what a world we live in where we have knockoffs of knockoffs

Its public service announcements like this that make you a shining example of the KZfaq guitar community. Keep up the good work!

Making knockoffs of guitars that cost 200 dollars is a new low honestly

Your advice applies to EVERYTHING sold on Alli Express. Do not trust that a branded product e.g. d’addario strings is really manufactured by that brand. It’s all too easy for a scammer to reproduce the brand’s packaging, then put an inferior knock-off product in it. Sadly, scammers are everywhere on the inet waiting to reel in innocent guppies who want to save a few bucks and fail to do their due diligence. As others have said: BUYER BEWARE.

BTW, there is NO QC on FF guitars in the U.S. They ship as they get 'em.

DUDE! No way! A knockoff of a budget!? Unbelievable! How low can they go?! Max! This is the kind of crucial stuff that makes me always start my YT roundabouts with Guitar MAX! No kiddin. You were the first host that started me off on my current guitar playing life. I had some bad stuff happen, but I’m back to give it another shot. You’re not responsible, man. You just started me thinking again and I appreciate it. Anyway, thanks a mil, man. It means something to me. It matters. It’s just super cool to see you plant a flag for what the music is supposed to be about. A lot of people want things to be right and it’s a constant battle. So there will always be a need for the inside scoops. Great to see you in the lead tank, bro! Thanks!

Hope the baby’s doing well. Great video thanks for sharing.

it's amazing that we now have knockoffs of an already cheap products, it's just not enough for them to rip off expensive products.

I have purchased a few Firefly guitars..338, tele, and jaguar with P90's to mod & upgrade just to see what I could do. I put USA Gibson PAF's in the 338, but the Tele style was surprisingly good as received and it plays great. It is a total shame that there are companies in this world so unscrupulous that they would deceive people in that way. I got all mine from Guitar Garden and have been very happy with their service.

That proves something to me I already knew. There were copies of burny made in the day Greco copies and many many others. But if they are doing this apparently there's money to be made. That just proves that firefly guitars are made very well solid and for the most part are very good bones.

I’m a Firefly fan and was up to about seven of them. Did some trades so I’m down to only 2 now. But I check Guitars Garden all the time to see what’s going on. Great company and super solid guitars. I was actually playing my ff-338 earlier today with some distortion cranked and fell in love with it all over again. Max, once again, I love this kind of content and without you, Firefly would have taken so much longer to reach us. Thanks for this.

This is priceless. Glad I bought all my Flies from Guitars Garden.

U Kno u made it when they start copying u!

I tried to buy a Firefly ES 338 from Amazon for three years in a row. I finally was able to place an order right after the new year but was later informed by Amazon that my order would be cancelled due to the model being sold out again. Apparently, speculators were buying whole lots and then reselling them at substantially inflated prices. It looked like my chances of actually buying one through a bona fide outlet were either slim or none. Then one day while visiting a pawn shop I found one that was everything I'd hoped for. Of course, I had to pay more than the MSRT but was happy to get it at around $200.00 without the case. That was nearly four years ago and I've yet to be as pleased with a guitar purchase as I've been with my Firefly. I only wish they assigned serial numbers to each run so that collectors like myself could find which year and source each version comes from. So, I'm not surprised that imitations would arise to cheat sincere aficionado's like myself.

Bro…. I know it’s November but I had to double check the calendar to make sure it wasn’t April Fools day.

This is even worse because it's more believable than a big name because you wouldn't suspect the low price.

Thanks for looking out for us ! Much appreciated and Merry Christmas. I'm interested in getting a FF, and I won't do business with Amazon for anything. Thanks for posting the other links. Jim Muscle Shoals, AL

It's incredible that there are people out there 'knocking off" low end guitars...

Good advice. I've got my eye on that Firefly FFLPS ELECTRIC GUITARS (Blue Bat) for $199. Pretty cool looking Les Paul style guitar.

I can't believe companies are making knock offs of knock offs

How much of this can be attributed to the fact that people are buying Fireflys and then reselling them at a higher price? I can see the scammers looking at that and figuring out that people will think that's what they're doing.

Must be the ad I saw a few days ago . Black Friday sale with guitars for 140-165 dollars!

And I just love that you are naïve enough to believe Firefly has a warehouse for their guitars. Check the address. That is a 2700 square foot home near Los Angeles. MAYBE he rents a storage locker too. But it is literally one dude who does NOT do any QC. Did he pay you or something?

