Fakin' it - All the way from China......

[gus1894]

Okay, so my buddy sends me a link last week: tradetang.com

**Bass-specific area**

It's basically all Chinese copies of instruments. He ordered one b/c they are cheap and he's curious. It arrived today, according to his wife, so later tonight or tomorrow I will hear about it. (He's a guitarist, so he ordered a "Gibsun" Les Paul. We'll see.)

So why post about it? Well, obviously they are all copies - doesn't make them bad, just rip-offs - so I am curious if anyone here in the TB world has been to the site or purchased anything from the site and what your opinions/experiences were.

Please, share. Thanks!
**NOTE** This is not about trashing the site - but about the site as a whole, good, bad, what to look out for, etc...

Also - is this a copy of an existing bass? I can't recall a bass that looks like this by one of the big companies...
funky looking bass, click here...

[millsbass5]

Wha?!?!?!? Ha!! Check this out:

http://www.tradetang.com/for-sale/Fo...-2120776.html#

I wonder how l-o-n-g this cats waitin' list is........

[bassteban]

How would one go about *trashing* someone who is ripping off others' designs? Is a ripoff not a ripoff? I give this thread 3 pages max.

[gus1894]

Okay. What I mean is: It's obvious that these are all copies or something not quite on the level in terms of legal in the US. So what I am curious about is if anyone has had dealings with this site, and if so, did they get screwed or did their purchases arrive as expected, was the customer service good? I read on the page that the site acts as an escrow/middle man and holds the money until the buyer approves the item, or similar.
I am just curious to see an actual discussion, possibly someone's review if they've dealt with these guys, or if people should watch out.

I am just saying I don't want to see a pissing match, but a real, quantifiable light shined on the site.

[TMBTC]

I've always wanted to try one but have always worried about getting pipped off... I'm curious if anyone has had good dealings with tradetang.

[Din Of Win]

Not gonna lie... i really wanna check this out... http://www.tradetang.com/for-sale/Ne...8-2562241.html


I know it's not a bass... but this is a thread about chinese knock offs, so i doubt it really matters anyways

[Darkstrike]

Originally Posted by gus1894

Also - is this a copy of an existing bass? I can't recall a bass that looks like this by one of the big companies...
funky looking bass, click here...

That is pretty freaking hot!

[Spinal Tapper]

I heard they use photos of the real instruments and send you something else when you order...have fun dealing with that customer service and exchange policy

[Keith Guitars]

Originally Posted by Spinal Tapper

I heard they use photos of the real instruments and send you something else when you order...have fun dealing with that customer service and exchange policy

This is obviously true from looking at the Fodera pictures.
One of the 'Matthew Garrison signature' pics even has Joey Lauricella's signature on the back of the headpiece.
I bet that you could look on Fodera.com and find precisely those same basses/pictures, with the very same buckeye tops.
Someone just nicely photoshopped the background to a fetching pink color...
There's also detailing and hardware that are very specifically Fodera, and visibly original.

However, this does make for some fun reading:

> Specific parameters:
■ Qin Body: Chestnut top, Walnut & Maple back difficult mosaic
■ neck: Maple 3pc, Neck-Elite difficult piano technician inserts
■ Fingerboard: Ebony
■ pickup: Seymour Duncan Custom special section Matt Garrison
■ effective chord length: 33 "

"Good luck" is right. Do not expect much.
My guess is that they are building the instruments from these same photos. I highly doubt that they have a real MG signature bass there to copy from.

You get what you pay for, every time.
Don't expect more, and you won't be disappointed.

Cheers!
Martin

[jbybj]

Originally Posted by gus1894

I am just saying I don't want to see a pissing match, but a real, quantifiable light shined on the site.

Sorry, I can't help but feel the urge to pee every time these a**holes are mentioned. I think they should be kept in the dark. A very dark, moist, stinky place.

[gus1894]

Always an amusing turnout on TB.

Well, a friend ordered a guitar last Tuesday, it arrived at his house this afternoon - I will hear all about it tomorrow - I will let you know what he has to say.

[Stu L.]

Originally Posted by gus1894

Well, a friend ordered a guitar last Tuesday, it arrived at his house this afternoon - I will hear all about it tomorrow - I will let you know what he has to say.

Pics please.

[gus1894]

I will ask him to shoot some pics and send them, he's like my special little brother, so he'll do it for me.

Seriously though, I hope it is on the level for him, I really do. His wife was home from work today, so she called him to let him know that it arrived today. We shall see. Fingers crossed. It was a Les Paul copy for $300 (at most) and he told me the vendor threw in a hardshell case for free.

[JMac4strngr]

I am intrigued how this is gonna end up. I hope Your friend comes out on the deal.
Sub'd....

[Stu L.]

Originally Posted by gus1894

I will ask him to shoot some pics and send them, he's like my special little brother, so he'll do it for me.

Seriously though, I hope it is on the level for him, I really do. His wife was home from work today, so she called him to let him know that it arrived today. We shall see. Fingers crossed. It was a Les Paul copy for $300 (at most) and he told me the vendor threw in a hardshell case for free.

I do too. I probably shouldn't, but I do.

[Rockingbird]

Ah, tradetang. I stumbled upon them before, but I was skeptical of the instruments. If I hear some good thngs, I might s pring for a Ric copy.

[M.R. Ogle]

That sunburst bass in the link looks like a Hagstrom Beluga.

[bigbajo60]

Originally Posted by gus1894

Also - is this a copy of an existing bass? I can't recall a bass that looks like this by one of the big companies...
funky looking bass, click here...

Seems to be based on that Hagstrom alright:

http://www.hagstromguitars.com/Beluga_IIF.html

[alexbbbb]

http://upload1.tradetang.com/img/o/1...3530360026.jpg
Made in San Luis Obispo,
California, USA

Yeah, right!

Is there a limit to how fake things can be???


Gotta love that one: http://upload1.tradetang.com/img/o/1...3529902463.jpg
A "pre Ernie Ball" Stingray 4 HH. And with a bridge that doesn't fit with the pickguard, well... that's what "cutting corners" is all about...

[Darkstrike]

Originally Posted by M.R. Ogle

That sunburst bass in the link looks like a Hagstrom Beluga.

So it does!