I may never buy a used guitar again...

[FrankenFretter]

This scares me. Check it out; they have Gibsons, Fenders, Ricks, Gretschs, Ibanez, PRS, ESP, and Epis. They don't tell you much, but the photos of the products make me think that I probably am not wise enough to tell theirs from the real thing in person.

Anyone ever encounter one of these, or own one? I am curious. They'd make an interesting conversation or display piece, if nothing else.

http://samin.cn/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1&zenid=0om60siluoep7vem0lsd8u74d3

 

[aeolian]

http://samin.cn means it is based in China. I can tell you all the guitars you see are fakes. They may even be good fakes, but they are fake and unethical. I've also heard that sometimes they use the real manufacturers' pictures, so you can't just trust the pictures either. A few years ago there were a rash Chinese fake Gibsons on eBay. Google and you will find a bunch of info on how to tell the fakes from the real ones. Apparently they make fakes of all kinds of well known brands now.

 

[FrankenFretter]

http://samin.cn means it is based in China. I can tell you all the guitars you see are fakes. They may even be good fakes, but they are fake and unethical. I've also heard that sometimes they use the real manufacturers' pictures, so you can't just trust the pictures either. A few years ago there were a rash Chinese fake Gibsons on eBay. Google and you will find a bunch of info on how to tell the fakes from the real ones. Apparently they make fakes of all kinds of well known brands now.

I was aware that it's a Chinese company and that they're not the real thing. All I'm saying is that it would be difficult for someone not well educated on the genuine article to tell the difference. I'm going through posts on other forums right now to see what people are saying about this particular company. I know there are, or were several other Chinese sites selling fakes as well. The US is purportedly putting pressure on the Chinese gov't to shut these places down.

So far I've read some very mixed reviews; some say they paid and got nothing, and some say that they got their guitars and they're fairly decent quality. Our own Otaypanky knows someone who owns one, and said it wasn't horrible. Apparently they used to lack control cavity covers as well as truss rod covers. I wouldn't expect them to be fantastic quality, but I am curious as to how good or bad they really are.

I know there are probably hundreds of these things floating around various Craig's Lists throughout the country. The whole reason I found the site is that someone had posted a Les Paul Supreme on my local CL, and another poster put out the warning about the fakes and included the URL of this particular Chinese site. The fellow was selling the LP Supreme for $400, by the way. That was a big tip off.

 

[DrumBob]

I did an article a few months ago in Premier Guitar about this subject: counterfeit guitars from China. It's quite a racket. I did some "covert" investigative journalism, pretending to be an interested customer getting ready to order from one of these Chinese bogus sites. The guitars are about as well made or a little worse than your average Epiphone. I have played several. From a distance, the average listener or concert/club attendee couldn't tell the guitars were fake, but up close, a trained eye can spot them immediately. The Chinese do all kinds of underhanded sh** to sell these things. It isn't against the law to buy one, but it is a moral decision only you can make. You're buying a fake, an instrument that violates the property of legitmate companies.

 

[player]

as phony as they are the G black Jazz guitar G640 does catch the eye.BB style and for under three bills.let's face it not much Is made here anymore.tonal quality is what I wonder about

 

[MAXIFUNK]

I would be hard pressed to buy a used axe from someone on-line.
I look but doubt if I would ever pull the trigger.

 

[Ch0jin]

Yeah tempting, but extremely unethical. Having recently seen a fairly shocking doco series on China's counterfeiting (including fake medicine and food) the last thing they (Chinese fakers) need is more encouragement.

Oh and the US (or any other) government leaning on them? Extremely unlikely to have any effect at all. All we can do as consumers is try to avoid purchasing products that enable this industry.

 

[Ch0jin]

as phony as they are the G black Jazz guitar G640 does catch the eye.BB style and for under three bills.let's face it not much Is made here anymore.tonal quality is what I wonder about

I know what you mean, but I believe that if they really -were- in the business of making and marketing a decent instrument at super low cost (face it, a large part of the reason they'll be cheap is sweatshop style labour), then they would do what all the other legit Chinese vendors do and come up with a different brand name and slightly different shape. Thats the cheap guitar to try out. Not the one that needs a fake brand to attract customers.

