Chibbo anyone?

KrisGee

Showed up as ad in my fb feed today - London based company selling chibsons. Is this even legal???

https://www.realguitarlegends.com/products/custom-made-rgl-1959-gibson-les-paul-standard-cherry-sunburst-electric-guitar?utm_campaign=facebookmarketing_1549188834&utm_source=ad&utm_medium=facebook

HarrySeven

Not in the slightest...

crunchman

Looks dodgy to me.  Can't even spell catalogue correctly on their website.  They claim to be based in the UK, but obviously haven't used a UK based website designer who actually knows English as opposed to 'murican.

I would be seriously worried that they will take your money, and no guitar will ever materialize.

KrisGee

crunchman said:

Looks dodgy to me.  Can't even spell catalogue correctly on their website.  They claim to be based in the UK, but obviously haven't used a UK based website designer who actually knows English as opposed to 'murican.

I would be seriously worried that they will take your money, and no guitar will ever materialize.

My concern is they sell copies, even if they were to arrive the next day.

mbe

Unretouched photos of their joint South Korean and Chinese factory taken in the Cort factory Indonesia?

Funkfingers

The obvious giveaway is the absence of any photographs of the front of the headstock. (The brand name headstock inlay is where the actionable stuff happens.) If the legend reads, RGL, some buyers will be put off. If it reads "Gibson", that constitutes a trade mark infringement and an attempt to defraud, leaving RGL open to litigation.

dazzajl

I rather like the bit where they very obviously avoid the front of headstock shot but happily show the ‘Made In USA’ stamp on the back. 

crunchman

Just did some checking.  There are an awful lot of companies registered at 219 Kensington High Street Office 4.  Google Street View shows Brompton Solicitors above the door.  Looks like somebody who will register a company for you and give you an address.  Not even certain they will have any staff in this country.

If you order, you might be lucky and get an illegal Chinese fake.  On the other hand, you might order, and then the website disappears in 6 weeks time and your money is gone.

Funkfingers

Last year, I had a potential eBay buyer provide a delivery address on Tottenham Court Road. When I queried this, he stalled before eventually admitting that he was in India and trying to get around my UK Only auction stipulation.

fendergibson

Dodge city and pretty illegal I’d say 

JerkMoans

Er, yes. 

"Real Guitar Legends is a wholly owned subisdary (sic) of Celtic Global Trading Solutions Ltd"

Celtic Global Trading Solutions Ltd was incorporated as recently as 10th December 2018.

The company has one director, a Mr Nicholas Kieswetter.  That gentleman is a former director of another company, Celtic Trade Car Sales Limited, incorporated on 4th November 2015 and struck off a little more than a year later.

Googling the fellow's name brings up some interesting reportage from the Mansfield Chad, a local news source.

Against that background, and the nature of the products on offer well, one must draw one's own conclusions.  I wouldn't send 'em a bean, personally...

Was particularly amused by this detail in the FAQs:

"On some of the photo’s in your catalogue details such as the manufacturer logo / serial numbers and artist signatures are missing?

"There are a number of reasons why not EVERY detail is shown on every guitar – however you can be assured that YOUR GUITAR will be a faithful reproduction of the original in every regard when you receive it."

baldy

Clearly marked Gibson & made in USA.
Only £450.
The ad says "This is not a real Gibson that's why it is £450 and not £4500, hope this helps the 1 in 700."

GoldenEraGuitars

I reported these guys to Facebook weeks ago, several times. They’re not interested.

The guy who runs it/imports this trash is a car salesman who has made the news for assault (I believe his wife was involved). 

Report it then stay well clear.

sweepy

https://www.realguitarlegends.com/products/custom-made-rgl-gibson-firebird-vii-3-tone-sunburst-maestro-vibrola-tailpiece

Thatdoes look fun though

GoldenEraGuitars

sweepy said:

https://www.realguitarlegends.com/products/custom-made-rgl-gibson-firebird-vii-3-tone-sunburst-maestro-vibrola-tailpiece

Thatdoes look fun though

It looks like the very reason the guitar market is fucked because of cheap, shitty, counterfeit Chinese knock offs.

Funkfingers

sweepy said:

That does look fun though

Gibson did make flamed maple top Firebirds, Explorers and Vees in the Eighties. Perhaps, they should consider trying that idea again? Traditionalists might not wear it.

thermionic

https://www.realguitarlegends.com/products/rickenbacker-360-12-string-electric-guitar-fireglo-finish-semi-acoustic

I’m tempted to email this to info@rickenbacker.com and get the dodgy criminal shut down.

prowla

The moustache/bookend shape of the top of the headstock is trademarked by Gibson, so with or without the logo it is still illegal.

The fact that they are using the Gibson name (presumably without permission) is also illegal.

Moominpapa

I love this, from the website:

"Once completed your order will be shipped directly to our UK Distribution and Quality Assurance Facility"

a.k.a. Dodgy Nick's lockup garage in Mansfield

HarrySeven

baldy said:

Clearly marked Gibson & made in USA.
Only £450.
The ad says "This is not a real Gibson that's why it is £450 and not £4500, hope this helps the 1 in 700."

That's a Facebook Marketplace post in Birmingham, isn't it?

"Okay so this is NOT a real Gibson BUT it IS a "LES PAUL" model Chibson badged Gibson, like Slashes "Appetite" guitar which was NOT a Gibson it said Gibson and was made by a local lutheir and was indead a LES paul design guitar unless you think it's a strat model..... or an ibanez universe maybe a Flying V.... I have been told it was made in the Epiphone plant in China and badged Gibson. Having owned loads of epiphones and played lots of bad 2+K baseball neck gibsons, this is a great guitar of equal quality in some instances. Plays great, see the pictures it would fool most guitar internet troll experts "

*sigh*

mbe

thermionic said:

https://www.realguitarlegends.com/products/rickenbacker-360-12-string-electric-guitar-fireglo-finish-semi-acoustic

I’m tempted to email this to info@rickenbacker.com and get the dodgy criminal shut down.

He'll say it's Nickenbacker!  *boom..tish*