Ali Express Bass Wow!

[TinyE]

i bought a guitar off of aliexpress and it looked exactly like the one in the photo. the neck was even better. really great looking wood on the neck, and veneer on the body. i had to level the frets a little, and i replaced the pickups. the ones that came were ok, but not great. the tuners were pretty cheap, but i bought a new set and threw those on. I also replaced the wiring, just because. After I was done, it was one of the best sounding, and definately best looking guitars I had seen for the total price I was into it. I'd say go for it. I loved that guitar. I finally traded it to a friend for some other music gear (with full disclosure of course). He didn't care. The neck was so good, that was what sold him on the whole guitar.

 

[Willie5String]

This needs to be emphasized. It is more likely than not the bass pictured isn't the one being offered by the seller.

So, if they ever do mail order brides, do’t use their website for sure!

 

[BT3]

Check Harley Benton, I bought an MB5 from them and it’s a good bass

 

[mcrawfordmusic]

I will need to check one out for it's tone. I have a specific tone I like in a bass. My passive/active Sire V7 4 string J-bass has this tone.

You can spend your money on what you like of course, but to me it's pointless buying a bass when you're happy with the one you have already.

 

[Flaked Beans]

I would never buy it. But wait, some people buy some cheapper stuff for more money.

 

[Mrtoodamnsabre]

That reminded me of a Guitar Player magazine interview with Beck (the other one) and the guys who played on his albums, including Odelay, etc., back around 2000 or so. The interviewer expressed surprise that he didn't see any Strats or Les Pauls sitting around, and one of the guitarists said, "We play copies of copies!" (I wondered what could those be. Maybe off-brand copies of the Univox Mosrite copies with the slanted tan humbuckers.)

that would be so good if that’s the case.

There’s something sort of neat about the things that are “off” in a copy. Like the way they put together humbuckers with whatever magnets or materials they’re using, just what makes it off is interesting. The one I got is made of either really mahogany(unlikely) or an endemic Asian equivalent of it, but I’ve heard apparently sometimes they’ll screen print mahogany grain on the back of an alder body, which is such a ridiculous a cool thing.

 

[Greg Pruitt]

You can spend your money on what you like of course, but to me it's pointless buying a bass when you're happy with the one you have already.

I am almost come full circle on that point. I use to play 5 string for years. I now have a 4 string, but kind of want to have another string as a 2nd bass. That is now I got started looking at the AliExpress 5 strings.

 

[Jazzjames]

Did anyone stop to think about how ethical these unbelievably cheap these products from AliExpress are? If they’re seemingly too cheap to be real, there’s exploitation of people or the environment going on somewhere. I won’t support this.

This doesn’t have to be the case of course, but I think it’s pretty likely.

 

[SixtyCycleHum]

Did anyone stop to think about how ethical these unbelievably cheap these products from AliExpress are? If they’re seemingly too cheap to be real, there’s exploitation of people or the environment going on somewhere. I won’t support this.

This doesn’t have to be the case of course, but I think it’s pretty likely.

Quite possibly, yeah. That is a really good point. I don't think it's so much that way with the guys doing random builds on their own for minimal funds. But more to the point, every corner is cut and every cheap out is made along the way.
Another unethical thing is that the genuine logo is put on the cheap knock off half the time.

 

[Eli_Kyiv]

I fine it difficult to play Ibanez and other basses with tight string spacing. The bass shown in this thread has spacing identical to a bass I owned and sold many years ago. The only other instruments with similar string spacing are some Warrior and Ken Smith basses. No budget for such instruments.

I think used Ibanez BTB will give you what you want.

 

[Eli_Kyiv]

Did anyone stop to think about how ethical these unbelievably cheap these products from AliExpress are? If they’re seemingly too cheap to be real, there’s exploitation of people or the environment going on somewhere. I won’t support this.

This doesn’t have to be the case of course, but I think it’s pretty likely.

From beginning to 1:37.

 

[mcrawfordmusic]

Did anyone stop to think about how ethical these unbelievably cheap these products from AliExpress are? If they’re seemingly too cheap to be real, there’s exploitation of people or the environment going on somewhere. I won’t support this.

This doesn’t have to be the case of course, but I think it’s pretty likely.

Yes, nail on the head.