 

[markb]

Tempting as they may be, people have been prosecuted for selling these fakes. If you want to buy one that's your affair, but when someone tries to sell one as the real thing, it's fraud. Even Epiphones get faked, I saw one for sale the other day at auction and I've seen more than a few of the "Gibsons" offered used.

 

[Commodore 64]

Look at the neck and headstock. That's the same as the guitar I bought and got screwed on. The 12th fret dot inlays are too far apart and if you saw that logo up close, it's ridiculously obvious that it's fake.

That said, it's obvious to me now...heh, once bitten.

Also, on mine, there's a couple frets that are ridiculously screwed up. Like one side is pressed all the way in to the groove and the other has popped up a tad. Stuff that would NEVER pass Fender QA/QC.

12th fret inlay spacing give them away every time. Also there is no black walnut in the truss rod hole.

 

[otaypanky]

The US is purportedly putting pressure on the Chinese gov't to shut these places down.

And the nerd in the playground asked the bully to stop picking on him, but that's not going to happen either ~ lol

The guy I know that had one,( it was a L.P. Supreme ), was bitten by the cheap guitar bug. A nice alternative to these rip off copies are SX guitars, available through Rondo Music. My friend bought a number of them. They were about the same quality. A pretty decent playing and sounding guitar for not a lot of money that's not ripping off anyone's trademark ~
Well, they do copy the bodystyle but ~~~

 

[FrankenFretter]

It concerns me that there are probably a large number of these around, and places like pawn shops, Craig's List and Ebay are selling them as the real thing. Things like the inlay dots being too far apart (Good eye, C64) and frets not being bound aren't things that the average Joe or Jane (meaning people like me) are going to be wise to. If I had the urge to decorate my place with nice looking, name brand guitars, that's another story. Good wall art, but still not ethical, I know.

Drum Bob, I did see your article listed on Google when I was researching. Haven't had the chance to read it yet, but I will.

Otaypanky/Bob; You posted a reply on a thread about this on TGP, didn't you?

I also wonder how insurance companies might handle a claim of a stolen "Les Paul Supreme". I imagine you'd need a receipt to make that one stick.

 

[Commodore 64]

And the nerd in the playground asked the bully to stop picking on him, but that's not going to happen either ~ lol

The guy I know that had one,( it was a L.P. Supreme ), was bitten by the cheap guitar bug. A nice alternative to these rip off copies are SX guitars, available through Rondo Music. My friend bought a number of them. They were about the same quality.

If the Rondo SX guitars were the same quality as the guitar I got ripped off on, nobody would buy them. It's that bad. I reckon the SX are orders of magnitude better.

Good eye C64

The only reason I can see these things, is that someone on TDPRI pointed them out to me when I bought that fake Tele on CL. If I can help any of you not make the same mistake I did, it makes my getting scammed worthwhile...well maybe not worthwhile, but it helps with the sting .

 

[Tig]

Look at the neck and headstock. That's the same as the guitar I bought and got screwed on. The 12th fret dot inlays are too far apart and if you saw that logo up close, it's ridiculously obvious that it's fake.

Look at the bridge plates on these "Tele" copies. The gap between the pick guards shouldn't be there. The intonation screws are super long and almost out of threads.

 

[hubberjub]

Sometimes you have to take a chance. I've bought almost all of my guitars used and online. There aren't many decent guitar stores in upstate NY. I've never had a problem. If a deal is too good to be true, it probably is. You just need to do your research before something bad happens. Gibson has a link to a page with ways to tell if a guitar is a counterfeit. I'm kind of a spec junkie. If it doesn't add up, pass on the deal. Use Paypal and Ebay. Yes, they charge fees but you have an electronic paper trail in case something goes wrong. Take your time and don't be afraid to walk away.

 

[syo]

Interesting discussion thst seems to pop up now and again.
Generally the "copies" aren't so good. The companies in China that could make really good copies usually don't because they make more money doing good OEM business or (increasingly) promoting their own brands. Plus they wouldn't want to risk their foreign OEM business with such activity. I have seen some decent copies in China but most are really not worthwhile. Bad fretwork and wonky necks are common.

It's funny what the label does to the price and one's perception of value. What is often most impressive are the details like warranty cards, instruction manuals and even really nice holographic stickers as often found on pirated electronic/computer goods. Often the goods are not as impressive as the packaging.

With so many good, cheap guitars coming out of China it's best to stick with established sellers unless you're really into fake stickers, decals and manuals.