My firefly flying V has the best fret ends of any guitar I've ever played, inexpensive or very expensive. I don't know how they offer them so cheap.

"Firefly guitars are really popular." Like hell they are. They sell less than 100 per month on average. That makes them amongst the LEAST popular guitars on planet Earth. (crazy but true)

Hey Max, I bought the Firefly 338 on your recommendation, and have since added 3 more. They all came out of the box ready to play. What`s amazing to me is the high end features they offer.

I bought a Firefly version of the 335 a few years ago from their factory. It was a popular guitar and was sold out here in America. I ordered it and the next day on their website they had the 335 “spalted maple” for $20 more. I had a whole month to beat myself up for not seeing and ordering the spalted maple . Lo and behold ,a month later, the FedEx truck delivered it ,and to my surprise ,it was the spalted maple. Beautiful guitar. This the golden age quality affordable of guitars. Have been playing over 60 years and have had several hundred cheap and expensive guitars over the years. I can’t believe the cheap guitars I would walk by in the trash and keep going and turn down when given to me are now selling for big money. They were garbage then. Norma’s, Teisco, St.James……..maybe because they’d have 4-5 microphonic pickups and loads of switches and knobs.

Great video, Max! As always, buyer beware.

I bought 2 Firefly ES 335 clones from the Guitars Garden website a few months ago. The Prismatic finish (saw it right here in your video) and a pink finish that was on sale. The pink one arrived with a BADLY warped neck and I returned it. Customer service was responsive and they issued me a return label so it wasn't too bad. I did have to rebox and drive it to Fed Ex, so a bit of a pain.The multi colored guitar had a cracked pickup ring I had to replace. I wasn't a huge fan of it at first but after playing it more and more it's growing on me. I wanted a semi hollow to add to my collection and tend to play mostly harder rock/punk/metal but I do think it's quite decent and worth the money.

Mmm 🤔 reminds of another video from samurai guitar theory where he explained of the dirrent scams even a scam envolving a fake 35 dollar acoustic guitar

Chinese manufacturing- they make a product, pay someone on KZfaq to promote them, people run out and buy them, you slow down production and get the factory next door to buy your parts and produce a knockoff driving up demand for the original, ramp up production, raise the price, the factory next door goes back to making toasters and everyone is happy. Heck it’s probably the same manufacturer just making guitars out of the parts that didn’t pass inspection. 😂

Oh wow, scam of a knockoff brand?! That’s a riot!! You gonna review some of these? It would be a riot!!

Patiently waiting for the new Guitar Max Signature from Harley Benton in the new colors 😊 Hoping for a Transparent White or Transparent Black ❤

The Firefly guitar is not sized like a standard Gibson or Fender. Upgrading to better pickups will require some routing of the cavities. I've had similar problems with upgrading kit guitars. The parts just aren't the same size as one would find in a music store.

I’m a American hobbyists guitarist that lived in China for over 10 years, and awhile back after watching your videos on firefly, I just want to get one and ironically I found the factory that makes them and got a really satisfying LP, but after I got it, that factory got shutdown(info from the middleman that I actually gotten the guitar from),it was around November 2023, so I’m not too sure if the quality remains the same, or better/worst, but what I got for the price is truly amazing.

I’ve always wondered what you would receive if you did order the “$150 Les Paul” from one of those Facebook scams. I’m hoping you’ll address that in your upcoming scams video.

Love that you support this company. Bought a lizard burst LP from guitar gardens and absolutely love it!

I’ll wait for the knock off of the knock of the knock…. That’s where my budget is at

Can you do a Shoot out wit a Firefly and a LiarFly?

Thank you for the info. I'm actually supposed to receive a firefly guitar today, I am eager to see if it's real or not. I wish there was a list of things to look for.

Thanks for the infoi have two firefly guitars a 338 and a Telecaster I bought from the marketplace, the 338 from Amazon which cost 200.00 a few years back. Just be patient. Love your videos always.

I have two Fireflies from Guitars garden. Right out of the box they both feel right ( action wise ) and stay in tune. I feel like I don’t need a set up on both. Awesome guitars.

Dude, that T-shirt is sick!

...btw, I bought a Matte finish bat inlay Firefly....for the price - AWESOME....but I switched out the pickups, as the stock pickups suck!

Oh man! Knock off Firefly guitars are all the new rage! I can't wait for someone to do knock offs of the knock offs!