 

[duanev3]

Just became aware of AliExpress and that they sell bass guitars. Sure, it's cheap, It's Chinese, but, this thing looks bad-ass. I have a 4 string Sire V7 Marcus Miller J Bass Which I love. I want to buy a 5 string to learn 5 string... again. This thing looks sweet at pie. Giving this some thought as a Man Cave Toy.

Anyone own one of these?
How does it play and feel?
View attachment 4664461

I dunno man.... to me that thing is pretty homely looking. To me it resembles the granite marble top in our bathroom sink.

 

[Greg Pruitt]

Did anyone stop to think about how ethical these unbelievably cheap these products from AliExpress are? If they’re seemingly too cheap to be real, there’s exploitation of people or the environment going on somewhere. I won’t support this.

This doesn’t have to be the case of course, but I think it’s pretty likely.

I think the Chinese play the capitalists game better than we do. These products fill a gap for people who want these products at this price point. Capitalism in its purest form. I make and sell conceal carry holsters. If there was no market for my products, I would not be selling them.

 

[rashrader]

Sheesh. Some folks on here are treating this guy like he’s the first person to ever think about buying a bass made in China. Relax. It’s his money.

 

[Greg Pruitt]

I took a punt recently and ordered a custom Gibson j200 copy from a Chinese manufacturer. It has a solid spruce top, Flame Maple sides and back , Ebony finger board, Abalone inlays and binding front and rear, grover imperial tuners and star inlays as per my spec. I had a real j200 Elite a few years back that I paid $5000 for.
This copy cost exactly one tenth of that with brown alligator hard case and I can honestly say is 90% as good !
I guess I git lucky in this instance.View attachment 4665633

I wonder just how many here on this forum, using Iphones, Mac, Samsung, EVGA, you name the computer components high-end and low-end... All made in China! I believe we have seen all sides of this. There are those with opinions but have never held one of these products. Nothing wrong with opinions, I value them. We have also heard from those who have actually bought and used these items. Yes, you get what you pay for, but it seems that what you pay for here are not as bad as some say. In fact, what you say rumblesaust, is that these things are not bad at all.

 

[duanev3]

I wonder just how many here on this forum, using Iphones, Mac, Samsung, EVGA, you name the computer components high-end and low-end... All made in China! I believe we have seen all sides of this. There are those with opinions but have never held one of these products. Nothing wrong with opinions, I value them. We have also heard from those who have actually bought and used these items. Yes, you get what you pay for, but it seems that what you pay for here are not as bad as some say. In fact, what you say rumblesaust is that these things are not bad at all.

I'm hardly the "pillar of ethics," but when you buy something that has a Gibson / Fender logo that clearly is not a Gibson or a Fender... That's BS.... But if you buy a copy and decide to add a logo of sorts, but make sure you are clear it's a tribute or a copy I'm good with that.

 

[Greg Pruitt]

Sheesh. Some folks on here are treating this guy like he’s the first person to ever think about buying a bass made in China. Relax. It’s his money.

Thanks for the support. My intent was to get the opinions from actual owners of these items. We have heard from some of those folks. I am not considering buying a Chinese bass to take on the road or pawn off as something it is not. I spend for a decent 4 string bass. Now I kind of want (for giggles), a 5 string bass with specific features. This Chinese bass has that. So, I am here asking about it. This has turned into a very interesting set of conversations... on both sides of the positions. I am a big boy, and can deal with comments of any sort.

 

[Greg Pruitt]

I'm hardly the "pillar of ethics," but when you buy something that has a Gibson / Fender logo that clearly is not a Gibson or a Fender... That's BS.... But if you buy a copy and decide to add a logo of sorts, but make sure you are clear it's a tribute or a copy I'm good with that.

Weather you buy something with a logo on it, or add the logo (adding a logo to something that came without the logo is a level of effort that I cannot understand, anyway...) it's all the same. It is a copy. How many wear sports gear that is fake? Probably everyone who wears sports gear. But I digress... This discussion is about the instrument. I don't want to highjack this amazing set of discussion threads.

 

[duanev3]

(adding a logo to something that came without the logo is a level of effort that I cannot understand, anyway...) it's all the same.

Not the same.... Luthiers do it all the time when they replace a licensed Fender neck on an instrument that comes without a logo. The effort I can't understand is when the owner fails to disclose that info when selling an instrument.