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How much does Ernie Ball care about fakes?

Foamy

Foamy

Jun 26, 2006
3,510
14
Sac Area
#1
In the Bay Area this weekend, I was at an Asian mall and one of the shops had some knock-offs.
Of note were a couple that were actually labelled with the brand names and models. There was one labelled as a Stingray, and a Hofner.

I picked up the fake Stingray to see just how bad (or maybe surprisingly good) it could be.

One look at it, however, was all I needed.

The neck joinery was atrocious. There was also a knot in the wood on the body where one of the neck screws went. The nut was nowhere near fitting in the slot.

But here's the worst...
The body was something that looked like pine. In the SIDE of the body was a huge square-shaped plug. As if someone had cut a mortise into the side and the plugged it with the tenon. They didn't even match the grain direction.

It was even labelled to be made in the USA.

Anyhow, I'm not the cops, and I really don't have a dog in this fight, but if I took the time to call them, would they even care?

Thanks!
 
#2
Yeah they take their intellectual property pretty seriously. You could drop a line in the forum, and they usually take it from there. If these people are using the logo, that's a definite non-no, as is using the 3+1 headstock config.
 
#4
OK, guys. Thanks! Munji, good to hear from ya!
I registered on the EB forums and made a post.
I will only respond on that board to EB personnel (since I don't know the general temper and flow of that forum).
Cheers!
 
#5
Foamy said:
OK, guys. Thanks! Munji, good to hear from ya!
I registered on the EB forums and made a post.
I will only respond on that board to EB personnel (since I don't know the general temper and flow of that forum).
Cheers!
Click to expand...

Its a pretty laid back atmosphere... I frequent it from time to time and its refreshing to hear from the man himself (Sterling Ball) address issues and new projects directly.
 
#9
Foamy said:
OK, guys. Thanks! Munji, good to hear from ya!
I registered on the EB forums and made a post.
I will only respond on that board to EB personnel (since I don't know the general temper and flow of that forum).
Cheers!
Click to expand...

AJ from EBMM has responded to you, Foamy.

People have reported fakes seen on Ebay before now - EB do follow it up and one of the legal guys posts on the forum (they call him Wonderdog!).

Martha - I think you're right, it's difficult re the factories but there is a difference if a retail outlet is selling fakes, or if a firm is importing them (or if an individual is selling them, say on Ebay).

As EBMM has such strict control of larger parts (i.e they'll only sell them as a swap against an existing part) the existence of fakes or parts specials is somewhat rarer than with some makes of instruments - such a shame that somone knowing little about instruments might be taken in by a fake of this nature.

Have you seen the fake cars they make - I saw a hilarious copy of a Mini - shape was way off :D and also a BMW (they were filmed in China)
 
#10
drTSTingray said:
Martha - I think you're right, it's difficult re the factories but there is a difference if a retail outlet is selling fakes, or if a firm is importing them (or if an individual is selling them, say on Ebay).
Click to expand...

No US company would do it for many obvious reasons.

Very hard to track individuals selling these basses on ebay, though. They can always claim it's an used bass and they didn't know it was a copy. It'd be similar to a guy from Ohio selling a lawsuit Ibanez Jazz Bass.

Not sure if anything can be done for these to not enter the US to individual buyers.

China factories making them are virtually untouchable.
 
#13
MarthaSamira said:
No US company would do it for many obvious reasons.

Very hard to track individuals selling these basses on ebay, though. They can always claim it's an used bass and they didn't know it was a copy. It'd be similar to a guy from Ohio selling a lawsuit Ibanez Jazz Bass.

Not sure if anything can be done for these to not enter the US to individual buyers.

China factories making them are virtually untouchable.
Click to expand...

In this case, however, it's a physical shop. I've given all the info so if one were so inclined, one could walk in and see it.
Hell, you can see the mortise patch in the body from the bench in the mall without going into the shop.
 
#15
Foamy said:
In this case, however, it's a physical shop.
Click to expand...

Alright, that's a different situation. Not a smart move from a real store.

Munjibunga said:
But the authorities can sieze the counterfeit goods and impose penalties on the seller.
Click to expand...

Don't think they'd have the resources to control everything that enters the country to an individual buyer.
There are 1000's of underground labs in the US producing steroids out of Chinese powders that come in the mail.

Maybe in Australia...
 
#18
That is just so screwed up that an actual shop would be pulling this crap. You should have taken some pics. If you are correct and these are fakes, it would be a service to make people aware of this "shop". It really ticks me off how these phonies operate with impunity because they are sheltered within a community that has no stake in whether a business is selling legitamate goods or not. Actually, quite the contrary. It is a good chunk of the community that supports the fraudulent businesses. Think about how many other name brand products, like shoes, handbags and DVD's are being faked and sold off at that market. People aren't just turning a blind eye to it, they are supporting it in many cases.
 
#19
drTSTingray said:
AJ from EBMM has responded to you, Foamy.

People have reported fakes seen on Ebay before now - EB do follow it up and one of the legal guys posts on the forum (they call him Wonderdog!).

Martha - I think you're right, it's difficult re the factories but there is a difference if a retail outlet is selling fakes, or if a firm is importing them (or if an individual is selling them, say on Ebay).

As EBMM has such strict control of larger parts (i.e they'll only sell them as a swap against an existing part) the existence of fakes or parts specials is somewhat rarer than with some makes of instruments - such a shame that somone knowing little about instruments might be taken in by a fake of this nature.

Have you seen the fake cars they make - I saw a hilarious copy of a Mini - shape was way off :D and also a BMW (they were filmed in China)
Click to expand...

Saw the cars on the original (british) version of top gear!!! Lmbo thru the entire episode. Chinese Stig was awsome. They also make a copy of the F150, it has a 4cyl in it !!!!!!

As to the post, while not much anyone can do about illegal copies being made in China, I would think if they are being sold over here then that would be a totally different situation all together.
 

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