CheapGuitarStores.com "replica Chinese basses"

[JoeWPgh]

I really do not care. These are probably better beginner instruments than is offered by the big boys. That said, they are cheap knock offs that have no resale value. By the time you replace the shoddy electronics, hardware and have a real fret job done, you have lost any and all savings. And you still have no resale value. The purchase price might be attractive, but the investment/return is anything but. Ain't karma a beeatch?

 

[gln1955]

Plus anyone who knows anything at all about basses will laugh at you playing one.

 

[buldog5151bass]

This is coming from a "positive" report:

- Parts of body not completely sanded,
- "junk" tuners,
- pickups " hum like crazy" when you get within 10 feet of the amp,
- seller ignores him when he requests to return the bass.

This is not what you get with a legitimate manufacturer. I am even more disturbed by the failure to accept responsibility than I am the shoddy workmanship.

 

[Callused Finger]

As mentioned in this thread, I'd like to pick up a "Thunderbird" and throw an all parts rosewood p neck i have laying around on it.
But then I'd want to replace pickups and pots. Might as well make cut out my own body.

 

[Alembiccucurbit]

Anyway, it would be nightmares for some companies that are engaged in the lucrative business with guitars that some virtuosos could fantastically perform their pieces of music with really very cheap musical instruments, nevertheless it would be necessary that those should not be cheap junks.

 

[Gabriel51]

This is coming from a "positive" report:

- Parts of body not completely sanded,
- "junk" tuners,
- pickups " hum like crazy" when you get within 10 feet of the amp,
- seller ignores him when he requests to return the bass.

This is not what you get with a legitimate manufacturer. I am even more disturbed by the failure to accept responsibility than I am the shoddy workmanship.

Obviously you never bought a new 1980's Fender bass...

 

[Gabriel51]

Update;
Seller offered a $75.00 partial refund.
I will post here until a resolution is finalized so people will know whats involved in purchasing a Chinese bass.

 

[Maxdusty]

With all that I have stated about this Bass and my experience with this purchase I would like to conclude with;
The workmanship on the wood parts of this bass are excellent with the exception of a few rough spots that were not completely sanded on the body.
However the hardware is another story, there is a hum coming from the pick-ups if I get anywhere near the amp, otherwise it sounds good. (maybe it's wired wrong, It looks correct)
The tuners are junk, there is excessive play internally when tuning. They don't slip and once set, they stay but going from either sharp to flat or visa-versa the part you twist moves way to far before anything happens.
The bridge is very good, the knobs and pots feel good and work smoothly so far.
This bass has the best "B" string for any 34" scale bass I have ever played, I was shocked by this!
Seller experience; It was great until I wanted replacement pick-ups because these hum-buckers hum like crazy within ten feet of the amp, it was then that he resorted to calling me names. Suggesting I was trying to take advantage of him and to send the bass back! I said OK send me a return label, that's the last I heard from him.
I'm not through, I will post updates when concluded.

Thoughts; By the time you replace the sub-par hardware it may not be worth the risk, but I must say you would be hard pressed to find a new neck-through even without any hardware for this price. Peace ✞

Well, that makes sense- craftsmanship and woodwork shouldn't be the problem as guitars and basses are already being made in China. So capable craftspeople aren't difficult to find there. However, it's the parts such as tuners, bridge, pickups that are often monitored, supplied and controlled by the company that licenses the manufacture of their offshore versions.

To be honest, I'd rather buy a used Warwick Rockbass, it's still going to be of better quality and really for not much more. I bought a Chinese made Ray clone a while back, it wasn't marked Musicman or Sterling, even the headstock was different in shape - I believe it was branded a "Dr" something or another, cant remember exactly but while the body work was good, the paint job on it peeled off quickly (good thing your bass isn't painted perhaps), the parts were inferior but passable, didn't really sound like a MM and here's the thing you probably want to watch out for.......the neck went south pretty quickly. The truss rod is a piece of crap.

You get what you pay for as they say, even though I have no qualms about clones , I personally have something about labeling them with existing company logos.

 

[Gabriel51]

Plus anyone who knows anything at all about basses will laugh at you playing one.

I could absolutely care less what people think about something like this, otherwise I would not post here. Apparently people are afraid to post this sort of thing, I'm neither insecure about myself or my playing skills.
I've been playing since 1964 and at one time played a Airline bass sold by Montgomery Wards because that's all I could afford, I played 4 to 6 nights a week with that bass.
I don't own any inexpensive basses other than this one and haven't in over 30 years because I can afford to, but not everybody can and I bought this bass to know the truth about the quality of basses coming out of China at this time. The woodwork on this bass is very good with the exception of some grain that stood up after it was finished and since it appears to be oil finished it will be easy to correct.
Where do you think most of the basses out there are manufactured at anyway? It's not here...

 

[Gabriel51]

W
and here's the thing you probably want to watch out for.......the neck went south pretty quickly. The truss rod is a piece of crap.

The truss rod is smooth as butter and works great (at this point). I don't like those copied logos either... In my case it's a good place for a sticker.

 

[Maxdusty]

The truss rod is smooth as butter and works great (at this point). I don't like those copied logos either... In my case it's a good place for a sticker.

Gabriel51 will make for an awesome brand on the headstock.

I just remembered the brand of MM Clone I had, "Dr. Tech". The truss rod on mine had problems early so maybe it was just a bad one, but after a few weeks, the neck started bowing, I'd adjust it and it wouldn't hold.

