jaygl Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 I keep reporting counterfeits to Gibson and Kijiji Canada regarding the sale of "Replica" guitars on the buy and sell site Kijiji. It seems that neither party does anything to stop it as I have reported the same fake Gibson daily to both parties for weeks straight and the instrument remains on the site and eventually sells. Is it ok to sell them if they are advertised as replicas? Maybe someone from Gibson could chime in here.....I thought it was copyright infringement whether they advertise it's a fake or not....I mean, the guitars say Gibson on the headstock......am I wrong? If it is not legal to sell them, then why, in spite of my regular reporting,(I've been fanatical about reporting every fake I see for the past 4+ months to both parties), does nothing get done? With the price of the guitars and Gibson themselves touting the collectability of their instruments, It's insulting to me as a Gibson brand customer that this is allowed!!! Maybe we should have a sticky in these forums where we can post and then all gang up on and report these fakes..... Here are just a few examples of the guitars that are reported and yet, remain for sale.... http://www.kijiji.ca/v-guitar/mississauga-peel-region/gibson-les-paul-custom-replica/1052693801?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true http://www.kijiji.ca/v-guitar/mississauga-peel-region/gibson-les-paul-replica/1052768260?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true http://www.kijiji.ca/v-guitar/gatineau/gibson-les-paul-custom-copy/1052721062?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true I might add that this isn't the only site where this problem is occuring.....CL, and Ebay get their fair share too.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 I think because it says 'replica' or 'copy' in these ads that means potential buyers know it's not a real Gibson, and therefore they are not trying to sell it as a counterfeit. But yes, they do say 'Gibson' on the headstock..... Regards! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted February 21, 2015 Share Posted February 21, 2015 But yes, they do say 'Gibson' on the headstock..... This is "Trademark" infringement (and possibly Patent infringement, but not copyright), and is VERY serious to anyone who wants to protect their "brand". I'm sure Gibson had International Trademark registration, but the fact that the offender is "internet" based, and not in the USA, makes enforcement very difficult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skilsaw Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 My instinct is that Gibson would attack the problem at the corporate level, trying to shut down factories making the fakes. But business in China is lawless. The govt doesn't give two hoots about Gibson. Gibson could also be trying to interupt the flow of replicas across the border into the USA ... just my guess. You have to pick your battles. I paid full price to a reputable dealer for my Les Paul. That's my contribution to solving the problem. The supply of replicas would dry up if their was no market for them. More importantly, what are you trying to learn on your guitar lately? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted February 22, 2015 Share Posted February 22, 2015 It's insulting to me as a Gibson brand customer that this is allowed!!! I hear ya, and at the same time, Gibson does not have an obligation to you to keep you from being insulted. They're worried about their own sensibilities. They get tons of these guitars reported all the time and just because they don't wave their arms around and thank you personally with a postcard doesn't mean they don't think you're a nice customer. I'm sure they appreciate your help, but you're not the only guy out there reporting fakes and they cant send everybody a thank you note. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaygl Posted February 22, 2015 Author Share Posted February 22, 2015 I hear ya, and at the same time, Gibson does not have an obligation to you to keep you from being insulted. They're worried about their own sensibilities. They get tons of these guitars reported all the time and just because they don't wave their arms around and thank you personally with a postcard doesn't mean they don't think you're a nice customer. I'm sure they appreciate your help, but you're not the only guy out there reporting fakes and they cant send everybody a thank you note. When Gibson tout the "increased collectability" (their own words) of their instruments, |I think they do owe it to customers to stop the sale of counterfeits. Is my instruments collectivity increased with the sale of each counterfeit? I'd rather they send a note to the sellers of the fakes telling them they are breaking the law. I mean really, it would only take someone from Gibby to send out some e-mails or contact the offending sites that offer these up to put a halt to it....certainly they must have a legal department.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Arianna Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Thanks for the heads up! We will go ahead and forward this to our Legal Department. