Chinese knock-off basses

[Gilmourisgod]

The Chinese have the tools, infrastructure, and skilled workforce capable of producing well made guitars, its basic 1950’s level technology cranked out on CNC machinery. We glamorize it, but it’s really stupid easy for any country that can manufacture iPhones. The difference is that Apple oversees QC, not so on DHgate or Aliexpress, still pretty much the Wild West, with a bunch of very sketchy middle-men peddling basses of wildly varying quality. The common denominator seems to be decent basic construction and finishing, but crap hardware and electronics, so the sweet spot functionally and ethically might be a 90% complete “husk” with no hardware, electronics, or fake company badges or TRC’s. The fake Ric 4005’s caught my eye, out of production for 40 years, and apparently no plans to re-issue, so I’m hard pressed to see the harm to Rickenbacker. Definitely conflicted though, so I haven’t pulled the trigger.

 

[Maxdusty]

'Chinese fingers' seem to do pretty well with Classic Vibe Squiers and that off shore Dingwall....
There are plenty of copies and knock offs all over the world....China has the population and online presence to be most noticeable....I would avoid linking it to race rather than state of manufacturing industry, rapid growth etc....Japan was the China before their Hallowed Mastumoko Status was delivered from on High....and plenty of folks used to gripe and moan about 'japcrap' copies...many of which are now sought after...would like to think we have evolved beyond lumping entire races/countries manufacturing ability and intentions in one basket.

Yes. It's also not like Asians are new to working with wood, in fact they have some of the best wood craftspeople who have been making wooden instruments even before the US as we know it was even in existence. Making knock offs at the cheapest possible price (including labor and material) has no country of origin, I've seen bad fakes everywhere.
I too have lived in Asia for many years as an expat and have seen some extremely well made instruments, oftentimes, it's just for their local market and not often mass produced. As in your example, the MIC Squiers are made to specific guidelines by the US parent company, it's in a way hindered by what they can do or what materials they can use so as not to exceed the quality and craftsmanship of the MIA Fender instruments. Sure they can try to make a bass that can compete in quality to the US Fender but Fender would be shooting itself in the foot.
Counterfeit basses you often see on DH Gate or Alibaba are made with the intention of the lowest price point as possible, quality takes a back seat to appearance in most cases- it's made with the cheapest possible pieces of wood they can get away with, cheapest metal, cheapest parts as long as it looks like the real thing. The goal of these manufacturers is to maximize profit by deception not produce a quality instrument, there's no brand pride because, well....they're often not even using their own company name on the instrument! Not too surprising, these instruments are usually pieces of crap.
So I think when you consider country of origin, it's important to keep in mind what niche a particular instrument was intended for - want to deceive others at the cheapest possible price? Well, you'll get what you ask for and probably deserve, a poor imitation of the original. Just my two cents... keeping ethics and politics out of this.

 

[Eddie LeBlanc]

Gotta friend that just got a 6 string Gibson Les Paul Custom Chinese copy guitar. Paid about $350. It is even labeled Gibson on the headstock (total fake). The story is they use rejected USA Gibson bodies and necks, (not true USA Gibson cuts them up - that broke his heart when a band member that went on the Gibson Factory tour told him that after he'd ordered it ), Then they use all real Gibson parts, not true they are all cheap copied Chinese parts. Cheap tuners that are POS, cheap bad sounding PUPs (that sound like crap and can't ever seem to get a decent sound dialed in), Knobs that fall off, pots with flat spots in them, and the list goes on and on. I even noticed a poor fret job, really ought to get some one to check it and smooth the frets and do another complete set up on it.

The finish looks nice. But it is only weeks old, so lets see how that holds up. It was even sent in a fake cheap made 'Gibson Case', even with the Gibson logo printed on it, even though that doesn't really look the exact same as a real Gibson case.

So far he has tried to play it at practice and seems to never get a decent sound out of it. He could have held out, waited till he'd doubled the savings and got at least a real Faded Les Paul model.

I suppose he could replace the tuners, the pups, the electrics, and the bridge and tailpiece and reset up the guitar and have a decent player, but that'd cost more than just getting a real Les Paul in total expense.

To each his own, but maybe the old adage, "If it looks too good to be true, then maybe its not true." Or as PT Barnum said, "There's a sucker born every minute."

40 years ago, I bought a brand new Electra Les Paul bass (the real Lawsuit model), I was 20 years old at the time. I knew it was Ja apan Electra, Labeled Electra on the headstock), but seemed to be pretty well constructed. It was a good deal, think it cost me about 225 back in 1970. Eventually I changed the tuners to Grover Titans, the Pups to Bill Lawrence, and the electrics to real USA pots and even wired in series/parallel pup switches. Converted to a frettless, and the thing is still a fine sounding bass and a great player to this day. I still keep it cause it is a real Lawsuit Model. But Electra was Japan made, and not the Chinese copy stuff these days. And they never lied about how it was made or where the parts came from either.

