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Fakes?

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#43
The Penguin said:
How many of these have you seen? Just curious if they're that bad why you'd see more than one.
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There are two reasons that a number of people have experience with multiple bodies. 1. At that time the shipping savings of buying multiple units from Brazil was quite big 2. For a while this seller was auctioning bodies in lots of 3, 5 or 6 units at a time in addition to selling single bodies. The lots could be won cheaply because most people only wanted one or two bodies.

I have personally seen and measured three of his bodies, 2 strats and 1 tele that were all made about 1.5 years ago. None of the three had the neck rout dimensions that were advertised, they all needed work in that area and one was off in a way that possibly could have caused big problems. One had a non fatal but still not great crack near the trem rout that could be trouble in the long run. That one also had shipping damage, fairly deep scratches that were going to require a lot of sanding and some small dents.

I have also corresponded with a few people from the homerecording.com guitars forum who bought guitar bodies from this guy back around that time. Some experienced damage due to poor packing. At least a couple had poor neck routs and/or other dimensional problems. I think I recall someone else having a crack too. Some others got what they said were nice bodies.

As I said YMMV. AFAIK at that time the guy was not trying to pass off his product as anything other than his own product or ripping off anyone's name. Also at that time he was not selling anything with a neck, tells you how much experience he has.

Peace,
S
 
#46
A few things I want to mention. One, instrument pricing is becoming ridiculous for what you are getting. Period. Two, this dubious seller, unfortunately is responding in kind to that. Three, South America is losing wood by the acre at a terrible rate with very little replanting and long term planning taking place. Most of the high end builder's I've checked out seem to be using reputable vendors for their products, and so forth. Who know's where billy bob from brazil is getting his stuff. Probably doesn't even dry it for very long. Anyways, good luck.
 
#47
I remember looking at what people thought about Rickenbackers before I bought one. Every now and then you'd get someone that said it was a steaming pile of crap that had very low playability. When I got mine, I couldn't understand what they were talking about, until I found someone nearby boasting about his new ric. I went to check it out and immidiately thought, this isn't a ric. He bought it from china for $300. And it was perfectly unplayable, practically falling apart. I wouldn't trust any sort of cheap bass knockoff like that.
 
#48
JimmyM said:
Ken, you know I love you but what's the difference between this guy making his copies and you selling Retro J's?
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If you are referring to the KSDs, Woodchuck mentioned already that they are not called Fenders. That statement was a good one IF I was selling Fender fakes but why go thru the trouble with a lower cost product than my own?

By the way, we don't make the KSD's nor do we distribute them. We are the designer for Brooklyn Gear (the name on all the ADs you see) and it is BG that has them made, imports them, distributes them and advertises them. The reason you see them on our website is for added exposure because we collect royalities for the sales. Also, we sell some locally like a dealer because there are now stocking dealers in our area.

They (BG) do not use the Fender name at all in the ads or on the Bass. The Headstock is the only thing that Fender currently has protection. For this reason, I had designed our own. If I had to and they suddenly patented the body in all its shapes and forms, we would use our own BSR shape as we did with the Burners.

The problem I mentioned at the start of this thread is someone selling Basses with the 'Name' and shape. Copying a shape IS flattery but using the name is Stealing! Plain and simple..
 
#49
THIRSTYGUMS said:
poor mans alternative, i dont really see the problem morally, 'imitation is the sincerest form of flattery' . As long as the auction clearly says "****** style bass body" then its not a kick in the arse off the business policy of many, many other bass manufacturers.
Build Quality, selling practises and warranty e.t.c is another matter!
Ken, i think he's a long way away from usurping your niche of the market!
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Here's the problem: This guy is using another person's name, reputation and in effect, all of the hard work Ken Smith put into developing his product. This is by any measure stealing. Ebay should revoke this guy's rights now and forever. In my opinion, this goes even if the guy says Ken Smith type bass in his ad. How about if one of us TalkBassers records a CD titled "Best of Jaco" or even "Jaco type bass playing". Would that be an example of "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery"?
 
#52
#56
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#59
MobaxHow about if one of us TalkBassers records a CD titled "Best of Jaco" or even "Jaco type bass playing". Would that be an example of "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery"?
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Yeah, I don't know how I feel about that weak analogy.

Think about it. If a guy records a CD saying the "Best of Jaco" and he stinks - I think it would warrant more laughs than anything else. Of course, the pastorius estate and any label affiliated with the tracks recorded will beat down the door for Liscensing fees - which still makes the situation hilarious - for the rest of us at least.

And as for the man from brazil pawning off his creations as others.

As an ethical consumer - I'd have to refuse his product based on the way he is selling it and causing good people much grief.

On an economical level - He could be selling it for a $1 and I still wouldn't buy it because - and I'll bet, most of the wood used is still green - think about it.

He lives in brazil

Most of the woods are local

Do you honestly thing he's letting the wood dry properly?

bodies - maybe

necks

no no no - not I said the frog.
 
#60
BassJunkie730 said:
Yeah, I don't know how I feel about that weak analogy.

Think about it. If a guy records a CD saying the "Best of Jaco" and he stinks - I think it would warrant more laughs than anything else. Of course, the pastorius estate and any label affiliated with the tracks recorded will beat down the door for Liscensing fees - which still makes the situation hilarious - for the rest of us at least.

And as for the man from brazil pawning off his creations as others.

As an ethical consumer - I'd have to refuse his product based on the way he is selling it and causing good people much grief.

On an economical level - He could be selling it for a $1 and I still wouldn't buy it because - and I'll bet, most of the wood used is still green - think about it.

He lives in brazil

Most of the woods are local

Do you honestly thing he's letting the wood dry properly?

bodies - maybe

necks

no no no - not I said the frog.
Click to expand...

The point I was making is that it is never right to use someone's name without his/her permission, especially to sell a product. Price, location, the wood used, packing, quality, etc. are totally irrelevant and do not deserve mention. Because this guy is just wrong. Period.
 
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