Fake Starfire

[GGJaguar]

So many things wrong on this.

 

[dreadnut]

Is that listed somewhere?

 

[Rambozo96]

Yikes, that one is really slapped together

 

[GAD]

It’s listed on Facebook. I can’t believe how many people are commenting on how great it looks and how it could be this or that kind of Guild.

 

[Canard]

I wonder why someone would do this.

Guild/Gibson. Both have made great guitars.

But you could put two similar guitars, one by Guild and one by Gibson, side by side, and regardless of the particular merits of either guitar, 9 out of 10 members of the general public at large would recognise the Gibson logo and choose the Gibson as the better and more desirable of the two guitars, even if the Gibson was a real dog (and there have been some!) and the Guild was a total gem.

"Anyone who recognised the Guild logo would likely be more generally knowledgeable about guitars in general if not Guilds in specific and would be a more careful buyer," he said flattering himself.

So why not just make it another Chibson?

 

[bluesypicky]

LMAO.... What got me burst laughing was the jack plug location. Hilarious.

 

[SFIV1967]

Some kind of Guildson from aliexpress... The Chinese catch up more and more with Guild fakes. Terrible.
You can even get a Brian May for $367...

367.0US $ |Top quality Guild Brian BM01 Brian May Guitar Black Pickguard 3 pickups Tremolo Bridge 24 Frets custom wine red Electirc Guitar|Guitar| - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

All fakes:

guild - Buy guild with free shipping on AliExpress

Quality guild with free worldwide shipping on AliExpress

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Ralf

 

[GAD]

The comments on the Facebook post make me realize that the fake guitar industry doesn't need to be exact. One person even commented that it might be a real Guild because Guild has confused what all the Starfire numbers mean.

Here's a sampling. I did post some reality for them and the OP has come to realize that it's not real, but man - let's be careful out there!

 

[Default]

Which group is this in?

 

[SFIV1967]

Funny or scary...And even Jerre discusses there... Seems to be easy selling fakes...
Ralf

 

[walrus]

One person even commented that it might be a real Guild because Guild has confused what all the Starfire numbers mean.

This is an interesting comment. I actually think it is partially true. We ourselves have lamented the numbering and model confusion over the past several years. If WE get confused, the general public certainly will. Any confusion would seem to be an advantage for counterfeiters...

walrus

 

[dreadnut]

Caveat emptor.

 

[GAD]

This is an interesting comment. I actually think it is partially true. We ourselves have lamented the numbering and model confusion over the past several years. If WE get confused, the general public certainly will. Any confusion would seem to be an advantage for counterfeiters...

walrus

Agreed

 

[Guildedagain]

Just because has a jack in the front doesn't make it a Gibson lookalike, the irony being that the double cutaway Starfire is pretty much a dead ringer for a Gibson 335 but we won't hold that against it.

There are a lot of features here that are not Gibson, the heel treatment not even in the same realm, and that 2pc back, not Gibson. These sort of glitzy copies that sell in the $200 price range are usually terrible players, you can be assured of poor quality, junk electronics, horrible fretwork.


Bandsaw.

 

[GAD]

Just because has a jack in the front doesn't make it a Gibson lookalike, the irony being that the double cutaway Starfire is pretty much a dead ringer for a Gibson 335 but we won't hold that against it.

There are a lot of features here that are not Gibson, the heel treatment not even in the same realm, and that 2pc back, not Gibson. These sort of glitzy copies that sell in the $200 price range are usually terrible players, you can be assured of poor quality, junk electronics, horrible fretwork.


Bandsaw.

The starfire 4 and ES335 actually have quite different shapes, though I guess it’s only obvious if you stare at them all day. Sure, they’re similar, but I find the ES335 to be a bit clunky looking.

 

[Guildedagain]

Yes, quite different actually. Also, the ears are different on 335's over the years, the Mickey Mouse ears on vintage models.

I think the Starfire is actually a better looking guitar. 80's models with stop tailpieces kind of blur the line between the two, loss of MV, placement of switch.

 

[79D25MMan]

I wonder why someone would do this.

Guild/Gibson. Both have made great guitars.

But you could put two similar guitars, one by Guild and one by Gibson, side by side, and regardless of the particular merits of either guitar, 9 out of 10 members of the general public at large would recognise the Gibson logo and choose the Gibson as the better and more desirable of the two guitars, even if the Gibson was a real dog (and there have been some!) and the Guild was a total gem.

"Anyone who recognised the Guild logo would likely be more generally knowledgeable about guitars in general if not Guilds in specific and would be a more careful buyer," he said flattering himself.

So why not just make it another Chibson?

I believe the hope is that the buyer thinks exactly like you. Everyone is looking out for fake Gibsons, but not everyone is for a Guild. Also, people might not be able to tell the difference between a fake and a real Starfire opposed to a ES guitar. Obviously the fake has to be passable, so the Chinese company that built this guitar didn't think the whole situation through!

 

[Dylan McGee Jones]

Here is another one, $350. . I sent him a message saying it was fake and he apparently took it down, or it “sold”. Yeesh.

 

[SFIV1967]

That black one looked even much cheaper than the blonde one...
Ralf