Vintage Simmons Drums (UK) Users Group

While the David and Goliath idea sounds like a lot of fun, 
realistically what you are describing with the schematics and such is 
not a product, it's more of a service or an organization. You could 
still trademark "Simmons" as a service or an organization (as Guitar 
Center hasn't trademarked that). Trademarks are very specific, Guitar 
Center trademarked a line of drum products, nothing else. You could 
buy SimmonsDrums.eu (still available) and trademark for around $300 
US. The key to any intellectual property plan is to strike while the 
iron is hot. Anyone could trademark and buy that domain in less than 
20 minutes and you would be out of luck. Good luck.  -dave

A little background about Goliath

Guitar Center is a $1.8 billion company with a national fleet of 
about 170 guitar shops that cater to both ambitious beginners and 
experienced professionals. It also owns 129 stores that sell band and 
orchestral instruments, has a substantial catalog business and runs a 
website that offers the broadest inventory in the industry.

The company plans to expand to at least 420 Guitar Center stores over 
the next few years, and new international retail locations in Canada 
and the U.K. are planned for 2007. Guitar Center has a strong growth 
record - averaging 17.5% in revenue and 33% in earnings-per-share 
annually over the last five years. And the consensus among analysts 
is that Guitar Center is on track to maintain its fast growth over 
the next few years.

Its new website, GuitarCenter.com, which launched at the end of June, 
makes now a particularly good time to buy the stock. Previously, the 
company's only online sales were through MusiciansFriend.com, a no-
frills low-cost site for experienced musicians. GuitarCenter.com 
caters to enthusiasts with advice columns, community features, and 
extensive customer support for beginners.

Let's build a guitar that looks like a fender and call it a Gib-son !!!
or buy as much shares in guitar world as possible and with the next share
holder 
meeting we're gone fire the management!!

I think the whole idea for a new brand of simmons aint gone work
I mean the brand went down right??
Reason: drummers are conservative ( as nearly all musicians)
the only thing they want to do, is to make edrums which sound like real drums,
and play the same way 
I owned a SDX and sold it because it drove me crazy
there is nothing intuitive about edrums, and don't tell me I'm conservative
but lugging around with a 3o kilo drumkit ( only the sampler), pads and a
soundsystem with a 3 stairs appartement
but then you have to be a programmer 

I think it's a great instrument but there were not to many people who had
one, so you had to solve out all by yourself. Besides the people in my band
kept asking when the damn thing would sound like a normal drumkit
I think all the things the SDX could, is now possible by a Roland or whatever,
just by an A3K or Emu 2000 sampler and assign different samples to the ZI
pads
I know this sounds like dirtymouthing ( is this english) but you still have
to be a programmer 
(I think I had a hard day at the work)

My point is, I think it's to late and ain't gone work
To late because a few other brands taken the market
and aint gone work because : What is THE reason people play Edrums???
BEcause of neighborhood problems with the volume of the real thing
Or you buy a practice set ( boring) or you buy a fake simmons which is affordable
and doesn't sound to bad for the purpose it was bought for and is quit

I don't want to be too negative, I wish the guys who want to do this the
best off luck. And if I can mean anything for you, just let me know.

BERK!


>-- Oorspronkelijk bericht --
>To: Simmons_Drums@yahoogroups.com
>From: "supergeekz" <david@...>
>Date: Thu, 07 Dec 2006 15:26:26 -0000
>Subject: [Simmons Drums] Re: Dave Simmons' message about the SDk5  !!!
>Reply-To: Simmons_Drums@yahoogroups.com
>
>
>While the David and Goliath idea sounds like a lot of fun, 
>realistically what you are describing with the schematics and such is 
>not a product, it's more of a service or an organization. You could 
>still trademark "Simmons" as a service or an organization (as Guitar 
>Center hasn't trademarked that). Trademarks are very specific, Guitar 
>Center trademarked a line of drum products, nothing else. You could 
>buy SimmonsDrums.eu (still available) and trademark for around $300 
>US. The key to any intellectual property plan is to strike while the 
>iron is hot. Anyone could trademark and buy that domain in less than 
>20 minutes and you would be out of luck. Good luck.  -dave
>
>A little background about Goliath
>
>Guitar Center is a $1.8 billion company with a national fleet of 
>about 170 guitar shops that cater to both ambitious beginners and 
>experienced professionals. It also owns 129 stores that sell band and 
>orchestral instruments, has a substantial catalog business and runs a 
>website that offers the broadest inventory in the industry.
>
>The company plans to expand to at least 420 Guitar Center stores over 
>the next few years, and new international retail locations in Canada 
>and the U.K. are planned for 2007. Guitar Center has a strong growth 
>record - averaging 17.5% in revenue and 33% in earnings-per-share 
>annually over the last five years. And the consensus among analysts 
>is that Guitar Center is on track to maintain its fast growth over 
>the next few years.
>
>Its new website, GuitarCenter.com, which launched at the end of June, 
>makes now a particularly good time to buy the stock. Previously, the 
>company's only online sales were through MusiciansFriend.com, a no-
>frills low-cost site for experienced musicians. GuitarCenter.com 
>caters to enthusiasts with advice columns, community features, and 
>extensive customer support for beginners.
>
>


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I personally have no interest in Simmons legacy or even drumming for 
that matter, just offering my expertise with trademarks. I came about 
this forum under unusual circumstance. A couple months ago I 
purchased a drum set for my girlfriend's son for his birthday. Her 
son is 12 and knows nothing about drumming, other than he wanted some 
drums for his birthday. I went to my local Guitar Center wanting to 
purchase a nice electronic Roland kit, but the sales guy kept 
steering me away from a $1200 set to this $600 starter set. He was so 
freaking convincing and said I could return them if I didn't like 
them. I brought them home and they seemed ok to us. Then I started 
looking for information on this "Simmons" drum set on the internet 
and could not find a thing (other than this forum). To my dismay the 
forum was all about these 25 year old octagonal drums, which meant I 
really could not find a single thing on the internet about these 
drums. A week or so later I saw a post on the forum about the Guitar 
Center drums and I've been watching for info ever since. They have 
really turned out to be a great set of drums for a young kid (who may 
decide he doesn't like drums next year), plus they are fun for me to 
pretend I'm a drummer, but as far as pro gear goes, better look 
elsewhere. I'm a guitarist and pretty heavy into home recording 
technology, so Roland has always been my preference. I grew up in the 
80s so I remember the drums and I can appreciate people who are into 
nostalgia. Us guitar players get to salivate over all the vintage 
stuff out there, might as well allow the drummers to do it also. I'm 
with you that fighting Guitar Center is going to get you nowhere, 
best make the best of the situation and create a group of people who 
keep the original Simmons spirit alive. My two cents.  -dave