Scam/Fake? David's... ehem... unusual finds... Very rare Selmer? - £4,000

[greenstripe]

Maybe someone bought a batch of them?

 

[DavidUK]

Serial number is the same on old and new ads. But could still be different instruments?
Nah, it's either a mug from Romania thinking he has a bargain at £400 (plus fight and taxis both ways) to resell at £2,000 or it's someone John Da Silva knows in Romania who's now fronting a new ad because John had to take it off (marking it SOLD).

 

[Colin the Bear]

Or something more organised. Maybe you'll get an offer you can't refuse.

 

[Pete Thomas]

Same individual instrument or just the same model?

so it would be too much of a coincidence for it to be a second identical never-before-seen fake Selmer.

So exactly how many saxophones were actually made in Elkmart?

 

[jonf]

Serial number is the same on old and new ads. But could still be different instruments?
Nah, it's either a mug from Romania thinking he has a bargain at £400 (plus fight and taxis both ways) to resell at £2,000 or it's someone John Da Silva knows in Romania who's now fronting a new ad because John had to take it off (marking it SOLD).

My guess is it's Da Silva getting someone else to front it

 

[DavidUK]

So exactly how many saxophones were actually made in Elkmart?

I've no doubt the same error would appear on all of them. They'd use the same potato to stamp it out.

 

[DavidUK]

Some of the new seller's old ads are for saxophones AND in Northampton, such as this Bundy from 2yrs ago:

SAXOFONISTI 😍 | Nou ton cald, acordeaza perfect | Facebook

Nou ton cald, acordeaza perfect

www.facebook.com

Cars and vans too, from earlier than that.

I'd say he flits between Romania and Northampton, which suggests he has bought it to sell on and isn't John's pal.

 

[DavidUK]

I see Mr Da Silva is still trying to sell his Brand New Yamaha A3 mouthpiece...

Facebook

www.facebook.com

 

[jonf]

I see Mr Da Silva is still trying to sell his Brand New Yamaha A3 mouthpiece...

Facebook

www.facebook.com

Told him it's a fake yet?

 

[DavidUK]

Told him it's a fake yet?

 

[DavidUK]

New video on new seller's ad. It's a MkVI after all!!...

Tenor Saxophone Solid Brass - Etsy UK

This Saxophones item is sold by BravoDriedShop. Ships from Poland. Listed on 09 Dec, 2022

www.etsy.com

 

[greenstripe]

And now for something completely different:

Black And Gold Tenor Saxophone Bundle | eBay

They play in the key of Bb. The tenor sax features in a range of music. It is included in saxophone quartets and plays a lead role. Stunning black gloss finish with floral engraving, this sax is sure to turn heads wherever you bring it.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[DavidUK]

Reported and removed.
I was looking at a DHGate link from FB yesterday. There were fake Yamahas (280, 62) Selmers (incl Seles), Yanis, Jupiter's, Buffet Senzo...
I'd hate to be a used buyer who doesn't know the difference.
But then take Rolex. Some fakes are almost impossible to tell apart from the real thing, even for enthusiasts.

 

[turf3]

The price will generally tell you the story.

If you think you're getting a $4000 sax for $400, your greed is talking. The person who "falls for" this isn't falling for anything; they KNOW it's a fake; they just pretend ignorance later when they get called out.

 

[DavidUK]

I mean "used." 1st buyer buys for £400 then sells for, say, £2,000.
Poor mug buys 2nd hand "bargain."

 

[Pete Thomas]

But then take Rolex. Some fakes are almost impossible to tell apart from the real thing, even for enthusiasts.

Years ago my friend bought a Polish counterfeit Rolex on 5th Avenue. It actually was branded "Polex"

 

[greenstripe]

Reported and removed.
I was looking at a DHGate link from FB yesterday. There were fake Yamahas (280, 62) Selmers (incl Seles), Yanis, Jupiter's, Buffet Senzo...
I'd hate to be a used buyer who doesn't know the difference.
But then take Rolex. Some fakes are almost impossible to tell apart from the real thing, even for enthusiasts.

At least eBay have a fairly robust policy and actually take action on reports from third party.

 

[turf3]

Looks like this DHGate thingy is essentially the Tijuana flea market, only online? Where you can expect that nothing you buy is on the up and up?

 

[DavidUK]

Years ago my friend bought a Polish counterfeit Rolex on 5th Avenue. It actually was branded "Polex"

That would be a copy, not counterfeit, unless you argue that the watch itself is so iconic it IS the brand. A Submariner perhaps?
But then Selmer could make the same claim with the MkVI and all its copies, albeit not so widely known by Joe public.

 

[Pete Thomas]

That would be a copy, not counterfeit, unless you argue that the watch itself is so iconic it IS the brand.

Correct except the Polex looked like the Rolex logo, same font and design hence the legal term might be passing off as... because many people would not notice it's not an R. So not quite the same thing as a copy but with a totally different branding.