Hey look, J/Cs for sale shipping from Beijing...these are real right?

[MetalMedal II]

Scary stuff:

http://www.tradetang.com/wholesale+jackson_c22.html

http://www.tradetang.com/wholesale+charvel_c22.html

Oh look, now I can get that LP Custom for less than $400 shipped:

http://www.tradetang.com/wholesale+gibson_c22.html

[markD]

i actually like this one. i think the binding with the graphic looks pretty sweet. i may have to consider a "real" version of that as my next CS.....

[RacerX]

In case any newb blunders in here and thinks you're serious: No. They're not.

[MetalMedal II]

In case any newb blunders in here and thinks you're serious: No. They're not.

Oh, spoil my fun!

[Mr.Shreddy]

I like the lefty trem bar...adds to the "legit" factor.

[Hellbat]

The scary thing is it looks better built than the Desolation Charvels...

[ginsambo]

Some of the Gibsons are actually pretty good, better than some '70's Les Pauls which have spliced maple necks. The best knockoffs have ebony fretboards, one price mahogany necks and lovely flame tops on mahogany bodies. Just check out DHgate. Get lucy with a model with a decent neck, replace the hardware and pickups (Not cheap) and you are in business!

This is the market balancing itself I reckon. Gibson move some of its production to Chinaland, to maximise profits whilst minimizing labour and machining costs what do they expect in a country with no copyright laws.

I actually believe that a lack of copyright will never hurt a company that appreciates its customers, is always innovative and striving to produce the best consistent quality, at a decent price. It takes a lot of resources, skill, expertise and specialist machinery to set up a manufacturing company that just imitates. Its lack of ingenuity is its downfall anyhow as it will always be one step behind the game.

This is a wakeup call to Gibson who have part moved production out to Chinaland in order to maximise profits, whilst reducing labour ad machining costs, whilst relying on their brand name. It will hurt them.

Jacksons meanwhile....I'd be wary. the ones I've seen are shocking. They do use photos ripped from US and European websites I know for a fact as a company was knocking out Charvel necks, using a ripped Mr Reliable Fender's Ebay listing photo as a photo of their stock....unless fender bender is selling knockoffs...(No just joking)

What worries me is the legacy series knockoffs, as they are simple guitars. I mean you could buy a Star or a bullseye or even a Van Halen or Demartini model for the body and put a real Charvel neck and decent hardware on it and who is to know?...maybe..

Well, now Charvel is moving some of its production of its wonderbeasts to China I wonder what the future will hold. No doubt in 5 years time, some of the knockoffs will be better than the real thing.

Greed.....plain and simple I reckon is what it comes down to.