Chinese Fakemachine build thread

[asher]

Actually, I should rephrase anyhow, my mistake - was referencing your $400 Ibanez statement.

But Pikka Bird hit it. You more or less KNOW you're getting a functional guitar from Ibanez - and if not, that's what dealer replacements are for.

Neither of those are a luxury you get with a Chinese builder like this.

 

[GraemeH]

Actually, I should rephrase anyhow, my mistake - was referencing your $400 Ibanez statement.

But Pikka Bird hit it. You more or less KNOW you're getting a functional guitar from Ibanez - and if not, that's what dealer replacements are for.

Neither of those are a luxury you get with a Chinese builder like this.

People have received replacements for totally unplayable guitars if they provide photographic evidence on arrival, they don't all have zero post-sale involvement.

I believe that the middle-man site itself holds your money and only releases it to the seller once you've received it in described condition, so they have to?

Unfortunately, some dreamers have demanded partial refunds or replacements for minor finish flaws and the like. The sort of thing common sense tells you you just accept in that price range. That's actually driven some sellers to refuse to ship to some countries (USA) because they were getting more post-sale trouble than it was worth.

Also, I'd rather have a really interesting finish on a guitar with some finish flaws, than a flawless flat paint finish, which is your alternative at that price from a big manufacturer.

 

[ThatCanadianGuy]

People have received replacements for totally unplayable guitars if they provide photographic evidence on arrival, they don't all have zero post-sale involvement.

I believe that the middle-man site itself holds your money and only releases it to the seller once you've received it in described condition, so they have to?

Unfortunately, some dreamers have demanded partial refunds or replacements for minor finish flaws and the like. The sort of thing common sense tells you you just accept in that price range. That's actually driven some sellers to refuse to ship to some countries (USA) because they were getting more post-sale trouble than it was worth.

Also, I'd rather have a really interesting finish on a guitar with some finish flaws, than a flawless flat paint finish, which is your alternative at that price from a big manufacturer.

Thank you for putting it more elegantly than I could've.

It's a pain dealing with these Chinese companies at points, but if there was absolutely no possibility of correcting a guitar you can't play, no one would take the risk. From the conversations I've seen take place between the sellers and customers with broken necks and such, I'd almost rather deal with them than my local big box instrument store. Lol.

 

[Forrest_H]

Actually, I should rephrase anyhow, my mistake - was referencing your $400 Ibanez statement.

But Pikka Bird hit it. You more or less KNOW you're getting a functional guitar from Ibanez - and if not, that's what dealer replacements are for.

Neither of those are a luxury you get with a Chinese builder like this.

BUT CHINAMACHINE ASHER



Personally it turned out the way I expected your build to turn out, not bad at all. If it plays nice, score! If not, you served many an SSOer well by taking a plunge most of us thought about taking, but few admitted

I hope it plays okay!

 

[splinter8451]

Does no one know Aliexpress has buyer protection? If he gets it and it is horrible he ships it back and he is only out on the shipping cost.

Aliexpress acts as the middle man, the money is in their hands until you say you received the item and are happy. He didn''t just ship his money over to China in the hopes of getting a working guitar

EDIT: Didn't realize GaemeH beat me to it. Yes the money is in escrow until he gives Aliexpress the greenlight or his 30 day time period ends (which you can easily extend if the seller is messing around not shipping).

 

[ThatCanadianGuy]

Does no one know Aliexpress has buyer protection? If he gets it and it is horrible he ships it back and he is only out on the shipping cost.

Aliexpress acts as the middle man, the money is in their hands until you say you received the item and are happy. He didn''t just ship his money over to China in the hopes of getting a working guitar

EDIT: Didn't realize GaemeH beat me to it. Yes the money is in escrow until he gives Aliexpress the greenlight or his 30 day time period ends (which you can easily extend if the seller is messing around not shipping).

I had forgotten about this until it was brought up earlier. The Alibaba group is now bigger than the Walmart corporation. They'll do anything to keep people coming back.

 

[Hollowway]

It's a pain dealing with these Chinese companies at points, but if there was absolutely no possibility of correcting a guitar you can't play, no one would take the risk. From the conversations I've seen take place between the sellers and customers with broken necks and such, I'd almost rather deal with them than my local big box instrument store. Lol.

Well, statistically, that's way off base. You're much more likely to get an unplayable guitar from a Chinese fake builder than GC, etc. As I pointed out earlier, there are oodles of threads on the internet about people buying one of these guitars, and coming to the conclusion it can't be made decent without significant further investment. The risk is decidedly huge on these.