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 Thanks for the heads up! We will go ahead and forward this to our Legal Department. Are all the other departments illegal? Sorry, the clowns made me do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaicho8888 Posted February 23, 2015 Share Posted February 23, 2015 I read awhile back, if I am not mistaken, that Gibson, Fender, and PRS brought a successful lawsuit in China to stop production of a few larger plants. One lady seller was even jailed for selling contraband guitars. It's tough stopping fakes from iphones, computers, designer apparel, meds etc...when items are made and assembled in China. I believe the Chinese government in tightening up on trademark infringements. Obviously and unfortunately, if there's a market for cheap imitation, fakes will be manufactured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvercrow Posted February 25, 2015 Share Posted February 25, 2015 I'll just jump in and say this pisses me off too. I recently got into vaping and quit smoking. The market is FLOODED with Chinese knock-offs of German, Russian and other European devices. AND they say "Made in Germany", with the ® and serial number and all. None of the sites I viewed admitted outright they were Chinese made; you could tell only by the price, or by something like "This is the Q-Cigar Taifun" blah blah blah. I bought two of 'em not knowing what I was doing- have since went to Mid-Eastern marques that have their own brands such as Innokin. Decently made and no B.S. It's one thing to use a major manufacturer as a model, it's another to use the name, made in U.S.A. etc. Just my opinion, which in the scheme of economy means nothing. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capmaster Posted February 26, 2015 Share Posted February 26, 2015 Are all the other departments illegal? Sorry, the clowns made me do it. Now you caught me on the wrong foot. If the answer to your question was yes, I would have worked all my life for illegal departments of companies. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tokairic Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 I'll just jump in and say this pisses me off too. I recently got into vaping and quit smoking. The market is FLOODED with Chinese knock-offs of German, Russian and other European devices. AND they say "Made in Germany", with the ® and serial number and all. None of the sites I viewed admitted outright they were Chinese made; you could tell only by the price, or by something like "This is the Q-Cigar Taifun" blah blah blah. I bought two of 'em not knowing what I was doing- have since went to Mid-Eastern marques that have their own brands such as Innokin. Decently made and no B.S. It's one thing to use a major manufacturer as a model, it's another to use the name, made in U.S.A. etc. Just my opinion, which in the scheme of economy means nothing. Brian Why not just quit altogether - One year nicotine free will buy you a new Gibson..........or ten fakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvercrow Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Why not just quit altogether - One year nicotine free will buy you a new Gibson..........or ten fakes. LOL! A year's nicotine via vaping, not counting the devices and accoutrements, is MUCH less than my cigarette habit. My math sucks but a cigarette habit at $5.50 / day x 365...oh yeah. I'll take a genuine Les Paul, please... Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeman Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 I vape now. Its like a hundreth of the price of buying cigarettes. I may get a guitar soon with the savings! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Are all the other departments illegal? Sorry, the clowns made me do it. That made my day! :D Chibson Customer Support... By the way: Hello Arianna! Cheers... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manny Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I read an article that said something like this... The gibson parts department has been selling 3 times what it normally sells due to the knockoffs. People have been buying legit Gibson parts and replacing the crap parts on the Chibsons. I tried to search for the article, but cant find it. Dont know how true that would be. I did own an R9 chibson that I paid $200 for, it was every bit a $200 guitar. I eventually sold it though. I own 5 real Gibsons now. My brother bought me a fake Rickenbacker bass from Toronto, from Logical guitars in Vancouver. He paid $700 for it. It was every bit a $200 bass lol. I notice that Logical guitars do not advertise the ric knockoffs on there site. In the end, I do believe that we over pay for the high end brands, and it appears that the quality of these high end brands keep going down hill. That is why when I am buying a $2000 instrument, I try many of them out first. I am completely satisfied with all my Gibsons, Rickenbackers, Fenders etc. Are they really worth the high price? I dont know, but you only live once. And I love living in debt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobF_ Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I quit altogether a bit over 3 years ago after smoking a pack a day for 35 years. Add that up! Within the first year my blood chemistry went everywhere. I'm ready to start chewing nicotine gum to see if that gets things back to 'normal'. A lot of recent research indicates some actual benefits of nicotine and the lack of addictiveness (<- is that a word?) when it isn't mixed with the other chemicals involved in burning/inhaling tobacco smoke. We'll see. What was the subject? Oh, yeah, fakes. Years ago I found a beautiful LP Custom in wine red that I really wanted in the worst way. The back had a huge-*** finish across the back. I noted the serial number and contacted Gibson, giving a rep the serial number and info about the placing selling it. The only response