What's the story on this?

[Dennisthe Menace]

Supposedly, Unified Sound Associates shut their doors between '94-'95......

[arpsum]

Westheimer Corporation is the manufacturer and importer and exporter of musical instrument.

http://www.westheimercorp.com/

In this document, the applicant was this company, and the opposer was Fillmore. When USPTO published Fillmore's application for oppsition, Westheimer Corporation applied the same trademark. I previously contacted to the sales manager of this company, he actually admitted the fact, but never explained the reason.

After Semie's death, this trademark wasn't used by the real owner. In US, a trademark will be cancelled when not used during 6 years. I think the story was just like as follows.

*Semie got the trademark back again in May.1981 for not updated by Kustom Company.
*Semie assigned the trademark to some people in Jul.1990
*Some people (you can see who she was at USPTO) didn't use the trademark for 6years.
*Fillmore applied the trademark in Feb.1998.
*USPTO published the Fillmore's application for opposition in Oct.2000.
*Westheimer Corporation applied the trademark in the same month.

In fact, Andy Moseley also applied this trademark to get back in 2001, but unfortunately abondoned.

[dubtrub]

OK, now to narrow down the facts.

1. Who is Loretta speaking for on the video on the Mosrite US website? Is she speaking for herself and the fact that she is bring back the Mosrite to be manufactured in the United States? Or,

2. Is she speaking in general terms that Mosrite guitars are once again going to be manufacture somewhere soon, and that information is forth coming.

3. Are there 'real' Mosrite's already being manufacture somewhere as we speak, such as Japan, China, or wherever? If so who is making them and where?

4. If the answers to the above questions are yes, how does one go about purchasing one of these new made officially sanctioned Mosrite guitars? Is there someone the USA selling them, or do they have to be order from Japan, China, Taiwan or else where?

[Desert Surfer]

I don't know about you guys but I am confused.

1) Who own the Mosrite Trade name? Loretta? Taiwanese Company? Someone else? or No one? (still fighting in court?)

2) Is Loretta trying to get the name back? or she thinks she can get the name back? or she has already got the name back? Otherwise, why would she start marketing Mosrite guitars now?

3) Who is this Taiwanese company? just the money guy? or a licensed manufacturer? if so, who authorized the right? If I were them, I wouldn't invest money or time if I am not granted solid legal right. They must have got some kind of guarantee or assurance from someone.

4) I am very active in one of the Taiwanese guitar forums, so a lot people know me there. A Taiwanese guy contacted me once thru forum quite a few months ago. He said he was involving in a Mosrite project and he knew I am one of the Mosrite enthusiasts. But after a few e-mails, he disappeared. I couldn't get too much info from him. I tried to get hold of him again but no responses.

5) I will probably pass if these new Mosrites are made in China. I prefer to collect US made guitars with a very few exception of Japanese made.

Hope we can find out more with Arpsum's help.

[Dennisthe Menace]

Desert Surfer wrote:

I don't know about you guys but I am confused.

1) I'm with Vincent on this one, I'm getting a Mental Hernia ........
....Is this Court Case still active (ongoing)?
2) I can understand Loretta making that Video (IF) she got the Mosrite name back,
....but if she did not, then why would she make such a Video?
3) Vincent, I hope you have some luck making contact with the Taiwanese Gentleman
....on the other Forum who might know what is going on.........
4) Maybe Arpsum can find out??

....Man, I never thought I'd see the day where a Guitar Company has it's own
....Soap Opera going on......the Title could be: "As the Stomach Turns"

[dubtrub]

I was just watch the Mosrite Factory Tour video dated April 1992, in it Nokie is playing a guitar he picked up off the assembly line and it is a 'Mosrite Ventures' model, not Gospel model. So, apparently Semie never ceased using the Mosrite name all the way up to his death. Even the sign on the front of the factory building say's Mosrite and Unified Sound.

You are right Dennis, this entire fiasco is a Soap Opera. It's too bad someone that is acquainted with them, hasn't contacted Loretta or Andy to get a clear set of facts as to what is occurring rather than leaving Mosrite fans in the dark.

[arpsum]

First of all, I will also ignore these guitars made in China. Because Semie has gone with Mosrite. No one can make new Mosrite in future.

Loretta's guitars must be made in China with Kurokumo's help. Please look at 'mosrite.us' carefully. Who designs such a demode and heavy website in USA? Taiwanese company themselves made a project to ask Loretta to join and take a trademark and make guitars in China and sell them as MIU. To turn this aspect to other words, Loretta is playing her role instead of Taiwanese company.

As I mentioned, there was a real owner of Mosrite trademark in 1990. Please search the database of USPTO. This is only my guess, she was a main shareholder of 'Unified Sound'. But her rights has already been expired in 1997 or 1998. If this person made a claim to USPTO with a strong lawyer and sufficient money, she could get back the trademark. But aprat from the process, currently Fillmore has all the rights of the trademark both in USA and Japan. Loretta applied the trademark instead of Taiwanese company in both USA and Japan last year, maybe Fillmore will oppose against those application. Of course they applied also in Taiwan.

The question about 'Who is this Taiwanese company?', please visit the Swing Science's website Dennis recently introduced. I don't (wanna) know them well, either.

[dubtrub]

Not a whole lot of information, but here's another piece to the puzzle. Swing Science Inc.

Look's like it's a mega company. It also sells/manufactures Golf clubs. SSI 2

Think of it as the 'CBS' buy out of Fender Guitars in 1966.

[Dennisthe Menace]

Think of it as the CBS buy out of Fender Guitars in 1966.

Actually, January 4th, 1965.

[Desert Surfer]

http://swing-science.com/Engrilish%20Ver/company_brochure_eg.html

Look at the names of officers:

Supervisor: Loretta Moseley