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NBD - a counterfeit bummer.

Apolicious

Apolicious

Jan 16, 2014
534
456
Livingston, MT
#1
no, not in the way that you're thinking, although I think it's still a fair warning. I found a six-string Bongo knockoff on Temu for $230. it has the general Bongo shape but without any of the contouring, which should be visible from 50 yards - unless you're not familiar with them (this becomes important later.) these things are all over Aliexpress for cheaper, but I didn't mind paying a little extra for the quick shipping time (it was in a stateside warehouse) and the buyer protection.

the main thing that attracted me was the photos, since there was no basic description. it looked to have an unfinished maple neck, 9V preamp, but most importantly: NO FRACKING LOGOS. but it still looked cool, and I wanted a practice sixer anyway while I wait for another bass I have on order. or one to lug around and travel with.

just got it today, and guess what? EBMM and Bongo logos both on the headstock. nowhere - and I mean NOWHERE - in the listing photos was this the case, including close-ups of the headstock. otherwise I would have given it a second thought. I don't want to support the businesses that market these kinds of things. people who can't tell the difference between a fake and real will see it, think "wow, that sounds like s___," and that just stains EBMM's reputation through no fault of their own.

I'm not sure if I'm upset enough to return it - plus the store selling it has been pulled from Temu, which sounds like a mess I DO NOT want to get into - but I'm mainly pissed because I didn't want a counterfeit instrument. I have no idea how to remove the logos so I think I'm just gonna sticker-bomb the headstock. this also means I can't share any kind of review/pictures here, which I was really looking forward to! I haven't had a NBD in a couple years now. although it did remind I never posted my last bass...
 
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#2
I would return it anyway. Although you thought you bought a bass with no logos that resembles a Bongo, you're still giving money to a company that sells counterfeit products. Technically speaking, you also now own a counterfeit product. I always try to encourage people not to buy stoff from AliExpress or Temu. Don't give money to companies that sell counterfeit or dangerous products.

If you really want an extra bass and if you can afford it, buy a used six string on Craigslist or Ebay.
 
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#3
BassAgent said:
Although you thought you bought a bass with no logos that resembles a Bongo, you're still giving money to a company that sells counterfeit products.
Click to expand...

if it had the logos, I'd agree with you. but as for shape, I vehemently disagree. I mean, Nash, Sadowsky, Alleva Coppolo, Sire, Sandberg... literally hundreds of boutique and other manufactures who've copied the J or P-bass shape would be out of business within a day. copying the body shape is not a sin, especially since my "Chongo" (as someone on reddit nicknamed it) didn't even do a particularly good job of that.
and these days, eBay is actually worse than Temu/AE. just look at how many "Foderas" there are on there.
 
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#4
Apolicious said:
if it had the logos, I'd agree with you. but as for shape, I vehemently disagree. I mean, Nash, Sadowsky, Alleva Coppolo, Sire, Sandberg... literally hundreds of boutique and other manufactures who've copied the J or P-bass shape would be out of business within a day. copying the body shape is not a sin, especially since my "Chongo" (as someone on reddit nicknamed it) didn't even do a particularly good job of that.
and these days, eBay is actually worse than Temu/AE. just look at how many "Foderas" there are on there.
Click to expand...
Fender failed to patent the Jazz and Precision bass bodies properly, and lost their rights to the designs in court. As a result, anybody can use them.

The Bongo design is trademarked. MusicMan has exclusive rights to it, nobody else can legally make it without their permission. Similarly, Rickenbacker has exclusive rights to their bass designs, and so on.

You don't get to copy one thing just because you're allowed to copy some other thing. That would invalidate the concept of intellectual property.
 
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#6
Apolicious said:
no, not in the way that you're thinking, although I think it's still a fair warning. I found a six-string Bongo knockoff on Temu for $230. it has the general Bongo shape but without any of the contouring, which should be visible from 50 yards - unless you're not familiar with them (this becomes important later.) these things are all over Aliexpress for cheaper, but I didn't mind paying a little extra for the quick shipping time (it was in a stateside warehouse) and the buyer protection.

the main thing that attracted me was the photos, since there was no basic description. it looked to have an unfinished maple neck, 9V preamp, but most importantly: NO FRACKING LOGOS. but it still looked cool, and I wanted a practice sixer anyway while I wait for another bass I have on order. or one to lug around and travel with.

just got it today, and guess what? EBMM and Bongo logos both on the headstock. nowhere - and I mean NOWHERE - in the listing photos was this the case, including close-ups of the headstock. otherwise I would have given it a second thought. I don't want to support the businesses that market these kinds of things. people who can't tell the difference between a fake and real will see it, think "wow, that sounds like s___," and that just stains EBMM's reputation through no fault of their own.

I'm not sure if I'm upset enough to return it - plus the store selling it has been pulled from Temu, which sounds like a mess I DO NOT want to get into - but I'm mainly pissed because I didn't want a counterfeit instrument. I have no idea how to remove the logos so I think I'm just gonna sticker-bomb the headstock. this also means I can't share any kind of review/pictures here, which I was really looking forward to! I haven't had a NBD in a couple years now. although it did remind I never posted my last bass...
Click to expand...
Remove the logos and decals, then add a new logo with a very tongue-in-cheek name, like some guys did with "Rickenfaker".
 
