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

[NateS]

$170 at Amazon for a real one.

http://www.amazon.com/Ministar-AMS-BASSTAR-Electric-Guitar-Natural/dp/B001NGPNZ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=musical-instruments&qid=1286260202&sr=8-1

interesting. I stand corrected.

I have no view on the matter of the legality of these instruments, the chinese government doesnt' care so why should I? I saw nothing i wanted though, or would want, and probably wouldn't buy it if i did, simply because i'm not a fan of shipping instruments.

 

[SnakeKappele]

the chinese government doesnt' care so why should I?

Well that's scary!

 

[NateS]

Well that's scary!

note that that doesn't apply to everything that the chinese do. not in the least.

but in the matters of economy, sure. the people want to sell these, and the chinese government says ok. it's free market, to the extreme.

 

[totallyfrozen]

They are definitely questionable - a bit too accurate - if you know what you are looking at, I suppose you know. But being from China they are outside of any US court, so...

But like my bud said (and he and I are of the honest ilk) - you can't re-sell it. Well you could, but in reality, you'd have to disclose and then you'd get into trouble.

I agree with you. The only "problem" I guess I'd have with it is that was illegal to buy it in the first place. The Chinese company might not be under US jurisdiction but we are. Buying counterfeits and blackmarket goods is illegal. Just sayin'...

Well, he's stuck with it now so I hope he enjoys it. Let's just hope he didn't get completely screwed on the quality.

 

[Gus Borden]

So, he's clear to break the law.

Good ethics.

Your friend has integrity.

It.must make you feel mighty to attack somebody else's integrity from behind your little computer screen oh defender of the righteous. He didn't build it, advertise it, or sell it. He spent his own hard earned cash at a website than anyone can visit - there are no secret codes, nor was there some dark alley. He took his chances. In fact he has no place in your petty attack b/c he cannot actually defend himself, nor should he have to to the likes of you. What the he!! is it with people like you? If you have a real problem with this site for selling these fakes then go do something about it - don't sit here on your little pedestal casting down your judgements down on good people you don't even know. People like you really get on my nerves.

 

[Gus Borden]

I agree with you. The only "problem" I guess I'd have with it is that was illegal to buy it in the first place. The Chinese company might not be under US jurisdiction but we are. Buying counterfeits and blackmarket goods is illegal. Just sayin'...

Well, he's stuck with it now so I hope he enjoys it. Let's just hope he didn't get completely screwed on the quality.

Jeez you all seem to be infallible. Whatever, he got what he got, and you seem to only be content to sleep at night if you can label him a criminal.

I look to bring attention to something and give us all something to talk about and it turns into this.

I find TB less and less welcoming when its so easy to cast stones from anonymity.

 

[Craig_S]

I wonder if they'll sell them in lots, so I can flip them for a huge profit on eBay!

 

[SnakeKappele]

Jeez you all seem to be infallible. Whatever, he got what he got, and you seem to only be content to sleep at night if you can label him a criminal.

I look to bring attention to something and give us all something to talk about and it turns into this.

I find TB less and less welcoming when its so easy to cast stones from anonymity.

I think you're taking some comments too personally since people sometimes write things in a way they probably wouldn't say them face to face.



I'm sure your friend had no idea he was doing anything wrong (even though he had to know the guys he was buying this thing from were).

According to Gibson: "Illegal merchandise entering the country offer great damages on many levels; and counterfeiting in the United States is a serious crime punishable in a court of law. By Federal statutes, selling and also owning counterfeit merchandise is a felony."

I see no point in even considering committing a felony by buying a Chinese bass.

It's good that your friend "experimented" and you posted this so we can all learn from it.

 

[Xavier Zed]

I think you're taking some comments too personally since people sometimes write things in a way they probably wouldn't say them face to face.



I'm sure your friend had no idea he was doing anything wrong (even though he had to know the guys he was buying this thing from were).

According to Gibson: "Illegal merchandise entering the country offer great damages on many levels; and counterfeiting in the United States is a serious crime punishable in a court of law. By Federal statutes, selling and also owning counterfeit merchandise is a felony."

I see no point in even considering committing a felony by buying a Chinese bass.

It's good that your friend "experimented" and you posted this so we can all learn from it.

