Chinese Ebay bass with your headstock logo, $280

Pilgrim · April 29, 2015, 09:51:58 PM

Semi-hollow, good looking body, appealing overall. $30 to add your own logo on the headstock!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-CUSTOM-SEMI-HOLLOW-BODY-BASS-amp-GOLD-PLARED-HARDWARE-FREE-SHIPPING-/121636932004?&_trksid=p2056016.l4276

Dave W · April 29, 2015, 10:52:28 PM

What if your last name happens to be Gretsch?

Could be good for the price or not. I wouldn't touch anything like this without some detailed reports from other owners, especially considering the cost of return shipping to China.

dadagoboi · April 30, 2015, 05:52:51 AM

It appears they were making the now discontinued Epi Pro TBirds

http://www.ebay.com/itm/UN-FINISHED-GUITAR-SOLID-BODY-ELECTRIC-GUITAR-/111658464743?

IMO this is too close to the actual Epi body (I own one) to be a copy.

Highlander · April 30, 2015, 05:55:06 AM

Fascinating...

dadagoboi · April 30, 2015, 10:50:58 AM

As labor in China has become expensive, the bosses have finally seen the value in training and producing quality. With the downturn in the US economy and the increase in the yuan, buying cheap in China is a losing strategy. Indonesia is the place.

This factory looks like an OEM supplier figuring out how to sell in today's world.

Pilgrim · April 30, 2015, 11:09:50 AM

I'm not an advocate, I shared this because it seems like a new twist on imports. They're certainly not scared of logo copyright infringement.

dadagoboi · April 30, 2015, 12:18:09 PM

Quote from: Pilgrim on April 30, 2015, 11:09:50 AM
They're certainly not scared of logo copyright infringement.

How do you infer that from, "We can put your own logo on the headstock..."? To me that says they are OEM manufacturers looking for business. It's not up to them to determine whether their customers are asking for something illegal in their country.

I'm saying this as someone who has had his intellectual property rights violated by a company based in Minnesota...more than once. But I guess that's different, they're Americans.

Your statement leads me to believe you are very naive about how business works.

Highlander · April 30, 2015, 01:10:26 PM

Gentlemen... I want a fair fight, we know the rules... all above board and above the belt...

dadagoboi · April 30, 2015, 02:22:03 PM

Sorry. I've actually worked outside of the USA and believe I have a general idea how international commerce is conducted.

Here's my take on that seller: They built good enough product to be an OEM supplier, for argument purposes say for Epiphone. Contract ends before it should have when Epi cancels order, possibly because they've found another source to build the product cheaper and moved it to them. It happens all the time. The OEM is expected to eat the inventory they built with no possibility of more orders from Epi. OEM decides it's better to sell stuff than lose money and shut the doors. So THEY take advantage of the world economy.

Business is the survival of the fittest. The big boys changed the copyright laws when they could and use their corporate muscle to quash little guys infringement claims. Maybe if Fred Gretsch, Leo Fender or Kirk Gibson were actually running those companies I'd have some sympathy, but I say more power to the innovators who are supplying value to their customers. Caveat Emptor.

Dave W · April 30, 2015, 02:33:31 PM

There's a tenor guitar maker who used to buy the same Gibson-style body blanks as Epi, from the same factory. But when Gibson bought that factory outright, his supply was cut off. He was told that from now on, the output was for Epiphone only.

For that reason, I'd guess that Epi Pro-style more likely a clone of the Epi from a different factory. Of course Gibson could have contracted the Epi Pro with a different factory, but with their own wholly-owned factory, I doubt it.

Pilgrim · April 30, 2015, 03:18:44 PM

No insult intended, Carlo. I may have stretched to assume they would put a commercial logo on the headstock as opposed to creating or reproducing an original logo from material supplied by the customer. But checking their website, they have a couple of glaringly obvious Rick knock-offs.

I didn't get the message that they are looking for someone to partner with - but that's not a logical jump from my viewpoint, and I can see why that thought would occur to you. I also didn't read all the copy lower on the page where they give some info about their name (Grote?) and business.

