Don't try to use the word "Monster" on your pedal.

[bwanasonic]

I don't buy Monster cable because I think it's overpriced hype that couldn't fight it's way out of a wet ABX double-blind test. But now I have another reason to look at it with disgust:

http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%7E33%7E2611825,00.html


Kerry M

[Rodgre]

I saw that yesterday. I hurried out and I trademarked the word "cable" yesterday afternoon, so they better watch out!

Roger

[Paul Perry (Frostwave)]

These guys are complete assholes. It sounds like a joke, but it isn't, they really screw over the small & weak Mom&Pop operations. I bet the 'confidential' Disney settlement didn't have Disney giving them cash.
You might think it is just their lawyers, but look at it this way: it is like keeping a pack of savage dogs & encouraging them to attack innocent passers by, the owner is responsible. I remember them screwing a comix dealer.
That does it, my next box gets called the "MONSTER ASSHOLE CABLE DRIVER"!

[donald stringer]

It seems like that there are to many competitors in audio cable ind. that monster cable  is willing to make so many enemys. Everyone should boycot them till they backdown. One more lawsuit is all this country needs. They are petty, how can you copyright the word "monster"

[Kleber AG]

how can you copyright the word "monster"

How can it be allowed?

[MartyMart]

What bullies  !!
Thats it, all my overdrive pedals are going to be "Monster Drives" from now on !!!   :wink:
Should we all chip in and copyright the words "Pedal" and "Stompbox"  ??

:roll:  :roll:  :roll:
Marty.

[toneman]

so what is Monster.com going 2 do?
so much crap.
wrote B4 i read.
still a load of crap.
i wonder if U can sue Websters' ??
after all, it's a proper name.
got the sue me sue U blues....G.Harrison

[H.Manback]

...

"We have spent millions of dollars and countless hours trying to build a quality premium brand in the marketplace, and there are individuals trying to leverage off that for their own gain," said Tognotti...

Now how the hell do they even dare to imply that someone at Disney actually came in the office one day and said "Hey let's make a movie called Monster Inc., every kid knows Monster Cable!"

:roll:, thank god that things aren't that crazy here in Europe, but hey, give it 5 years and we might be swimming in the same river of legal shit (software patents anyone?:roll:)

[petemoore]

Forget that stuff. I don't play that game., I say monster you say munster, what's the difference. word.

[MartyB]

Thanks for the link.  I e-mailed it to my buddy who is ceo of a wire and cable company!

[NaBo]

well, i've never used monster cables, and i can say with great confidence now that i never will... simple as that.  how petty can you get for the sake of greed.

ethics aside, my 10$ "rapco" cables, or whatever they are, suit me just fine.

[StephenGiles]

It's not a Bush owned company is it?
Stephen

[the_guvnor]

Wow, that is low.

I would boycott them even if their product wasn't inferior to about 10 companies making a better cable these days.

I wouldn't get too suspicious about it being a Bush company, Stephen, unless they became the Official Audio Cable of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

[Dan N]

We should all get that "F**K You Monster Cable" haircut to show our solidarity!

[Alpha579]

For god sake, that just rediculous...never using there cables...

[Joe Hart]

Monster Cables should team up with Metallica, then they could bully everyone! It could be claimed that the word "metal" is derived from "Metallica," so the entire genre of metal (and it's subgroups -- Nu Metal, Pop Metal, Speed Metal...) would all have to find a new moniker.

How would you like to go see the latest "Heavy Substance with high electrical conductivity, luster, and malleability, which readily loses electrons to form positive ions" band playing at your local club?

Lame!
-Joe Hart

[runmikeyrun]

Oh great Joe, now you've given them the idea!!!  

Hilarious parallel though...

[the_badcliff]

Come on, Metallica is only protecting the rights of the artists to have an olympic sized pool and private jet.

[Alex C]

I tried not to immediately label Monster Cable the "bully" in this situation, to try and see their side of it; I can't.  

We have spent millions of dollars and countless hours trying to build a quality premium brand in the marketplace, and there are individuals trying to leverage off that for their own gain.

I think the businesses' use of the word "monster" is being used to evoke the images and characteristics of the English word "monster," not the image of a wire manufacturer.

"...said Tognotti, noting that Turner's trademark applications are in categories in which Monster Cable has business interests."  WHAT?  I really don't see how Monster Cable has anything to do with "Powder Pig" and "Snow Snake" teaching ski safety.

Nice link.  

Alex

[black mariah]

I'm sorry to have to tell all of you this, but Monster Cable is well within their rights and is basically REQUIRED BY LAW to do this sort of thing.

The word isn't copyright. You can not copyright words and phrases. This is about TRADEMARK. Trademarks MUST BE PROTECTED, or you lose them. While what Monster is doing may go over the line of necessity (typically trademarks only need to be defended in your particular area of business to be considered valid), it's better to be safe than to find out that you've lost your trademark.

For a group of people so needlessly concerned about copyright/trademark issues, I'm surprised so few here actually know the difference.