Gibson has quickly taken legal action against Trump Guitars, sending the company a cease and desist letter over the similarity of their designs to Gibson’s iconic Les Paul body shape.
Capitalizing on his political resurgence, Donald Trump recently endorsed a new line of guitars, branded as “Trump Guitars.” These guitars, featuring patriotic designs and messages like “Make America Great Again,” “God Bless the USA,” and “Donald J. Trump” etched in pearl on the necks, were showcased by Trump on his social media platform, Truth Social, on November 20. Some models are even signed by Trump, pushing their prices up to as high as $11,500.
Despite Trump’s endorsement and the heavy use of his name and likeness in the marketing, the guitars are believed to be produced by a third-party company, 16 Creative, which operates under a parent company.
Gibson, a titan in the guitar industry known for fiercely defending its intellectual property, quickly responded. A representative confirmed to Guitar World that a cease and desist order had been issued against 16 Creative, citing the infringement of Gibson’s trademarks, specifically regarding the Les Paul body design.
Gibson is well-known for its swift legal actions to protect its designs. The company is currently involved in a lengthy lawsuit with Dean Guitars over body and headstock design similarities and has recently worked with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to seize counterfeit instruments.
It remains uncertain whether 16 Creative and Trump Guitars will comply with the cease and desist order. As of now, the first edition of the company’s American Eagle Electric Guitar is listed as sold out, with pre-orders being accepted for a new “Presidential Series,” which continues to feature a similar Les Paul-style body.
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