 

[Clark Dark]

You're completely wrong. I think anyone doing business with counterfeiters is themselves morally and ethically deficient. Fake decal folks too.

I'm not knocking "foreign" workmanship. The USA has no exclusive on skilled craftsmen or CNC machines. I'm knocking crooked counterfeiters - they and their knowing customers should all be shot, imho. Quality of the product is irrelevant to me if it's a counterfeit product. Even a perfect counterfeit is still a counterfeit.

It's not just semantics. If the manufacturer is making something which they do not have the legal right to make, THEY are the ones ripping someone off.

If you're willingly doing business with counterfeiters, then you're wrong, and not "in the least". You're participating in theft of property. We can agree to disagree, but that wouldn't make you any less wrong.

would you rock this ?

Fernandes FAB 170 alembic copy or counterfeit ?????

hmmmm

Before you answer, look at the headstock
whose insignia is on it...
it belongs to a friend of mine
and Fernandes isn't on it anywhere
and I've been trying to gethim
to sell it to me for over a decade LOL LOL LOL

my remarks stand

 

[buldog5151bass]

would you rock this ?

View attachment 2768793

Fernandes FAB 170 alembic copy or counterfeit ?????

hmmmm

Before you answer, look at the headstock
whose insignia is on it...
it belongs to a friend of mine
and Fernandes isn't on it anywhere
and I've been trying to gethim
to sell it to me for over a decade LOL LOL LOL

my remarks stand

Not being familiar with Alembics, I can't say. I have no issue with it being a wood sandwich with lots of pickups and switches. But that logo looks like an Alembic logo from afar, and I dont't know if it is a protected Alembic shape. If you are using protected IP without permission, it is a counterfeit.

 

[Gabriel51]

would you rock this ?

View attachment 2768793

Fernandes FAB 170 alembic copy or counterfeit ?????

hmmmm

Before you answer, look at the headstock
whose insignia is on it...
it belongs to a friend of mine
and Fernandes isn't on it anywhere
and I've been trying to gethim
to sell it to me for over a decade LOL LOL LOL

my remarks stand

Hum? Revealing statements.
So your OK with it as long as the logo is not there and you want to buy your friends Alembic copy.
Believe me, no response is even necessary.

 

[Clark Dark]

That's right
I'm still trying to buy it
it sounds impeccable
woodwork is tight
electronics are spot on
has the power supply
I buy basses as tools
as long as it provides the tones
I seek
and gets people
on their feet
I'll rock it
besides,
on these
the workmanship was
so tight
Mica had a fit
even spreading rumors
of feds raiding stores
and smashing
Fernandes copies
headstocks off
in parking lots
SMH

my remarks stand

 

[Nev375]

How about an American made copy of a Chinese copy of an American made original instrument?

Ethically speaking, would that be an improvement or even worse?

 

[Clark Dark]

How about an American made copy of a Chinese copy of an American made original instrument?

Ethically speaking, would that be an improvement or even worse?

Actually
I'm trying to find
a place where
I can buy
a decal
of my name
then it all becomes
the craftsmanship
quality
and the assembly
of the composite
parts

 

[mikewalker]

I play in a Foos Tribute band and my front man (Grohl) had to go out and buy a cheap $350 shipped w/HSC, Chinese Gibson Dave Grohl signature guitar. The original Grohl Signature Gibson is $4000-$6000.

No way was he able to afford that. I was against him buying the knockoff but 5 years and many, many gigs later, it has proven itself as a real workhorse.

No modifications, 100% stock it has held up, looks exactly like the real deal, and sounds just as good.

Now me? I would never buy a knock off. To me there is nothing like the real thing.

YMMV

Just for reference, this is the guitar he bought. Played here at the House Of Blues Chicago.
View attachment 1068377

Ironic, but appropriate: a replica "Dave Grohl Signature" for a replica "Dave Grohl"!
I smell a whole new industry forming...

 

[Gabriel51]

Update;
Seller offered a $75.00 partial refund.
I will post here until a resolution is finalized so people will know whats involved in purchasing a Chinese bass.

OK, here is what I had to do to fix this hum/buzz and squeal; As I have already mentioned the balance/blend pot was wired backwards but the ground for both pick-ups was bundled with the series/parallel coil taps and soldered in place, so all I had to do was swap the pick-up wires on the blend pot and remove the ground from the bundle and solder it to the pot can. Simple fix, it's very quiet now.
So what would I change on this bass, the strings, they sound OK but they feel floppy, they are the smallest gauge string I have ever seen on a five string and probably cost two bucks.
So is it worth what I paid for it? Absolutely.
Would I buy another one, probably not...

 

[Plutonium244]

I'd never buy a Chinese version of a really nice bass like a Smith or Fodera... or even a "clone" of a Sadowsky made in America or as a build job... they may look like the real deal, but they aren't; the quality of a special bass is not in how it looks, or even the component parts. I might however consider buying a bass or guitar off of Ali Baba if I am looking for a playable, decent-sounding instrument of midgrade quality... some of them sound pretty good and play well, actually... if you're willing to roll the dice. Been thinking about picking up an acoustic guitar this way, I have seen a few pretty nice ones. I won't buy anything with a faked logo though. If they are ethically challenged enough to rip off a manufacturer's intellectual property to sell me something, then there's little reason they wouldn't also feel fine about ripping me off with a poor product that is difficult or impossible to return.