 

[ScrewDevil]

Now, I do have a problem with companies trying to make you think their product is someone else's. My P bass clone is just that, a copy. It shares a shape with the real deal but is obviously not one nor does it try to make you believe it's a Fender.

 

[Thaibassman]

Folks, last reminder before reporting - Politics, not here, please. Take it to the lobby or elsewhere.

Let's not camouflage the real essence of robust and open debate on a subject which was, after all, seeded back in the 70's with The Law Suit era of Japanese basses by USA manufacturers and rightly supported by their elected representatives with an inference that it is political.
Cos' it ain't - it's all about free and fair trade so let's just call it a historical recollection and we can all be friends!!

 

[TonyP-]

Then it's a cr@p shoot, .and tough to return if so (never mind the ethical/legal issue). If you want a decent platform, and some kind of security, get a Squer, Sire, or just buy the parts yourself? I built a '51' clone - including the upgraded pickup, detuner for e string, and paint (nitro) etc., cost me about $600 for everything.

I mean...I have done it for fun with a Squier with positive results. I used it to record and my daughter uses it.
Disclaimer: Purely just for kicks.

I'm very fortunate, I have a stable of Lulls

 

[buldog5151bass]

I mean...I have done it for fun with a Squier with positive results. I used it to record and my daughter uses it.
Disclaimer: Purely just for kicks.

I'm very fortunate, I have a stable of Lulls

Yeah, yeah, rub it in...

 

[buldog5151bass]

Folks, last reminder before reporting - Politics, not here, please. Take it to the lobby or elsewhere.

My issue is not with the "Chinese" - it's with the "knock off", and the fact that when you buy from retailers known for poor service, you are rolling the dice at best.

 

[rtav]

The fake Ric 4005’s caught my eye, out of production for 40 years, and apparently no plans to re-issue, so I’m hard pressed to see the harm to Rickenbacker. Definitely conflicted though, so I haven’t pulled the trigger.

Exactly. This is why I am seriously researching Ric 4080 copies and Ric-style doubleneck variations (I saw a 4080 style with a 4003 type body).

 

[Eddie LeBlanc]

My vintage 1970s Lawsuit Les Paul Electra.... at least they never said it was a Gibson. and it had a bolt neck, not a set neck. Before the updtaes I did to it.

Sweet bass for about 200 bucks back then.

 

[groooooove]

you'll regret it.

 

[ScrewDevil]

you'll regret it.

Maybe. That's the thing. It's a big crap shoot.

 

[groooooove]

Maybe. That's the thing. It's a big crap shoot.

haha, i suppose your right.

at this point i avoid knockoffs, but i don't mind something that took some inspiration. it's not only about the ethical side of this, i just think the quality is always higher from someone making something that is a little bit more legitimate, even if it steals aspects from something else.

 

[ScrewDevil]

That is also true. I really don't like it when a company makes straight up counterfeits though.

 

[leegreenman]

As long as they aren’t selling them as name brand instruments, I don’t see any issue with them. Quality probably ranges from nearly unplayable to really nice.

 

[armyadarkness]

Love... LOVE my Chinese bass. Stays in tune, sounds awesome, is easy to work on, has high quality parts.

 

[armyadarkness]

Fakes aside, Chinese stuff is way better than a lot of other stuff. Like I always say, the best sounding bass in my local GC is a neon green Dean Zone. Even the damn fret board is painted green... but played through anything, it sounds AWESOME and I'd take it over any Fender that they have in the store.

I could care less where it's made, because Dean is also a super cool company to deal with.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

On the flip side, let’s not pretend counterfeiting guitars is a victimless crime. I recently saw a Chickenbacker 4003 bass, complete with fake Ric “made in USA” badge, for sale in a pawn shop for $400. I pointed out it’s obvious (to me) fakery, and got the “I don’t give a flying f**k” shrug from the counter flunky. You’d have to be pretty stupid to think you are getting a real Ric for $400, but, in the words of PT Barnum....

 

[Maxdusty]

Love... LOVE my Chinese bass. Stays in tune, sounds awesome, is easy to work on, has high quality parts.View attachment 2980192

Holy cow that's sharp....did you post this one on the "pointy bass thread"?

 

[T-MOST]

What does anyone know about the chinese knock-off basses? I was told about the D.H. Gates web site and checked it out. They look great and are amazingly cheap.

very often They also play like crap and everything needs to be replaced. tuners, pups and hardware. You will spend more in parts than u paid for the bass. by then u may end up with a decent instrument.