+1 Lets bring manufacturing back to the good ole USA. This service/consumer economy is for the birds.

 

[shackled]

Popcorn, anyone?

 

[SnakeKappele]

+1 Lets bring manufacturing back to the good ole USA. This service/consumer economy is for the birds.

I totally agree!

 

[Zerozeddy]

While I agree wholeheartedly that the practice is criminal, I'm amused to hear people say they'd have clearer consciences giving ££££ (or rather $$$$) to the starving charity cases that are the shareholders of Gibson who price their products really competitively.

Presumably if they found someone misguidedly selling a genuine $7k Fodera for $200, they'd willingly offer them several thousand more in order to do the right thing.

 

[totallyfrozen]

...I find TB less and less welcoming when its so easy to cast stones from anonymity.

I think you're taking some comments too personally since people sometimes write things in a way they probably wouldn't say them face to face.

Why would anyone be afraid to say "that's illegal" face to face?
It's not an insult...just a statement of fact.

 

[bmc]

It.must make you feel mighty to attack somebody else's integrity from behind your little computer screen oh defender of the righteous. He didn't build it, advertise it, or sell it. He spent his own hard earned cash at a website than anyone can visit - there are no secret codes, nor was there some dark alley. He took his chances. In fact he has no place in your petty attack b/c he cannot actually defend himself, nor should he have to to the likes of you. What the he!! is it with people like you? If you have a real problem with this site for selling these fakes then go do something about it - don't sit here on your little pedestal casting down your judgements down on good people you don't even know. People like you really get on my nerves.

Buying counterfeit copies guitars supports a counterfeit business. It undermines American made products. It enables more offshore business to flourish. That, evidently, is a good thing in your country. You once had market dominance in musical instrument manufacturing. It's gone. And continuing to buy offshore, only helps offshore industry grow.

To make blatant rip off copies, that infringe on copyright is wrong. Buying it is wrong. Buying a rip off Fender is spitting on Leo Fender's grave and undermining your industry. But, you're free to do it and that trumps everything, right?

And yes, yoú and your outstanding friend are free to buy anything you want. I don't care. Freedom is everything, even if it comes at the expense of the impact on your industries that are closing their doors. Why not help slam another one.

It's a pleasure to push your buttons.

 

[sanfan]

I used to go to china on business trips and did buy a couple of knock offs. Honestly, when compared to the real thing they are almost identical. The only difference is that the hardware are of low quality. but when you switch the parts they play fine.

 

[SnakeKappele]

Why would anyone be afraid to say "that's illegal" face to face?
It's not an insult...just a statement of fact.

I was thinking more about the previous issue of:

"So, he's clear to break the law.

Good ethics.

Your friend has integrity."

In person that might have gone better.

 

[ghostsontheroad]

What's the difference? Doesn't every corporate instrument company outsource all their labor to Asian countries...Most people who buy $4,000 instruments do enough research not to buy a "gibsun," There are China knock-off's of just about every product that's popular...why not guitars? Like any of the big name manufacturers have any dignity left...lol...You wan't to buy "American" then buy Local...as in your local builder putting together that nice bass for ya! Oh S#$t, it has a Japanese neck doesn't it?

 

[SnakeKappele]

What's the difference?

One is an instrument built by or for a reputable company with a known name and a reputation while the other is built by a company using the intellectual property and good names of other companies for profit.

And that Japanese neck you mentioned didn't say "Made in U.S.A.", did it?

 

[ghostsontheroad]

we have the internet now..intellectual property is dead...lol...reputable company can be debated, but I guess they have obligations to customers and what not...I just think it's funny how outraged people get over this stuff...the "quality control" at allparts, man...what a joke. I'd buy American if there were still American workers involved in the construction of an instrument that's under $1,200...and yes I know Peavey, Carvin, Etc...I really don't think too many people are jumping at the chance to own a Faux Gibson...

 

[baron665]

If whatever company supplies China the designs so they can make products overseas, what's the difference if the people making them, in turn, make and sell their own? Well, other than the "Made in the USA" stamp. If a counterfeit is most likely made in the same factory as a lower end version of the real thing, how is it a knock off? And I agree, that they should be making their own instruments, instead of ripping off popular companies. If US companies don't want the Chinese to make counterfeit products, they shouldn't provide them the materials to do so.