A poor attempt to defraud the public

[DennisG]

A Taylor K24 made in China?  For just a few hundred bucks?  With a serial number indicating it was made in Tecate, Mexico?

I've contacted the Craigslist poster about this ad.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/tac/msg/4768898828.html

[DennisG]

I notified the seller that his guitar is a counterfeit, and that by not revealing this fact, he's trying to defraud the public.  He argued with me and defended his right to sell his guitar.  When I checked back, he had added the word "knockoff" to the ad.  But he's still committing a felony by attempting to sell counterfeit merchandise.

[TaylorGirl]

That's disgusting, that's all I can say. Good catch Dennis.

[FDHog]

That's Craigslist. Buyer beware.

[Ironhead1977]

If they would had got the control knobs correct that would have been a tougher one to spot from a distance. Great job Dennis.

[GreysSonicPlayground]

Did you see the label??
It's a Tay Lor, not a Taylor. 

[TaylorGirl]

If they would had got the control knobs correct that would have been a tougher one to spot from a distance. Great job Dennis.

Uh, that is so bad on MANY levels. About 2 seconds and I knew it was a fraud. The mere quality of the finish and appointments, the placement of the inlay on the headstock, the label and its contents, the inlays on the fretboard, the fretboard and bridge, the shape of the cutaway, and on and on. It not even a good counterfeit.

[Byrdsman]

That guitar is a disgrace. 

[jalbert]

It not even a good counterfeit. It makes be mad and sick even looking at it.

I'll somewhat disagree. While this one was still obviously not made in El Cajon, gone are the days when a counterfeiter would slap a photocopied "Taylor" logo on a label and call a mystery-wood dreadnought a "710". That usually didn't fool people, but did often enough to keep the scheme going. The counterfeiter of this "K24ce" is at least taking the trouble to make some of the details look right. Koa's about that color, right? To the untrained eye it could fool. Perhaps the seller of this knock-off got swindled himself?

It makes me mad and a little sick, too.

[TaylorGirl]

It not even a good counterfeit. It makes be mad and sick even looking at it.

To the untrained eye it could fool. Perhaps the seller of this knock-off got swindled himself?

It makes me mad and a little sick, too.

You are right, to the untrained eye.
Being an owner of a K24ce it's quite obvious. I know what to look for. An untrained eye may not.
Then again, I would think that anyone who is considering a Taylor at that price point should have a trained eye.
It's just sad.

[Earl]

Actually this fake guitar would have one fairly improbable but legitimate use.  Let's say you are making a movie and need a prop to destroy for a scene.  This fake is a good candidate, rather than using a real guitar for the sacrifice.   

There is an old story about Andy Griffith.  During one movie the prop department took a brand new Martin D-18 and glued sequins all over it for a scene.  When the shoot was done, they were going to simply throw away the guitar.  He nabbed it from the dumpster and eventually sanded off all the glue and sparkles, as well as most of the lacquer too.  That was Andy's guitar for much of the rest of his career.  Martin even made a tribute model in the 90's.

But a bad fake sickens me too.  Caveat emptor, if it seems to good to be true it probably is, you get what you pay for, insert your platitude here _______.

[Byrdsman]

Actually this fake guitar would have one fairly improbable but legitimate use.  Let's say you are making a movie and need a prop to destroy for a scene.  This fake is a good candidate, rather than using a real guitar for the sacrifice.   

"I gave my love a cherry....." 

[DennisG]

"I gave my love a cherry....." 

Heh.

[Jersey tuning]

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8V_hCqO6UQs

[mgap]

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8V_hCqO6UQs

Ha! Toga, toga, toga