I agree with most of the points you made. I do take issue with one thing. I did a setup recently on a cherry sunburst that had a solid one piece mahogany "nato" body with what looked to be a maple cap. Correct dark rosewood fretboard complete with binding on the fret ends. The bones of the guitar were solid. Cheap crap, No not really. You would pay serious $$$ if made here in America. It needed a fret level and the hardware/electronics are ok, but definitely not the best. Buy the time I was done the guitar played and sounded pretty dam good. I don't endorse buying a Chibson but that was my experience.
And why would you pay serious $$$ if made there in America? Because in America there are laws governing how these things are made. Was the wood sourced ethically and sustainably? Were the glues, fillers, dyes and lacquers made safely with minimal pollutants? Were the workers treated and paid fairly? It's easy for us to base our evaluations 100% on whether the finished product works for us, and excuse or ignore whatever damage was done on the way. To me that guitar could play like a Private Stock PRS and it would still be a POS I'd refuse to touch on principle.
@@MaxRossellMusic That’s the great thing about living in America. Everyone is free to express their own opinions. I applaud your high moral standing. I’m against them for ethics as well. If you wouldn’t play it and that’s fine by me, just stating my experience.
@@MaxRossellMusic You said it all my man. Not only that, but nothing get's done in China without the permission of the CCP. Whoever runs these "Chibson" factories is paying money to the CCP in return for turning a blind eye. This whole "Chibson" thing is high unethical, and immoral. These guitars are basically the guitar equivalent of blood diamonds.
You're right and it's a shame. You can't teach people empathy if they don't have it, and some people just don't care what harm they do as long as they're getting what they want. Annoyingly, since I've posted this video RUclips keeps showing me videos of RUclipsrs who DID buy Chibsons and are showing off what a great deal they think they got. Depressing. Thanks for watching and commenting by the way!
@@MaxRossellMusic lol --yes, YTube algorithms for recommended videos are optimized by idiotic programming. I guess you just dug your own hole with that one. It'll eventually change once you stop posting about chibsons & knockoff guitars :) --my pleasure ... rock on !
Well, my dude, if you watched my video about how these guitars are cheap nasty fakes made by criminals whose entire aim is to rip you off, and you somehow concluded that those are the guitars you want to buy, then very best of luck to you.
I have a few real Les Pauls. But I also have many higher end chibsons with 5a tops and my music room looks insane. I give some away to my nephew and to a couple neighborhood kids. One cried when I gave him a higher end chibson Black Beauty with fret binding, real tuners and seymour pickups. I set it all up for him. His dad thought he stole it from me lol. I reassured him. To see kids that happy is special to me
Reading some comments of losers buying chibsons. Ok I get it, all of you don't have the money to buy a Gibson, and that's ok, they are not the only guys doing guitars at all. You don't have money? You can get a good Indonesian made guitar, made by many guitar brands. in factories that were founded by Korean companies. Their prices are very affordable and the guitars are good. Just don't fool yourself, some chinese guitar brands that make good products (no counterfeit or Aliexpress guitars), their guitars aren't cheap at all, because to make a good guitar you need at least a properly dried wood. Me and my friend, we sanded hundreds of chinese made guitars, from Aliexpress to big names ones, and guess what? They don't dry the woods properly, sometimes you can even find moldy and rotten woods, all hidden under paint or thin wooden tops. Because they make thousands of guitars every day and they don't care about giving you a good wood, just a nice looking guitar, full make up. Don't fool yourself don't scream how ignorant you are about guitars, chinese companies from Alibaba or Aliexpress are not Fujigen or Godin, they don't have ethics or a name to stand for, they just want money and nothing else.
I’ll be honest. This video isn’t exactly correct. In my experience, the sellers have better customer service than most American companies. There is absolutely no vibe of “ they never want to see you again after purchase”. They will work with you every step of the way in hopes you spend more money with them. I’m not saying it’s right to buy a Chibson, but if we’re going to talk about it we might as well be honest. You also get what you pay for. You said you bought the cheapest one. Well… you got the cheapest one. There are more expensive options that are very well made guitars. The cheaper 200$ Chibson guitars for the money… really aren’t that bad compared to a 200$ guitar you buy in the states. Also, the last seller I worked with received 2 weeks paid off for the Chinese new year celebration which held up my shipping by 2 weeks. Not all are these oppressed workers you describe.
So be honest: you didn't watch the whole video or you'd know I didn't buy the cheapest one, or any Chibson at all, because there is no such thing as a "cheap" Chibson - they're all a complete waste of money. I'm also not saying you should buy a $200 guitar in the States, but for different reasons. It sounds like you have a lot of experience of shopping for Chibsons despite agreeing it's not right to buy them. Accordingly I'm not surprised they spend a lot of time conning you into buying more counterfeit guitars. Also Chinese workers are off for 2 weeks because the factories and businesses close down. A lot of them don't get paid for the time. That's not the same as a holiday.
