No loyalty for me. All finely crafted guitars get my vote. If it's made well, looks kick ass, plays well, and I'm gassing for it, I'll purchase it. The following brands I do have...Hamer, Gibson, Dean, Ibanez, PRS, Kramer. I've had Jacksons and Fenders in the past which are also great guitars.
It would be Trademark infringment instead of copyright. ...something like what DiMarzio has with double cream pickups. Trademarks focus on something unique about the product's design. The trademark would take effect as soon as the design is created by the orginator. It's just like a copyright more or less but a copyright deals with written words, art, photos, etc.. Slogans, logos, etc can be trademarked. And you don't have to register them to take effect...it is quite expensive. Obviously, when you have it registered, it would hold up in court better if it is ever challenged. But as long as you can prove that you created it and the time it was created, you're pretty much protected.
wow...what a scoundral. Seems like a lot of these types are popping up these days in the musical products industry. Being a business person myself, there is really no reason for this type of crap. If you can't deliver your projuct, give folks there money back it's as simple as that. Yes I know there are some natural born crooks out there that don't think that way. ...hopefully they'll get weeded out eventually. You're always guaranteed 100% satisfaction here.