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#7
Apolicious said:
no, not in the way that you're thinking, although I think it's still a fair warning. I found a six-string Bongo knockoff on Temu for $230. it has the general Bongo shape but without any of the contouring, which should be visible from 50 yards - unless you're not familiar with them (this becomes important later.) these things are all over Aliexpress for cheaper, but I didn't mind paying a little extra for the quick shipping time (it was in a stateside warehouse) and the buyer protection.

the main thing that attracted me was the photos, since there was no basic description. it looked to have an unfinished maple neck, 9V preamp, but most importantly: NO FRACKING LOGOS. but it still looked cool, and I wanted a practice sixer anyway while I wait for another bass I have on order. or one to lug around and travel with.

just got it today, and guess what? EBMM and Bongo logos both on the headstock. nowhere - and I mean NOWHERE - in the listing photos was this the case, including close-ups of the headstock. otherwise I would have given it a second thought. I don't want to support the businesses that market these kinds of things. people who can't tell the difference between a fake and real will see it, think "wow, that sounds like s___," and that just stains EBMM's reputation through no fault of their own.

I'm not sure if I'm upset enough to return it - plus the store selling it has been pulled from Temu, which sounds like a mess I DO NOT want to get into - but I'm mainly pissed because I didn't want a counterfeit instrument. I have no idea how to remove the logos so I think I'm just gonna sticker-bomb the headstock. this also means I can't share any kind of review/pictures here, which I was really looking forward to! I haven't had a NBD in a couple years now. although it did remind I never posted my last bass...
Click to expand...
Removing the logos shouldn't be too difficult, especially if it's applied on top of the finish or only under a thin top coat. Or, lacking photos to see what you're dealing with, I don't know if it'll work - a custom logo that will cover the ones that are there.

I ordered a Fender style 5-string neck that showed no logo, it has one, I wasn't happy. I haven't removed that logo yet but I will before I give it away. I've decided not to build a 5 string.
 
#8
It's pretty common for the fake headstock logos on Temu and Aliexpress fakes to be blurred, crudely photoshopped over, or just not shown. Not sure why, since many others don't bother, it's not as if anyone is policing those sites for counterfeits. The opposite tactic is to use genuine photos from the internet of the real bass or guitar, and use that image to sell crude fakes. Fender didn't copyright their body shapes early on, and lost the right to do so, though I think they still have copyright on the headstock. The Chinese could care less either way, they generally ignore Trademark and Copyright. Not to be snarky, but really, what did the OP expect for a $230 knockoff from Temu? Virtually everything they sell is already late for the landfill. Some peple have gotten half-decent, playable basses off such sites, no reason the Chinese couldn't produce very well made instruments, with modern CNC techniques applied to what amounts to 1950's tech, any resonably sophisticated production line could do so, but the Chinese often choose not to. You never really know what you will get until it shows up on your doorstep. Another common tactic is to send you, regardless of what you specifically asked and paid for, whatever they happen to have in stock, and then offer you either a partial refund or return, with you footing the bill to China, of course.
 
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#11
Apolicious said:
if it had the logos, I'd agree with you. but as for shape, I vehemently disagree. I mean, Nash, Sadowsky, Alleva Coppolo, Sire, Sandberg... literally hundreds of boutique and other manufactures who've copied the J or P-bass shape would be out of business within a day. copying the body shape is not a sin, especially since my "Chongo" (as someone on reddit nicknamed it) didn't even do a particularly good job of that.
and these days, eBay is actually worse than Temu/AE. just look at how many "Foderas" there are on there.
Click to expand...
The "Foderas" on eBay are also from Ali and Temu. All those instruments come from the same factories. And as the poster below states: the Fender body designs are not very well trademarked.
ardgedee said:
Fender failed to patent the Jazz and Precision bass bodies properly, and lost their rights to the designs in court. As a result, anybody can use them.

The Bongo design is trademarked. MusicMan has exclusive rights to it, nobody else can legally make it without their permission. Similarly, Rickenbacker has exclusive rights to their bass designs, and so on.

You don't get to copy one thing just because you're allowed to copy some other thing. That would invalidate the concept of intellectual property.
Click to expand...

Considering whether the copycat brand did a good job or not: that's not something a judge will take into account. They've copied a trademarked design and that's against the law. Especially when they apply the logo: it *pretends* to be something it's not. But also without the logo, even vague resemblances can be a problem. Just look at copyright issues in recorded music: Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke kind of resembles Got To Give It Up by Marvin Gaye and they still have to share songwriting credits with Marvin Gaye.
 
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#15
KenSmithFan said:
So you bought a bass from a site that practically specializes in knockoffs and stealing designs and counterfeiting instruments and you're surprised that it came with a fake logo? Who could have seen that coming???
Click to expand...

The only thing I would change about this post is, "practically specializes" should be "absolutely specializes."

I have zero empathy for people that buy this stuff and become complicit in the trademark infringement.
 
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#19
Bummer about the counterfeit, OP. I hope returning it (or removing/hiding the logos) isn't too much trouble. If you do manage to return it and you're looking for a cheapish six string bass to practice with, I'd strongly recommend looking at Squier's six string Jazz Bass. Not much more expensive than the knockoff Bongo you bought, and many TBers can vouch for the quality.
 
#20
kodiakblair said:
Only in the country where the copyright was filed. Might come as a shock but US law applies only to the US
Click to expand...
In the case of OP's bass: even if China does not recognize the trademark, the US law will apply the moment the item is on US soil.

Broadly speaking: Copyrights, trademarks and patents are recognized through international treaties and administered through WIPO. A trademark filed in one country will be recognized in another when the trademark is applicable and meets the terms of the second country's laws.
 
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