Saxophones FAKES anyone? Selmer; Yamaha; Keilwerth; Buffet; Jupiter

[DavidUK]

This one page has a good selection: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000265881420.html

Scroll down in the linked page for a great choice!

Be careful out there. If you're not an expert on what you're buying from someone, be VERY careful!!
Lots of unscrupulous UK sellers buying these in to scam you.

NB. Owning or selling counterfeit items is a criminal offence in the UK.
Buy one of these, new or "as new" or used - you're a criminal.

 

[Lucille]

NB. Owning or selling counterfeit items is a criminal offence in the UK.
Buy one of these, new or "as new" or used - you're a criminal.

I agree we should all avoid counterfeit items. And selling them is a criminal offense.
But I am not aware that either owning them or buying them is illegal. That doesn't seem right, it seems like such a statute would put an immediate end to consumer buying for fear of legal reprisal should one not be careful. Or even taken in, as counterfeits can be very deceiving.

 

[nigeld]

I agree we should all avoid counterfeit items. And selling them is a criminal offense.
But I am not aware that either owning them or buying them is illegal. That doesn't seem right, it seems like such a statute would put an immediate end to consumer buying for fear of legal reprisal should one not be careful. Or even taken in, as counterfeits can be very deceiving.

David was talking about UK law. It may be different in the USA.

 

[DavidUK]

Sorry, I should have explained better... if you buy one with a view to selling it on, you're breaking the law.

But buying to keep and use yourself, whilst not illegal, funds the criminals who are supplying them AND then when you realise you've bought a bunch of rubbish and decide to sell it on THEN you're breaking the law as selling counterfeit goods is a criminal offence. UK law here: Saxophones - Fake curved Yanigasawa soprano on eBay

So if you do buy one, the only option you have to later dispose of it is to throw it away.
You can't even give it away, as the UK laws also cover "distributing" counterfeit goods. This would also cover buying one as a gift for someone.

 

[Clivey]

The world of fake in the guitar realm tends to center round truss rod covers,pick guards and the real biggie, Decals, All of these being both removable, replaceable.
Now a respected marque in it's own right Tokais big breakthrough came with it's borderline counterfeit strat.

Tōkai Gakki - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

In Happy Sax land, the offence is all about the brands Marks and not the machinery, some of the "feit"s may have decent machinery it's just sad that the companies passing these off is attempting to boost sales this way.
And if course the crime in very permenantly with the instrument being engraved.

 

[Lucille]

David was talking about UK law. It may be different in the USA.

I was also talking about UK law

 

[bill_reed]

I believe in the UK that buying is not illegal but selling is. think it comes down to the point of trying to prove the buyer knew it was a fake, where its much easer to prosecute the seller who has a duty of care in selling his products. like someone else said, at one time there was lots of fake guitars around and not against the law to sell them here, I know the usa did stop the import of large amounts of copy guitars... but many were readily available in europe.... Tokais from the 60s still much sought after...

 

[PigSquealer]

Someone willing to forge a name on a Sax makes me question the build quality. What else are they not being honest about.
In the UK can the sellers be reported to authorities? Blatantly visible as fakes.
Here in the US they focus on finding the container with 1000. Selling one or two under $1000 isn’t worth the authorities investment of time. That’s how they get away with it. It actually clogs the system.

 

[bill_reed]

I have three saxophones... a Ammoon sop. and a G4M tenor. both Chinese made but I would not buy a Chinese sax that did not put there true makers name on it... I also have a 30odd year old arbiter alto made in Taiwan, I feel if they have to put on a fake name on there sax to sell it, then the quality cant be good. I think the last ten years the quality of cheaper Chinese saxophones has really improved... and you can buy a branded Chinese sax for very little money... and if bought through amazon/G4M it can be returned if faulty...

 

[Clivey]

My mate got a Tokai strat in 1981. I remember that fender had went bad after the CBS takeover, well Strats anyway, so the vibe on the street was that the Tokais being very good copies of pre CBS Strats were actually better than fenders offering and of course half the price. My pals Salmon pink was a thing of beauty. It had all the dodgy decals which looked fake at a distance but when read close up was completely different. Clever subtle marketing though borderline copywrite infringement.

Anyway Fender brought Squire versions out soon after this.
Folks could no longer cite price as a reason to buy a fake.