To Mr.Kato Seiki CEO from Korg Inc.

PhilipKwak

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Hi Uuers! We need you support as we are having problem with Korg Inc in Japan
So, I wrote official letter as below Thanks for your reading.
You can find more info by visiting www.eleuke.com

I hope and pray Korg Inc.’s business goes well and my name is Philip.K from Stringnet Co
Perhaps you know very well, we are making electric ukuleles brand name “EleUke” and sell them
Worldwide from Heisei 19(2007) We registered this trade mark (EleUke) in Japan patent office
from Heisei 19(2007)Year but, recently, I found your electric Ukulele brand named “EleUku” from Japan

I thought this “EleUku” brand cannot be registered because we already registered “EleUke” 5 years ago but,
to my surprise, this “EleUku” brand was registered in Japan patent office Heisei 25(2013)year as below.

Stringnet Co’s registered brand “EleUke” (In the year 2007)

Korg Inc’s registered brand “EleUku” (In the year 2013)

I really wonder how come you registered “EleUku” perhaps you used many interesting method.
But, will you say there’s no problem because you registered that trade mark legally?
Is your company such a shameless to register similar brand name because you have lots of money and many staffs?
I was using Korg keyboards from early time and I still love your keyboard’s sound but, I really
disappointed now.

You must apologize and stop selling “EleUku” brand electric ukuleles otherwise,
We will talk about Korg Inc’s moral problem with people forever.

Thanks
Philip. K from Stringnet Co,.Ltd

I added reply for one comment on 2013,10,20

I registered my brand name "EleUke" on 2007 and most of ukulele players in Japan recognize it. Normally Japanese Patent office doesn't
accept similar brand name with same kind of products.
For example, I displayed my EleUkes in 2007 Yokohama music exhibition and made one catalog printed on the top Brand Named "EleUke"
and wrote very small expression "Silent Ukulele" but, Yamaha's Lawyer sent me official letter not to use "Silent" because it's their brand name.
I didn't use this word "Silent" as a brand but, just gave expression about my "EleUke" but, they forced me destroy that catalog so I did destroy as their
demand.

What makes me angry is "Korg Inc" never try to register this copied brand name if "Yamaha" has "EleUke".
Which means they ignore small business man and feel no problem even they take away other's intellectual property.
I was very surprised to find that "Korg" did such a thing for they are real big company and don't feel any shame of their attitude.

Update again on 2013. 10. 21
Yes, I saw thread Mims wrote about "Teton" electric ukulele and I found some wrong expression about "EleUke" brand.
I asked her correction and she did it for I own "EleUke" brand and "Teton" is different company's brand name.

"Teton" electric ukulele brand started from this year 2013. The company who started this brand was "EleUke's USA exclusive distributor
but, we are not working together anymore for their products are so much the same design and concept so, there's no reason
to continue to supply.
We have been doing business for 5 years and I hope you everyone don't mention about this matter as I want to honor our ex-partner.
 

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I wish you all the best in being able to preserver the Eleuke trademark!

I am finding it curious that in Japan Eleuke is still marketed as Eleuke... it seems in the Western market, they are being re-branded as "Teton"?
 
Are they copying your instrument? Look the same? Same scale, neck, headstock? Curious.
If not, it would be worth talking to a Japanese intellectual property attorney to get their professional opinion on the name. It is a different name and another way to shorten ElectricUkulele. May not be an attempt to copy your name or type of ukes.

In the U.S. corporate America does not care about a moral issue. If they can do it, and it's legal and they know they can get away with it especially if an intentional attempt to push the limit to confuse buyers, they will do it unfortunately. They call that free enterprise here even though it's clearly unethical, it is completely legal in many cases.

Sucks for all of us who paved the way and started the names or products only to have others prey on our hard work and creativity and knock off our efforts but that's how a lot of business is done today. They call it competition.

I am very interested to see how this ends up. Please do keep us posted!

Best of luck.
 
Hi Uuers! We need you support as we are having problem with Korg Inc in Japan
So, I wrote official letter as below Thanks for your reading.
You can find more info by visiting www.eleuke.com

I hope and pray Korg Inc.’s business goes well and my name is Philip.K from Stringnet Co
Perhaps you know very well, we are making electric ukuleles brand name “EleUke” and sell them
Worldwide from Heisei 19(2007) We registered this trade mark (EleUke) in Japan patent office
from Heisei 19(2007)Year but, recently, I found your electric Ukulele brand named “EleUku” from Japan

I thought this “EleUku” brand cannot be registered because we already registered “EleUke” 5 years ago but,
to my surprise, this “EleUku” brand was registered in Japan patent office Heisei 25(2013)year as below.

Stringnet Co’s registered brand “EleUke” (In the year 2007)

Korg Inc’s registered brand “EleUku” (In the year 2013)

I really wonder how come you registered “EleUku” perhaps you used many interesting method.
But, will you say there’s no problem because you registered that trade mark legally?
Is your company such a shameless to register similar brand name because you have lots of money and many staffs?
I was using Korg keyboards from early time and I still love your keyboard’s sound but, I really
disappointed now.

You must apologize and stop selling “EleUku” brand electric ukuleles otherwise,
We will talk about Korg Inc’s moral problem with people forever.

Thanks
Philip. K from Stringnet Co,.Ltd


have they just registered them or have they started producing them? im curious to see
if its a total copy of the look which in my opinion the eleuke's have a very signature look which is clearly
someones original idea it would suck to see that copied.
 
