Ali Express basses

[kodiakblair]

14 hours ago, Chris2112 said:

Indeed. Talkbass has taken the sensible step of banning any threads praising counterfeit basses since they don't want the threat of being sued hanging over them like a primed gun. Basschat could be liable to severe action just for hosting this thread. 

It had nothing to do with fear of being sued. Bryan got a bee in his bonnet bout folks praising Fauxderas.

 

The "Club Rickenfaker/Fakenbacker" thread is still going strong over there, with near 1300 posts.

[prowla]

I've got, or have owned, several fakers; which are perfectly legal to own.

Since taking the pic I've sold the outer two there - they are Hondo II (the treble pickup is too near the bridge); that was completely legal too, as they were manufactured before the design trademarks were registered by RIC.

I do like these vintage fakers, for their historical interest, and with their original brand logos.

The current Chickenbackers are illegal to sell and I don't like them neither...

[prowla]

Curiously, here supports selling fake Fenders - it's just not Rics (real or fake) which are allowed.

[Maude]

4 minutes ago, prowla said:

Curiously, here supports selling fake Fenders - it's just not Rics (real or fake) which are allowed.

I think we all know the selling of Rics (real or fake) isn't what this site has issues with, it's the threats from RIC that result from the selling of Rics that are the issue. 

Maybe if Fender (or any other manufacturer) made similar threats then Fender sales might be banned 

It's not a moral problem, it's a big fat John Hall shaped problem. 

[prowla]

RIC seem to have mellowed - there have been several copies on ebay of late which haven't been taken down.

[Maude]

16 minutes ago, prowla said:

RIC seem to have mellowed - there have been several copies on ebay of late which haven't been taken down.

I have noticed that, even blatantly described as 'Ric style bass', which should've caught the attention of the Schutzstaffel. 

[Woodinblack]

I must admit I looked again and was thinking this was odd. You can get it between £80 and £500, and it looks interesting, although the shaping of the electronics cavity looks a bit agricultural!

https://www.dhgate.com/product/eagle-butterfly-custom-shop-five-stringed/494885400.html?skuid=642859093231165442#s1-1-1;searl|2052235916

 

[Pea Turgh]

Hang on, $60 for this?!  Whaaaaaat??!?!?!

[Newfoundfreedom]

16 hours ago, Pea Turgh said:

Hang on, $60 for this?!  Whaaaaaat??!?!?!

What's the postage price?

[kodiakblair]

9 minutes ago, Newfoundfreedom said:

What's the postage price?

About $180.

Every one at the $40 to $80 mark comes up "out of stock". Below there's similar items,same basses but $220 to $260 inc shipping.

[Wolverinebass]

A drummer friend of mine is learning bass and was obsessed about getting a Bongo in stealth black. Or at least until he saw the price. He then went and got one off Ali express. Now I haven't played it, but from what he told me it had sharp fret ends, and although there were 2 battery compartments only one was wired. It sounded to me like the mid control didn't work either. Okay, £200, but I said if he wanted a cheap 5 string he should have got a Yamaha or Ibanez. I'll be having a shot of the thing next week so we can see.

[prowla]

On 21/10/2019 at 11:07, Meddle said:

That's a photo of a real Rick. You won't receive that bass, or anything like it.

Pah - the sticker's worth more than that!

[prowla]

38 minutes ago, Wolverinebass said:

A drummer friend of mine is learning bass and was obsessed about getting a Bongo in stealth black. Or at least until he saw the price. He then went and got one off Ali express. Now I haven't played it, but from what he told me it had sharp fret ends, and although there were 2 battery compartments only one was wired. It sounded to me like the mid control didn't work either. Okay, £200, but I said if he wanted a cheap 5 string he should have got a Yamaha or Ibanez. I'll be having a shot of the thing next week so we can see.

The modern day equivalent of playing a tennis racquet...

[Wolverinebass]

3 hours ago, prowla said:

The modern day equivalent of playing a tennis racquet...

Actually, I've been having a loft conversion done recently and the toilet seat for the en suite bathroom is out of stock. So I might be putting his knockoff Bongo to better use....

[Bassfinger]

I get stuff like locking strap nuts from Ali.  Absolutely identical to the ones sold here for £11 a pair, but they're 99p each posted from Ali.  UK sellers are making a terrific mark up on stuff like that.

Am I brave enough to buy a bass from there...no, at least not yet.

[Woodinblack]

11 hours ago, Wolverinebass said:

A drummer friend of mine is learning bass and was obsessed about getting a Bongo in stealth black. Or at least until he saw the price. He then went and got one off Ali express.

Now I haven't played it, but from what he told me it had sharp fret ends, and although there were 2 battery compartments only one was wired. It sounded to me like the mid control didn't work either. Okay, £200, but I said if he wanted a cheap 5 string he should have got a Yamaha or Ibanez. I'll be having a shot of the thing next week so we can see.

That is what I have, although it was a lot cheaper than £200, and the frets are fine. It has the two battery compartments even though 1 was wired, and it was also wired wrong, so it didn't disconnect the battery when you unplugged it!

But to be honest, it plays fine, I have gigged it.

[Wolverinebass]

11 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

That is what I have, although it was a lot cheaper than £200, and the frets are fine. It has the two battery compartments even though 1 was wired, and it was also wired wrong, so it didn't disconnect the battery when you unplugged it!

But to be honest, it plays fine, I have gigged it.

My mates fake Bongo has a hum issue as well so clearly you dodged a bullet there squire.

Edited October 23, 2019 by Wolverinebass

[Stub Mandrel]

On 18/10/2019 at 09:29, Rikki_Sixx said:

I think a lot of these Ali Express guitars come from the usual factories 'after hours', knocking out quick unbranded versions of the same gear they make during the day, but quickly and error-prone while looking over their shoulder

I don't know about guitars, but sometimes machine tool QC failures (from entire lathes down to individual cutters) end up being sold of cheap and ending up pn AliExpress or eBay for 'cut prices'.

[DanEly]

I got a knock off EB2 from Ali express. It's actually alright. Few wonky things, it's not perfect, the electronics are absolutely god awful and neck doesn't feel great but I have managed to get a good action and it doesn't sound all that bad. I did try and ask for a "walnut" finish but got the advertised red.

Still have no idea why it's got that pickup selector... fun the play with though.

[Hellzero]

8 hours ago, DanEly said:

Still have no idea why it's got that pickup selector... fun the play with though.

Because it's like this on the picture they have. Seems like anyone all over the world doesn't know that counterfeiting (or copying for them as it's totally legal in China) is actually deeply anchored in Chinese society for centuries, in fact even millenia : it's simply in their culture and some are very good at it, others are just approximative. It only has too look like the original, the rest doesn't matter AT ALL...