Seymour Duncan pickups from AliExpress - are they real?

[CaptainWhizz]

There are pickup brands such as Iron Gear, Tonerider, Wilkinson, Entwistle, and Warman (sorry, I only know the UK ones) that take advantage of cheaper Chinese manufacturing, but are more reliable with better customer service.

If you are after cheaper pickups then they are worth looking into; I’ve seen people get some great tones with Tonerider especially, and Iron Gear. Assuming from the link you posted you’re German, I’m sure you can get those brands or similar from Amazon, Thomann, Bax, or similar.

[ehdwuld]

Fleor

[eclecticsynergy]

Tthe Chinese factories are quite capable of building a quality product. The thing is, they build to spec.
Often the spec is something along the lines of, "Make ten thousand of these as cheaply as possible."

Given detailed specifications for manufacture and quality control, what they produce can be excellent.
Tonerider is an example - good designs, and an owner who's over there to keep an eye on things personally.

[AdrianSD]

Don't risk it with Aliexpress & other well known counterfeit product sources. Besides, people should start to wake up to the fact that continuing to prop up the mainland Chinese manufacturers at the expense of others around the world is the safest way to continue putting all our eggs in one basket and sell of our children future to some dodgy totalitarian government and shoddy businesses with little to no regards to human rights, gentlemen agreements and rule of law. Yes, I know it's a political statement, whose purpose is to get people having a bit of perspective, not inflame the topic.

[Mincer]

Thing is, deals like that simply don't exist in the real world with actual products. If all you care about is the labeling (like many people do with clothes and shoes), it can work. But not when the product actually has to do something. Outside of looks, the minute you plug it in, you'd be able to tell it wasn't genuine.

[AdrianSD]

Thing is, deals like that simply don't exist in the real world with actual products. If all you care about is the labeling (like many people do with clothes and shoes), it can work. But not when the product actually has to do something. Outside of looks, the minute you plug it in, you'd be able to tell it wasn't genuine.

That's exactly right, happened to me and that was the main reason I've joined to SD forum family Embarrassing enough, I got conned not by some overseas dodgy operator, but by a fellow Australian ))

[Top-L]

If the lawyers ever get it sorted out, the USA will own China.

[CaptainWhizz]

If the lawyers ever get it sorted out, the USA will own China.

Unfortunately, China does not like to play by the rest of the world’s IP laws ☹️

[Demanic]

They don't have to.

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

[devastone]

Wait, Duncans for $40, sign me up!!

Oh, yeah, no...

IP laws are by country, technically those can't be sold in the US but by selling on a website based in China is apparently a way around that pesky issue.

[Demanic]

Anything goes.

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

[LesStrat]

Fake.

they have some hats, though.

[Aceman]

Thing is, deals like that simply don't exist in the real world with actual products. If all you care about is the labeling (like many people do with clothes and shoes), it can work. But not when the product actually has to do something. Outside of looks, the minute you plug it in, you'd be able to tell it wasn't genuine.

Or do they?

I was playing an Aliexpress Malmsteen Strat a guy got for a wall decoration the other night. Now - compared to my Strat, the sound sucked. And I have no idea how it sounded compared to a real Yngwie. But tonal preferences aside, everything about it seemed to work. I bet an HS3 set in it would have sounded great.

The bottom line is Quality is what it is. Cost is only relevant to the degree that you can't beat that quality, at that price. The Market will speak.

If you think a Klon is worth $5000, and Mosky can reproduce that sound at $25, and you think you have a snowball chance in the Market (AKA Hell), well, I believe Mr. Halford said it best: You got another thing coming.

I'm a Lean Six Sigma Master Blackbelt by trade. I have spent a considerable portion of my career listening to US companies make excuses and lying and choosing not to be competitive. Play hard or die. The Market does not care.

So someone go get one of these Duncans and lets see...What if they DO sound as good? What if they sound BETTER?

[Mincer]

Playing a real Yngwie Strat is an experience. The ones from China may work, but I don't see how they can build something as good as that guitar.

[Teleplayer]

I've got no idea why anyone would purposely buy a known counterfeit product just to try it. There are plenty of low priced alternatives from companies that present themselves in a honest way.