They are good as a material to build upon . Take note I have been building my own guitars and pickups. For example I buy a guitar with the body and the looks, provided the neck is straight and the woods are ok (not much to analyse here, pickups and bridge do most of the work) I can change the nut, dye the fingerboard , well even put mother of pearl inlays in it if I want, wind some pickups do the fret levelling, put the tuners I like and I got something of my taste . Also sometimes you might be lucky and get something good upfront. Essentially I view them as less trouble from getting a les paul kit and the hassle of dying finishing etc. You can get em without the logo which is the right thing IMO. If you want the logo and things to be like a Gibson just buy the real thing.
I'm not surprised it would cost an American luthier four times what it costs a Chinese factory to make the same guitar. I'm surprised it wouldn't cost the American luthier more. I just spent a very small amount of cash on a used quality guitar made completely legitimately in China to use as a pickup platform, which is also my thing. You don't need to buy counterfeits for that. Honestly dude, I'm not sure how having bought products from a company absolves you from the guilt of buying counterfeits of that company's products.
You’re missing an entire segment of the Chibson market. There are those that love to tinker and Keaton and see the Chibson as a low risk platform to do just that. They are priced accurately- not much more than a cheap kit guitar and way less than buying “decent” bodies or necks. The same guys that frown on buying a Chibson never say a word about buying a licensed Chinese product or kit guitar.
That's because we're "frowning" on the ethics of the black market regardless of the quality of the product. I see this all the time and throughout this comment section, people who believe that getting a supposedly good quality guitar justifies buying counterfeits. It doesn't. Buying a MIC Epiphone or a kit guitar is not the same thing as buying a Chibson. In my experience people who love to tinker go out of their way to get hold of good parts from reputable sources because tinkering with junk is a waste of time. People looking for good mod platforms have no issues finding affordable legitimate branded guitars on the used market. People might buy a Chibson with plans to change the pickups because it's likely the pickups will be garbage, but the idea that amateur luthiers are buying Chibsons because of their value-for-money is nonsense.
Thats what I did... a good builder platform... and who cares if the dog knocks it over in the living room or beer gets spilled on it if you had it at a show. The electronics in them are junk but the body and neck are no way... they are all CNC done and have immaculate finishes on them... i looked at them and dont know how they do it for so cheap. No greedy Americans thats one part.
Do me a favour and rewatch the part of the video where I explain how they make Chibsons so cheaply. Then you'll know, and you'll be free to change your mind accordingly. Or not.
@@MaxRossellMusic If it’s not being sold or presented as an actual Gibson what’s the big deal? There are tons of Les Paul copies out there being sold by other manufacturers. I personally have an Edwards gold top and it’s a quality guitar and way more affordable than its Gibson counterpart…and I have what is most likely a Chibson I bought while living in the Philippines and it’s a good beater guitar and a fun project. I also have a couple actual Gibsons - a Murphy Lab Custom and a Standard. If you know what you’re getting and it’s your personal choice - and it’s not being presented as an actual Gibson I just don’t see what all the fuss is about. Collectively my Gibsons cost 12k+ - I’m blessed to have them but there was a time in my life having gear like that was a pipe dream…for lots of folks out there…maybe a Chibson fits.
An Edwards is not a Chibson, is it. This video is about Chibsons, which as I clearly state is a guitar made in China that has the Gibson logo on the headstock but is not made by Gibson. The fact you seem to be struggling with the distinction between Chibsons and Les Pauls made by a different brand might be a clue as to why you don't see what the problem is.
After owning a counterfeit Gibson(not a Chibson) back in 1990, I was curious about the Chibson when they showed up around 2005-ish... Edit: I think in 2022 despite maybe a few people, most players are well aware of the issues and chances being taken. Because these RUclips videos are the biggest advertisers.
I'm not sure most players are aware of the issues or chances. Given the amount of these that get sold either a huge amount of people don't realise what they're actually buying, or (much worse but unfortunately possible) they all know exactly what it is but just don't care. You're correct that a lot of people probably hear about these guitars from RUclips videos about them, however most of the videos I see are from guys who are reviewing them like they'd review any other guitar without drawing attention to the problems (if the RUclipsr actually bought one he's unlikely to point out how risky or unethical his purchase was) so I thought it would be a good idea to publish a contrasting opinion.
