Counterfeit Guitars

guitar1234

guitar1234

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I recently read an article in a guitar magazine from the UK about counterfeit guitars. Now being bored and on holidays I checked out a few of the sites they mentioned, the amount of guitars being sold is just staggering! One site had 25,000+ fake guitars.

Anyway, now to the point, has anyone bought or knows of somebody who has bought a counterfeit guitar from such a site? I'm interested in buying one just for a play around and to see if it can compare to a real Epiphone/Gibson. anyway heres what I'm interested in, a Gibson Axcess in Iced Tea, I'm more than happy to pay $400 on a guitar with a hardcase, even if it is a POS, in which case I would just use it for a guitar to take to school etc.
http://www.tradetang.com/for-sale/W...emolo-jewel-Water-ripple/109234-2452636.html#
 
Customjimmy

Customjimmy

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I have one of these - a Les Paul knock-off.

I used to own an actual Les Paul custom (which I should never have sold) so rest assured there is absolutely no comparison. The shape isn't right, the pick-ups and hardware are poor (puny little screws holding on the strap mounts pulled straight out, for example). The guitar was not set up at all in terms of intonation/nut and bridge heights/truss rod etc and the neck is not strong enough (flexes too easily). Also some new machine heads wouldn't hurt.

That said, I set it up properly, bought a new nut and put in some new screws which gives me a functional, pretty guitar in a hardcase for less than $350. In value for money terms there is very little difference between these and the entry level section of your local music store. A hardcase is not important for a cheap guitar.

That's one guitar out of countless thousands - and no doubt many different 'craftsmen' in many factories so it's a lucky dip. For the money I'm happy but don't go in thinking you are getting a steal - not like those beautiful Japanese Les Paul knock-offs from the 70s.
 
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Spike-X

Spike-X

Grumpy Old Sarah
Customjimmy said:
For the money I'm happy but don't go in thinking you are getting a steal - not like those beautiful Japanese Les Paul knock-offs from the 70s.
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Best guitar I ever played was an Ibanez Les Paul that somebody bought from a pawn shop for 80 bucks.
 
G

gassyndrome

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A usable real Floyd Rose unit will cost more than that entire guitar. Don't waste your time when you could get a reasonable import with a proper set up would be my advice.
 
guitar1234

guitar1234

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gassyndrome said:
A usable real Floyd Rose unit will cost more than that entire guitar. Don't waste your time when you could get a reasonable import with a proper set up would be my advice.
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That was my main concern, probably worth going with something with a fixed bridge at least


And no I don't expect it to be a steal by any means, You'd have to be retarded to do so.
And I'm not expecting it to be something like a Tokai etc. Actually a shop near me have Tokais for sale (Genuine Ones) probably just worth saving for a real gibson though, I already own an Epiphone Flying V Korina and love it to bits, its no Gibson but it sure is fun to play.
 
ajay

ajay

^Once punched Jeff Kennett. Don't pick an e-fight
Jimmy is on the money here, it really is a lucky dip.

Interestingly you can buy a Les Paul Studio for about US$850 from Sweetwater , I know what I'd be doing!
 
Joy

Joy

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guitar1234 said:
That was my main concern, probably worth going with something with a fixed bridge at least


And no I don't expect it to be a steal by any means, You'd have to be retarded to do so.
And I'm not expecting it to be something like a Tokai etc. Actually a shop near me have Tokais for sale (Genuine Ones) probably just worth saving for a real gibson though, I already own an Epiphone Flying V Korina and love it to bits, its no Gibson but it sure is fun to play.
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I played a Tokai E335 copy once and man that thing was KILLER. I still want one.
Definitely do not get anything with a licensed Floyd Rose. You will rue that till the day you day.
Have you seen this site?
http://www.guitarworx.com.au/categories/Guitar-Kits/
I'm thinking I might build me my own Explorer!
 
A

al_

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I don't think it is worth messing around with cheap, crap guitars. I picked up a well used Maton for $400ish a few years back and it is great. Cheap rubbish just feels like crap and sounds worse. Obviously there are some exceptions, but decent knock-offs like the Fernandes etc are worth proper money anyway.

