On Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:55:20 -0500, "Eisboch" wrote:

If a fully USA made John Deere tractor costs three or four times that of one
built somewhere in the Pacific Rim, why would anyone buy it?

Exactly right.

The only way to be competetive in a high cost environment is to
automate all of the labor cost out of the product. Unfortunately that
is not always possible or cost effective.

On Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:11:02 -0800, "nom=de=plume"
wrote:

we need to stop trying to
compete on price alone

With commodity type products, particularly consumer goods, price is
always the top priority.

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
news
On Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:11:02 -0800, "nom=de=plume"
wrote:

we need to stop trying to
compete on price alone

With commodity type products, particularly consumer goods, price is
always the top priority.

There are fewer and fewer USA made products left where quality is the driver
behind a consumer purchase. It's not that the quality of USA made products
are necessarily slipping. It's the fact that competing countries are
building more and more quality products.

I can give a first hand example, garnered from my new experience in retail
guitar sales.
USA made Gibson and Fender guitars are still considered the ultimate
throughout the world and remain very much in demand. In fact, I know a guy
who regularly buys USA made guitars and travels to Brazil to sell them at a
significant profit.

However, some countries ... notably China (who basically gives the rest of
the world the finger when it comes to patents or copyrights).... are
building excellent guitars that sell for a fraction of it's USA built
counterpart. A company in China recently produced a copy of a Les Paul
Standard, complete with serial number and "Made in the USA" stamped into
the headstock. The guitars were shipped to the USA and sold through eBay.
They fooled experts. The quality and performance of the guitar was
undistinguishable from an authentic USA version.

They goofed in one minor detail when they copied it, and it's the only way
those of us buying and selling guitars can recognize the clone.

Eisboch

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
news
On Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:11:02 -0800, "nom=de=plume"
wrote:

we need to stop trying to
compete on price alone

With commodity type products, particularly consumer goods, price is
always the top priority.


I don't think we should be in the business of producing commodity-type
products, since you're right... it's a price game.

--
Nom=de=Plume

nom=de=plume wrote:
wrote in message
news
On Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:11:02 -0800, "nom=de=plume"
wrote:


we need to stop trying to
compete on price alone

With commodity type products, particularly consumer goods, price is
always the top priority.


I don't think we should be in the business of producing commodity-type
products, since you're right... it's a price game.


Yet we are. Many commodities are better suited for local distribution
due to the savings in ocean freight and import duties. Forest products
like lumber, plywood, copy paper, toilet paper, etc. are one example.
The trade deficit has more to do with electronics, cars and trucks,
appliances, etc.

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
news
On Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:11:02 -0800, "nom=de=plume"
wrote:

we need to stop trying to
compete on price alone

With commodity type products, particularly consumer goods, price is
always the top priority.

There are fewer and fewer USA made products left where quality is the
driver behind a consumer purchase. It's not that the quality of USA made
products are necessarily slipping. It's the fact that competing countries
are building more and more quality products.

I can give a first hand example, garnered from my new experience in retail
guitar sales.
USA made Gibson and Fender guitars are still considered the ultimate
throughout the world and remain very much in demand. In fact, I know a
guy who regularly buys USA made guitars and travels to Brazil to sell them
at a significant profit.

However, some countries ... notably China (who basically gives the rest of
the world the finger when it comes to patents or copyrights).... are
building excellent guitars that sell for a fraction of it's USA built
counterpart. A company in China recently produced a copy of a Les Paul
Standard, complete with serial number and "Made in the USA" stamped into
the headstock. The guitars were shipped to the USA and sold through eBay.
They fooled experts. The quality and performance of the guitar was
undistinguishable from an authentic USA version.

They goofed in one minor detail when they copied it, and it's the only way
those of us buying and selling guitars can recognize the clone.

Eisboch

Well???? What is it??? Screws on the truss rod cover, or something harder to
spot?

--Mike

"mgg" wrote in message
...


"Eisboch" wrote in message
...


They goofed in one minor detail when they copied it, and it's the only
way those of us buying and selling guitars can recognize the clone.

Eisboch

Well???? What is it??? Screws on the truss rod cover, or something harder
to spot?

