Re: The Loar eBay purchase basketcase disaster
There are counterfeit everything out there for sale - purses, cameras, wrist watches, clothes, computers, TVs, jewelry and yes, even musical instruments. A walk through any flea market confirms that. Online "flea markets" are no different. Wherever the seller bought the stuff, odds are he was "looking for a good deal" too and someone obliged him as well.
If the tuners are not OEM then that's a giveaway the instrument is a knockoff. Quality manufacturers don't replace OEM parts with other stuff and then sell off inferior stock with their logo in competition with their quality line. That's not only bad business, but quite awkward to have a second production line integrating a separate parts supply chain and a separate distribultion system. Quality manufacturers do have discolored "seconds" available for sale, but any second still has OEM parts and not lower -quality replacements. Knockoff houses figure that folk are more interested in the logo and a discount price than what's behind view.
...Steve
Current Stable: Two Tenor Guitars (Martin 515, Blueridge BR-40T), a Tenor Banjo (Deering GoodTime 17-Fret), a Mandolin (Burgess #7). two Banjo-Ukes and five Ukuleles..
The inventory is always in some flux, but that's part of the fun.
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