Fender headstock decals on replicas

[stewblack]

We all know how easy it is to badge a bass as something it isn't. If it says Fender the price will be high and therefore its worth checking it's real. 

There is enough expertise online to help with this. 

I don't care if my, or your, basses say what they are or not so it's a non issue for me. The logo is just another part of the design.

But anyone knowingly selling a forgery as the real thing is a turd. 

[Roger2611]

I am slightly confused, I have a bitsa Precision with a genuine Fender neck on it, should I now sand the genuine decal and serial number off just because it might not be a Fender body? (I do actually have a MIM body which wears a Squier Matt Freeman neck so really confused as to what I should do with that one!) I suppose I could swap the two over and have a bitsa bass which was all Fender....it all seems a bit futile really!

[Dad3353]

This is my sixer fretless. It says 'Douglas' on the headstock...

Disclaimer : I didn't make this bass. Should I scrub the name off..? 

[neepheid]

15 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

This is my sixer fretless. It says 'Douglas' on the headstock...

Disclaimer : I didn't make this bass. Should I scrub the name off..? 

Is this intended to be taken in jest, or am I supposed to debate it?

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited March 14, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Dad3353]

9 minutes ago, neepheid said:

Is this intended to be taken in jest, or am I supposed to debate it?

It's for fun, and a dumb example of ambiguity. What 'real' information does a headstock label convey..? In this case, is it to indicate that it's my bass..? Or did I make it..? Or is the maker's name Douglas..? Is it just a commercial label..? Is that 'Douglas', under any guise, playing in that photo..? Anyone drawing conclusions from what is written on any headstock is solely responsable for their conclusions. 'Real'..? 'Fake'..? It's for the onlooker to make anything of it, or nothing at all. For my part, it's 'Nothing at all'; it has no bearing on the qualities, good or bad, of the instrument. It adds, nor detracts, 'value' except that accorded by the onlooker. "A rose, by any other name..." 

Edited May 25, 2021 by Dad3353

[neepheid]

Just now, Dad3353 said:

It's for fun, and a dumb example of ambiguity. What 'real' information does a headstock label convey..? In this case, is it to indicate that it's my bass..? Or did I make it..? Or is the maker's name Douglas..? Is it just a commercial label..? Is that 'Douglas', under any guise, playing in that photo..? Anyone drawing conclusions from what is written on any headstock is solely responsable for their conclusions. 'Real'..? 'Fake'..? It's for the onlooker to make anything of it, or nothing at all. For my part, it's 'Nothing at all'; it has no bearing on the qualities, good or bad, of the instrument. It adds, nor detracts, 'value' except that accorded by the onlooker. 

Cool.  And damn your deadpan delivery

[Downunderwonder]

After you're done sanding a haircut and a shave would work wonders.

[NancyJohnson]

There should be another option of 'No'.

Don't we live in a world of fakery?  It's not limited to Fender decals on Limelight/Bravewood/Squier or Gibson truss rod covers on Epiphones or Rickenbacker covers on Chickenbackers, it extends to other products including watches, clothing, accessories. 

I've never seen the point in faking things up; maybe I'm just wired differently.  I actually like the fact that my 40 year old Aria Primary bass plays and sounds better (*subjective) than it's Fender equivalent, so why would I sand off the logo and put a Fender on on it?

[Hellzero]

Long story short : I once sold an early Squier Vintage Modified 70's Jazz Bass to a friend. It was really excellent sounding, way better than a lot of original ones. He started to use it in the different bands he was in and at the conservatory where he was studying. People were always telling him to get a decent bass : Buy a real Fender was what he was always told. So one day he put a fake Fender logo on it and a different pickguard (scratchplate for the others) : Suddenly it became an astounding bass and he got complimented for his sound. 🤦‍♂️

Sad but true.

Edited May 26, 2021 by Hellzero
Spelling

[Paul S]

There is that expression 'people listen with their eyes'.

[Hellzero]

12 hours ago, Dad3353 said:

This is my sixer fretless. It says 'Douglas' on the headstock...

Disclaimer : I didn't make this bass. Should I scrub the name off..? 

So, you started a franchise ?

[wateroftyne]

19 minutes ago, Paul S said:

There is that expression 'people listen with their eyes'.

Surely that doesn't happen in the world of music and entertainment...??

[Guest]

Given the rather, ahem, “variable” quality of Fender basses, I’d rather not have the logo, even if it is a genuine Fender 😁

[bagsieblue]

21 hours ago, Cato said:

Pretty sure Fender don't have any kind of copyright over that style of writing.