I must confess that I've bought quite a few umm... questionable items during my times in China (Always accidently, I swear :nono: ). $4-5 designer T-shirts can be surprisingly good, excellent bags from $10-$20. DVD's (with a 10% failure rate) for a buck. Luggage, great value etc. But forget the Fendors, Gibsins, Greches etc...

 

[the1percent]

A true musician or I would say even a novice will not be satisfied with the sound IMHO. That said, My friends would ohh and ahh if I had them hanging on the wall in my music room. Shirts jerseys etc are equally functional even if they are fake. A guitar...no. As the OP said great for display.

 

[markb]

Look at the bridge plates on these "Tele" copies. The gap between the pick guards shouldn't be there. The intonation screws are super long and almost out of threads.

That's the first thing I noticed. The second thing about those guitars is that the logos are wrong, wrong, wrong for the models even at that size and resolution (wrong, wrong, wrong = wrong size, wrong colour, wrong font).

Commodore64, although it's a good indicator, the 12th fret dot spacing is not always reliable. You'd never buy a Squier JV or early American Vintage on that basis. Fender don't even get their Fender copies right sometimes :thwap

 

[Ch0jin]

Well I found a site that has the documentary I was referring to.

If your interested have a peek. HERE

Whats interesting to me is that whilst looking for that website, I found a couple of car enthusiast boards where the debate raged over buying genuine Vs fake car parts. There are some disturbingly ill informed people around! (haha yeah I suppose thats not really news is it)

I just wanted to make a point here that several on other sites didn't grasp.

Some people will justify buying fakes with the argument that the quality is "just as good" or "good enough". I don't dispute that depending on the item, it might be, but my personal experience has shown me otherwise. My concern though is that the economic rationalization some people use is flawed.

You cannot look at the (perceived) cost of materials only and make a comparison.

Lets say for arguments sake that the raw materials for a genuine Fender cost $200 and the raw materials for a fake cost $150, yet the genuine sells for $1000 and the fake $200. "The fake is almost as good and for that price it can't be beat" is the cry of some.

Sure, a chunk of that premium price goes to marketing, executive salaries, distribution and retail margins, and likely a fatter margin than the fakers, but think about the percentage of the price you pay that goes to ensuring the factories are safe for workers. The money that goes into preventing sweat shop workers being chained to the bench for 20 hours a day.

Simply put, fakers aren't legal in China either, so they have no obligation to meet any standards. Particularly health and safety standards for workers. If I had children I sure as heck wouldn't want to support an industry that puts them in a factory at 12 years old and keeps them there.

I've also heard it said that worker conditions and so forth are "Not my problem, thats the Chinese governments problem". In part, sure. But it's mainly supply and demand. You can't support the fake trade and then blame a government for enabling you to do so.

Lastly, my favorite point.

Think about it. You're not really buying that fake Rolex, Les Paul, Gucci handbag or Nike trainers because they represent a good quality product for the price point. You're buying it because its got a brand name on it for less than the real thing. The fakers are cashing in on peoples vanity.

Realize that a fake guitar that costs $200 will almost certainly represent a poorer quality/price factor than an off brand $200 guitar, and you have to take a long hard look at yourself and ask why having a sticker on a headstock is so important to you that you'd play an inferior instrument.

As someone on a car forum said relating to fake performance parts. "I built my car to drive, not to stand around posing"

Don't think it's just luxury items like handbags and watches (and guitars) being faked. The Chinese government has found manufactures of fake food (see the doco for fake eggs) and most alarmingly, fake medicine.

I'm sure not many guys are going to stand up and shout that the ****** or Cialis they bought online ended up being fake (it almost certainly will be), but when people die because they unknowingly buy fake diabetes medication (as happened in the UK) it's time to educate yourselves.

 

[FrankenFretter]

I did an article a few months ago in Premier Guitar about just this subject: counterfeit guitars from China. It's quite a racket. I did some "covert" investigative journalism, pretending to be an interested customer getting ready to order from one of these Chinese bogus sites. The guitars are about as well made or a little worse than your average Epiphone. I have played several. From a distance, the average listener or concert/club attendee couldn't tell the guitars were fake, but up close, a trained eye can spot them immediately. The Chinese do all kinds of underhanded sh** to sell these things. It isn't against the law to buy one, but it is a moral decision only you can make. You're buying a fake, an instrument that violates the property of legitmate companies.

