Gibson’s Theodore model
PRS Guitars and Ted McCarty family drop “Theodore” trademark objection, and Gibson agrees to drop opposition to PRS’s “594” and “Silver Sky Nebula” trademarks and trademark applications.
PRS Guitars yesterday announced that it has withdrawn its objection to Gibson’s registration of the “Theodore” trademark. In a press release, PRS stated it continues to hold dear and protect its long-standing agreement with Ted McCarty and the McCarty family regarding the exclusive rights to the “McCarty” trademark and to McCarty’s name and persona, first developed directly with Ted himself more than 25 years ago. After a series of private negotiations, Gibson has also agreed to drop its opposition to PRS’s “594” and “Silver Sky Nebula” trademarks and trademark applications.
Gibson responded to the PRS announcement, countering that it still holds the position that “we are within our rights to reference and promote Mr. McCarty’s extraordinary legacy as a Gibson employee. Gibson is proud of its well-known history with Mr. Ted McCarty. Although Mr. McCarty was a resident of a state which does not recognize post-mortem rights of publicity, Gibson chose to use the name Theodore, a mark which is different from the PRS McCarty mark.”
PRS says it concluded that in this instance its resources were better spent on crafting high quality musical instruments rather than fighting with Gibson at a regulatory agency. In PRS’s release, the company’s COO Jack Higginbotham stated, “We believe the story of Ted and PRS is well understood in the guitar community. Ted personally chose to align with PRS and had a deep respect and appreciation for Paul [Reed Smith] and our mission to build quality guitars. We honor the man and the relationship we had with him and the relationship we have with his family to this day. While this agreement may not preclude Gibson from releasing future products under the ‘Theodore’ trademark, PRS will focus on honoring Ted McCarty with innovations and instruments that reflect positively on his legacy.”
Gibson adds that, “During Mr. McCarty’s tenure as President, Gibson developed some of the most iconic guitar models to date, including the Gibson Les Paul, the ES-335, the Flying V and Explorer, the SG, Firebird, the Gibson Hummingbird and Dove, and many more. These are immeasurable and are woven into the fabric of Gibson’s history. We will continue to celebrate our heritage and iconic past, paying tribute to Mr. McCarty, celebrating his contributions and the Gibson Golden Era by producing designs created during that time, some of which have never been released.
“Ted McCarty was the President of Gibson from 1950 through 1966,” Gibson’s also notes. “He was a legend and was at Gibson for almost two decades. At the height of his creative output at Gibson, around 1957, Ted officially designed the Theodore guitar and Gibson owns this trademark. Gibson believed it would be received in a positive way as we have been honoring the legacy of our President during that time.”
Via PRS, Sue Davis, the sole surviving child of Ted McCarty and family member responsible for the interests of the family on this matter, offers her view on Gibson’s adoption of the ‘Theodore’ mark: “Our decision not to fight an expensive battle does not mean that the McCarty family appreciates Gibson’s conduct. No one from Gibson ever contacted me or any of my family to ask permission to use my father’s given name in promoting new Gibson products. Had Gibson sought our permission, we would have declined for several reasons. After the Theodore trademark was registered, the McCarty family joined PRS in seeking to cancel the trademark and asking Gibson to stop using the trademark ‘Theodore’ in association with my father. I would strongly prefer that Gibson respect the family’s wishes and stop using my father’s name as a trademark in promoting products— products that to my knowledge he never approved of for production. Meanwhile, we look forward to continuing the relationship with PRS and its well-regarded McCarty branded products.”
PRS says it has been working for on a documentary video to commemorate the relationship it has enjoyed with Ted and his family and plans to release that video this fall as a kick-off to PRS’s upcoming 40th Anniversary.
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It’s almost over, but there’s still time to win! Enter Stompboxtober Day 30 for your shot at today’s pedal from SoloDallas!
The Schaffer Replica: Storm
The Schaffer Replica Storm is an all-analog combination of Optical Limiter+Harmonic Clipping Circuit+EQ Expansion+Boost+Line Buffer derived from a 70s wireless unit AC/DC and others used as an effect. Over 50 pros use this unique device to achieve percussive attack, copious harmonics and singing sustain.
A 1000-watt speaker cabinet crafted for musicians who demand power and precision. Sunn Amps intends to reinvent the standard 4x12 configuration with the introduction of this new cabinet.
The Sunn Amps DoomBox is built to accommodate both guitar and bass, offering an impressive 1000-watt handling capacity—making it the first commercially available 4x12 cabinet with such high power handling. With four specially designed 12” drivers rated at 250 watts each, this cabinet provides clean, unrestrained sound levels that can maintain power integrity across all frequencies, ideal for high-volume performances.
Inspired and developed using feedback from artists and bands who rely on the depth of lower tunings and high volume genres, the DoomBox was engineered to meet the unique demands of professional musicians looking for a robust, high-efficiency cab that can translate the raw power of their sound without compromise.
Premium Craftsmanship and Materials
The Doom Box cabinet is crafted from solid finger-jointed Baltic Birch plywood, ensuring both durability and tonal clarity. Each cabinet is constructed by hand in the U.S.A. using original 1930s machinery, the DoomBox reflects Sunn’s historic commitment to quality, contrasting with some of the mass-produced, MDF-based cabinets on the market today. The cabinet’s aluminum basket, ferrite magnet, and custom Sunn weave Tolex with a custom grill design complete its professional-grade build.
Technical Specifications:
• Power Handling: 1000W
• Inputs: 1 x ¼”
• Impedance: 8 Ohm
• Drivers: 4 x Sunn 12S250
• Construction: Marine Grade Baltic Birch
• Dimensions: 29.25” X 30” X 14”
• Weight: 107 lbs
• Price: $2399.00
With clear low-end punch, even sound response, and ample air movement, the Doom Box ensures that every note reaches the audience with clarity and power. This cabinet is a game-changer for musicians who need high-performance, road-ready equipment that enhances their unique sound.
Does the guitar’s design encourage sonic exploration more than sight reading?
A popular song between 1910 and 1920 would usually sell millions of copies of sheet music annually. The world population was roughly 25 percent of what it is today, so imagine those sales would be four or five times larger in an alternate-reality 2024. My father is 88, but even with his generation, friends and family would routinely gather around a piano and play and sing their way through a stack of songbooks. (This still happens at my dad’s house every time I’m there.)
Back in their day, recordings of music were a way to promote sheet music. Labels released recordings only after sheet-music sales slowed down on a particular song. That means that until recently, a large section of society not only knew how to read music well, but they did it often—not as often as we stare at our phones, but it was a primary part of home entertainment. By today’s standards, written music feels like a dead language. Music is probably the most common language on Earth, yet I bet it has the highest illiteracy rate.
Developed specifically for Tyler Bryant, the Black Magick Reverb TB is the high-power version of Supro's flagship 1x12 combo amplifier.
At the heart of this all-tube amp is a matched pair of military-grade Sovtek 5881 power tubes configured to deliver 35-Watts of pure Class A power. In addition to the upgraded power section, the Black Magick Reverb TB also features a “bright cap” modification on Channel 1, providing extra sparkle and added versatility when blended with the original Black Magick preamp on Channel 2.
The two complementary channels are summed in parallel and fed into a 2-band EQ followed by tube-driven spring reverb and tremolo effects plus a master volume to tame the output as needed. This unique, signature variant of the Black Magick Reverb is dressed in elegant Black Scandia tolex and comes loaded with a custom-built Supro BD12 speaker made by Celestion.
Price: $1,699.