No virtue signalling here... I bought one because i like building guitars and wanted to inspect it (was so good I bought 2)... was shocked how good it looked. I disassembled it, compared it to my real one, its solid mahogany, some small qc things, nothing anyone would notice if you didnt point out. My real $3200 one had the inlays start to lift on the fretboard and you could see machine marks in it... so to me the price difference is laughable. It was intonated correct and the strings were like horse fencing, but it played. I replaced the pots and put a good seymour duncan set of pickups in, polished the frets, set it up.. and to my surprise I like it better than my real one. It has a poly finish which is harder than the lacquer on the real one, I think this is why it rings better and is more resonant than the Gibson. The neck is a little thicker, where the modern C the real one has I think Gibson thinks everyone has girl hands. The second one I got needed some fret filing, nothing major. But if someone wants to do a little work you can make them better than the real deal... and not have to worry about it. I actually dont understand why the real ones cost so much. They are nothing special, its wood, the electronics probably cost them less than a hundred, and paint and finish I can find flaws in them.. there is no reason they should cost more than say an American strat. Even a re-issue shouldnt cost anymore.... but over 5k?? I think i created a better R8 with one that cost $238. shipped to my door... and then put more than the cost into it... I made some vids on here of the close details... You can build a rockin machine for cheap and not have the stupid epiphone name or anything else on it. Is it bad? No different than Slash's... like you said... Gibson like the fake so much they now make copies of the fake.. How unethical is that? You can buy an "authentic" reproduction of a counterfeit. I lose no sleep knowing a bought 2 chibsons... I do question myself now why I own a real one though....
Chris Derig didn't have Gibsons permission and he made some guitars with vintage wiring and vintage PAFs that could pass as a real 59. Chibsons could never be mistaken for a real one.
I can’t find a Zakk Wylde white bullseye les paul that’s not a dirty cream color by gibson and couldn’t afford it if I could because it would be a collectors item or custom shop. I can’t find it from any affordable reputable maker either. I also couldn’t make one myself because I know for a fact that I would screw up the finish. The only ones that I can find that even come close to what I want are the chibsons. Nowhere else I’ve looked has had it, they’re pretty much my only option for an actually white bullseye “Zakk Wylde”, so I’m going to do it anyway and replace everything but the body and paint if I have to
100% Agree! Epiphone or Squier or any of the dozens of legitimate brands that make very affordable but still very good guitars - Ibanez, Jackson, Ltd, Gretsch, Yamaha, PRS SE, the list goes on. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Whoa, it's Max! Still playing? Amazing :) I've still got a CD with The Cut and other great songs on it somewhere in a box. There were some fantastic musicians in Preston(e) back then, it's a shame none of you ever took off, especially Burn Machina (and whatever you were called before and after that)
It is indeed me. But who are you? TBH given the shitshow the music industry is these days, I consider myself fortunate that none of my projects ever "got signed", and now I'm more mature and savvy and able to do everything 100% on my own terms. I'm not rich or famous or anything, but freedom is worth so much more than that.
@@MaxRossellMusic My internet-wide name is "Pod", including back on Prestone. I can't remember why it's not on RUclips, I suspect it was too short and my other variants were taken, despite making the account such a long time ago. I ended up begging RUclips for a really good name, please, and ironically got one. I thought you had a record deal with the first BM cd, but then the label exploded or something? Can't recall :) Do you still play in bands or make music for your own sake, or do paid-for stuff these days? And for either case: Why are there no videos or soundclouds of it?!! edit: Ah, I see some Bloodmeridian videos, I'll give them a listen ps: In a great example of the global-spanning internet reducing the distance to people to 0: A commenter on your channel looked familiar and workshoppy, so I clicked him, and I found in one of his videos my old school DT teacher commenting, and he even had a few vids. And like yours, it's a familiar voice I hadn't heard in a long time! (Actually I may have listened to some BM stuff at some point between then and now when I've stumbled upon the CDs)
Burn Machina never had a record deal, what we had was a "manager" who lied to us about having contacts and claimed he had set up a deal for us with Atlantic, which all turned out to be a load of shit. He still spent five grand of his own money on studio time for us, to this day I'll never know why. Another weird anecdote for the books.
idk. I'm considering buying one because I want a short scale thunderbird bass in sunburst, and you can't buy those at all. they don't exist outside of custom guitars. if epiphone was willing to sell me one, I'd be game
Thanks to you for watching and commenting! It's disappointingly easy to find them (obviously I won't say how on here) and the interesting thing is how obvious it is on those websites that they're fakes, and poor-quality ones at that. And yet people still buy them... Crazy.
It would seem their machinery and plans were stolen from Epihone so apart from the head stock they are Epi clones .I bought one in full knowledge it was a cheap and cheerful copy and looks gorgeous and sounds great .Now I have one and I know for sure the Les Paul is for me I am saving up for an origina[Or at least an Epiphone Slash signature model] so Gibson will profit in the end .
I'm not sure it's true that plans or machinery were stolen from Epiphone because most Chibsons I've seen are dimensionally different from real Gibsons/Epiphones, most noticeable with the body shapes. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Just because it’s illegal where you live doesn’t mean it’s illegal there. It’s not illegal for a guy in China to make them. Not everyone can afford a $3k guitar like you can. There are plenty of people who are absolutely grateful to own any guitar. Even a chibson. Not everything revolves around what you want. I’m sure there’s a homeless musician somewhere wishing he had a Chibson.
firstly there ino such thing as a chibson or chender or what ever they are junk bought by fools , i buy chinese guitars usally used and fix em up my collection is big and they are good why wait 4 months for something you paid 500 for , you can get an epiphone used locally for that and its usually pretty good
Well, you're correct that there aren't guitars called "Chibson" or "Chender", those are just terms that we use to refer to the fake Gibsons and Fenders made in China. I also agree that legitimate guitars made in China are getting better and better and some of them these days are excellent and incredible value for money.