I got was "we don't sell seconds" I ended up buying my '99 B7, but yeah, so many fakes is kind of a bummer. I still have my paperwork safely tucked away ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masliko Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 I keep reporting counterfeits to Gibson and Kijiji Canada regarding the sale of "Replica" guitars on the buy and sell site Kijiji. It seems that neither party does anything to stop it as I have reported the same fake Gibson daily to both parties for weeks straight and the instrument remains on the site and eventually sells. Is it ok to sell them if they are advertised as replicas? Maybe someone from Gibson could chime in here.....I thought it was copyright infringement whether they advertise it's a fake or not....I mean, the guitars say Gibson on the headstock......am I wrong? If it is not legal to sell them, then why, in spite of my regular reporting,(I've been fanatical about reporting every fake I see for the past 4+ months to both parties), does nothing get done? With the price of the guitars and Gibson themselves touting the collectability of their instruments, It's insulting to me as a Gibson brand customer that this is allowed!!! Maybe we should have a sticky in these forums where we can post and then all gang up on and report these fakes..... Here are just a few examples of the guitars that are reported and yet, remain for sale.... http://www.kijiji.ca/v-guitar/mississauga-peel-region/gibson-les-paul-custom-replica/1052693801?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true http://www.kijiji.ca/v-guitar/mississauga-peel-region/gibson-les-paul-replica/1052768260?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true http://www.kijiji.ca/v-guitar/gatineau/gibson-les-paul-custom-copy/1052721062?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true I might add that this isn't the only site where this problem is occuring.....CL, and Ebay get their fair share too.... Nice work son,its peeves me too.How can a group of individuals just steal another companies products and nothing is done?Maybe it actually helps Gibson, in that people will not want to buy second hand in case of a fake,and head to the Gibson dealer to make sure its legit and buy a new one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
masliko Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 I keep reporting counterfeits to Gibson and Kijiji Canada regarding the sale of "Replica" guitars on the buy and sell site Kijiji. It seems that neither party does anything to stop it as I have reported the same fake Gibson daily to both parties for weeks straight and the instrument remains on the site and eventually sells. Is it ok to sell them if they are advertised as replicas? Maybe someone from Gibson could chime in here.....I thought it was copyright infringement whether they advertise it's a fake or not....I mean, the guitars say Gibson on the headstock......am I wrong? If it is not legal to sell them, then why, in spite of my regular reporting,(I've been fanatical about reporting every fake I see for the past 4+ months to both parties), does nothing get done? With the price of the guitars and Gibson themselves touting the collectability of their instruments, It's insulting to me as a Gibson brand customer that this is allowed!!! Maybe we should have a sticky in these forums where we can post and then all gang up on and report these fakes..... Here are just a few examples of the guitars that are reported and yet, remain for sale.... http://www.kijiji.ca/v-guitar/mississauga-peel-region/gibson-les-paul-custom-replica/1052693801?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true http://www.kijiji.ca/v-guitar/mississauga-peel-region/gibson-les-paul-replica/1052768260?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true http://www.kijiji.ca/v-guitar/gatineau/gibson-les-paul-custom-copy/1052721062?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true I might add that this isn't the only site where this problem is occuring.....CL, and Ebay get their fair share too.... Nice work son,its peeves me too.How can a group of individuals just steal another companies products and nothing is done?Maybe it actually helps Gibson, in that people will not want to buy second hand in case of a fake,and head to the Gibson dealer to make sure its legit and buy a new one? They also steal serials off the internet too.So dont post yours! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaygl Posted April 20, 2015 Author Share Posted April 20, 2015 I quit reporting them to both kijiji and gibson. Nothing was getting done,,,,waste of my time. There are a ton of fakes on kijiji right now. Pisses me off. As for the smoking, I was a 2 pack a day hardcore for 10 years, smoked for 25 total but only 2 packs the last decade. Just had my 4 year quit anniversary back in January. Feels so good to be free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaiser Bill Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 Congratulations on stopping smoking it will be 13 years for me this October. As for the fakes...doesn't seem like there is much anyone can do much about them. Folks will always want to pay less for something that looks feels and plays like the real thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaygl Posted April 20, 2015 Author Share Posted April 20, 2015 Thanks man. More $$$ to buy guitars now that's for sure.$10 bucks a pack here in Canada eh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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