Re: China - Tweed Champ for $209 including shipping?
Wow Doc that was an excellent overview covering a broad spectrum I appreciate the insight. I'm still wondering how they can sell EMG 81 85 for $58 unless they counterfeited the EMG stickers bar codes you know the whole enchilada.
Again, EMG has American labor, benefits, insurance, and other operating fees, as well as executive salaries, advertising, and artist endorsement freebies to pay for. These Chinese operations do not have such a high payout. The government dominates the economy to guard against internal inflation regardless of what the currency of other countries do, so if wages increase it's because profits increased, not because bread and eggs and gas did. If prices increase, it's to put more people to work, not make one person rich.
As well, as was stated, China ignores most if not all trademark and copyright laws of other countries. They see a market for a brand, they jump on it with their own copies and sell it domestically. Someone wants a Gibson Les Paul Custom that says Made In USA on the headstock, there's a factory in China that will make it. They may or may not have any affiliation with Gibson USA (i.e. contract to build imports) but they see it for what it is: a solidbody electric guitar with a mahogany body and maple cap, set-in mahogany neck with ebony fretboard and mother of pearl block inlays, 2 humbuckers, 4 knobs, and a 3-way toggle, and a logo and stamped serial number and "Made In USA". They don't see the history attached to it, they see meeting a need and offering a product to a buying market.
Clearly it's counterfeit, but is that only in regards to the fact that it was not actually made in America by Gibson? How do the final products compare? My Agile 2500 was as good a guitar as my (genuine) USA Les Paul Standard, for the brief time I had it. It was not poorly constructed, and did not feel like a toy, unlike the Epiphone LP copy I tried in a local shop around the same time. Had I not known where it was made and how much it cost, I would have assumed it to be a startup USA brand using basic hardware and electronics and putting most of their build budget into the important elements like the wood and the construction.
Yes, I do see the problem with them using a Gibson logo, and of course the "Made in USA" stamp; someone buys one for $200, then sells it as and for the cost of a USA Gibson. The new owner has a warranty issue and finds out the hard way they were the victim of fraud.
On the other hand, suppose it doesn't have those features, and is sold legitimately. Yes, it's Gibson's trademark headstock, but it doesn't say Gibson or Made in USA. But it's still a quality instrument for 1/10th the cost of a Gibson USA. How much problem is this for Gibson, in reality?
Very little, historically speaking.
How many people bought a USA Gibson SG because of Tony Iommi?
How many people bought a USA Les Paul Standard because of Slash?
How many people bought Charvels because of Jake E. Lee with his white Fender 3-bolt and a Charvel logo?
How many "top" names were actually using boutique copies and fakes and inadvertently drove business to the company who made the real thing?
Why is this acceptable? Because they paid as much or more for a "custom built" copy or fake as they would for an off-the-shelf original?
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than any other hi-gain lunchbox out there, regardless of price. I see no reason why the champ clone should be any different.