Wood is wood people make Gibson guitars and people make guitars that look like Gibson guitars but also for a fraction of the price and in some cases the quality is excellent on the counter fits.
Have you ever noticed that all of these anti-Chibson guys all have the exact same set of points? They're so concerned about someone getting tricked in a resale- is this really a big issue? They're SO morally concerned about the copyrights of a massive company that is swimming in profits. The reality is, these are guys that own Gibsons and truly believe that makes them somehow better, and they can't STAND that someone could purchase a look-a-like for $300. Gibsons are awesome, and Chibsons can be really good. Mind your own business and stop worrying about what anybody else is playing. And spare us your moral outrage when the world has a thousand other REAL problems that should be addressed.
I've known people who have been duped into buying fake Gibsons, so yes it's an issue. How big of an issue it is depends on how much empathy you have. And it's irrelevant how rich Gibson is, if you think intellectual property should be protected then everyone's intellectual property should be protected. Anyone with a grand or so can own a real Gibson, Gibson owners don't think they're better, and nobody who owns an actual Gibson feels threatened by a knockoff. Maybe it's that you get off on the delusion that your knockoff somehow annoys people who can afford the real thing? And, in case you weren't aware, the existence of larger problems doesn't make smaller problems irrelevant. I'll start minding my own business when people stop defending black markets.
@@MaxRossellMusic So you think you can speak for every Gibson player? Kind of like you can speak on the conditions of every factory that Chibsons are made in, right? If you need to focus on what other players are doing, the way an angry woman would, go ahead! Lean into your dark feminine energy!
LOL yeah, you've "exposed" me for not justifying my talking points in the comments section of the nine-minute video of me justifying my talking points. Well done.
Talking head video, no guitar, if you happen to scroll to read comments while the ad is running. "reasons for it that I won't go into" = "because I know I'm full of it." Enjoy deleting my comment.
Nah, let's leave it up, so that years from now you can bring your grandkids here and tell them all about that one time Pop-Pop logged into his zombie RUclips account to get snarky about a video he didn't agree with.
"Gather 'round, children, and let Grampy tell y'all about the time in 2023 I done saved a busload of innocent RUclips viewers from being momentarily taken in by a rhetorical device somebody used in a video about fake guitars. I may have made myself look petty and foolish, but at least thanks to me maybe somebody didn't have to wait three or four whole minutes to find out that some guy on the internet didn't actually buy a Chibson and was just making a broad point about how they're a waste of money. They don't give out medals for that kinda thing, but goshdarn it I deserve one..."
I just don't understand how anyone would want a Chibson. Even if it sounded, played and looked exactly like a Gibson I would know it's a shameful knock off and I would get no inspiration to play it.
Yes, I completely agree with you and I also struggle to full grasp the logic. Some people say "it's a great guitar for very little money" but there are thousands of legitimate guitars available for similar money that are way better and that you can take back to the shop if they develop an issue. It doesn't even make sense for people pretending to be playing a Gibson, because there's such a tiny amount of people who know enough about guitars to even care what brand you play, but little enough that they won't be able to see it's a fake. And you're absolutely right that there's no way anyone could really be inspired by a cheap fake.
I think you guys are too hung up on brand quality, I bought mine for $200. I’ve never said it was real and most people who notice it’s fake are more excited than when I play a real les Paul.
3k price difference in my case... There are people that buy V6 mustangs and camaros... I always wondered why. Its actually hilarious how nice the chibsons are, I enjoy them better than the real ones... dont have to worry about anything.
I agree with most of the points you made. I do take issue with one thing. I did a setup recently on a cherry sunburst that had a solid one piece mahogany "nato" body with what looked to be a maple cap. Correct dark rosewood fretboard complete with binding on the fret ends. The bones of the guitar were solid. Cheap crap, No not really. You would pay serious $$$ if made here in America. It needed a fret level and the hardware/electronics are ok, but definitely not the best. Buy the time I was done the guitar played and sounded pretty dam good. I don't endorse buying a Chibson but that was my experience.
And why would you pay serious $$$ if made there in America? Because in America there are laws governing how these things are made. Was the wood sourced ethically and sustainably? Were the glues, fillers, dyes and lacquers made safely with minimal pollutants? Were the workers treated and paid fairly? It's easy for us to base our evaluations 100% on whether the finished product works for us, and excuse or ignore whatever damage was done on the way. To me that guitar could play like a Private Stock PRS and it would still be a POS I'd refuse to touch on principle.
@@MaxRossellMusic That’s the great thing about living in America. Everyone is free to express their own opinions. I applaud your high moral standing. I’m against them for ethics as well. If you wouldn’t play it and that’s fine by me, just stating my experience.
