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Waterslide decals?

brendanbassix

brendanbassix

Guest
Apr 24, 2015
846
946
Adelaide, Australia
#1
I'm having some "debates" (vicious arguments) with people on Facebook who think fake Waterslide Decals are ok. I assume this is a safe place to discuss this as us bass players are usually more level headed then other musicians.

What I want to know is why? If you go to the trouble of building something yourself why slap a fake sticker on it? why not get your own design printed out? Shouldn't people know it was you? On the other hand what's wrong with having a squier/Japanese fender clone? They make great instruments

The one other problem I have is Im being told not to say anything and my opinion isn't wanted, I would have thought a guitar community who buy and sell would be totally against this type of thing and Im surprised by the support it is getting. I know real fenders/Gibson etc are expensive but that's the point they are great guitars with a proven track record and a history in music and you can't fake that. On some of these pages they are also sharing sites that will make you period correct decals and any serial number you like so I would assume that would include legitimate serial numbers isn't that illegal? Anyways lots of questions and I know this is a can of worms and I certainly don't want argue on here if you think it's ok thats great and I will respect your opinion just want to know why.

Edit: most of what i just said is cut and paste from Facebook so sorry if is doesn't flow right.
 
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#2
I assume they are putting the decals on Greco, Tokai, Burny, Fernandes guitars. Honestly they are wasting their time as they are usually better quality than Fenders or Gibsons from the same time period. If they are putting Fender decals on Squiers they are insecure brand-snobs who wish to appear more wealthy than they really are. If they try to sell these fake Fenders or Gibsons without mentioning they aren't the real deal they are scammers, simple as that.
 
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#3
Randy Quaid said it best: "Makes no never mind to me."
Seriously though, I don't mind that it says Squier on this.
ab0a2w.jpg

However, some people insist on putting Fender or Gibson on Squiers or Epiphones, some people put Fender necks on non-Fender bodies, etc.
You simply can't talk them out of it...but the least they can do is burn "Fake" on the back of the headstock.
 
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#5
Placing a trademarked name and/or logo on an instrument-- or any product for that matter-- that is *not* of the trademark owner's making is fraud and deception IMHO. If you wish to stand in front of your bathroom mirror and pose with a fake Fender/Gibson/Rickenbacker/Martin, then go ahead, I suppose. Heck, even play out in public with it. But if you should ever decide to put that instrument back into the market, you owe it to all of us to remove or defile any inappropriate trade names and marks. That's my take on it.
 
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#6
Fondsdale said:
I assume they are putting the decals on Greco, Tokai, Burny, Fernandes guitars. Honestly they are wasting their time as they are usually better quality than Fenders or Gibsons from the same time period. If they are putting Fender decals on Squiers they are insecure brand-snobs who wish to appear more wealthy than they really are. If they try to sell these fake Fenders or Gibsons without mentioning they aren't the real deal they are scammers, simple as that.
Click to expand...
That's exactly what I thought and this is on a Japanese guitar fan page. What I don't get is everyone on there doesn't have a problem with it on a page that has 4,000 members Im the only one with a problem and Im being called out for saying something.
 
#9
It really makes no difference to me. The general public doesn't know or care what kind of bass you play. Putting a Fender decal on something is only to try to impress other musicians.

On the ones I build myself I put a NICOLA decal on them. It's the traditional family name from the old country and I haven't ever seen anybody else use it. If I mod or rebuild a bass already made I just keep the original or have one made that is the same company as what was originally on it. Owning and playing Squiers doesn't embarrass me in the slightest.
 
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#11
My two warmoths have "bassopotamus" waterslide decals. One is sort of the old frigidaire font that I made at home. The other is silver sparkle in fender font off eBay. I didn't want to buy a fender , so I don't Want the basses to say fender
 
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#13
I purchased my Squier VM bass knowing I probably would do some mods and maybe a refinish. I ended up replacing all the electronics....SD quarterpounds, cts pots, vitamin q cap and switchcraft jack along with a white pearl pg, Schaller strap locks and 2 round string retainers. I did finally get the bass refinished this year.

So it's hardly the bass I originally purchased, but it still was made in Indonesia as a Squier.

Since I had the headstock painted as well, I decided to replace the decal. I thought about getting one that was my name spelled in the font and color that Squier normally is. I decided to stick with what was original on the bass. I don't plan on selling it, but after I'm gone it probably will be eventually. I don't think the next owner would care too much about a bass with someone else's name on it (the decal is under the clearcoat).

I mentioned all this on a social media page and one guy asked in his comments...."Why didn't you replace the decal with a Fender one?" Before I could answer another guy commented with one word....."Integrity".

JMHO.......Even if you have other reasons, if you change the decal to another brand you're trying to fool somebody.....if only yourself.

2_zps8iwylnxw.jpg
 
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#15
I love my fake fender decal, I grew up with that logo, and I enjoy looking at it
it just looks right, I do it for myself, and I enjoy the process of sanding, applying many coats of amber nitro, its a fun project who cares what one does to
their instrument, I also replaced the bridge and tuners and put on a set of LaBella flats I would never try to sell it (I never will) as anything but a VM Squier fretless...
DSCN0337.JPG
plus it sounds better with that beautiful decal
 
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#17
for me its more of artistic thing. its like modeling. like when you build model plane and put USAF decal and paint it with camoflage. or build tank and paint and put decals and some smoke and dust signs. its just a toy. not a real plane or tank. but you want to make it look real for artistic taste.
and also to avoid some people who judge guitars by eyes and not by ears and can make stupid comments and reactions if you play with cheap squier. even if it is actualy great bass.
but some people will refuse to understand. anyway i dont care for people who put their noses in other people buisnes.
if someone want to put decal, or paint in another paint, ot replace hardwere, or relic. its his own instrumnt. its his own buisnes. and if he dont want to spill futune on some to much costly vintge fender with lot of hype its also ok.
just to make it clear - i totaly against scamers who put fake decals and try to sell them as the real thing.
but if someone do it for himself for artistic taste. its his own buisnes.
 
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#19
brendanbassix said:
That's exactly what I thought and this is on a Japanese guitar fan page. What I don't get is everyone on there doesn't have a problem with it on a page that has 4,000 members Im the only one with a problem and Im being called out for saying something.
Click to expand...
Different culture, different attitudes. It's called saving face. They don't want to appear to be too poor to own a Fender.
 
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#20
So, I actually had a waterslide decal made, custom, with my own logo. About $15 for this. However now that I am contemplating the effort to add coats of lacquer to the headstock-- I've never done refinishing of any kind on a bass or guitar-- I am hesitating. Where do you STOP lacquering... front of the head stock? WHole headstock? Entire neck? I don't want to screw with the nice finish on the neck. My decal says "Bender" in a Fender font, because my name is Ben, and I've been on many benders, and it is a mind-bender.
 
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