[Harp-L] Melody Makers



"I didn't know about your meetings with Lee Oskar. I was only responding to
Bulldog's email that said the only company that makes the Melody Maker note
placement system was Lee Oskar."


I said no such thing.

Checking my emails, perhaps a less than careful reading could give such an idea, but that would be a misunderstanding and mischaracterization of what I said.

I said that no-one else can use the name "Melody Maker" for a retail diatonic harmonica with this layout. They can make the layout as much as they want (for various reasons) but unless they have an agreement with the Lee Oskar company, they can't sell it as a "Melody Maker"--that would be infringing on the LO company's trademark.

Now, if LO and his company choose not to enforce the trademark, that's their prerogative (I believe--though perhaps unlike patents with trademarks enforcement isn't the sole responsibility of the trademark holder). But, unless they have a licensing agreement with another company (or individual, for that matter) then no-one can sell a harmonica in this tuning UNDER THE NAME "Melody Maker".

Obviously as the tuning both is not, nor could not have been patented anyone can sell the same tuning--just not by that name.

The difference is significantly more than semantics--indeed, it's a difference worth several billion dollars at least when the entire business field is taken into consideration.



 ()()    JR "Bulldogge" Ross
()  ()   & Snuffy, too:)
`----'







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