@@MaxRossellMusic You said it all my man. Not only that, but nothing get's done in China without the permission of the CCP. Whoever runs these "Chibson" factories is paying money to the CCP in return for turning a blind eye. This whole "Chibson" thing is high unethical, and immoral. These guitars are basically the guitar equivalent of blood diamonds.
@@MaxRossellMusic Did'nt the Gibson factory get raided and have a bunch of wood seized?
@@MaxRossellMusic and that’s cool. You are entitled to that opinion and while I get where you’re coming from…I just have a different opinion.
all true points, and you've only touched the surface of this. Of course none of it will stop some from buying a knockoff LP or Rolex
You're right and it's a shame. You can't teach people empathy if they don't have it, and some people just don't care what harm they do as long as they're getting what they want. Annoyingly, since I've posted this video RUclips keeps showing me videos of RUclipsrs who DID buy Chibsons and are showing off what a great deal they think they got. Depressing.
Thanks for watching and commenting by the way!
@@MaxRossellMusic lol --yes, YTube algorithms for recommended videos are optimized by idiotic programming. I guess you just dug your own hole with that one. It'll eventually change once you stop posting about chibsons & knockoff guitars :)
--my pleasure ... rock on !
Or... YOU could not buy a Chibson & the rest of us could buy whatever the hell we want...
Well, my dude, if you watched my video about how these guitars are cheap nasty fakes made by criminals whose entire aim is to rip you off, and you somehow concluded that those are the guitars you want to buy, then very best of luck to you.
Exactly
100%
I have a few real Les Pauls. But I also have many higher end chibsons with 5a tops and my music room looks insane. I give some away to my nephew and to a couple neighborhood kids. One cried when I gave him a higher end chibson Black Beauty with fret binding, real tuners and seymour pickups. I set it all up for him. His dad thought he stole it from me lol. I reassured him. To see kids that happy is special to me
How are they criminals?
Reading some comments of losers buying chibsons. Ok I get it, all of you don't have the money to buy a Gibson, and that's ok, they are not the only guys doing guitars at all. You don't have money? You can get a good Indonesian made guitar, made by many guitar brands. in factories that were founded by Korean companies. Their prices are very affordable and the guitars are good.
Just don't fool yourself, some chinese guitar brands that make good products (no counterfeit or Aliexpress guitars), their guitars aren't cheap at all, because to make a good guitar you need at least a properly dried wood. Me and my friend, we sanded hundreds of chinese made guitars, from Aliexpress to big names ones, and guess what? They don't dry the woods properly, sometimes you can even find moldy and rotten woods, all hidden under paint or thin wooden tops. Because they make thousands of guitars every day and they don't care about giving you a good wood, just a nice looking guitar, full make up. Don't fool yourself don't scream how ignorant you are about guitars, chinese companies from Alibaba or Aliexpress are not Fujigen or Godin, they don't have ethics or a name to stand for, they just want money and nothing else.
100% agree with you. Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
I’ll be honest. This video isn’t exactly correct. In my experience, the sellers have better customer service than most American companies. There is absolutely no vibe of “ they never want to see you again after purchase”. They will work with you every step of the way in hopes you spend more money with them. I’m not saying it’s right to buy a Chibson, but if we’re going to talk about it we might as well be honest. You also get what you pay for. You said you bought the cheapest one. Well… you got the cheapest one. There are more expensive options that are very well made guitars. The cheaper 200$ Chibson guitars for the money… really aren’t that bad compared to a 200$ guitar you buy in the states. Also, the last seller I worked with received 2 weeks paid off for the Chinese new year celebration which held up my shipping by 2 weeks. Not all are these oppressed workers you describe.
So be honest: you didn't watch the whole video or you'd know I didn't buy the cheapest one, or any Chibson at all, because there is no such thing as a "cheap" Chibson - they're all a complete waste of money. I'm also not saying you should buy a $200 guitar in the States, but for different reasons. It sounds like you have a lot of experience of shopping for Chibsons despite agreeing it's not right to buy them. Accordingly I'm not surprised they spend a lot of time conning you into buying more counterfeit guitars. Also Chinese workers are off for 2 weeks because the factories and businesses close down. A lot of them don't get paid for the time. That's not the same as a holiday.
They are good as a material to build upon . Take note I have been building my own guitars and pickups. For example I buy a guitar with the body and the looks, provided the neck is straight and the woods are ok (not much to analyse here, pickups and bridge do most of the work) I can change the nut, dye the fingerboard , well even put mother of pearl inlays in it if I want, wind some pickups do the fret levelling, put the tuners I like and I got something of my taste . Also sometimes you might be lucky and get something good upfront. Essentially I view them as less trouble from getting a les paul kit and the hassle of dying finishing etc. You can get em without the logo which is the right thing IMO. If you want the logo and things to be like a Gibson just buy the real thing.
Well, agreed, but if you're buying a Chinese guitar that doesn't have a fake logo on it... It's not a Chibson!
