Are build you own PRS kits legal?

[Peet]

Fake PRS guitars are discussed here frequently and I thought it would be difficult to pull off a copy. Apparently you can buy a "PR" kit online with the familiar headstock and bird inlays. Identifying it as PR instead of PRS shouldn't get them off the hook. Putting the bird inlays on the fretboard really crosses the legal line, in my opinion. How could they claim it's not infringement? One model even comes with a genuine "Faux rosewood fretboard"

 

[bodia]

Counterfeiters should be drawn and quartered

 

[Wakester]

Chinese Cr@p! They get by because they aren't using the logo. I think that is how PRSI and others got to keep the Single Cut models after the lawsuit era with Gibson vs. everybody.

 

[rugerpc]

It may annoy PRS that theses things are out there, but I doubt that they are losing any sleep over it.

Only a true moron would believe they could make a PRS from a kit with materials supplied by unknown people from unknown sources.

 

[toothace]

It may annoy PRS that theses things are out there, but I doubt that they are losing any sleep over it.

Only a true moron would believe they could make a PRS from a kit with materials supplied by unknown people from unknown sources.

(Unboxing new kit guitar) Say what?

 

[Peet]

Chinese Cr@p! They get by because they aren't using the logo. I think that is how PRSI and others got to keep the Single Cut models after the lawsuit era with Gibson vs. everybody.

I thought the bird inlays were a trademark/logo.

It may annoy PRS that theses things are out there, but I doubt that they are losing any sleep over it.

Only a true moron would believe they could make a PRS from a kit with materials supplied by unknown people from unknown sources.

Agreed. That moron gets what they pay for. I have no doubt that you would identify a fake, but when the sleezy moron passes his handy work off to some unsuspecting soul, it should be a criminal endeavor.

 

[Shawn@PRS]

The knock off kits are illegal and we do try to take them down. It's like playing whack-a-mole, we shut down one website and another one pops up. But we keep up the fight.

 

[cshallcross]

I may struggle to afford the PRSi that I want/dream of, but I'll never spend a dime for a fake.

 

[Wakester]

A co worker of mine bought one from a common web vendor that sounds like alley Baba O' Riley. He got totally screwed. PR Body with a Gibby Neck. He said the paint job and top coat finish were horrible. Pickups were noisy, frets not even close, and the neck/body joint was full of filler. The list will probably go on. Definitely not worth the time or aggravation he'll have to put into it to make it playable.

 

[Bill SAS 513]

The knock off kits are illegal and we do try to take them down. It's like playing whack-a-mole, we shut down one website and another one pops up. But we keep up the fight.

OK, so WAAAAY off topic, but you put Whack-A-Mole in the Charity tent, and I'm all in!!!!!!!

 

[alantig]

OK, so WAAAAY off topic, but you put Whack-A-Troll in the Charity tent, and I'm all in!!!!!!!

Fixed that for you.

But the line will probably be longer.

 

[Jmartin]

I just looked at this thread and did a search for DIY PRS Guitars. There are a lot of them out there. Mostly in China. Plus, there seem to be a bunch of youtube video showing you how to build your own. Just saying...

 

[Shawn@PRS]

With the SE models available in many price points, it doesn't make sense to buy a knock-off. But I guess some people still do?

 

[garrettb]

Chinese Cr@p! They get by because they aren't using the logo. I think that is how PRSI and others got to keep the Single Cut models after the lawsuit era with Gibson vs. everybody.

Builders can create guitars similar to shapes like the Les Paul, Stratocaster, and Telecaster because they have become accepted as generic. Headstock shape, logo, and names seem to still be enforceable, however.

Like Shawn pointed out, PRS works to protect their copyrights (they have quite a few) to help maintain their singularity.

 

[Johnny Rigs]

The knock off kits are illegal and we do try to take them down. It's like playing whack-a-mole, we shut down one website and another one pops up. But we keep up the fight.

Sounds like you're doing better than Amazon.

 

[Wakester]

The knock off kits are illegal and we do try to take them down. It's like playing whack-a-mole, we shut down one website and another one pops up. But we keep up the fight.

that does explain why I haven't been able to find one on amazon or ebay lately.

 

[Wakester]

I was wondering how many of the SE's on eBay from Japan are legit too. I see 3 - 4 ads for the same guitar, from the same seller, with three different prices. All super inflated with ridiculous s&h fees.

 

[Steve's addiction]

As bad as it is shows you how good true PRS'S are. Still hate they rip people off

 

[Whitecat]

I was wondering how many of the SE's on eBay from Japan are legit too. I see 3 - 4 ads for the same guitar, from the same seller, with three different prices. All super inflated with ridiculous s&h fees.

Most of them are legit. English-speaking brokers will list stuff on eBay that they can procure for you and ship to you so you don’t have to deal with shops that don’t speak much English or simply won’t ship. The guitars are all the same because it’s four or five brokers listing the same one that might only exist as a quantity of one in a shop somewhere - when it’s gone, it’s gone. They compete on price and shipping terms a little, it seems, but you’d have to want something pretty unique and rare to pay the extra.

(Although beyond that there is the caveat that they are offering stuff for sale that is not physically in their possession and they couldn’t hope to have real time inventory tracking, so buyer beware...)

 

[merciful-evans]

There are those who will deliberately buy a fake, because it looks the part and they dont have to spend a bundle.

Also, about 4 years ago a fellow put a vid of himself on YT showing how he modified his Epi to look like an actual Gibson.