Is this Legal? Looks like copyright infringement to me.

[basslover1963]

I was searching Google images for Music Man StingRay Ball Family Reserve and came up with a picture that looks like my new bass that I purchased a week ago. I clicked on it and this is what I was directed to....

Buy free shipping Music Man StingRay Ernie ball Electric Bass guitar from madeinchina wholesaler on ShopMadeInChina

Now, the picture does not show the headstock so there is not a decal showing, but if someone were to purchase this bass, what are the chances that there is a Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay decal on the headstock? The images make the bass look like an Ernie Ball.

Has anyone had any experience with counterfeit Music Mans? How would one be able to tell if theirs is authentic, especially if the counterfeiter went to the extreme of duplicating a Music Man serial number?

Thanks.
DG

 

[pete bass]

It looks they are using pics of a genuine stingray classic, but what's in the box when delivered would be something else entirely...

 

[Geetarfreek82]

I don't know, they have photos of white guys building guitars and quotes like "We play an important roll in guitar making industry with our superexcellent handcrt technique....."

 

[sanderhermans]

the pics are indeed of a genuine ebmm classic sr4 But check the last pic of the bridge, they seem to have photoshoped the mm logo of..... at the price descripted chances are about 0% you get a real musicman. also check the shipping rates if you choose another shipping company. 800$ to usa. this is a very strange website.

 

[sanderhermans]

check this out: somethimes they use actual ebmm photos and photoshop (some of) the logo's off
Buy best Ernie Ball Musicman Stingray Classic IV Bass Lake Tahoe Blue Birdseye Maple Neck OEM Available Cheap from madeinchina wholesaler on ShopMadeInChina
other times they show what you might actually get:
Buy FREE SHIPPING Top qulity 5 string bass Free shipping hot New style BLACK Music Man StingRay Ernie ball 5 string bass guitar electric from madeinchina wholesaler on ShopMadeInChina

 

[basslover1963]

How do they get away with this? Or is it kind of a gray area so no one goes after them?

DG

 

[sanderhermans]

this is clearly beyond a "grey zone" using real mm pics to sell a bunch of ..... is not ok.

 

[pete bass]

China is law unto itself as far as fraud goes as they find it difficult to innovate so it´s far easier for them to copy others...We must all take the blame for this.....Who can honestly hold their hands up and say they have never purchased anything "Made in the PRC" ???? and that includes the SQ***R brand

 

[jlepre]

JMHO but SQ***R is a F***ER branded instrument. Same as SBMM is an authorizer EBMM instrument.

 

[steevo]

Buying Chinese made products doesn't give them the right to copy things to that degree, theres no point in trying to justify it. And why so you star out the words fender and squire? Yes they are a rival to ernie ball but by blanking their name out doesn't mean they don't exist, if it wasn't for companies like Gibson and fender then the music industry would look very different, shows a lack of respect regardless of what forum this is.

 

[Tollywood]

Don't click on this link - my virus protection said this is a site with malware attatched to it.

check this out: somethimes they use actual ebmm photos and photoshop (some of) the logo's off
Buy best Ernie Ball Musicman Stingray Classic IV Bass Lake Tahoe Blue Birdseye Maple Neck OEM Available Cheap from madeinchina wholesaler on ShopMadeInChina
other times they show what you might actually get:
Buy FREE SHIPPING Top qulity 5 string bass Free shipping hot New style BLACK Music Man StingRay Ernie ball 5 string bass guitar electric from madeinchina wholesaler on ShopMadeInChina

 

[basslover1963]

Don't click on this link - my virus protection said this is a site with malware attatched to it.

I am so sorry, Tollie. My virus software did not catch that. But I'm unclear if it was the link I posted or one of the links that sanderhermans posted.

Thanks.
DG

 

[ksandvik]

The other issue is that I would *never ever never* trust a credit card number and CCV to such a site...

 

[Greg Suarez]

If it sounds too good to be true...

 

[l4st.ninja]

They get away with it because they are using images from expired ebay auctions, the mint one looks like an old 'musiczoo' auction because of the shot angles, lighting and black background they always use on stock photo's. The lake tahoe blue I recognise from a bay auction a while back. It's all pretty underhanded, but unless the images are copyright, completely legal.. in the dirty nasty con-artist sense. I'm sure there will be some nonsense on photo's not representing actual item in the t&c's, but it's still doubtless going to catch out some poor kid.

let's all hope the factory gets accidentaly set on fire

 

[donkelley]

How would one be able to tell if theirs is authentic, especially if the counterfeiter went to the extreme of duplicating a Music Man serial number?

Thanks.
DG

play it. instantly one will know if it is an ebmm or a copy... even a good copy.

but for eBay..... hmmmm.... close up pics of front and back of headstock.... nut.. . bridge..... inside of electronic section..... thumb wheel truss adjust..... pickup details...... etc

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

 

[Wahoonc]

Shell companies that set up, make sales, and disappear--often, this is the case. The Chinese reverse engineer all kinds of things and sometimes get to market before the actual product. The problem with Chinese knock-offs like this is that it is very difficult to

1. Find someone to prosecute AND
2. Get them in a court in the US to answer the complaint

Mostly, the merchant fails to respond/disappears. Not much you can do about it. Can't really order Chinese officials to apprehend and deliver a criminal, especially if it does not relate to some form of criticism of the Chinese government. And our government has lost a lot of its leverage because we are basically financed by China right now.