I wish you all the best in being able to preserver the Eleuke trademark!

I am finding it curious that in Japan Eleuke is still marketed as Eleuke... it seems in the Western market, they are being re-branded as "Teton"?

wait teton and eleuke are the same company?
for some reason i thought teton was a newer brand
of electric uke, didnt know they remarketed the eleuke
in the usa under a new name.
 

oh ok. well i get it now. im sure they sound great. honestly i dont like how they look though.
i dont get the point of a fake sound hole on a solid body to me if its solid it shouldn't
have a false sound hole for decoration it would look nicer if it was solid all the way through
if its not acoustic-electric. just my opinion. to me the Risa and konablasters are the only solid
bodies look wise that appeal to me so far.
 
The Eleuku looks pretty cool.
41NN7E0PQtL.jpg


However I agree that the name Eleuku is pretty similar to Eleuke.

Kind of like CucaCola. Or Budwyser.

They should have called it a Ukulelec.
Maybe I'll trademark that name. :biglaugh:
 
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The Eleuku looks pretty cool.
41NN7E0PQtL.jpg


However I agree that the name Eleuku is pretty similar to Eleuke.

Kind of like CucaCola. Or Budwyser.

They should have called it a Ukulelec.
Maybe I'll trademark that name. :biglaugh:

The VOX electric uke is the "Eleuku" by Korg in question?
 
I'd write to the patent office and file a formal complaint.....good luck...
 
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I registered my brand name "EleUke" on 2007 and most of ukulele players in Japan recognize it. Normally Japanese Patent office doesn't
accept similar brand name with same kind of products.
For example, I displayed my EleUkes in 2007 Yokohama music exhibition and made one catalog printed on the top Brand Named "EleUke"
and wrote very small expression "Silent Ukulele" but, Yamaha's Lawyer sent me official letter not to write "Silent" because it's their brand name.
I didn't use this word "Silent" but, just gave expression about my "EleUke" but, they forced me destroy that catalog so I did.

What makes me angry is "Korg Inc" never try to register this copied brand name if "Yamaha" has "EleUke".
Which means they ignore small business man and feel no problem even they take away other's intellectual property.
I was very surprised to find that "Korg" did such a thing for they are real big company and don't feel any shame of their attitude.
 
I registered my brand name "EleUke" on 2007 and most of ukulele players in Japan recognize it. Normally Japanese Patent office doesn't
accept similar brand name with same kind of products.
For example, I displayed my EleUkes in 2007 Yokohama music exhibition and made one catalog printed on the top Brand Named "EleUke"
and wrote very small expression "Silent Ukulele" but, Yamaha's Lawyer sent me official letter not to write "Silent" because it's their brand name.
I didn't use this word "Silent" but, just gave expression about my "EleUke" but, they forced me destroy that catalog so I did.

What makes me angry is "Korg Inc" never try to register this copied brand name if "Yamaha" has "EleUke".
Which means they ignore small business man and feel no problem even they take away other's intellectual property.
I was very surprised to find that "Korg" did such a thing for they are real big company and don't feel any shame of their attitude.

Big companies count on small businesses not having the resources to defend themselves. Maybe you can find a lawyer who will sue them for a percentage of the settlement. Fight fire with fire.

In the meantime ask folks to avoid buying Korg products. No Korg for me.
 
Big companies count on small businesses not having the resources to defend themselves. Maybe you can find a lawyer who will sue them for a percentage of the settlement. Fight fire with fire.

In the meantime ask folks to avoid buying Korg products. No Korg for me.

The vox uke looks really stupid. The concept of a built in speaker just reminds me of one of those sears toy electric guitars 10 year olds have no thanks!
 
Risa make the Uke'ellie ( https://www.ukulele.de/shop4/en/categorie?cat=15&xfaab4=cn491qttob8mtdoqmvo0k3m9q0&next_page=3) , which I think pre-dates the eleuke. My recollection is that soon after Risa started to get some market success with the original version of the Uke'ellie, which might have even been called the Ellie, if my memory is correct, there were several copycat names and products released by other companies. Some of them even looked very similar to the Risa product and appeared to be reverse engineered copies of the Risa. I think this could have been back in 2008, or before. So the use of the ele or ellie (spoken the same in English language) and uke or uku to describe and market electric ukuleles seems to have a history of copy cat type marketing. It is a shame that the most recent example as discussed here seems to involve two far Eastern companies.
However, uku and ele and both very common words in the world of ukulele, the word ele uku or ele could almost be said to be a generic term for an electric ukulele in 2013 amongst ukulele players all over the world and perhaps manufacturers should look for more original names? Maybe there are some interesting sounding words in Japanese, Chinese or Taiwanese that would be both original and attractive to potential buyers of electric ukuleles?


I'm not sure when RISA started making their ukes but i can say for a fact Blue Star (konablaster) has been making electric solid body steel string ukes for a decade.
not sure if that pre dates RISA or not.
 
Big companies count on small businesses not having the resources to defend themselves. Maybe you can find a lawyer who will sue them for a percentage of the settlement. Fight fire with fire.

In the meantime ask folks to avoid buying Korg products. No Korg for me.

Yeah they may think I can't protect myself because I am out of Japan for now.
I have to use same brutal way so, I registered "eleuku.com and eleuku.net" already and I will forward this address
to "eleuke.com" very soon.
 
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