I'm not surprised it would cost an American luthier four times what it costs a Chinese factory to make the same guitar. I'm surprised it wouldn't cost the American luthier more. I just spent a very small amount of cash on a used quality guitar made completely legitimately in China to use as a pickup platform, which is also my thing. You don't need to buy counterfeits for that. Honestly dude, I'm not sure how having bought products from a company absolves you from the guilt of buying counterfeits of that company's products.
You’re missing an entire segment of the Chibson market. There are those that love to tinker and Keaton and see the Chibson as a low risk platform to do just that. They are priced accurately- not much more than a cheap kit guitar and way less than buying “decent” bodies or necks. The same guys that frown on buying a Chibson never say a word about buying a licensed Chinese product or kit guitar.
That's because we're "frowning" on the ethics of the black market regardless of the quality of the product. I see this all the time and throughout this comment section, people who believe that getting a supposedly good quality guitar justifies buying counterfeits. It doesn't. Buying a MIC Epiphone or a kit guitar is not the same thing as buying a Chibson.
In my experience people who love to tinker go out of their way to get hold of good parts from reputable sources because tinkering with junk is a waste of time. People looking for good mod platforms have no issues finding affordable legitimate branded guitars on the used market. People might buy a Chibson with plans to change the pickups because it's likely the pickups will be garbage, but the idea that amateur luthiers are buying Chibsons because of their value-for-money is nonsense.
Thats what I did... a good builder platform... and who cares if the dog knocks it over in the living room or beer gets spilled on it if you had it at a show. The electronics in them are junk but the body and neck are no way... they are all CNC done and have immaculate finishes on them... i looked at them and dont know how they do it for so cheap. No greedy Americans thats one part.
Do me a favour and rewatch the part of the video where I explain how they make Chibsons so cheaply. Then you'll know, and you'll be free to change your mind accordingly. Or not.
@@MaxRossellMusic If it’s not being sold or presented as an actual Gibson what’s the big deal? There are tons of Les Paul copies out there being sold by other manufacturers. I personally have an Edwards gold top and it’s a quality guitar and way more affordable than its Gibson counterpart…and I have what is most likely a Chibson I bought while living in the Philippines and it’s a good beater guitar and a fun project. I also have a couple actual Gibsons - a Murphy Lab Custom and a Standard. If you know what you’re getting and it’s your personal choice - and it’s not being presented as an actual Gibson I just don’t see what all the fuss is about. Collectively my Gibsons cost 12k+ - I’m blessed to have them but there was a time in my life having gear like that was a pipe dream…for lots of folks out there…maybe a Chibson fits.
An Edwards is not a Chibson, is it. This video is about Chibsons, which as I clearly state is a guitar made in China that has the Gibson logo on the headstock but is not made by Gibson. The fact you seem to be struggling with the distinction between Chibsons and Les Pauls made by a different brand might be a clue as to why you don't see what the problem is.
After owning a counterfeit Gibson(not a Chibson) back in 1990, I was curious about the Chibson when they showed up around 2005-ish...
Edit: I think in 2022 despite maybe a few people, most players are well aware of the issues and chances being taken. Because these RUclips videos are the biggest advertisers.
I'm not sure most players are aware of the issues or chances. Given the amount of these that get sold either a huge amount of people don't realise what they're actually buying, or (much worse but unfortunately possible) they all know exactly what it is but just don't care. You're correct that a lot of people probably hear about these guitars from RUclips videos about them, however most of the videos I see are from guys who are reviewing them like they'd review any other guitar without drawing attention to the problems (if the RUclipsr actually bought one he's unlikely to point out how risky or unethical his purchase was) so I thought it would be a good idea to publish a contrasting opinion.
I've recently found a Chibson and I'm thinking about buying it to turn it into a project guitar
Best of luck I guess, but where I come from we have a saying: "garbage in, garbage out".
No virtue signalling here... I bought one because i like building guitars and wanted to inspect it (was so good I bought 2)... was shocked how good it looked. I disassembled it, compared it to my real one, its solid mahogany, some small qc things, nothing anyone would notice if you didnt point out. My real $3200 one had the inlays start to lift on the fretboard and you could see machine marks in it... so to me the price difference is laughable. It was intonated correct and the strings were like horse fencing, but it played. I replaced the pots and put a good seymour duncan set of pickups in, polished the frets, set it up.. and to my surprise I like it better than my real one. It has a poly finish which is harder than the lacquer on the real one, I think this is why it rings better and is more resonant than the Gibson. The neck is a little thicker, where the modern C the real one has I think Gibson thinks everyone has girl hands. The second one I got needed some fret filing, nothing major. But if someone wants to do a little work you can make them better than the real deal... and not have to worry about it. I actually dont understand why the real ones cost so much. They are nothing special, its wood, the electronics probably cost them less than a hundred, and paint and finish I can find flaws in them.. there is no reason they should cost more than say an American strat. Even a re-issue shouldnt cost anymore.... but over 5k?? I think i created a better R8 with one that cost $238. shipped to my door... and then put more than the cost into it... I made some vids on here of the close details... You can build a rockin machine for cheap and not have the stupid epiphone name or anything else on it. Is it bad? No different than Slash's... like you said... Gibson like the fake so much they now make copies of the fake.. How unethical is that? You can buy an "authentic" reproduction of a counterfeit. I lose no sleep knowing a bought 2 chibsons... I do question myself now why I own a real one though....
