At the end of the day you’d get fake components as well. Pray to god the fit and finish is half way decent. If you are familiar with modding and setup it would not be a big problem.
Accuracy is another problem for a few. I saw a jazz bass natural finish that has a painted on inlays no binding, neck plate with liner, cheap electronic, and poor quality tuner. The build seems to be good with no issue. Except for the neck ever thing else can be replace by the genuine parts.
I can see people get it and mod it with the proper components give it a little TLC and gig with it. You’d ended up spending more than the cost of the bass but you’d get a decent instrument that look the part for less than half or third of the price.
Craigslist is a notorious marketplace for stuff of any sorts. Years ago I met the CEO -had lunch together- and he’s a super nice and smart guy with a genuine vision for the greater good, but I wouldn’t buy anything listed there. If I had to buy used -which I wouldn’t normally do, unless it’s cymbals for my drums- I would rather go through Reverb in the US.
Nobody is taking the time to fake a used $200 Squier Jazz bass on Craigslist. So it’s ok for inexpensive stuff. Apart from some of the sellers you meet are ‘interesting’
I’m actually very convinced that this is exactly what he’s doing.
You can go to DHgate, or Ali, or 1688 and find a manufacturer who will sell you Squier replicas or Fender Reps, or Ricks or whatever you feel like. Once you know the factory you don’t have to go through the website anymore either. They’ll even customize to your specs to some degree and offer volume discounts that sometimes drop below $100 an instrument. If you’re willing to spend $2k, they’ll deliver 15-20 Squier replicas to your door.
Now you can parcel out those 15 instruments for $350 a piece on craigslist, offerup, FB marketplace etc. Since a genuine Squier VM might easily go for $400, you’re sure to make sales. Spend 2k on 15 instruments to sell at and average of $350 and you net $3250 in profit - nice little illegal but low risk side hustle.
Why knock-off a $400 Squier vs a $1400 Fender MIA? Because someone paying $1k+ knows exactly what they’re looking at. Someone buying a Squier on CL has no idea - so it’s much easier to make a sale.
The dude I’ve been watching for a couple years now ALWAYS has at least half a dozen brand new looking Squier’s for sale (stickers still on). At all times. He literally has more in stock at all times than the local Guitar Center. He’s absolutely selling counterfeits. Currently he’s listing 7 Squiers - Classic Vibe 70s JB (2, in different colors), Classic Vibe 60’s JB (2, in different colors), Classic Vibe PB, Contemporary Active HH JB (2, in different colors). All are listed at $325 or $375 and the real instruments at Sweetwater are all $479. I keep my eye on CL because you can sometimes find great deals - so I see this guy’s Squier inventory month in and month out for a few years now. He’s list 25 different guitars (not all basses) just since 9/14/23.
(DM me if you want the CL listings).
That’s interesting @KenKnight I guess my thought is that for a $200 bass I don’t care where it’s made or if it’s a fake, as long as plays ok.
They’re probably all made in the same factory anyway.
But if I were spending $200 I’d buy a CNZ mini Jazz bass.
