Has anyone Ever Ask you why you havent,,,,,,,,

Patented your CBG? LOL
I get this question almost every day from folks that come into our shop.
I just tell them that I didnt invent the concept , someone beat me to it a tick over a 100 years ago,,,,,,
WHat do you tell them?

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Permalink Reply by Jeff "Sweet T" Tinsley on March 10, 2010 at 7:15pm

I used to make "pioneer" toys to sell at craft fairs and such. All the ideas dated to the mid 1800s at the latest. I found mention of one as far back as the 1500s. Every day of every show at least one person would ask about patents.
I used to explain the whole thing, but as often as not, people thought I was casting aspersions on their intelligence.
So I learned to tell them that I wasn't greedy. I'd like EVERYBODY to copy my toys and spread them around to folks that have forgotten how to play.
I can't swear to it, but I'm pretty sure I sold more as patterns than I ever sold as toys. :~þ

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Permalink Reply by MichaelS Country Boy Guitars on March 11, 2010 at 3:45am

Have fun trying to patent one of these, then you would have to make them all the same to put the patent pending mark on them, has anyone here made more than one exactly the same? ( not including the Shane Speal limited edition replica series). Besides patents are not free, takes a bit of time and some money too.

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Permalink Reply by Bob Harrison on March 11, 2010 at 4:53am

It's a fact patents are not free, takes a lot of time and money too. I have a prototype machine shop in my garage and work on items for inventors only if I have seen the patent paper work. I have seen that a patent is only as good as ones ability to defend it in court. So I have been told it takes about $5000.00 to get one. That would sure build a lot of cigar box guitars.

Cheers
Bob

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Permalink Reply by Roger Martin on March 11, 2010 at 6:29am

Well, when I explain to my customers that I DIDNT invent CBG's I still always find it amusing.
I mostly now days build basically the same CBG,only changing the colors to give the customers more choice without having to raise the price to cover added work done.I sold about 8 CBG's last weekend plus a few amp,s and the little clip on pickups that I offer when they want 1 lectrified.
Most of my cbg's sell for $80, and my 1 stringers average $32.
So far this morning I've added the fret marks on 7 3 string necks and added the tuners.
In a few I'll take them and the boxes out to the shop so I can cut the necks to fit the boxes.
The goal is to have them all done by 6 this afternoon so I MIGHT have time to work on the necks for next week and get a bit ahead.
I have to have at least 7 or 8 ready to hang on the display wall in the shop by tomorrow ( Friday) for the weekend tourist crowd.
They say a TRUE mercenaries work is never done, this last year I can believe it LOL