Any one on here got any of these?
I’ve been downa rabiit hole in the last week or so and found a lot of people do have them and are very happy with them, including people that play paid gigs etc.
They of course won’t be the same quality as an original but then they are sometimes a tenth of the price…
I started looking as i really want the Noel Gallagher ES355, but thats like £15k so… I was looking at getting a Gibson or Epiphone and upgrading it (which I may still do) but ended up ordering one from a Chinese reseller so I’ll see what its like.
However I’ve seen a LOT of other people ordering fake Gibsons etc who are very happy with them.
The ethics/morals aside of ordering from China whats other peoples thoughts/experiences with them?
Hi Paul,
I got a China epiphone casino.
For my skill level it’s more than a fine guitar.
It plays good. I sounds good through the amps I have.
I’ve not considered upgrading anything about it as it performs the work that I need.
I also got it used and have had it for 2-3 years now I suppose. So far, I’ve not had to repair anything about it.
imho, I’d find it hard to think that a USA casino or a gibson ES330 would be worth the big extra dollars.
I’m happy enough with my China guitar. It’s a 2018 model.
I’d buy a kit guitar and buid that over a mail-order budget copy, especially from a country known for spotty workmanship.
The exception would be a known brand. There are some budget brands that have pretty nice quality standards. I’ look there before a mail order unknown. It should not have a logo on it that is not what you are buying - that part is very much off-limits. (i.e. no Gibson branding on a copy trying to pass itself off as Gibson, but buying a Chinese made Epiphone is fine because it is not claiming to be something it is not)
Your best bet for a good experience is to visit a few used guitar stores where you can try out the instrument before you buy it. In these cases, you have a pretty good idea of what you are buying and you can make sure it fits you physically and sounds like you expect.
Yes, I’m talking about actual counterfeit versions of Gibsons etc
Understand people have strong opinions on these and it’s understandable, I’m just dipping my toe in that world. But there are people that swear by them, yes they may need some tweaking, replacing a few parts but they swear that they are getting much more value than what theyve paid
I would never reward a company, China or elsewhere, for stealing the identity of another company.
A legitimate guitar, like an Epiphone, that’s manufactured in China is one thing. I think my PRS SE was manufactured in China. In that situation, the actual copyright and trade mark holder has contracted with a Chinese company.
Counterfeiting is a completely different animal, and we should not be a part of it.
They exist, people buy them, but counterfeit guitars are law breakers.
I’m sure there are many online spaces where the pros and cons can be discussed.
JustinGuitar aims to be an arbiter of good business ethics and right living.
I’m taking a moderation decision to close this topic.
OK, here’s my 2c. I’m by no means a rich man, and on retirement since 2021. I have several Harley Benton guitars, being obvious copies of a LP, Strat or Tele, but copies on which the manufacturer puts their brand (all nice guitars, BTW).
All my life since the beginning of my guitar adventure in late 1960s I’ve craved a Les Paul, but simply couldn’t afford the real thing. Now, as I’ve been growing older, I decided to save the money in an amount sufficient to get a LP Studio which I did and am extremely happy with it, even though it cost me an equivalent of approx. 1700$ (US). Of course I’ve heard about Chibsons and watched numerous videos showing those instruments from unboxing to actual sound samples, and many of them were really well made and sounded awesome. Nevertheless I was pretty adamant about the decision not to buy one.
As regards the ethics, well, if someone wishes to buy a Chibson, it’s fine, as I can understand the reasons behind such a decision. What’s definitely wrong (and perhaps a felony in many countries) is when someone buys a fake branded with the actual manufacturer’s name and then tries to sell it as the real thing to a person unaware of the true identity of the instrument.
I simply didn’t want to support the fake makers
