr
From:
Scotland, UK
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Posted 9 Aug 2009 2:24 pm
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| Mike D wrote: |
| Since Ric is enforcing a trademark (ie, the look, not function of the 'Shoe) against guys like Lollar and Aiello I'm also curious how he is managing to provide them. |
I fail to understand how anyone can enforce a trademark on a Horshoe Magnet, or for that matter "A look" all pickups "Look" the same. This is as stupid as McDonalds trying to stop a Scottish Shop owner from using their own name "McDonald" above the door. I would let them sue me, the dirt that would stick to their name would be permanent, the publicity for the little man would be priceless.
James. |
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Mike D
From:
Phx, Az
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Posted 9 Aug 2009 2:33 pm
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The trouble with beating the TM is paying for the court time to do it.  |
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Jason Lollar
From:
Seattle area
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Posted 10 Aug 2009 3:54 pm
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Enforcing trademarks in other coutries is anywhere from extremely expensive at best to impossible if they dont have similar trademark laws.
I have trademarks in japan- I had to file with the japanese government etc- big expensive hassle.
Now Rickenbacker did manage to trademark the look of the horseshoe magnet but it was a mistake by the trademark office- they didnt do thier homework.
You can not trademark a functional item that was patented which the horseshoe was functional in the original patent, somehow this slipped by the trademark office and once it is trademarked you really dont have many outlets to oppose it HOWEVER my trademark lawyer said go ahead make the pickup and let them sue you- you have a slam dunk case- no way they can hold that trademark because we have copies of the original patents from the 1930's.
Patents are given to promote new inventions- it gives you a limited monopoly so that you can get maximum profit from your invention , it is then illegal to then trademark the item which would give you a perpetual monopoly. (As far as I know there is no penalty for it- you are just not suppose to be allowed to do it) monopolies are bad for the consumer and the economy and there are laws called anti trust laws against these monopolies- everyone has probably heard of anti trust laws, remember Bell telephone?. My side of the story is : the reason we dont make the shoes anymore never had anything to do with rickenbacker, the reason was to make these by hand in small quantities like we were was far too expensive and time consuming to make it worthwhile for Rick A and I and for the consumer.
I did look around to find anyone interested in making them in larger quantities but no one wanted to do it.
I have the specs on the material, I have dimensional drawings and I have some $ to throw at it but no takers, these have to be made to a high quality of finish- polished and plated |
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