Fake Gibson

Be aware that US Customs knows about these. If you order and pay, and they sieze it. You are out the $ with no recourse. Buying on the cheap is one thing, knowingly breaking the law is another. If something other than what is represented shows up, good luck on getting satisfaction. I see this type of thing in the paper here all the time as counterfeiters try and bring stuff across the Mexican border. The stuff is seized and the importers go to jail. One or a hundred it is still illegal importation.
Rick

This was brought up over a year ago, I remember the tradetang website somewhere in the mix. I'm sure all of us would be curious to actually try one of these, myself included. However, I'd be too leery to buy one so I'd rather just be curious and leave it at that! Legality aside, I wouldn't feel comfortable ordering from an unknown person or company in China knowing full well if the guitar sucked, I'd be out the cash -plain and simple.

The irony is that TradeTang had very prominent ads on Google about a year ago.  Almost every guitar site or forum I visited had a TradeTang ad pop up advertising 'Gibsons for $200' etc.  Even on some Gibson specific sites.

I thought it was crazy that one iconic US company (Google) was actively taking money to promote ads for a Chinese company that was actively and blatantly ripping off another iconic US company (Gibson/Fender et al).

I would rather spend some more money and get an Epiphone than get one of these.  At least with an Epiphone you know that they are legit.  And Epiphone is closer to a Gibson than these will ever be!  I own 2 Epi's including the JB model, and these guitars are fantastic!  The quilted Epi I have even says Gibson on the truss rod cover. Love my Epiphones.

I guess it's hard to copyright a colour scheme and mismatched knobs.

After much consideration I've decided not to buy anything.  I think the guitar will make it here and I think Customs might have a chance at getting the seller dumb enough to put Gibson Guitar on the package label or discription but most of those guys are slick enough not to show the made in the usa or Gibson on the head stock.  There are just too many Youtube video's of these guitars for the Feds to catch them often.  My issue is totally the head stock and the fact they say Made In the USA.  I work at a factory where we do Injection molding for Fiber optic connectors and up until recently 100% of our work force was in the USA.  It felt like I got my guts pulled out when they told us we would still be doing most of our work on a product like in america but half of our parts inventory would be shipped to costa rica for deflash and post processing, then returned to the states so we could inspect and sell them.  I might be king of cheap but I've got a little more pride in my country then to buy something so dishonest.  Long Live Gibson and Made In America.