Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Ritter Jupiter Copy!
- Thread starter -Sam-
- Start date
As long as there are unscrupulous jerks willing to have things like this made in China/Korea/Taiwan (I mean literally commision them - send pictures, plans, sometimes original instruments to be copied, full well knowing what they are doing is wrong), there will be cheap ethically-challenged nitwits willing to buy these products, thus assuring the continuation of the dilution of all that is good in this world, with cheap, shoddy, knock-off CRAP.
The people who's work is stolen have little recourse. The foreign factories don't and won't respect copyrights, and the stateside importers will just fold their "tents" the moment they are even prodded with any kind of legal "sharp stick".
Of course, a new "tent" just as quickly springs up under another name before you can say WALMART...
The people who's work is stolen have little recourse. The foreign factories don't and won't respect copyrights, and the stateside importers will just fold their "tents" the moment they are even prodded with any kind of legal "sharp stick".
Of course, a new "tent" just as quickly springs up under another name before you can say WALMART...
Just because this is Ritter being copied doesnt mean its more-wrong than a Jazz bass copy IMO, either way its a copy, and in all honesty, i dont think this will effect ritters market, people who are willing to buy a really expensive bass like that arent really going to be that interested in what will be a crap copy.
A perusal of his feedback shows that he's sold a number of them already...and OH LOOK; he seels microscopes too (according to his username).
Perhaps one could be used to try and find his CONSCIENCE.
Perhaps one could be used to try and find his CONSCIENCE.
That's the same argument that Ken Smith was fighting regarding the Brazilian luthier that was knocking off HIS stuff...of course, the fact that KSD makes a Jazz copy wasn't lost on me...
I think it says "Bitter":scowl:
Maybe its an Ex-Ritter luthier who got fired or something
While the body shape may be similar, it has the average hardware setup unlike the real Ritter! Still an obvious reproduction of the body! It's wrong!
The difference in that case, IIRC, was that the copies were being advertised as Ken Smiths. Nowhere in that eBay ad is that referred to as a Ritter, and unless Ritter has specifically copyrighted his body shapes I doubt he has much recourse. I don't really see the difference between this and the ubiquitous Fender clones we see all the time?
The brand on it is "Maestro". It's in his California warehouse. He buys basses in lots to sell on eBay. No getting to check it out in person! AFAIK, Maestro is built in China.
If it was a 5string, was available in Europe and I knew the woods (and thought I could bring something out of them with good pickups) I might buy one. I like this ritter shape, but there's no way I'll pay the money he asks (which I'm sure his basses are worth). I'd like to have a cheapo lookalike to mess around with. If Ritter made these as well I'd buy from him, but I'm sure that, the way things are now, this doesn't affect his business - nobody will buy this if he can buy/wants the real thing, it's obvious that the only similarity is the shape. After all, the fact that his designs are so good that someone copies them is an advertisement.
As others said, everyone copies fender and almost no-one thinks it's wrong. So let's get over it.
As others said, everyone copies fender and almost no-one thinks it's wrong. So let's get over it.
Maybe he has permission from the man himself, did anyone check? How is it so wrong when there are about a gazillion J bass copies out there from high boutique builders to $99.99 cheap copies.
You're right, there's absolutely no overlap between the market for this $200 bass and a $4000 odd Ritter.
I still dont see any real problem. There are jazz and precision copies everywhere, and he sells that one for 199 bucks which is far from a ritter, and i think anyone realizes its not the real thing.l (he doesnt even say its a ritter), so cant say why ppl are pissed of. Its not gonna affect ritter sales, cos people can realize the difference between spending thousands (or whatever they cost) versus 200, and someone looking for a bass in the ritter price range isnt just gonna go "OH LOOK; THAT BASS LOOKS THE SAME, I GUESS ILL BUY IT INSTEAD OF THIS SUPER EXPENSIVE BASS".
That's my feeling as well.
I find it ironic and very amusing that one of the most vocal opponents of copies is is one who copies Fender designs as well.