Thinking about Dave's comments...those pickups darn sure look similar to those used on Gretsch basses. Finish looks nice, too. I added it to my watch list to contemplate...if Dave is right that they're an OEM producer looking for a new home, that could be a nice bass for the price. Doing a quick web search, I found mentions of Grote guitars back in 2009.

dadagoboi · April 30, 2015, 04:32:50 PM

Quote from: Pilgrim on April 30, 2015, 03:18:44 PM
No insult intended, Carlo. I may have stretched to assume they would put a commercial logo on the headstock as opposed to creating or reproducing an original logo from material supplied by the customer. But checking their website, they have a couple of glaringly obvious Rick knock-offs.

I didn't get the message that they are looking for someone to partner with - but that's not a logical jump from my viewpoint, and I can see why that thought would occur to you. I also didn't read all the copy lower on the page where they give some info about their name (Grote?) and business.

Thinking about Dave's comments...those pickups darn sure look similar to those used on Gretsch basses. Finish looks nice, too. I added it to my watch list to contemplate...if Dave is right that they're an OEM producer looking for a new home, that could be a nice bass for the price. Doing a quick web search, I found mentions of Grote guitars back in 2009.

Sorry for getting on my high horse, Al. I made an inquiry, if they're in the right part of China I may go take a look. BTW, Rick copies are legal just about everywhere but the US. The rest of the world takes a different view on who owns what.

Those Gretsch style pickups are available from quite a few suppliers...why not, the design is 50 years old. I feel the same way about Rick clones. They've been making overpriced badly designed crap for long enough. Their bridge is only slightly better than a 3 point, attempts at five and 8 strings were laughable, not to mention all the problems with trussrods etc. over the years. On a level playing field they'd be dead.

Quote from: Dave W on April 30, 2015, 02:33:31 PM
There's a tenor guitar maker who used to buy the same Gibson-style body blanks as Epi, from the same factory. But when Gibson bought that factory outright, his supply was cut off. He was told that from now on, the output was for Epiphone only.

For that reason, I'd guess that Epi Pro-style more likely a clone of the Epi from a different factory. Of course Gibson could have contracted the Epi Pro with a different factory, but with their own wholly-owned factory, I doubt it.

Kudos to Gibson for actually buying a Chinese factory. It will be interesting if they can make it work long term. I see it's in Qing Dao, where the beer (Tsingtao) comes from. Former German colony, too far north for me.

That's definitely an Epi pro IMO. Whether or not they made it is up for debate. But judging by the apparent quality of their other offerings (and their feedback rating) they're doing something right. The styles they're selling are what their customers want to buy, clones, just like what their USA counterparts are selling. The market for original guitar designs is very small.

Pilgrim · April 30, 2015, 06:41:42 PM

Interesting statement from their company description: "We take advantage of the advanced imported equipments and modern technology to research , develop, and produce five series of products electric guitars , electric basses, acoustic guitars ,electric-acoustic guitars and amplifiers which perfectly meet the international standard. We establish our own brand "GROTE", which integrates delicate craft, scientific products structure and the spirit of many world famous brands."

Delicately phrased.

BTW - here's what appears to be a Hofner clone from the same seller...$160 with staple pickups.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-GROTE-GUITAR-SUNBURST-COLOR-AND-HOLLOW-BODY-LP-STYLE-ELECTRIC-BASS-/121636940634?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c52206b5a

dadagoboi · May 01, 2015, 02:04:54 AM

They're located in Weifang which is around 100 miles from Qingdao and the Epi factory. Beijing is to the northwest in Heibei province. Not a place I want to visit.

From the 'Unofficial Epiphone Wiki', http://epiphonewiki.com/index.php/Qingdao

"Prior to opening the Qingdao factories, Epiphone guitars manufactured in China were made at factories such as Dongbei, Daewon, Muse, Mirr, Saejung, Unsung-China and others."

No surprise that enterprising Chinese learned lessons and saw opportunities. That's what they do.