Here's a link to Bob's story. Good stuff!

 

[marnold]

Here's a link to Bob's story. Good stuff!

Yep, Bob's got some good stuff in there.

 

[syo]

I just wanted to make a point here that several on other sites didn't grasp.
.

You do make some good points Ch0jin. I tried to watch the videos but they are "not available in my country".
As I am someone who does lots of business in China, I do feel compelled relate some of my own personal/professional perspective. I'll preface my comments with a little background. For the past 6 years I have been working with companies all over China. Mostly in the musical instrument business. As some of you know, this past year I have been pursuing a side project of starting my own guitar company. Because of my own labor abuse concerns, I routinely visit factories/workshops prior to doing business. If there are not adequate+ working conditions and wages, I will not do business. I have a Chinese assistant who helps me with this.

You cannot look at the (perceived) cost of materials only and make a comparison.


Lets say for arguments sake that the raw materials for a genuine Fender cost $200 and the raw materials for a fake cost $150, yet the genuine sells for $1000 and the fake $200. "The fake is almost as good and for that price it can't be beat" is the cry of some.

Sure, a chunk of that premium price goes to marketing, executive salaries, distribution and retail margins, and likely a fatter margin than the fakers, but think about the percentage of the price you pay that goes to ensuring the factories are safe for workers. The money that goes into preventing sweat shop workers being chained to the bench for 20 hours a day.

As you correctly stated, marketing, exec. pay etc. are important factors. But the "chunk" that goes to worker safety is negligible. What really drives the price up is the cost of labor and storage. But this really isn't the problem that you suggest because while wages are so much lower, so is the cost of living. Someone earning the equivalent of a US minimum (poverty level) wage could live extremely well in the areas where the guitars are produced.

Simply put, fakers aren't legal in China either, so they have no obligation to meet any standards. Particularly health and safety standards for workers. If I had children I sure as heck wouldn't want to support an industry that puts them in a factory at 12 years old and keeps them there.

While the garment industry is notoriously bad all over the world, I have yet to see anyone close to 12 years of age anywhere on site at any music related factory. People usually work 9:00 -5:00, 5 - 6 days a week. While guitar fakers are not "legal" in their activities, they are usually legal manufacturers of non-pirate merchandise as well. Admittedly intellectual property and trademark protection are not well-appreciated concepts yet in China. But more demand for quality Chinese brands sold overseas will change this over time.

I've also heard it said that worker conditions and so forth are "Not my problem, thats the Chinese governments problem". In part, sure. But it's mainly supply and demand. You can't support the fake trade and then blame a government for enabling you to do so.

Poor worker conditions should be a concern for everyone. Piracy though, I believe, plays a small part in the problem. Huge international corporations trying to squeeze pennies are the main culprit. Those pennies often mean more work and less pay so that manufactuers can remain competitive and so that those in the west can enjoy cheap, socks, toys, and most other hard goods even cheaper. With the huge explosion in China's production the past 15 years, the government couldn't hope to keep up with abuses and corruption is common.
Just like in Britain, the US and pretty much everywhere else, the best labor practices evolved as the market matured. This is not an argument to exploit developing labor markets but it is a fact.

Lastly, my favorite point.

Think about it. You're not really buying that fake Rolex, Les Paul, Gucci handbag or Nike trainers because they represent a good quality product for the price point. You're buying it because its got a brand name on it for less than the real thing. The fakers are cashing in on peoples vanity.

I am against piracy but I am also against the ridiculous luxury goods market. Both are cashing in on peoples' vanity. Except that the fake buyers aren't wasting their money...

 

[Duff]

Ethics

Gibson has its own ethical problems: importing illegal rosewood and ebony from Honduras and probably elsewhere resulting in FBI raid a couple months ago, years of advertizing their LP's as "solid" body guitars while secretly chambering the bodies to make them feel lighter and therefore seem to be made from the lighter, more desirable grades of mahogany, coming out with the chambering practice as if it is the next greatest thing only after they got caught at it after doing it for several years. They hid the practice under dubious rationale, probably considering the practice "intellectual property" or something.

The counterfeits are scam artists that should be stopped, no doubt.

