Posted on 02/10/2021 5:50:42 AM PST by DoodleBob
U.S. Customs And Border Protection officers at Washington Dulles International Airport seized 36 counterfeit guitars recently that if authentic, would have had a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $158,692.
The guitars arrived in 36 different shipments from China on December 15. Officers suspected the guitars to be counterfeit and detained them to continue their investigation. The collection consisted of 27 Gibson, six Fender, two CF Martin and one Paul Reed Smith guitars.
Many of the Gibsons were of the Les Paul line of custom guitars. Even Jimmy Page's Gibson double neck made the collection, as did an axe purportedly autographed by GUNS N' ROSES guitarist Slash. The most expensive was a Gibson Ace Frehley guitar valued at an MSRP of $9,000. The collection of counterfeit guitars included two acoustic models as well.
The guitars were destined to address in 21 states and to Australia.
CBP import specialists worked with the trademark holders and confirmed the guitars to be counterfeit. CBPO officers completed the seizure on January 20.
Counterfeit consumer goods are illegal, violate lawful property rights, result in job loss, steal tax revenues from our nation's economy, and are often constructed in unregulated facilities with potentially harmful materials that could threaten consumers' health. CBP encourages consumers to protect themselves and their families by always purchasing safe, authentic goods from reputable vendors.
"Transnational criminal organizations will counterfeit anything that generates illicit revenues, and unscrupulous vendors line their pockets by preying on unsuspecting consumers," said Keith Fleming, CBP's acting director of field operations in Baltimore. "Protecting intellectual property rights is a Customs And Border Protection trade enforcement priority, and CBP officers will continue to seize counterfeit and potentially unsafe consumer goods when we encounter them."
CBP officers have not encountered any additional guitars since these 36 arrived.
CBP protects businesses and consumers every day through an aggressive Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) enforcement program. Importation of counterfeit merchandise can cause significant revenue loss, damage the U.S. economy, and threaten the health and safety of the American people.
On a typical day in 2019, CBP officers seized $4.3 million worth of products with Intellectual Property Rights violations.
CBP officers and Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) agents seized 27,599 shipments containing counterfeit goods in Fiscal Year (FY) 2019, down from 33,810 seizures in FY 2018. However, the total estimated manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of the seized goods, had they been genuine, increased to over $1.5 billion from nearly $1.4 billion in FY 2018.
E-commerce sales have contributed to large volumes of low-value packages imported into the United States. In FY 2019, there were 144 million express shipments and 463 million international mail shipments. Over 90 percent of all intellectual property seizures occur in the international mail and express environments
The People's Republic of China (mainland China and Hong Kong) remained the primary source economy for seized counterfeit and pirated goods, accounting for 83 percent of all IPR seizures and 92 percent of the estimated MSRP value of all IPR seizures.
I’ve seen these on Ebay. It’s obvious from the pics they are cheap crap.
Groan. Back to the Obama years, when ICE and CBP did nothing but go after counterfeiters, while letting millions stream unmolested across the border.
Before arthritis, I used to play an licensed Epiphone LP. It sounded just like the real classic and new Les Paul guitars I had with the right pickups. I played the Epi because it fit my hands better.
Unfortunately for me I am an engineer with 0 musical ability. It was fun to bang out the rhythm sections of songs I could.
I used to copy Slash’s guitars by removing the pickguard and round rhythm/treble switch plate to show more of the pretty flame top.
“ Back to the Obama years, when ICE and CBP did nothing but go after counterfeiters, while letting millions stream unmolested across the border.”
Obama confiscated actual Gibson guitars. I don’t recall they cared that much about the Chibsons, which remain in abundance on Craigslist. Somehow it is a news story that they found 35 counterfeit guitars.
“Before arthritis, I used to play an licensed Epiphone LP. It sounded just like the real classic and new Les Paul guitars I had with the right pickups. I played the Epi because it fit my hands better.”
Before arthritis, I played an 1980 Ibanez Iceman that I bought when I was stationed at Ellsworth back in 1980. Loved that guitar.
If it’s from China, it’s a fake.
What’s interesting is that many Asians view the ‘we fake everything’ moniker with pride.
In the Chinese it’s ok to break any rule as long as you don’t get caught.
I put a combination of a Seymour Duncan Custom Custom (bridge) and Pearly Gates (neck) in my LP Studio. I rebuilt a Crate Blue Voodoo that could use different kinds of power tubes. I could ape a Boston or Metallica sound but lacked the skill. 70s and 80s rock are about all I listed to. Most of the nu Metal is banging out one chord and the singer try to sound like Satan, or sounds like Pantera (who I like and saw live opening for Skid Row).
Thank you for your service.
In the Chinese it’s ok to break any rule as long as you don’t get caught.
No wonder the ‘59 Les Paul’s are worth so much. They are authentic.
I haven't played it in months. I much prefer my 2018 PRS SE Custom 24, which (I think) is made in Malaysia.
Heck Democrats and the Chinese don’t care if they get caught. They never have to pay for their crimes.
Guitar Ping. :-)
PRS guitars are about the only ones that have the universal popularity to be ranked with top Strats and Pauls. I have had Gretsch and Dean Paul clones I liked about as much as my Epi. There are a number of good brands that make nice guitars.
I like the sound that you can only get from an archtop, but I had had a number of Strats I liked. I have no musical ability and guitar skill to argue with bolt on neck players like Hendrix, Eric Johnson, and Satch. The solid body/neck, short scale, and angle of the Gibson strings relative to the body just feel and sound better to me. The bonded neck is supposed to have more sustain.
“The most expensive was a Gibson Ace Frehley guitar valued at an MSRP of $9,000”
And that right there is a shame. Ace was by far the worst player of the bunch.
The other players fakes should have been worth more!!!
One lonely blonde LP Junior.
in other news;
musicians from the james brown band, skid row, and richard marx band are reportedly forming a new group...
it’s called brown skid marx...
They look great in that pic. But looks can be deceiving.
I thought that Blondes were supposed to have more fun. Why is this one lonely? LOL!
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