Chinese guitars on EBay

[ThreeChordWonder]

The body and neck are just fine. Easily up to Epiphone or Squier standards, if not better. The wood itself, who knows, but it looks like mahogany of some kind, and unless you're spending serious money, you probably don't get any better on any budget guitar. I didn't have to deal with badger's behind fret ends (unlike my Fender Players) and the edge of the fretboard is even slightly rolled. The electronics were sh1te and the tuners, well, what do you expect for $300 all in including shipping?

 

[chadd]

Hi all,
Do any of you have experience with unbranded guitars on EBay? Most seem sourced from China.

I know there's a big controversy about Chibsons and that many people think buying these guitars is unethical.

I don't think most people have any real ethical issues with the unbranded stuff, only the ones that fraudulently purport to be a "real" brand. I've seen too many people knowingly buy a fake and then pass it off as a real one, netting a few hundred bucks along the way.

 

[GuitarStv]

Amazing that they can do such a great job with paint, binding, body angles, inlays, etc., but something relatively simple like the fretwork and truss rod gives them problems.

I would think the paint would be the hardest part of the guitar to get right, especially if you're doing bright colors, fades, graphics, etc.

I don't think the truss rod and fretwork do actually give them problems. It's just extra time and effort . . . and people buying these guitars are buying them without touching them based on how they look not how they play or sound - so they just don't bother wasting any time on that.

 

[Inflames626]

The days of scoring old MIJ copies on the cheap are by and large over. Tokai, Greco, Burny and Orville guitars are known quantities now and sellers usually are hip to their value.

If you are looking to save money but get a quality guitar and don't care about the name on the headstock, get a Cort, Epiphone, Ibanez or Squier. Anything labeled Made in Indonesia is almost certainly made by Cort, their own branded guitars are great value for the money. Epiphone (especially $600+ range new) and Squier Classic Vibe are the best Chinese-made guitars I've played.

I tried a friend's Harley Benton LP style and was less than impressed. For a couple hundred more he could have bought a decent used guitar.

Cort, Epis, Squiers, etc., usually don't offer the body designs and features I'm looking for.

Ibanezs are decent but because their proprietary junk bridges (aside from the Original Edge and its derivatives) can't be retrofitted with a Schaller or OFR means low to mid tier stuff is useless to me unless I want a fixed bridge guitar.

 

[Inflames626]

I don't think most people have any real ethical issues with the unbranded stuff, only the ones that fraudulently purport to be a "real" brand. I've seen too many people knowingly buy a fake and then pass it off as a real one, netting a few hundred bucks along the way.

By "unethical" I meant the tendency of some countries to routinely infringe upon U.S. companies' designs, patents, and intellectual property.

 

[Inflames626]

Most manufacturers sell at MSRP to protect their dealer network. If they sold to the public at dealer cost, or made it unprofitable to be a dealer, they would lose a lot of business.

Good point that I didn't consider. The thing is whether the dealer networks will remain relevant considering the death of brick-and-mortar retail. Then again, all that built up inventory has to go somewhere.

I haven't visited a guitar store since the 00s. I don't really miss it since most of the imports I purchase are of comparable quality and I don't need to play a guitar before purchasing it.

Something like amps is another matter, but for most music stuff these days I can order online and wait.

 

[chadd]

Good point that I didn't consider. The thing is whether the dealer networks will remain relevant considering the death of brick-and-mortar retail. Then again, all that built up inventory has to go somewhere.

I haven't visited a guitar store since the 00s. I don't really miss it since most of the imports I purchase are of comparable quality and I don't need to play a guitar before purchasing it.

Something like amps is another matter, but for most music stuff these days I can order online and wait.

Specialty retail still does well in markets where there are enough people. The folks that rate cost above quality frankly aren't worth the time or hassle. Shops catering to mid and high end customers with some supplement from an online presence can do quite well. Back where I grew up, customers that would try to negotiate the cost of picks dominated the market and now everyone has to buy online or drive a couple hours to put there hands on much of anything.

 

[solspirit]

By "unethical" I meant the tendency of some countries to routinely infringe upon U.S. companies' designs, patents, and intellectual property.

In reality intelectual property doesn't exist. Business ethics? lol.

 

[chadd]

In reality intelectual property doesn't exist. Business ethics? lol.

As a friend in the sporting goods industry once told me: "a patent only gives you the right to sue, if you can afford it and they will abide by the court." When it comes to offshore companies, good luck. They'll change the name and start right back up if you somehow manage to get enforcement.

 

[AlexR]

In reality intelectual property doesn't exist. Business ethics? lol.

Not saying much - technically no law 'exists' - they're all constructs. The only thing that makes it relevant or 'real' is possibility of repercussions. But intellectual property has become as real as it needs to be many times in guitar/music related life - both to individuals and companies.
Of course the Chinese 'fake' company thing of course is beyond repercussion in the western world.

 

[The Dali]

Always temped to try those out... and I love the looks of the Grote/Firefly semi-hollows... but so suspect on the build quality and the fact that semi-hollows are a pain to work on vs a solidbody.

 

[Inflames626]

Not saying much - technically no law 'exists' - they're all constructs. The only thing that makes it relevant or 'real' is possibility of repercussions. But intellectual property has become as real as it needs to be many times in guitar/music related life - both to individuals and companies.
Of course the Chinese 'fake' company thing of course is beyond repercussion in the western world.

The construct is real as its ability to be enforced. Western companies don't have to be able to enforce intellectual property rights through courts. Western consumers simply can choose not to purchase products that infringe on Western intellectual property rights. Kill the demand for the crime and you kill the crime.

Hence my saying purchasing said guitars can be viewed as unethical in the same way circulating counterfeit money is unethical. But money is a worthless fiat currency social construct, eh? Only if you allow it to be worthless.

Above I've kind of undone my own argument for purchasing said guitars, but as I said, a lot of these designs simply aren't being produced anymore. That isn't an excuse for intellectual property rights infringement according to many companies, but I think lack of availability is more excusable than simply wanting a cheap guitar.

Some of us don't want every guitar we own to be a Les Paul or Strat.

 

[Demanic]

The construct is real as its ability to be enforced. Western companies don't have to be able to enforce intellectual property rights through courts. Western consumers simply can choose not to purchase products that infringe on Western intellectual property rights. Kill the demand for the crime and you kill the crime.

Hence my saying purchasing said guitars can be viewed as unethical in the same way circulating counterfeit money is unethical. But money is a worthless fiat currency social construct, eh? Only if you allow it to be worthless.

Above I've kind of undone my own argument for purchasing said guitars, but as I said, a lot of these designs simply aren't being produced anymore. That isn't an excuse for intellectual property rights infringement according to many companies, but I think lack of availability is more excusable than simply wanting a cheap guitar.

Some of us don't want every guitar we own to be a Les Paul or Strat.

In case you haven't noticed, most western consumers are idiots.
Especially the ones who don't actually produce anything.

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