Our government could stop inbound shipments from listed violating companies and confiscate the counterfeited goods. Why not? Why expect China, I mean "China"??? to do anything about these companies? I think we will be waiting a long time for China to start policing these guitar counterfeiters. Think about the environtmental pollution coming out of China. Do you think the gov. is doing anything about that in any significant way? I doubt it.

Buyer beware is the old saying.

These fake guitars are really an affront to American's intelligence and the US government. It shows how weak our customs accountability is. If this is a large scale scam it really makes us look foolish.

I'd say Syo has a handle on the concept because he goes to China a lot and specifically has professional knowledge of the guitar manufacturers, the owners, managers, workers, and so forth. Therefore he knows how the scam works because he has probably seen a lot of things that just are not right by American ethical standards. Really wrong things I'm sure.

In that kind of a developing economy there has to be really ridiculous practices going on, in a super super competitive industrial environment. A lot of the companies are probably trying to do anything they can just to stay in business because of the intense competition. Ethics deteriorate to even lower levels as desperate enterprises try to figure out even more low cost scams to stay in business.

These fake Gibsons and so forth are really a pitiful example of how unscrupulous some of these operations are. And they are doing it in the open. You can order this stuff from them, send them your money, and get the fake stuff sent to your house without anyone stopping them. It is like organized international corporate crime.

China hammers Google but turns an apparently dim eye toward these outlaw industries. They are supposed to be tough on crime in China. Maybe they will round up some of these clowns and subject them to some of the archaic punishment we see them handing out to other people in China. I seriously doubt that though, because these are good sized businesses with probably a certain amount of influence and maybe even operating under government subsidies or licenses.

Syo probably knows quite a bit about this particular scam.

Good luck, by the way, Syo with your guitar mfg aspirations.

 

[Ch0jin]

Thanks for posting SYO, I really appreciate your point of view. The closest I've come to dealing with Chinese manufacturers was in Malaysia rather than China, and I dealt with big name manufacturers in any case, so your experience is much more relevant. (I have been to China, but as a tourist)

As you correctly stated, marketing, exec. pay etc. are important factors. But the "chunk" that goes to worker safety is negligible. What really drives the price up is the cost of labor and storage. But this really isn't the problem that you suggest because while wages are so much lower, so is the cost of living. Someone earning the equivalent of a US minimum (poverty level) wage could live extremely well in the areas where the guitars are produced.

I could have explained myself better there I feel. What I meant by "worker safety" was that the factory complied with local health and safety laws. I felt it a safe assumption that if you are operating illegally there is no reason to adhere to relevant standards. This applies to environmental impact as well as worker health and safety. As you say though, I might be overstating the impact of this on cost though as I am unfamiliar with what it costs to be compliant with applicable laws in China.

Call it a theoretical objection

I am completely aware of the wages/cost of living equation though thanks to my passion for world domination...oops I mean world travel I've stayed in some of the most expensive cities (Tokyo for example) and some of the cheapest (Phnom Penh).

Poor worker conditions should be a concern for everyone. Piracy though, I believe, plays a small part in the problem. Huge international corporations trying to squeeze pennies are the main culprit. Those pennies often mean more work and less pay so that manufactuers can remain competitive and so that those in the west can enjoy cheap, socks, toys, and most other hard goods even cheaper. With the huge explosion in China's production the past 15 years, the government couldn't hope to keep up with abuses and corruption is common.
Just like in Britain, the US and pretty much everywhere else, the best labor practices evolved as the market matured. This is not an argument to exploit developing labor markets but it is a fact.

Agreed 100% However my point was more along the lines of illegal=no regulation=exploitation. As I said just before though, a theoretical objection.

One thing not mentioned though is the grass roots impact. From what I've seen (on TV) it's not at all uncommon for a pirate factory (or a legit factory that manufactures fakes in parallel) to start up in a remote area and employ most of the people from the area. If you know that smashing a fakes factory will put an entire community out of work and decrease their standard of living, it's a lot harder to grab the moral high ground I try to take. It's sad that as a result of the worlds rabid desire for branded objects that entire communities could be building their economic structure around companies/factories that could be torn down. Just another way of looking at it.

While the garment industry is notoriously bad all over the world

I'd go so far as to say "They started it" actually. I have no love for that game at all.

.. I have yet to see anyone close to 12 years of age anywhere on site at any music related factory......

