http://www.aliexpress.com/cheap/cheap-thunderbird-bass.html
They even say Made in USA!!!!
That and some say Gibson on the TRC. Craptacular.
They probably sound as good as they look :rolleyes:
"if you need a guitar Headstock pictures, please contact us"
Riiight! :o
Vely fline blasses, allel of them! Not buying now, savel you lotsa money!
Oh dear, how were these designed - verbal description over the phone?
These have been around for years now.
I believe that the Alibaba e-commerce company is scheduled to go public and pop at $20B+ USD some time in the next week or so.
Not sure if this has relevance at all - I'm just hoping that more and more people don't fall victim to these cheap (and mostly illegal) knock-offs. I have a feeling that any (if there are any) current international shipping restrictions might be...less than stringently enforced once these guys go public.
It's pretty easy for most musicians to take one glance at a bad picture from a Chinese e-Commerce site and start counting flaws, but can imagine what happens when US marketing specialists (and lawyers) get a crack at making millions by selling dog poo to strangers?
Imagine some uninformed aunt/uncle unwittingly buying a Gibsun LP on Amazon for $138 - thinking they're doing a great thing for their niece/nephew...
I weep for the future.
Alibaba is HUGE in China - makes Ebay look like a junior brother. It's a primary means of commerce there. You can just imagine that every fake and knock-off created in China is available there.
I haven't reviewed it to see if there are any safeguards for buyers, but I wouldn't believe it even if I read that there were.
Quote from: Pilgrim on September 01, 2014, 04:01:23 PM
Alibaba is HUGE in China - makes Ebay look like a junior brother. It's a primary means of commerce there. You can just imagine that every fake and knock-off created in China is available there.
I haven't reviewed it to see if there are any safeguards for buyers, but I wouldn't believe it even if I read that there were.
Our fellow Outposter John Schoen ordered a Rickenfaker a while ago and he posted his ideas on the bass in the Rickenbacker corner.
http://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=8898.0
That's an appallingly limited colour range. If they had some cool custom colours they might actually sell a few.
Those still look better than Nikki's Schecter.
ROLF!
So true!
Ya got that right, G. Nikki's schector looks Like dog poop!
Quote from: Pilgrim on September 01, 2014, 04:01:23 PM
Alibaba is HUGE in China - makes Ebay look like a junior brother. It's a primary means of commerce there. You can just imagine that every fake and knock-off created in China is available there.
I haven't reviewed it to see if there are any safeguards for buyers, but I wouldn't believe it even if I read that there were.
Quote from: Basvarken on September 01, 2014, 04:37:29 PM
Our fellow Outposter John Schoen ordered a Rickenfaker a while ago and he posted his ideas on the bass in the Rickenbacker corner.
http://bassoutpost.com/index.php?topic=8898.0
I bought my Rickenfaker on DHgate, Alibabas smaller cousin, because they have a system where you pay DHgate for the goods and DHgate releases the payment to the seller when you indicate that you have received the goods and there is nothing wrong with them. Didn't have to try to get a refund because I am very happy with my Lemmy faker.
Quote from: John Schoen on September 02, 2014, 05:08:05 AM
I bought my Rickenfaker on DHgate, Alibabas smaller cousin, because they have a system where you pay DHgate for the goods and DHgate releases the payment to the seller when you indicate that you have received the goods and there is nothing wrong with them. Didn't have to try to get a refund because I am very happy with my Lemmy faker.
That's very good news!
Quote from: John Schoen on September 02, 2014, 05:08:05 AM
I bought my Rickenfaker on DHgate, Alibabas smaller cousin, because they have a system where you pay DHgate for the goods and DHgate releases the payment to the seller when you indicate that you have received the goods and there is nothing wrong with them. Didn't have to try to get a refund because I am very happy with my Lemmy faker.
But your Lemmy faker wasn't represented to be a Rickenbacker. It's a copy. Rickenbacker doesn't like it but there's a big difference between a copy and a counterfeit.
If Alibaba is going to establish an official US business presence, they'll have to crack down on the counterfeits, just like eBay does.
In any case, US buyers are better off buying an Epi than one of these counterfeit Gibsons. Less expensive, known seller and comes with a warranty.
IMHO our trademark laws have become way too broad, allowing companies to stifle competition by letting them lock up the shapes of products. OTOH counterfeiting is never okay.
But Epi doesn't make the one I really like, a real non-reverse.
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Custom-4-Strings-Bass-Guitar-Thunderbird-Classic-IV-Bass-guitar-Black-New-Arrival-Free-Shipping/1649053957.html
That is SO wacky looking!!!
Nikki had at least one Spector that was an upside down bird and I've seen a couple Fernandez copies of those over the years. I wouldn't play one all the time but I do think it would be cool to have one just for fun.
You mean one of these?
(http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab239/Nokturnalbass/P1010181_zpse5485649.jpg) (http://s867.photobucket.com/user/Nokturnalbass/media/P1010181_zpse5485649.jpg.html)
I bought this a couple of weeks back. It's actually more comfortable than you would think, but not as comfortable as a NR.
The 2 + 2 headstock looks so wrong on that body.
I guess I'm used to mine, albeit a reverse... it's what your used to or "it's a tradition" mode... ;)
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu280/kjrstewart/Peter%20Cook%20Custom/20110119PC8.jpg)
Quote from: Nokturnal on September 05, 2014, 10:18:35 PM
You mean one of these?
(http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab239/Nokturnalbass/P1010181_zpse5485649.jpg) (http://s867.photobucket.com/user/Nokturnalbass/media/P1010181_zpse5485649.jpg.html)
Yep! I like those.
Ho's.......They make the world go 'round ;)
Quote from: Nokturnal on September 05, 2014, 10:18:35 PM
You mean one of these?
(http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab239/Nokturnalbass/P1010181_zpse5485649.jpg) (http://s867.photobucket.com/user/Nokturnalbass/media/P1010181_zpse5485649.jpg.html)
I bought this a couple of weeks back. It's actually more comfortable than you would think, but not as comfortable as a NR.
A few years back someone over on the Hamer forum was selling a leftie FBIV. I was stupid cheap and sold before I could pull the trigger. I figured I could just play it as is, but set up right handed, or ship it over to a builder I know to do the necessary to move the controls/output jack to the lower bout of the body.
P
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v700/chemilumoassay/RedLeftyFBIV.jpg)
That lefty Hamer must be ultra rare!! That would have been a cool one to get a hold of.