Re: Does the mandolin world suffer much from fakes?
Originally Posted by
Ray(T)
Good question. I suspect that the majority of guitar fakes are likely to be “bolt together” electric guitars. Unless it’s simply a matter of sticking a posher logo on the headstock, high end acoustic guitars and mandolins are unlikely to be faked due to their relatively small market share and because they simply wouldn’t sound or play right.
I’m aware that fiddles have been faked for years - a fiddle playing accomplice (now deceased) of mine had one with a Stradavarius label inside. He bought it whilst he was at the RNCM and it dated from the early 18C.
In the old days, people had different ideas of patent and copyright than we do in the contemporary west -- and they still do in Asia, a contributing factor in western trade wars with China. For centuries, a writer, for instance, would add to another writer's work, re-write or print a book with the changes, or even write an original essay, then consider it a compliment to the original author to put that author's name on the new piece. Similarly, as all modern violins were influenced by the designs of Stradivarius and the other luthiers of Cremona, violin makers would put his name in their violins either to show respect for the Master or to tell their customers that this is a violin in the style of Stradivarius. I inherited a "Strandivarius" made in "Cremonius" in the 18th century myself. Luthiers tell me that it's actually German from about 1870. I don't think most of the pseudo-Stradivarius violins out there were meant to defraud anyone. The original owner of my violin would have to be pretty gullible to buy a brand-new violin that he believed was built nearly two centuries earlier. (Added: Still, I admit to being excited, fifty years ago, at seeing the name Stradivarius stamped in my grandfather's violin.)
Last edited by Ranald; Feb-26-2021 at 11:18am.
Robert Johnson's mother, describing blues musicians:
"I never did have no trouble with him until he got big enough to be round with bigger boys and off from home. Then he used to follow all these harp blowers, mandoleen (sic) and guitar players."
Lomax, Alan, The Land where The Blues Began, NY: Pantheon, 1993, p.14.
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