Chris Derig didn't have Gibsons permission and he made some guitars with vintage wiring and vintage PAFs that could pass as a real 59. Chibsons could never be mistaken for a real one.
I can’t find a Zakk Wylde white bullseye les paul that’s not a dirty cream color by gibson and couldn’t afford it if I could because it would be a collectors item or custom shop. I can’t find it from any affordable reputable maker either. I also couldn’t make one myself because I know for a fact that I would screw up the finish. The only ones that I can find that even come close to what I want are the chibsons. Nowhere else I’ve looked has had it, they’re pretty much my only option for an actually white bullseye “Zakk Wylde”, so I’m going to do it anyway and replace everything but the body and paint if I have to
Very true, don’t buy the crap, buy Epiphone or a Fender Squire
100% Agree! Epiphone or Squier or any of the dozens of legitimate brands that make very affordable but still very good guitars - Ibanez, Jackson, Ltd, Gretsch, Yamaha, PRS SE, the list goes on. Thanks for watching and commenting!
epiphones are chibsons also. just an uglier headstock and advertisement.
Whoa, it's Max! Still playing? Amazing :) I've still got a CD with The Cut and other great songs on it somewhere in a box. There were some fantastic musicians in Preston(e) back then, it's a shame none of you ever took off, especially Burn Machina (and whatever you were called before and after that)
It is indeed me. But who are you? TBH given the shitshow the music industry is these days, I consider myself fortunate that none of my projects ever "got signed", and now I'm more mature and savvy and able to do everything 100% on my own terms. I'm not rich or famous or anything, but freedom is worth so much more than that.
@@MaxRossellMusic
My internet-wide name is "Pod", including back on Prestone. I can't remember why it's not on RUclips, I suspect it was too short and my other variants were taken, despite making the account such a long time ago. I ended up begging RUclips for a really good name, please, and ironically got one.
I thought you had a record deal with the first BM cd, but then the label exploded or something? Can't recall :)
Do you still play in bands or make music for your own sake, or do paid-for stuff these days? And for either case: Why are there no videos or soundclouds of it?!! edit: Ah, I see some Bloodmeridian videos, I'll give them a listen
ps: In a great example of the global-spanning internet reducing the distance to people to 0: A commenter on your channel looked familiar and workshoppy, so I clicked him, and I found in one of his videos my old school DT teacher commenting, and he even had a few vids. And like yours, it's a familiar voice I hadn't heard in a long time! (Actually I may have listened to some BM stuff at some point between then and now when I've stumbled upon the CDs)
Burn Machina never had a record deal, what we had was a "manager" who lied to us about having contacts and claimed he had set up a deal for us with Atlantic, which all turned out to be a load of shit. He still spent five grand of his own money on studio time for us, to this day I'll never know why. Another weird anecdote for the books.
idk. I'm considering buying one because I want a short scale thunderbird bass in sunburst, and you can't buy those at all. they don't exist outside of custom guitars. if epiphone was willing to sell me one, I'd be game
Well, that doesn't really meet the definition of a Chibson if you're commissioning a custom guitar that you can't actually buy from a brand.
I feel like this guy is going to reach out and strangle me with his hands at any moment.
I don’t even know where to buy a Chibson, but thank you for this video Max.
Thanks to you for watching and commenting! It's disappointingly easy to find them (obviously I won't say how on here) and the interesting thing is how obvious it is on those websites that they're fakes, and poor-quality ones at that. And yet people still buy them... Crazy.
It would seem their machinery and plans were stolen from Epihone so apart from the head stock they are Epi clones .I bought one in full knowledge it was a cheap and cheerful copy and looks gorgeous and sounds great .Now I have one and I know for sure the Les Paul is for me I am saving up for an origina[Or at least an Epiphone Slash signature model] so Gibson will profit in the end .
I'm not sure it's true that plans or machinery were stolen from Epiphone because most Chibsons I've seen are dimensionally different from real Gibsons/Epiphones, most noticeable with the body shapes. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Where is it?
Did you watch the whole video?
Just because it’s illegal where you live doesn’t mean it’s illegal there. It’s not illegal for a guy in China to make them. Not everyone can afford a $3k guitar like you can. There are plenty of people who are absolutely grateful to own any guitar. Even a chibson. Not everything revolves around what you want. I’m sure there’s a homeless musician somewhere wishing he had a Chibson.
firstly there ino such thing as a chibson or chender or what ever they are junk bought by fools , i buy chinese guitars usally used and fix em up my collection is big and they are good why wait 4 months for something you paid 500 for , you can get an epiphone used locally for that and its usually pretty good
Well, you're correct that there aren't guitars called "Chibson" or "Chender", those are just terms that we use to refer to the fake Gibsons and Fenders made in China.
