I think Europe, at least parts of it, is starved on EBMM instruments. I would think that the niche for EBMM fakers is big and wide and comfortable over here.
If EBMM started concentrating more on European distribution, maybe they could out-compete the fakers? The quality of the SUB basses is probably far beyond any of the fakes, and I have a hunch that maybe they could compete price-wise too, if they found the time/resources to do it. And I would guess that people would prefer the real deal, if given the choice.
But when it comes to the real deal, it least in Norway, you have to look far and wide just to find a StingRay. Not to mention all the other models, which are virtually unknown over here. You say "Music Man", and the local musicians nod and say "yeah, Stingray". You say "Big Al", they give you a blank stare. You show them a SR5, they say "That's not a Music Man".
You go to a music store, and there are all sorts of Fenders, Squiers, Gibson, Epis, Ibanezes, Peaveys, Alembics, Warwicks, Yamahas, Jacksons, more Squiers, Gretches, ESPs, LTDs, Hagstöms, Charvels, Corts.... notice any missing brands?
Granted, some stores have a MusicMan. And it is almost always one black 4 string StingRay or SUB Ray with a single humbucker and a maple neck. If you want a new MusicMan that is not a solid color single humbucker SR4, you have to either import it yourself, pay the store $4000+ to import it for you, or rely on fakes. Me, I buy used instruments. From USA via fleabay. Haven't been ripped of yet, knock on wood.
(A small "discaimer" of sorts: I know that there are at least one store in some town somewhere in Norway that have had several Bongos at one point in time. But they seem to be the exception that proves the rule. AFAIK, that store has no Bongos any more, and I haven't been in that particular town, and I haven't seen Bongos anywhere else. And let's not forget that MM have many other models than the SR and the Bongo, too.)
Just my 2 cents, and I'm definitely not an expert on the music instrument market, but I experience the MM situation here in Norway as frustrating. Hence the rant.