Spend $400 on a nylon string acoustic and you will get something decent, but $400 on a new electric is throwing money away... in my opinion.
 
WolfCreekPsycho

WolfCreekPsycho

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Question is why by a cheap fake copy when for $400 or less you can get yourself a genuine Epi or similar?
These counterfeit axes are not worth the box they come in even if you just want it to bang around at school with. They really are pure crap
Last couple of Epis I bought off ebay are sweet as (will never replace my old LP '74 Custom) but these are great guitars considering the price. Throw in some hotter pickups if you really want to wail..
I have an Epi in Ice Tea finish and added some Seymour Duncan Slash pickups and while not in the same league as the Gibson LP, I would happily gig with it.
I think I paid under $500 for it (pickups were extra of course)


As an alternative, I bought one of these as a cheap experiment. The plan was to put in some hot pickups, and replace the neck with an sweet old neck I have had on another old axe from years ago....
None of the plans eventuated, out of the box this guitar screams. Amazingly so to the point it gets more play than anything else I have and that 'bucker is unbelievable for a guitar in this price.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Axl-Badw...l_Instruments_Instruments&hash=item19cbb86571
 
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Joy

Joy

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WolfCreekPsycho said:
As an alternative, I bought one of these as a cheap experiment. The plan was to put in some hot pickups, and replace the neck with an sweet old neck I have had on another old axe from years ago....
None of the plans eventuated, out of the box this guitar screams. Amazingly so to the point it gets more play than anything else I have and that 'bucker is unbelievable for a guitar in this price.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Axl-Badw...l_Instruments_Instruments&hash=item19cbb86571
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One of my students has that guitar in a different colour! You're absolutely right too, the pickups are top notch for a guitar in the entry level category.

My project guitar at the moment was given to me. It's a "Vantage". I can barely find any info on Vantage and definitely can't find the particular model I have. How can you tell what wood the body is? It feels too light to be anything nice and I'm pretty sure they were cheap guitars, so should I guess it's Basswood?
 
Moggio

Moggio

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BUying a guitar having not actually played it is a real lucky dip even if it is genuine. Years ago when I was after a strat I tried out around 50 nicely played in guitars (new guitars are usually a pale image of what they can become) and none truly was wow and then finally picked one up and that was it... done pretty much everything with it since.

Just trying out any guitar that tickles your fancy in some way at pawn shops and the like is a great way to find some guitars that just want to be played and make music and can be found cheap because they aren't shiny or alternatively fake "distressed".
 
guitar1234

guitar1234

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I already Own an Epi Flying V and love it, the fake would have been something to stuff around with

I think I might buy one of those cheap kits just for something fun to do, maybe chuck some genuine Grovers in and some Seymour Duncans, thanks for the great advice guys, been pretty helpful:single_eye:
 
stinky1138

stinky1138

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We've got a collection of about 28 or so guitars. The three that get played the least often are a Gibson, an Epiphone, and a not very cheap kit.
Instead of spending money on a kit, buy a nice neck and some wood to make a body. Did that as well, and it turned out pretty rad. Half tele, half sg body called the TeleGee made from some local wood.
 
ajay

ajay

^Once punched Jeff Kennett. Don't pick an e-fight
Moggio said:
BUying a guitar having not actually played it is a real lucky dip even if it is genuine. Years ago when I was after a strat I tried out around 50 nicely played in guitars (new guitars are usually a pale image of what they can become) and none truly was wow and then finally picked one up and that was it... done pretty much everything with it since.

Just trying out any guitar that tickles your fancy in some way at pawn shops and the like is a great way to find some guitars that just want to be played and make music and can be found cheap because they aren't shiny or alternatively fake "distressed".
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My favourite guitar is an 89 Jap Strat that I bought on Ebay for $500. I put some new pick ups, a new bridge and got it set up... although I knew 'most' of the stuff in the 80's that came out of Fender Japan were pretty good, it was a bit of pot luck! 'Ive owned so many guitars over the years, and this one just does everything I ask of it!
 
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