I also agree that legitimate guitars made in China are getting better and better and some of them these days are excellent and incredible value for money.
Why are quality fakes ok but cheap are not?
Gibson themselves have no problem exploiting slaves in China. You said so yourself. I say, buy Chibson and show them what their exploits have created.
Wood is wood people make Gibson guitars and people make guitars that look like Gibson guitars but also for a fraction of the price and in some cases the quality is excellent on the counter fits.
Dude can't even spell counterfeit 🤣
Did you just say that the Derig guitar is a replica but Chibsons are fake?🤣
Posers gibson is a goal! To a inspiring musician.
Have you ever noticed that all of these anti-Chibson guys all have the exact same set of points? They're so concerned about someone getting tricked in a resale- is this really a big issue? They're SO morally concerned about the copyrights of a massive company that is swimming in profits.
The reality is, these are guys that own Gibsons and truly believe that makes them somehow better, and they can't STAND that someone could purchase a look-a-like for $300. Gibsons are awesome, and Chibsons can be really good. Mind your own business and stop worrying about what anybody else is playing. And spare us your moral outrage when the world has a thousand other REAL problems that should be addressed.
I've known people who have been duped into buying fake Gibsons, so yes it's an issue. How big of an issue it is depends on how much empathy you have. And it's irrelevant how rich Gibson is, if you think intellectual property should be protected then everyone's intellectual property should be protected.
Anyone with a grand or so can own a real Gibson, Gibson owners don't think they're better, and nobody who owns an actual Gibson feels threatened by a knockoff. Maybe it's that you get off on the delusion that your knockoff somehow annoys people who can afford the real thing?
And, in case you weren't aware, the existence of larger problems doesn't make smaller problems irrelevant. I'll start minding my own business when people stop defending black markets.
@@MaxRossellMusic So you think you can speak for every Gibson player? Kind of like you can speak on the conditions of every factory that Chibsons are made in, right? If you need to focus on what other players are doing, the way an angry woman would, go ahead! Lean into your dark feminine energy!
Oh look, the troll's a misogynist, how original.
@@MaxRossellMusic What a weak response! No attempt to even justify your bogus talking points. You've been exposed!
LOL yeah, you've "exposed" me for not justifying my talking points in the comments section of the nine-minute video of me justifying my talking points. Well done.
best one yet
Wait til you see tonight's! :D
Another lesson learnt here: ruclips.net/video/7u7M3dlr-Qk/видео.html&ab_channel=TheTrogly%27sGuitarShow
another great vid, btw!
Talking head video, no guitar, if you happen to scroll to read comments while the ad is running. "reasons for it that I won't go into" = "because I know I'm full of it." Enjoy deleting my comment.
Nah, let's leave it up, so that years from now you can bring your grandkids here and tell them all about that one time Pop-Pop logged into his zombie RUclips account to get snarky about a video he didn't agree with.
@@MaxRossellMusic Great hopefully someone will not get catfished. Your video content aside that translation holds in all online situations.
"Gather 'round, children, and let Grampy tell y'all about the time in 2023 I done saved a busload of innocent RUclips viewers from being momentarily taken in by a rhetorical device somebody used in a video about fake guitars. I may have made myself look petty and foolish, but at least thanks to me maybe somebody didn't have to wait three or four whole minutes to find out that some guy on the internet didn't actually buy a Chibson and was just making a broad point about how they're a waste of money. They don't give out medals for that kinda thing, but goshdarn it I deserve one..."
@@MaxRossellMusic I figured a person who'd put "if you try to prove me wrong in the comments I'll just delete it" would be a troll.
I defer to your expertise.
I just don't understand how anyone would want a Chibson. Even if it sounded, played and looked exactly like a Gibson I would know it's a shameful knock off and I would get no inspiration to play it.
Yes, I completely agree with you and I also struggle to full grasp the logic.
Some people say "it's a great guitar for very little money" but there are thousands of legitimate guitars available for similar money that are way better and that you can take back to the shop if they develop an issue.
It doesn't even make sense for people pretending to be playing a Gibson, because there's such a tiny amount of people who know enough about guitars to even care what brand you play, but little enough that they won't be able to see it's a fake.
And you're absolutely right that there's no way anyone could really be inspired by a cheap fake.
I think you guys are too hung up on brand quality, I bought mine for $200. I’ve never said it was real and most people who notice it’s fake are more excited than when I play a real les Paul.
@@garrett3055 "brand quality" isn't what we're hung up on. What we're hung up on is people supportimg the counterfeit goods industry.
@@garrett3055 Cool
3k price difference in my case... There are people that buy V6 mustangs and camaros... I always wondered why. Its actually hilarious how nice the chibsons are, I enjoy them better than the real ones... dont have to worry about anything.
Pure ignorance. It’s funny because of how sure you are
Sure enough to make an argument and defend it. Your turn.