Nothing but good news there. I probably watch too many documentaries to keep perspective sometimes

I am against piracy but I am also against the ridiculous luxury goods market. Both are cashing in on peoples' vanity. Except that the fake buyers aren't wasting their money...

Agreed re:vanity, kinda disagree re:wasting money.

Taking the worst offenders, the fashion/garment industry, I know that paying retail for branded clothing Vs paying for fakes will see the customer with the fake get substantially better value for money. No argument there, but my point all along has been that a fake product is likely to represent less value for money than an equivalent off brand product.

For example, when I was in Cambodia a while ago I picked up a couple of fake branded t-shirts to wear as mine were getting filthy. I'd have thought it hard to mess up making a t-shirt, but they were very ill fitting and made of some kind of fabric that looked like cotton, but did not breathe at all. (later I'd see this same kind of thing in Thailand, Vietnam, China etc). After tossing those T's I bought a couple of plain T's from a "local" store for the same price. 100% cotton, well made, and I still wear a couple of them 4 years later.

The fakes were made using absolute bottom of the barrel t-shirt stock and relied on people factoring the brand name into the value equation. To get back to guitars and the topic, I'd suggest the same is true of these fake guitars.

See what I'm getting at?

 

[Ch0jin]

....
These fake guitars are really an affront to American's intelligence and the US government. It shows how weak our customs accountability is. If this is a large scale scam it really makes us look foolish.....

Not just the US mate, this is a world wide situation.

 

[Duff]

I see

I see Chojin, it's like the sleeping dragon awakened, flamming the entire world economies, indiscriminately, with hot fire and cold fire, good products and junk products. It sounds like the Industrial Revolution all over again, just in another part of the world; child labor, low wages, non-existent labor management relations or worker unions, uninforced safety and environmental standards, people living in super cramped quarters at company compounds, cotrolled by the big brother industrialists and government, afraid to speak out against anything or say anything that might threaten their shaky, at best, existence. The education level is probably also not very high in rural China where these factories are located. A little money is WAY better than no money. I read too many Clive Cussler books.

I don't know, it's just a mental image that is forming in my mind reading about these factories and factory towns that spring up in the middle of nowhere, exploiting a ripe labor force.

 

[Jimi75]

Those Chinese fakes are ridiculous. The foto finish flame....OMG...can it get worse? Still a lot of new players who believe the fake and buy such instruments.

I buy used instruments, but not at ebay or any other online source. I have to see and play the instrument. There are well known authorized dealers who have professional knowledge. That is where you can buy used instruments, too.

 

[FrankenFretter]

This post has really generated some very interesting dialogue, and some great points.

Capitalism is a very new thing in China, and they've grabbed hold of it with both hands and run with it. Granted, it is their own version of capitalism, but it is changing the country rapidly. We've certainly fueled the fire based on large industries desiring less overhead and more profit. Greed and vanity is what drives the growth of industry in China. Buying a counterfeit guitar is rarely done because it's seen as a good deal on a quality instrument; it's to impress people with the name brand. There are plenty of bargain-priced Asian-made guitars out there that are great quality, and NOT counterfeit.

I find it interesting, or perhaps morbidly fascinating, that the counterfeiters are producing better copies all the time. They read the forums. They read the Gibson articles on how to spot a fake. They pay attention, and they adapt the products. I had read that the Les Pauls (or Ling Pauls, as they're known in some forums) used to have three-screw truss rod covers, and no control cavity or switch covers. They do now. They're also learning which models have how much binding, and where. They're getting better, and it's getting harder for us to know which guitars are genuine. Perhaps Gibson will go the route of MS, and have a unique registration number for each guitar that you have to call in and verify. There need to be some way to tell a fake from the real thing that the fakers can't duplicate.

That's my vent for the day. Talk amongst yourselves...

 

[syo]

Duff, Ch0jin, this is probably going well beyond the original point of the thread (sorry frankenfretter), but you raise some good points.

I haven't gone native and I am hardly an apologist for the very real abuses that exist in China and many other developing countries. But I must say that alot of the reporting that is done on all things China dwells overwhelmingly on the negative. Sure there are knock offs in China but they are hardly the driving force behind the world's second largest GDP.