 

The Fender headstock shape is copyrighted

[Hellzero]

1 hour ago, bagsieblue said:

The Fender headstock shape is copyrighted

Indeed, but it's a bit non legal as it's already more than inspired by the Paul Bigsby design that has been inspired by an Austrian design from Johann Georg Stauffer made around 1820...

Funnily, the Stauffer design has been used by his student : Christian Frederick Martin (yes the founder of Martin guitars) and can be seen on early US Martin guitars.

Stauffer :

Bigsby to Fender :

And here, the precision tuning system invented by Stauffer, way ahead of its time :

With these photos and historical proof, plus a good lawyer, you'll win.

Edited May 26, 2021 by Hellzero
Complement data

[Supernaut]

1 hour ago, Paul S said:

There is that expression 'people listen with their eyes'.

Applies to wine and whisky drinkers too...

I only drink right bank Bordeaux! 

[Geek99]

On 25/05/2021 at 11:02, Hellzero said:

I can make you a screwed in Belgium.

I tried that but was arrested for soliciting a woman for immoral purposes **
 

** probably not 100% true 

[Guest MoJo]

5 hours ago, NancyJohnson said:

There should be another option of 'No'.

Don't we live in a world of fakery?  It's not limited to Fender decals on Limelight/Bravewood/Squier or Gibson truss rod covers on Epiphones or Rickenbacker covers on Chickenbackers, it extends to other products including watches, clothing, accessories. 

I've never seen the point in faking things up; maybe I'm just wired differently.  I actually like the fact that my 40 year old Aria Primary bass plays and sounds better (*subjective) than it's Fender equivalent, so why would I sand off the logo and put a Fender on on it?

'No' option added

[SurroundedByManatees]

I think this Fender "repair" decals are rarely used in the way they are supposed to. Of course they are great if you are actually restoring an instrument. But there are many, many, many faked up cheapos that end up being offered (if not from the first, than from a second or later owner) as real. There is a lot of pollution of the market, and a serious problem for those that don't know all about the details. 

On the large Dutch online marketplace there is a dude who is constantly selling rebadged cheapos (at medium price, but still too much) and his instruments turn up regularly as real or "don't know if it's completely real" fender from later owners.. 

[wateroftyne]

8 minutes ago, SurroundedByManatees said:

On the large Dutch online marketplace there is a dude who is constantly selling rebadged cheapos (at medium price, but still too much) and his instruments turn up regularly as real or "don't know if it's completely real" fender from later owners.. 

Got an example…?

[SurroundedByManatees]

Now he only has a rebadged Squier up:

https://www.marktplaats.nl/a/muziek-en-instrumenten/snaarinstrumenten-gitaren-elektrisch/m1709869832-fender-stratocaster-60-look-squier-elektrische-gitaar-set.html

Mostly he has about 3/4 faked instruments for sale. Reporting him to the site for selling counterfeits on large scale doesn't help unfortunately. 

[wateroftyne]

4 minutes ago, SurroundedByManatees said:

Now he only has a rebadged Squier up:

https://www.marktplaats.nl/a/muziek-en-instrumenten/snaarinstrumenten-gitaren-elektrisch/m1709869832-fender-stratocaster-60-look-squier-elektrische-gitaar-set.html

Mostly he has about 3/4 faked instruments for sale. Reporting him to the site for selling counterfeits on large scale doesn't help unfortunately. 

I'm confused - is it not a Chinese Squier...?

[12stringbassist]

A guitar wearing the wrong decal is:
An attempt to deceive the audience.
An attempt to make the owner feel better about his guitar.
A potential fraud upon resale.
A bit stupid, really. If the owner says it's not really a Fender, what does it make them look like?

I'll happily go out with a Squier bass, though I have several Fenders. And its logo is untouched.
People who rebadge Rockinbetters as R*ckenb*ckers make me laugh the hardest.

I will happily own up to getting this TRC for my Retrovibe, though...

[martthebass]

On ‎25‎/‎05‎/‎2021 at 11:46, christhammer666 said:

I had a squier jazz which was a beaut but I was told by a crap soundman that the sound was terrible because I was using a jazz. the snobbery will always be there

I recall a gig a few years back where I was accosted by the soundman at the soundcheck; he was complaining he couldn't get a decent sound from my Squier Mustang and indicated I should use my back up 'proper Fender' which was a JMJ Mustang.  He wasn't amused when I told him it wasn't a proper Fender as it was made in Mexico....