Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Alembic Basses & Guitars => Topic started by: ajdover on September 02, 2013, 11:00:27 PM

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: ajdover on September 02, 2013, 11:00:27 PM

Don't know if anyone else has seen or posted this, but I thought I would:
 
http://www.phredinstruments.com/default.asp (http://www.phredinstruments.com/default.asp)
 
As I'm not a guitarist, I'd love to hear the impression of Alembic guitar players on this.
 
Alan

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: jacko on September 03, 2013, 01:16:40 AM

A year or so ago, the BBC's Top Gear motoring programme did an episode about chinese car companies bringing out copies then ignoring any legal action brought against them by e.g. BMW or Ford by saying their almost exact replicas looked nothing like the real thing. I guess the same would apply here.  
 
Graeme

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: pauldo on September 03, 2013, 03:50:16 AM

Not very innovative.
:-(

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: hieronymous on September 03, 2013, 06:46:59 AM

I like the way the Languedoc copy says new headstock arriving soon - lame!

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: pace on September 03, 2013, 08:00:24 AM

Liger
 
...... LMFAO

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: cozmik_cowboy on September 03, 2013, 08:24:29 AM

If you check out the Chinese Les Paul counterfeit sites (like this one (http://www.aliexpress.com/category/100005413/guitar.html)), most of the time they'll black out the logo - leaving it just often enough that you know you'll get a Gibson; my first thought was It says 'Languedoc' under that banner.  I figure if you get one, you'll get old stock with the logo.  Chinese counterfeits all the way!
Which from what I've heard (I have a friend who has several PRC Les Pauls & Teles he bought for bar gigs) means you'd get a good, servicable instrument, on a level with current Epiphones, Squires, and lower-line Guilds & Gretsches - but not on a level with a Languedoc, Irwin, or Irwinized Alembic.  Nice for the price, but not what they purport to be.
 
Peter

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: bigredbass on September 04, 2013, 10:26:20 PM

I'm disappointed;  I love it when these things say 'Gilson'.  In this case, 'Alombig' or 'LangaDuck' would have been fine.  Chinese copyright law is just useless, do they even write them down?  And this happens with lots of goods:
 
http://petapixel.com/2013/09/03/spot-fake-canon-flash-learned-hard-way/ (http://petapixel.com/2013/09/03/spot-fake-canon-flash-learned-hard-way/)
 
Just imagine:  'Onleee a Gilson is Enoughff ggood!'
 
J o e y

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: jalevinemd on September 05, 2013, 08:58:51 AM

These are discussed quite a bit on the RU Kind forum. They seem to be a very nice jump off point for people looking to get a Jerry Sound and look on a budget. The folks who've played them are very happy.

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: elwoodblue on September 05, 2013, 11:13:24 AM

Make-o-Matic !
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjTkH7sH_A0 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjTkH7sH_A0)

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: jalevinemd on September 05, 2013, 11:28:09 AM

Duplicate
 
(Message edited by jalevinemd on September 05, 2013)

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: jalevinemd on September 05, 2013, 11:29:06 AM

 RU Kind Phred Thread (http://www.rukind.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=426&t=12536)

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: pauldo on September 06, 2013, 04:07:14 AM

Happy people doesn't make plagiarism right.
If they really understood the impact this has on a group of people (Alembic), who are the birthright owners/ creators of the sound that they desire . . . I would hope they would no longer be happy.
 
Make-o-matic indeed!
 
I need to refrain from viewing this thread as it troubles me deeply and I do not wish to offend anyone.  
 
Jonathan your posts are accurate in answering Alan's original question. I also enjoyed meeting/ jamming with you in Chicago. You are a good person and I do not mean for my words to be an attack towards you.
 
I am in a bad place these days and am frustrated with the way the world appears to be driven by greed; every aspect of evil and ne'r do well has a big friggin' dollar sign behind it while we trample upon our fellow man (animal, plant, insect). We are doing a disservice to our children and children's children by chasing a buck instead of caring for each other.
 

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: hydrargyrum on September 06, 2013, 01:20:27 PM

I don't see the problem.  If you know enough about custom guitars to go looking for a Languedoc or Alembic then you're not going to be fooled into buying one of these by mistake.  The price tag alone would be a tip off.  Should a young guitarist settle for a fender/gibson/etc., when they want the look and feel of their hero's guitar?  What if they truly know better and just can't justify dropping $6k+ for an instrument?  Sorry son, that shape is only for folks with disposable income.  No one else need apply.  
 
Plagiarism accusations in guitar making are a tricky thing.  Let's consider the F2-B for a moment.  It's my understanding that it shares a remarkable similarity to the Fender Bassman.  Or how about the California Special.  It sure looks like a super strat to me.  Or how about those split p-bass pick ups.  They didn't come from thin air either.  Just saying . . .

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: jalevinemd on September 06, 2013, 05:49:17 PM

...
 
