If you know what you're doing, it can be an economical way to get a good-sounding instrument with good playability. For many years, I played a Gibson copy parts banjo with a Steve Ryan tone ring. It was made with quality parts, it played well, it sounded great, and I had very little money invested in it.

Define "companies" and "quantities".

I buy the cheap Chinese Fender guitars. I think they're called Squiers?
Also, the cheap gibsons, epiphone. I mean, who the hell could afford the new stuff? When everybody knows it ain't the guitar anyway.
But never would I buy a counterfeit. Anything.

quote:

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Originally posted by Joel Hooks

Define "companies" and "quantities".

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I think it's clear that by "companies" he means the manufacturers, largely Asian, who produce acoustic and electric instruments that are either very close copies of established brand instruments or actual counterfeits with the American name on them. By "quantities" I think he means built in ready-to-order number so instruments can be shipped worldwide with no waiting. Maybe built in the thousands.

A friend of mine posted on Facebook about recently buying a Gibson J-45 copy on Aliexpress. The top of the headstock wasn't shown in the listing. When the guitar arrived, he knew why: it says "Gibson." People online call these "Chibsons." (Chinese Gibson)

Plus, he made clear by what he meant as not companies: individuals who may have put together a "one off" instrument. Not even a home-based builder running an instrument making business.

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Originally posted by heavy5

I'm referring to one off instruments individuals may have put together , not companies who replicate & sell quantities of Martin , Gibson , etc , copies as there are many .    

I've bought a few & have been very satisfied but consider re sale before hand .

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It's one thing to just that they copied the design, style and specs... and then their own label/logo. It's clear it is not a Gibson LP, or Fender Strat, just modeled after it. That's been around forever.

Quite another thing if you are talking about putting the name, to capitalize on that builder's name brand quality/reputation... fakes to dupe buyers into think it is actually a Gibson or Martin... or Stradivarius.

The grey area is using some components of an old instrument, but replaced others; often like the neck which is a Gibson or Fender as it states, but the body is not.

I've done that since the 70s.
Put a 3 ply rim and no-hole fh ring in my new g-11w Gold Star.Finished a maple fh kit in the 80s and have put together a few "parts from everywhere" banjos for myself and friends.

Lots of good banjo parts around.
I really like the Chinese Martin-style solid wood dreadnoughts I've bought since 2008.
Never could afford a real Martin,but those Silver Creeks and FlintHills delivered a great Martin sound for cheap.

This is quite impossible to answer. There are some makers, and some manufacturers who duplicate historical or high quality instruments who make instruments that are better than the originals. There are some people who make banjos that look like historical instruments that sound like crap. "Regardless of orgin" is spooky, does that nclude potentially stolen instruments.

Your question is too vague for anyone to give you a real answer. Be specific. Some models just look like historic or prized top level instruments. When I was a teenager in the 60s I did dumb things with what few coins I had buying guitars that I sthought looked like Martin guitars. On the other hand, I have a Gold Tone WL-250 their take on the WL tone ring that I like better than actual Fairbanks and Vega WLs I have had the priviledge to play.

Your question is really too vague. Ask something specific. I have noticed people on this site are very very good when discussing what kind of banjo to obtain,

Thanks for caring

Anybody anywhere can use great parts and build a world-class instrument.
We have foundries in Maine that do sand-cast tonerings and a bunch of good lathers.

Without having given it a lot of thought/discussion, I suppose it would only become a problem if/when somebody isn't open and upfront about the specs., history, etc.   [Chances of that happening are pretty slim, no?   ]

Fwiw, I won't be buying a "copy" or any other banjo, unless I win the lottery.   When I got my GoldTone BG-250W [2012] I got a guy in a music store to "check" and see it it sounded "right."  He did and it did and then he offered that I'd probably never need to upgrade. Dunno just what "gave it away" ... [my attire, my manner,  a vacant (?) look in my eyes, or ???] but he nailed it.   

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Originally posted by steve davis

Anybody anywhere can use great parts and build a world-class instrument.
We have foundries in Maine that do sand-cast tonerings and a bunch of good lathers.

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cringe, aaackk!  Those are machinists. 

Lather is akin to callin' you a wet-rope-tugger (I'm certain you have a better term) or me a copper-jockey. 

It's jus' not right to have an outsider blaspheme a persons profession.  

.... and like I sometimes kid my lovely and talented assistant [w.r.t other things]: "Those lathers come in bunches?!?!?"   

Like rode hard to a lather & put away wet !    

As long as it's legal it's ok if: it sounds and plays good. It's worth it.

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Originally posted by banjoak

quote:

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Originally posted by heavy5

I'm referring to one off instruments individuals may have put together , not companies who replicate & sell quantities of Martin , Gibson , etc , copies as there are many .    

I've bought a few & have been very satisfied but consider re sale before hand .

---

It's one thing to just that they copied the design, style and specs... and then their own label/logo. It's clear it is not a Gibson LP, or Fender Strat, just modeled after it. That's been around forever.

Quite another thing if you are talking about putting the name, to capitalize on that builder's name brand quality/reputation... fakes to dupe buyers into think it is actually a Gibson or Martin... or Stradivarius.

The grey area is using some components of an old instrument, but replaced others; often like the neck which is a Gibson or Fender as it states, but the body is not.

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You have a Stradivarius banjo??  So do I!

There are those that care where an instrument comes from and those that don't.

I also don't care what country my avocados come from.

How many banjo companies manufacture all of their own parts in house?
Aren't they mostly out sourced?
In a sense they are parts banjos.

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Originally posted by O.D.

How many banjo companies manufacture all of their own parts in house?
Aren't they mostly out sourced?
In a sense they are parts banjos.

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I guess u can relate that to almost any part in today's world .

Yes ,I agree Bob
A global economy

quote:

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Originally posted by O.D.

How many banjo companies manufacture all of their own parts in house?
Aren't they mostly out sourced?
In a sense they are parts banjos.

At one time Jimmy Cox made every part of his banjos.Planetary tuners even.Jim learned his machinist skills working on jet engines during the Korean War.

He stopped making tuners because they took time away from building the rest of the banjo.

 

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People have to work within the designs of the economy of their time here on earth.

This is a much different world compared to the 1930s.

In building instruments, as in playing them, the only way you're going to get to a personal style of real substance is through imitating the best that are already out there.

Nechville has done well promoting their original ideas and designs.

When I hired Jimmy Cox to convert my tb-2 in '99 I asked for the peghead to have the "COX" logo in it,but at that time Gibson wouldn't allow any inlay except a Gibson design.
So it has an FE pattern saying "GIBSON" up top and "MASTERTONE" in the block.

I don't think Gibson has any say about that anymore.
I wouldn't mind having this veneer stripped off and replacing it with a nice COX logo.

I'm not a collector...Just want to get out of a deal as cheap as possible.

I paid $600 for the pristine and complete tb-2 in its original case.Bought it from a luther I've known since 1975.

I sold the pancakes,flange and hoop for 600 so the thick rim and resonator were free.Jimmy's neck,tonering and great set-up was 1050 which is all I have in this killer flathead.

I forgot to mention I sold the tenor neck,too so I only have $850 in this thing.