News
Gibson warns of counterfeit guitars
Rob Hughes Nov 17 2009, 10:38am
Comments (17)
Chinese wholesale websites tout fakes at "super low prices"
Gibson has warned that Chinese wholesale product sites such as TradeTang.com, DHGate.com and MadeInChina.com are selling cheap, fake Gibson and Epiphone guitars boldly advertised at “Super Low Prices”.
The firm cites the experience of a poster on Scams.com by the name of MosriteCharlie, who was hustled into purchasing a fake guitar.
MosriteCharlie’s recent post read: “Back in July of this year, I purchased two electric guitars that I was led to believe were American made guitars. To make a long story short, I was scammed big. That is not what I actually received. I received counterfeit fakes.”
The fake guitar epidemic isn’t new to Gibson, which has invested considerable efforts to remove counterfeits from sites like these or to shut them down entirely.
Gibson’s manager of brand protection Ric Olsen said: “We work diligently to protect the investments of our consumers by taking action against those who sell counterfeit and infringing guitars.
“Wholesale product sales sites like TradeTang are clearinghouses for fake guitars. Some of these sites have policies that allow for quick removal of sellers with counterfeits or infringing pieces, but sometimes it takes a long time for a site to respond and sometimes they never respond at all.”
Gibson reports that TradeTang has been virtually unresponsive to its legal demands to remove sellers of infringing and counterfeit pieces. The website hasn’t taken down any fake guitars or sellers from its site. Though counterfeit guitars are still rampant on its site, DHGate has responded to Gibson’s demands by making some effort to better police its site.
Meanwhile, TradeTang continues to blatantly market fake guitars, sending out email blasts featuring these instruments and paying for Google ads to lure musicians to its site.
“TradeTang works as many popular e-commerce and auction sites do, except they have inferior reporting mechanisms in place to take down these illegal sales,” explained Olsen. “TradeTang has a link on each page for reporting infringing or fake product, but it’s useless because they don’t take any action.”
To report incidents, consumers should visit: http://www.ic3.gov/.
For questions about a guitar’s authenticity, contact the Gibson Customer Service team at service@gibson.com.
Comments
“Gibson”
Posted by: Musicnutter - Nov 17, 12:15pm
What percentage of shop wall space are Gibson wanting retailers to commit to these models?
“Re: Gibson”
Posted by: Brad - Nov 17, 1:55pm
Thate a thought... and i wonder just how many tens of thousands of £'s will they try and gouge out of dealers for these also. By the way, many thanks for listing the urls' of the sites where these fakes are freely available.. that makes perfect sense...
“Re: Gibson”
Posted by: Dave Plummer - Nov 17, 1:57pm
Very interesting warning from Gibson.
Are they not aware that this has been happening since the mid 70's? Indeed, it continues, whilst Gibson sue (a) makers who don't make copies and (b) electronic toy manufacturers who don't make musical instruments.
Gibson Hendrix "Strat" anyone?
“not just gibson”
Posted by: repski - Nov 17, 4:05pm
Not just Gibsons tho is it.
You can get whatever brand you want, USA Strat, JEM7V, anything...
But they are all garbage if you have ever seen one....
I think it's the poor punters of ebay that will suffer......knowone could fall for one of these in store.....
so.....lets hope people get fingers burnt on ebay.....then people will learn at long last.............
BUY FROM A SHOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“Re: not just gibson”
Posted by: buzz boy - Nov 17, 10:03pm
Looks like GIBSON has the same "terrific " reputation in your world as it has down under
Looking after dealers !!!
Helping dealers!!!
Doing something about Fakes and Grey market Imports
They are simply the BEST
And we are DOOMED
“Re: Re: not just gibson”
Posted by: Steve Robinson - Nov 18, 10:16am
"Counterfeit fakes"? So these weren't even _real_ fakes?
“Re: Re: Re: not just gibson”
Posted by: Dave Plummer - Nov 18, 10:54am
This matter regarding non-USA-but-supposedly-USA-made-guitars is highly intriguing.
It appears highly possible that the so-called "conspiracy theorists" may have their day after all.
“Re: Re: Re: Re: not just gibson”
Posted by: Musicnutter - Nov 18, 12:14pm
Any fake Gibson Hendrix Strats available?
“Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: not just gibson”
Posted by: Goldburg - Nov 18, 2:04pm
MMmm!! the mind Boggles! when moving most of the guitar manufacturing over to china... these Chinese are the kings of mirror imagery in anything made on earth.... Could Epiphone/Gibson, Fender, PRS..... not see this was going to happen... Common!! When it come's down to it these fake guitars are Great door stoppers and fit for nothing else. So what if punter's buy a fake guitar, they know darn well what there buying... and those people will never buy an original so leave them to waste there own money on waste.... PS... Manufactures, people will pay extra for better goods...move your manufacturing back to Korea, Japan, Hay! Wot about the UK??
“Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: not just gibson”
Posted by: repski - Nov 19, 8:34am
Dealers should buy one of these nasty fakes to show people when they come in and try a guitar.
Then when they start to leave the shop to buy it on the net at the cheapest price.
They can be shown what the risks are of buying something blind.
I'm sure it would be worth the money to the punter to get the real deal.!!!!!
“Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: not just gibson”
Posted by: MarkyMark - Nov 19, 2:20pm
Fact is, these fakes serve a need that Gibson and others won't serve. For example, who in their right mind would give a 16-year old thrasher a Zakk Wylde custom Gibson costing $2500? But with a $350 fake version available, the kid would be happy. I think they should market them as copies though, and not originals.
“Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: not just gibson”
Posted by: Richard@Richards - Nov 19, 3:52pm
So whats worse for the consumer, buying a Gibson "fake" and buying a load of **** for £300 or spending £1500 on a real Gibson and buying a load of ****.
Seems like the fakes are a more honest purchase than the real thing these days.
“Gibson's reputation”
Posted by: Nick - Nov 20, 10:31am
I have just read down 13 comments and either:
Only people who hate Gibson read MIPro
OR
Gibson's reputation is shot to pieces and fakes are the least of their problems!
“Re: Gibson's reputation”
Posted by: Andy Murray - Nov 21, 5:19pm
When people are buying something just because of the name on the headstock, rather than an instrument that plays, this is what happens.
Everyone knows Gibson have been selling shockingly overpriced crap for many years now, based on the name alone.
On the flip side, the dealers who don't add value to products, buy selectively and sell properly, adding value to their stock can only blame themselves.
Distributors don't listen to the right people though, as most of them are corporate brown-nosers.
“Re: Re: Gibson's reputation”
Posted by: Orville - Nov 23, 6:17pm
They've only got themselves to blame!
We all know that Gibson still make SOME amazing instruments, but what they have done to the dealer network in the UK has only fuelled the need for it's consumers to buy online.
This all comes from greed & panic.
“Re: Re: Re: Gibson's reputation”
Posted by: PRS fan - Dec 1, 9:46pm
Funny isn't it what complacency and arrogance will do - you'd think a company the size and with the history would invest in learning rather than sueing. Sad inditement of American culture but thankfully not all American manufacturers are the same.
“Re: Re: Re: Re: Gibson's reputation”
Posted by: SpizzleSpoke2 - Dec 5, 10:43am
Well, china owns. They are the new center of earth.
95% of Every guitar I own is made in china. I buy guitars from there cheap, refret them and set them up myself (because 12 year old chinese girl slaves fret like ass) and wam bam. I got a guitar that rivals any american made overpriced hunk of wood.
Us Americans are China's bitch. Gibson is just another bitch. And now gibson is howling like one "waaaaaaaaaaah!!"