--Mike

They corrected that mistake. They were putting 3 screws in the cover. The
real ones only had two.
Nope ... the difference is much more subtle than that. It has to do with
the angle of the logo on the headstock and how it was put on and the method
of how the frets are installed. As I mentioned, the fakes have fooled
experts.

But, the biggest difference is price. The old saying holds true. If it
seems too good to be true, it probably isn't real.

Eisboch

On Mar 10, 5:36*pm, "Eisboch" wrote:
"Wayne.B" wrote in message

news
On Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:11:02 -0800, "nom=de=plume"
wrote:

we need to stop trying to
compete on price alone

With commodity type products, particularly consumer goods, price is
always the top priority.

There are fewer and fewer USA made products left where quality is the driver
behind a consumer purchase. *It's not that the quality of USA made products
are necessarily slipping. *It's the fact that competing countries are
building more and more quality products.

I can give a first hand example, garnered from my new experience in retail
guitar sales.
USA made Gibson and Fender guitars are still considered the ultimate
throughout the world and remain very much in demand. * In fact, I know a guy
who regularly buys USA made guitars and travels to Brazil to sell them at a
significant profit.

However, some countries ... notably China (who basically gives the rest of
the world the finger when it comes to patents or copyrights).... are
building excellent guitars that sell for a fraction of it's USA built
counterpart. * *A company in China recently produced a copy of a Les Paul
Standard, complete with serial number and "Made in the USA" *stamped into
the headstock. *The guitars were shipped to the USA and sold through eBay.
They fooled experts. * The quality and performance of the guitar was
undistinguishable from an authentic USA version.

They goofed in one minor detail when they copied it, and it's the only way
those of us buying and selling guitars can recognize the clone.

Eisboch

Very interesting, Richard! If they sound like an AmeriStrat, and the
price is significantly less, I'll bet they sell well!

On Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:47:52 -0800, Loogypicker wrote:

On Mar 10, 5:36*pm, "Eisboch" wrote:
"Wayne.B" wrote in message

news
On Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:11:02 -0800, "nom=de=plume"
wrote:

we need to stop trying to
compete on price alone

With commodity type products, particularly consumer goods, price is
always the top priority.

There are fewer and fewer USA made products left where quality is the driver
behind a consumer purchase. *It's not that the quality of USA made products
are necessarily slipping. *It's the fact that competing countries are
building more and more quality products.

I can give a first hand example, garnered from my new experience in retail
guitar sales.
USA made Gibson and Fender guitars are still considered the ultimate
throughout the world and remain very much in demand. * In fact, I know a guy
who regularly buys USA made guitars and travels to Brazil to sell them at a
significant profit.

However, some countries ... notably China (who basically gives the rest of
the world the finger when it comes to patents or copyrights).... are
building excellent guitars that sell for a fraction of it's USA built
counterpart. * *A company in China recently produced a copy of a Les Paul
Standard, complete with serial number and "Made in the USA" *stamped into
the headstock. *The guitars were shipped to the USA and sold through eBay.
They fooled experts. * The quality and performance of the guitar was
undistinguishable from an authentic USA version.

They goofed in one minor detail when they copied it, and it's the only way
those of us buying and selling guitars can recognize the clone.

Eisboch

Very interesting, Richard! If they sound like an AmeriStrat, and the
price is significantly less, I'll bet they sell well!

How many do you want. Richard is the guy that can order all you care to
take and give you a special |;-) price. Because he also knows how special
you are.

You're special alright! nuk! nuk! nuk!

"Eisboch" wrote in message
...

"mgg" wrote in message
...


"Eisboch" wrote in message
...


They goofed in one minor detail when they copied it, and it's the only
way those of us buying and selling guitars can recognize the clone.

Eisboch

Well???? What is it??? Screws on the truss rod cover, or something harder
to spot?

--Mike

They corrected that mistake. They were putting 3 screws in the cover.
The real ones only had two.
Nope ... the difference is much more subtle than that. It has to do with
the angle of the logo on the headstock and how it was put on and the
method of how the frets are installed. As I mentioned, the fakes have
fooled experts.

But, the biggest difference is price. The old saying holds true. If it
seems too good to be true, it probably isn't real.

Eisboch




That's a shame, but I suppose it's to be expected. Everything from money to
slinkys is counterfeited these days. How do these fake play??

--Mike