Fake Epiphone???

[RobinTheHood]

I'm here robin -- and had already spoken to the Rosenberg letter but here are the points once again.

 

They are not fakes --- they're not authorized by Epiphone for sale --- but they are not "fakes" made entirely by counterfeiters either --- they are just super-low quality Epiphone 3rds. As in finished/sold by some 3rd party.

 

99% chance it was made in the same factory where Epiphones roll off the line everyday. Some are QC rejects sold by Epiphone to recyclers to recover some of their investment in materials/labor -- but the recyclers don't strip/destroy them like they are supposed to do. Instead' date=' they outfit them (cheapo electronics), cover over any major visible flaws and sell them (ebay, etc.). Others are back-door/midnight walk-aways.

 

Jim Rosenberg’s letter is nothing new and nothing more than posturing. Gibson (his boss) stands to lose a lot of money to counterfeiters of Gibson models. He has to say Epiphone is also being faked and is against fakers to make it appear that Gibson/Epi are united against these threats to their brand. He’s not permitted to tell us what he knows about Epiphone 3rds. Not only does Epi benefit from 3rds sales to recyclers, Epi also benefits from being able to lower QC standards (labor costs) even more in a marketplace already flooded with super-low quality Epi 3rds. We on the forum cannot reach consensus on authentic Epi-s anymore b/c of this -- especially on those diamond inlaid headstocks that are all irregular. [NOTE - photos can be sooo deceiving..., ask any photographer. Angles, lighting, resolution, etc. wreak havoc on these forum "comparisons" attempts. No one in his/her right mind should rely on a photo to buy a guitar -- for example, a photo of a genuine guitar can always be used, meanwhile the buyer receives a 3rd or a fake -- and attempts to "authenticate" product or to declare one bogus via photos is really just a crap shoot. Hands-on is the only way to know for sure.]

 

Do these Epi 3rds change the buying equation? I say no. It does not matter to the buyer if the guitar is a 3rd or a is truly one of the rare fakes out there. They are both sub-par quality and should be avoided.

 

Then it would seem that the difference between a 3rd and a fake is mostly semantics. I can cut out a body and neck, load it with geniune Epiphone parts, and its still a fake. A genuine Epiphone "reject" body filled with non-geniune parts and sold as the real deal for full retail price is still fake, no?

 

I understand what you are saying, and I'm not contesting it. I have no doubt in my mind that these shady dealings happen on a regular basis. And why wouldnt they? The guitar is half built - and its freakin' China.

 

But your argument in the previous thread sounded like you were trying to legitimize these unauthorized, sub-par guitars. I know that you dont neccesarily feel that way, but we cant let a person that just got duped feel that it is alright for something like this to happen...Especially at full retail price under the guise of the Epiphone brand.

 

We are on the same side on this subject. Lets not let verbal technicalities and semantic nitpicking get in the way of the truth...which is - these guitars are not authorized, up to spec or even fully geniune.

And truth be told, I wouldnt have a problem with actual 3rds if they were advertised as such at a discounted price.

That would seem to be a win-win for everyone.

[mgrmatt]

I'm here robin -- and had already spoken to the Rosenberg letter but here are the points once again.

 

They are not fakes --- they're not authorized by Epiphone for sale --- but they are not "fakes" made entirely by counterfeiters either --- they are just super-low quality Epiphone 3rds. As in finished/sold by some 3rd party.

 

99% chance it was made in the same factory where Epiphones roll off the line everyday. Some are QC rejects sold by Epiphone to recyclers to recover some of their investment in materials/labor -- but the recyclers don't strip/destroy them like they are supposed to do. Instead' date=' they outfit them (cheapo electronics), cover over any major visible flaws and sell them (ebay, etc.). Others are back-door/midnight walk-aways.

 

Jim Rosenberg’s letter is nothing new and nothing more than posturing. Gibson (his boss) stands to lose a lot of money to counterfeiters of Gibson models. He has to say Epiphone is also being faked and is against fakers to make it appear that Gibson/Epi are united against these threats to their brand. He’s not permitted to tell us what he knows about Epiphone 3rds. Not only does Epi benefit from 3rds sales to recyclers, Epi also benefits from being able to lower QC standards (labor costs) even more in a marketplace already flooded with super-low quality Epi 3rds. We on the forum cannot reach consensus on authentic Epi-s anymore b/c of this -- especially on those diamond inlaid headstocks that are all irregular. [NOTE - photos can be sooo deceiving..., ask any photographer. Angles, lighting, resolution, etc. wreak havoc on these forum "comparisons" attempts. No one in his/her right mind should rely on a photo to buy a guitar -- for example, a photo of a genuine guitar can always be used, meanwhile the buyer receives a 3rd or a fake -- and attempts to "authenticate" product or to declare one bogus via photos is really just a crap shoot. Hands-on is the only way to know for sure.]

 

Do these Epi 3rds change the buying equation? I say no. It does not matter to the buyer if the guitar is a 3rd or a is truly one of the rare fakes out there. They are both sub-par quality and should be avoided.

 

Hit every BLUE NOTE baaaby..., I'm going to play on:-"

 

Make alot of sense,most likely senario is that these 3rds are sold as body only because most have finish issues or out of place or irregular holes ( spacing issues ) and most of the Epis that look bad always have bad hardware ( Tuners p/u's...). I also agree with the point about Epi being able to benefit because if they can sell these substandard guitars for any kind of $$$ it better than putting them in a scrap pile and the amount of them is probaly not substantial enough to cut into Epiphones main market . I am not saying that it's right I wish these 3rds would never see the light of day but I had never thought about it from this angle.

 

 

mgm