Stumbled Upon...

[jkokura]

An interesting site today.

http://www.thecheapestguitar.com/ (Please note, I'm not advocating this site - buyer beware)

It looks like a factory in China/Asia is pumping out clones of big name guitars and selling them cheap.

What do you guys think?

Jacob

[Scruffie]

These have been around for a while, I had one for a bit, actually really decent, don't know about that site though.

[GermanCdn]

Yeah, these have been around for a while, I forgot the seller name, but he was all over ebay.  The reviews (generally) IIRC were that the quality was not up there with the Agile type guitars for the same price range, and the PRS copies were apparently atrocious.  I saw a few of them in a store the last time I was in Beijing, and the fret work was brutal.

For the price range, truthfully, I'd pick up a used Schecter on ebay.  Even better, I'll sell you a used Schecter off ebay, lol.  Paring down the low end of the collection, CS-6 and a Chris Henderson en route.  Good thing the wife got a big raise.

[selfdestroyer]

I wonder if the necks are just as soft and flex like the Guitar Fetish copies (Xaviere). I had the Jazzmaster copy for awhile and the neck was so soft that it was hard to keep in tune and the tremolo was useless.  I would be interested in a Gibson goldtop copy.. I can care less if its "real" or not.

[DutchMF]

I think I met a rep from this company a few years ago at the Frankfurter Musik Messe. They didn't bring any obvious copies with them (as the companies they are copying are also on the Messe...   ) but had a nice selection of guitars. I scored a pretty nice 7-string for only 85 euro's! My guess is that it's cheaper for them to sell their stuff for stupid-low prices than ship it back to China. Cool detail: I haggled with the guy by punching in numbers on a calculator, as he didn't speak any foreign language, just chinese! Got it down from 125 to 85 euro's..... And yes, the fretwork sucks, but when I need me a low B, it's nice to have around! Might even be worth a proper refret, as the pickups and 7-string Floyd Rose are actually quite good!

Paul

[Rockhorst]

I got a virus report trying to open that site

[selfdestroyer]

I got a virus report trying to open that site

I have Google Chrome disable all scripts on site by default so It must be a JAVA script executing that might look suspicious. No problems here on my Mac.

[GermanCdn]

I think I met a rep from this company a few years ago at the Frankfurter Musik Messe. They didn't bring any obvious copies with them (as the companies they are copying are also on the Messe...   ) but had a nice selection of guitars. I scored a pretty nice 7-string for only 85 euro's! My guess is that it's cheaper for them to sell their stuff for stupid-low prices than ship it back to China. Cool detail: I haggled with the guy by punching in numbers on a calculator, as he didn't speak any foreign language, just chinese! Got it down from 125 to 85 euro's..... And yes, the fretwork sucks, but when I need me a low B, it's nice to have around! Might even be worth a proper refret, as the pickups and 7-string Floyd Rose are actually quite good!

Paul

Yeah, that's how they haggle, big read calculator in hand.

Pretty sure these are the same as the Harley Benton guitars at Thomann.

Sad thing is, there's a dealer here in town who buys off these guys, has his girlfriend take the guitars to pawn shops and sell them as Gibson CS guitars for $900.  It was a fairly unpleasant conversation I had with a local owner when I told him the guitar he had hanging on his wall for a steal at $2100 was actually worth less than Epiphone beside it.

[selfdestroyer]

If the build quality is remotely decent I would not mind to pick one up and just swap out the electronics. I may try them out later this month.

[jtn191]

looks super sketchy. I'm as big a fan of cheap guitars as the next guy, but there's some trickery going on wherever they're using the Gibson/Fender logo without saying "made in china"

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/archive/index.php/t-906175.html

[frankie5fingers]

Read the reviews.

"I have buy two.  They offer great value, shipping too!"  Very reccommended. 

[selfdestroyer]

Read the reviews.

"I have buy two.  They offer great value, shipping too!"  Very reccommended. 

Well there you go.. I'm sold. lol