(Message edited by jalevinemd on September 06, 2013)

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: 5a_quilt_top on September 09, 2013, 12:10:27 PM

I saw one of these (Garcia Wolf knock-off) on Saturday at the guitar store where I work part time.
 
Pretty convincing from a distance, but it didn't hold up under close inspection.
 
FWIW: the owner brought it to us to troubleshoot an intermittent electronic issue that turned out to be a faulty battery.

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: sjhoffma on September 30, 2013, 03:08:17 PM

As someone who owns a Languedoc, and who waited years and years to finally get one, I personally think what phred is doing is wrong.
 
Theres a big difference between trying to give fans an affordable option to feel like their heros, and having someone else's design mass produced overseas by cheap chinese labor for profit.
 
But as others have brought up, its not a 100% forgery, because lets face it... no one is going to get fooled by those pieces of junk. But credit could be at least given where credit is due....
 
At least most of the people out there making Wolf and Tiger replica's, put love and effort into them, tipping their hats off to the makers by at least paying respect and homage to their designs by trying to imitate them with care. (imitation being the more sincere from of flattery)  
 
Having a bunch of underpaid oversees workers making the guitars in batches however, is not the work of an amateur luthier who loves his craft... its a result of a businessmen, and business is about profit.  
 
my 2 cents

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: hydrargyrum on October 01, 2013, 09:27:52 AM

I'm not sure what you mean by giving them credit.  For the Garcia styles would you give the credit to Alembic, Irwin, or Cripe?  Jerry played similar guitars from each of these makers.  And how exactly could you give credit to these styles without copying them even more closely? Languedoc is more cut and dry on credit, but even his guitars bear a striking resemblance to the original Fender Starcasters.
 
Sure it's about money.  Just like Fender, Gibson, or any other builder is about money.  So if someone is going to own a chinese guitar, and they love the Dead or Phish why is is better for them to buy a foreign Fender than a foreign Phred?  Especially considering that these sorts of guitars are probably a stepping stone until they can afford something from a boutique builder like Alembic?  
 
And let's not ignore that the guitars are apparently well regarded (at least according to the members of the forum posted above), so the cheap Chinese junk description isn't accurate anyway.

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: jalevinemd on October 01, 2013, 06:44:23 PM

Speaking of luthiers who put love and effort into their replicas, here's my Tiger which just arrived from Leo at Scarlet Fire Guitars.
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/176835.jpg)
 
(Message edited by jalevinemd on October 01, 2013)

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: hydrargyrum on October 01, 2013, 08:26:06 PM

Very pretty.

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: cje on October 01, 2013, 08:51:11 PM

Is this your guitar, Jonathan?
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGzYaYIpe4I (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGzYaYIpe4I)

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: jalevinemd on October 02, 2013, 11:18:31 AM

CJ...that's the guitar. Just not me playing. Here's a couple more pics.  
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/176895.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/393/176896.jpg)

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: jorge_s on October 03, 2013, 08:47:48 AM

Ok I don't post too often but I am speechless!  Congratulations, that is a beautiful guitar!

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: pace on October 05, 2013, 08:00:58 PM

Amazing guitar Jon!!!! Whatever factory in china Leo outsources to they do some spot-on work!!.. ;)
 
I was thinking about this thread earlier today, and as far as the designer vs builder aspect goes there is soooo much grey area across the board.  
 
Where some players would place a Tribute on that spectrum is very subjective, no?!?  
 
Which Bill Lawerence would you rather buy pickups from?!?  
 
How many of us own a Fender?
How many of us own a Fender from when Leo still had a stake in the Co.?!?

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: elwoodblue on October 05, 2013, 09:56:09 PM

How many of us own a Fender from when Leo still had a stake in the Co.?!?
 
80's G&L's....the Real Ones,
jus' sayin' ;)

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: hankster on October 07, 2013, 02:24:34 PM

Pre-november'79 Music Man Stingray.  That count?
 
R.

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: sonicus on October 07, 2013, 03:04:01 PM

I have a 71 Fender Precision Bass , Maple neck , Ash body. 100% All original parts . I played it in a few Country Bands  , one of which when we were an opening band for Johnny Paycheck decades ago. ( I might even be tempted to trade it for the RIGHT Alembic these days ! )

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: elwoodblue on October 07, 2013, 03:37:33 PM

That counts in LARGE amounts hankster,
Those are pure Mojo  
 
Ash and Maple is a nice combo. I'm playing a SkyHawk(guitar) now with those woods and I can't put it down . Focused and rich tones.
This ones a keeper (plus it was Dale Hyatt's : ) : ))
 
OP,  
I apologize for the tangent.

Title: Phred Guitars
Post by: hankster on October 08, 2013, 07:00:09 PM

It is a nice combo of woods, for sure.  i also have a Telecaster (guitar, not bass) with an ash body and maple neck.  Lots of snap.
 
Much as I love the old Music Man, though, I just love my Alembic short scale Stanley standard more.