I think the real safeguard here is the buyer protection that this middleman offers. If they are able to make it legitimate, then this tips the scale far in the other direction.

In either case, I was hoping these were cheaper. If I were to take this to my tech and get it to be up to speed, based on other Chinese low end instruments I've played, I may as well get something nicer right out of the gate. I haven't ordered from this site, though, so I'm hoping they've got the QC dialed in a lot better.

 

[ThatCanadianGuy]

Well, statistically, that's way off base. You're much more likely to get an unplayable guitar from a Chinese fake builder than GC, etc. As I pointed out earlier, there are oodles of threads on the internet about people buying one of these guitars, and coming to the conclusion it can't be made decent without significant further investment. The risk is decidedly huge on these.

I think the real safeguard here is the buyer protection that this middleman offers. If they are able to make it legitimate, then this tips the scale far in the other direction.

In either case, I was hoping these were cheaper. If I were to take this to my tech and get it to be up to speed, based on other Chinese low end instruments I've played, I may as well get something nicer right out of the gate. I haven't ordered from this site, though, so I'm hoping they've got the QC dialed in a lot better.

Did you actually even read what I posted?

 

[Haun]

Out of curiosity. Where in Denmark do you live? I might want to try out that Chinamachine when it arrives

 

[Ambit]

Do these play well though? Seriously considering ordering one now. I wonder how the intonation holds up. Thats usually the main thing to worry about.

 

[Ambit]

Also, am I mistaken in noticing there are no fret markers on the fret board or neck?

 

[Ambit]

What pickups come in them?

 

[splinter8451]

What pickups come in them?

Most likely microphonic pieces of shit you don't order these expecting a "ready to play" guitar. Look at it as a project.

That is the usual experience with Chinese copies.

 

[mortbopet]

Do these play well though? Seriously considering ordering one now. I wonder how the intonation holds up. Thats usually the main thing to worry about.

We'll know in a few weeks when i recieve it!

Also, am I mistaken in noticing there are no fret markers on the fret board or neck?

There should be some side fret markers

What pickups come in them?

A lot of these guitars receive discarded epiphone pickups. Still functional, but most likely sounds like crap and are unpottet.
I asked the guy to use a pair which was wax potter - we'll see about that though...

 

[ThatCanadianGuy]

There's the option of...

A- Potting them yourself, or

B- Getting a new set of pickups. I've heard good things from Wilkinson's pickups, as well as good things about Guitar Fetish's, if you'd like to stay budget friendly.

 

[theo]

Somehow missed this thread until now.
Interested to hear how it goes. For a cheap chinese guitar it looks okay from the pics.

 

[mortbopet]

Update #4:

The nut has been changed to bone, and will be shipped today.
Let the waiting game begin!

 

[GraemeH]

I like how there are custom/"botique" guitar builder threads here where people throw thousands at them to do a custom build, it takes a year and a half, they can't get update pictures for months at a time, then it arrives with problems.

Meanwhile in China, the guitars have the same problems, but they cost a fifth and are made in a week with update pictures every day...
This is why the US and UK aren't manufacturing super-powers anymore

 

[Deadnightshade]

I like how there are custom/"botique" guitar builder threads here where people throw thousands at them to do a custom build, it takes a year and a half, they can't get update pictures for months at a time, then it arrives with problems.

Meanwhile in China, the guitars have the same problems, but they cost a fifth and are made in a week with update pictures every day...
This is why the US and UK aren't manufacturing super-powers anymore

The custom/boutique guitar builders you're talking about are usually one man to a handful of employees, it's quite different from a chinese factory. They fail to avoid problems and are late to deliver USUALLY not because of lack of experience, knowledge or quality materials, but more so due to getting swamped, or mounting a high horse, thinking that even with apparent flaws, their products are worth the money.

 

[ThatCanadianGuy]

The custom/boutique guitar builders you're talking about are usually one man to a handful of employees, it's quite different from a chinese factory. They fail to avoid problems and are late to deliver USUALLY not because of lack of experience, knowledge or quality materials, but more so due to getting swamped, or mounting a high horse, thinking that even with apparent flaws, their products are worth the money.

You're both right. There used to be a passion in the North America and Europe to put out the best product possible. Now the only passion they seem to have is the premium they can get for stamping "Made In" on everything they make.