Help me take this guy down

[sammyblp]

So, I was looking at kijiji today and I came across this ad Wanted: WTB - Gibson Les Paul Replicas - City of Toronto Musical Instruments For Sale - Kijiji City of Toronto Canada.
The guy wants to knowingly buy a fake. I emailed him saying that it is illegal and that he should remove the ad. He emailed me back saying "Get real. I'm sure the estate of Orville Gibson will be sure to get at you with a congratulatory handshake for reporting me.". So I reported him, but kijiji has not yet removed the advertisement as I type this.
I'm thinking that he might want to buy a fake in order to pass it off to someone else.
You guys can help me by emailing him, or by reporting him, cause it doesn't look like he is listening to me.

 

[stevedave]

eh let him be, who cares if he wants to buy a fake at least he knows what he's getting into.

 

[Nils]

I guess there's not much you can do. There is no proof he is going to pass it on to someone. He might just want it for himself.

 

[sammyblp]

eh let him be, who cares if he wants to buy a fake at least he knows what he's getting into.

well ya, i guess its his fault if he ends up with a warped neck cause there's no truss rod or something.

 

[ledfloyd]

well ya, i guess its his fault if he ends up with a warped neck cause there's no truss rod or something.

Yes it is so dont worry about it.

 

[battweek]

All you can do is email gibson. They do respond although it can take a week sometimes. Even if the ads removed he'll find a way to get one (probably through ebay). Best thing to do to stop the counterfeiters is to report any ads to gibson.

 

[Boppy]

Who cares? It's not illegal to own a fake guitar. Are you kidding?

 

[battweek]

Who cares? It's not illegal to own a fake guitar. Are you kidding?

Comments like these support the counterfeiters. Hes obviously buying the guitar for the name on the headstock. What about when he decides to sell the guitar and pass it off as the real thing?

 

[Boppy]

No. A comment like this could be seen as supporting counterfeiters...
"Yeah! Those Chinese knockoff guitars rawk, man! I own twenty fer reel Gibsons 'n I can't tell the difference!"
I made no such comment.

Anyways, he mentions in his ad that he's into modding guitars and he also expressed interest in buying other LP copies as well...

"I am also interested in 70's lawsuit guitars from companies like Ibanez, Mann, Greco, Tokai, Burny etc."

All this handwringing in the key of "GASP! He's going to buy a Gibsun and pass it off as real to an unsuspecting buyer!" is really over the top.
Again, I say it's not illegal to buy, own, or to even solicit the purchase a Chinese knockoff.
I'm not cheerleading the counterfeiters--just stating the truth of the matter.

 

[DonLP]

No. A comment like this could be seen as supporting counterfeiters...
"Yeah! Those Chinese knockoff guitars rawk, man! I own twenty fer reel Gibsons 'n I can't tell the difference!"
I made no such comment.

Anyways, he mentions in his ad that he's into modding guitars and he also expressed interest in buying other LP copies as well...

"I am also interested in 70's lawsuit guitars from companies like Ibanez, Mann, Greco, Tokai, Burny etc."

All this handwringing in the key of "GASP! He's going to buy a Gibsun and pass it off as real to an unsuspecting buyer!" is really over the top.
Again, I say it's not illegal to buy, own, or to even solicit the purchase a Chinese knockoff.
I'm not cheerleading the counterfeiters--just stating the truth of the matter.

AGREED

 

[LeftyF2003]

I honestly don't know why someone would even bother with these given the fact that you can get an Epiphone (or Agile, or Raven West, etc) LP copy that is about the same $$, is legal and by all accounts plays and sounds much better than these. But it's no skin off mine if he wants to hack one up. Just so it doesn't turn up on E-bay some day.

 

[TeleDog]

Many legal ways to get a LP style guitar. You can buy a Tokai or a Burny, plenty of them available all over the place. You can buy a kit too. You can buy wood and make your own.

But, the key here with those chinese things is that they're making a huge effort to convince the unsuspecting customer that they're just getting a real Gibson direct, somehow cheaper because they cut off the middle man or something.

That is fraud, I mean, it's plain to see. Not to mention trying to sell a copy as a real Gibson is also fraud, regardless of the operation or the scheme you use.

A lot of those posts are fake, they're trying to make you think "Hmmm, other people say they're real good...".... Don't fall for it. Those things are crap, firewood, you get a guitar with the wrong scale, warped neck, faulty electronics, crappy pickups.. and then what? Who are you going to ask for support?

Stay away from that counterfeit crap!

 

[07LPStandard]

Comments like these support the counterfeiters. Hes obviously buying the guitar for the name on the headstock. What about when he decides to sell the guitar and pass it off as the real thing?

Why do you get all bent out of shape over something like this?

It's almost as if some people spend their spare time scouting the internet, looking for any signs of a fake Gibson or Epiphone.

When someone tries to pass off a fake as a legitimate guitar, then you can get mad. It's sad to see people get ripped off. But this guy wants to buy a fake guitar knowing that it is a fake guitar. Maybe he is decorating a room and wants a Gibson on the wall, without paying for a Gibson?

Seriously, it's not that big of a deal. Let him be. There's no need to "take this guy down".

 

[krau2818]

It's almost as if some people spend their spare time scouting the internet, looking for any signs of a fake Gibson or Epiphone.

When someone tries to pass off a fake as a legitimate guitar, then you can get mad. It's sad to see people get ripped off. But this guy wants to buy a fake guitar knowing that it is a fake guitar. Maybe he is decorating a room and wants a Gibson on the wall, without paying for a Gibson?

Seriously, it's not that big of a deal. Let him be. There's no need to "take this guy down".

I agree. Its his money, let him do with it what he pleases. Saying that he is supporting the counterfitters is like saying a person buying a bag a weed in montana is supporting the juarez cartel. Hes on a message board, in Canada, looking around for a fake locally. I dont think theres a direct outlet of fake chinese gibsons up there. If anything, some guy who already got tricked into a fake might want to get rid of it. This way, he can without having to lie to some unsuspecting 16 year old.

Now if he wants to find a website selling the fakes out of Bejing, that be a different story. then the money would be going to the counterfitters, and he wouldnt be getting anything if Customs do there job. So he'd be a dumbass for sure.

 

[lp_junkie]

Who cares? It's not illegal to own a fake guitar. Are you kidding?

If it is illegal to manufacture and buy counterfeit goods then how else do you get one without breaking the law? You have to committ a crime in order to have it in your possession.

 

[thinkgreen]

i know its illegal to sell unlicensed copy's. but i didn't think it was illegal to make, own or buy 1 for personal use.

imo if this guy wants to buy a piece of crap because of a name that's his business. i have far more important things to worry about.

 

[LeftyF2003]

TeleDog said:

"But, the key here with those chinese things is that they're making a huge effort to convince the unsuspecting customer that they're just getting a real Gibson direct, somehow cheaper because they cut off the middle man or something."

No kidding? I honestly never thought by the way they worded it (at least on the Gibsun site) that they weren't anything but bad copies. I'm surprised anyone would think they were real. Yikes!

 

[thisistonyj]

people need to mind their own business...

 

[fry]

I actually admire how much this subject bothers you. I would never have had the nerve to email the guy to confront him. I guess there's not much else you can do, but you tried. He'll get what he deserves most likely.

 

[splinteh]

I personally think that you should leave him alone and not get involved in this. You never know what this could lead to