Most of my business has had to do with violins. It is a very established industry, one that has taken many who lived in poverty to quite a decent lifestyle. Many violins sold as European instruments are actually 90% Chinese made. Laws in some European countries allow for a designation of "made in Belgium" (for example) if the distributor uses Belgian made fittings and set-up. These are usually quality instruments made by a skilled and upwardly moving workforce. I have paid anywhere from USD $50 to $8,000 for violins made in China. The top instruments are made by world class makers whose work sells for considerably less than some inferior European instruments merely because the general perception of Chinese goods is lower.

What I've learned in my past year around the Chinese guitar industry is that it is a rapidly maturing business. Although not as long established as the violin, thanks to the influx of foreign (mostly American and Japanese) expertise, China does now produce many excellent guitars. Certainly the export of knock-offs represents a tiny fraction of a percent of all exports.

I will relate one story when I first started checking out factories. The first factory I visited had a complete lack of ventilation in the painting rooms and nothing but paper masks (and often no masks at all!) for protection. I had to leave quickly as the fumes were seriously overwhelming.
My Chinese assistant, who has lower standards than I when it comes to workplace conditions, was appalled. After we left, I seriously wondered if I would be making any guitars in China. I was depressed and still shudder at the thought of the place. I have since visited many factories and have never again come across such horrible conditions. In fact I have found many professionally run businesses with very good safety standards/working conditions.

What makes the above story even worse, is that this factory is 100% foreign management who set up and manage it. Further, it is a factory that manufactures some OEM guitars that get great buzz on this and other forums. They don't produce knockoffs so far as I know.

I truly believe it is in the interests of the government in China to raise living conditions for everyone as, at the very least, it ensures their survival. It isn't happening without abuses however. With such rapid growth abuses can be difficult to police. But then there are still some sweatshops in the First world too...

Well I've expended enough air. Sorry for being so long about it.

 

[Duff]

China

Syo, no dude. You don't need to apologize. You have first hand knowledge of what is happening in the guitar industry in China, and we should know about the status of its conditions, safety, environmental quality inside and outside the factories, management practices, etc.

So many US companies have moved to China that it is astounding. As you alluded to, it is a growth type of thing and here in the US the "limits to growth" are getting pushed; hence very expensive US made Gibsons Fenders and so on. Passing a certain limit the average person can no longer afford the American made guitar and, oftentimes being economically sensible rather than nationalistic or loyal to American production, luckily finds a really well made guitar coming from another part of the world.

As I indicated before, the US government - the trade commission or whatever, as well as the governments of other countries, should require that certain human rights and factory conditions are maintained in these offshore industrial operations.

Our government could instantly pull the right of US companies to operate in China at any moment, just as the gov of China could expel our citizens from China at any given moment in time. Other concerned countries could also immediately suspend any operations outside their borders without hesitation.

I have met people from China that work there in factories making products for the US. I noticed that they work very hard, oftentimes working for free on their own time, just to try to insure that they will keep there job and be perceived by upper management as assest - because, they tell me, there are thousands of other workers that would LOVE to have their job. These workers sound like they are not valued very highly and are largely expendable.

Now, I understand that a super skilled machinist or engineer or designer or even factory floor assembler would be valued very highly because of the key role that they play in quality of production. These people are most definitely treated way more reasonably than the run of the mill employees that can be bought in straight from the street and taught everything they need to know to do an excellent job within a relatively short time, or no time at all.

It is incredibly interesting that you mention that some of the factories that engage in the worst health and safety practices are ones that are operated and managed by our own professionals. Professional would be using the term lightly here, in light of the paint room scenario: that is just plain irresponsibility and probably even illegal in China to put a person in an environment like that to work all day. Imagine that? That is a sad image for me to visualize.

As was said, industrialization in the developing world is an evolving process. But precedents have been set here in the US and in Europe and elsewhere that have resulted in standard operating procedures that ensure worker safety and health, and eliminate child labor, etc. It is not like WE have to reinvent the wheel. We already know what it is and choose to ignore its existence and exploit ripe labor markets that don't have environmental and health requirements that cost A LOT OF MONEY. It is a greed motivated type of thing.

Here they jump ship leaving American workers totally trained and out of jobs and forbid anyone that buys the old factory from making the product that the local workers are highly skilled at making. This is as unethical as requiring offshore workers to work in less than humane conditions.

The world turns and we turn with it. It is really really hard to change the course of the river.