Hi, I didn't know they were fake, I bought one (ff338). It arrived in 14 days, perfectly set and in tune, with very few flaws only on the neck, the sound is very good, I am very satisfied, I have been playing the guitar since 1996. I live in Italy and Guitars Garden doesn't ship here, which is why I bought it on that site, but I didn't know they were fake, well it worked out for me.

Wow! Counterfeit Fireflys: Speechless

I'd buy a knockoff of a guitar that a famous guitarist has (or had). Like a Randy Rhoads Polka Dot Flying V, a George Lynch "Mr. Scary", Steve Vai's Flame guitar from his DLR days, a Joe Satriani model with graphics or a Van Halen striped guitar. I wouldn't buy a knockoff of a knockoff. I did buy a knockoff of a white Steinberger GM-2T (The kind Vito Bratta uses in the "Little Fighter" video) from DHGate. Sure, it wasn't Steinberger quality. But it also wasn't Steinberger price.

I have been beyond frustrated waiting for ( ANY!) SG style, but the blueburst in particular and the Les Paul to come back in stock... checking Guitars Garden weekly but about to just blow it off in favor of whatever catches my eye next, like the Musi Capricorn...

So now we have LiarFlys???

Thanks for the heads up.🎸

I am very unlikely to buy a Firefly guitar (I have many, many expensive guitars), but this is good to know. Thanks for the warning. I did buy a couple of cheap guitars, to see what the fuss was about. They're better quality than I expected. If you know how to set them up properly, they're downright playable and can even be playable out of the box. I'd also, "Simply wait." Firefly may not make that same model again, but they're bound to make something similar. At this level, there are surely finite configurations.

Thanks for this. Good to know. Also, on the Les Paul style they sell, what are the Pickups? They don’t say anything about them on the website that I could see. Thanks a lot.

Good video Max, but why would anyone bother to fake such cheap product? if bothering to fake, at least fake something that's valued more, no ? weird.

Whether a high end guitar like Gibson, knockoff, or a low end one, either it plays like crap or not. I have never ordered a guitar online, and don’t think I ever will. I’d rather try & buy one I can physically try out first. I’d save up for an Epiphone that has Gibson quality behind it than blindly buy a cheap knockoff that may have issues that need to be corrected, like improper bridge placement or a twisted neck!

Found one on ebay. But the guy said he has no paperwork with it and he wanted $450 for it. Found another on reverb they wanted $499 but they didn't say if any paperwork came with it

Good looking out Max, thanx!

I’ve purchased two Xavier T styles from Guitar Fetish, with good features I couldn’t get from Squier… but I do like the new FF with the trem… though I would not want the 2 humbuckers they put on it, I’d either want a mini humbucker in the neck (like I have in my Xaviere “Keef” T style model, or the two gold foils like I have in my Xaviere T style semi-hollow … Harley Benton also has some “Fusion T HH T styles with trems… MADE IN INDONESIA… $259 is $100 more than what firefly charges for their T style FFTL Classic MGN … made in China… with supposedly same features as Harley Benton …. locking tuners, stainless steel frets, push pull coil split…

I got my Firefly Pro form Guitars Garden and didn't have any problem... I also didn't have to wait a long time to get it... But, I agree with your advise to not get Byers Fever is really good... Be patient and get it from the dealer and not from some weird market...

Just as with counterfeiting $1 bills, I would have NEVER suspected…

I appreciate you trying to help. I'm trying to determine oif buying a 338 and upgrading the pups is worth it

Ebay shop is now out or stock . Guitars Garden only ships to USA. Where can I get one Firefly guitar in Europe?

What if it's from the same manufacturer that actually makes the firefly guitars (maybe without the logo, but same maker)?

Thank for the heads up!

Sorry but you can’t buy them in Europe Firefly Guitars (and to contradict the delivery-time , in Europe that is TEN days to TWELF days ) but having said that they shouldn’t make knock offs of a good cheap guitar (and I am still a bit mad about the sawing of the guitars , you could have taking the the electronics out and shown the inside etc.)

I have a 338. It's KILLER. Wish they'd make an LP Jr.

Thanks for video, just be patient and wait, good advice ! While I'm on , how are you getting on with your album ? any update ?

Just bought my first firefly. Awaiting its arrival.

Great info. I've played several of the Fireflies and so far I haven't found anything wrong with them. Two of the fellas I play music with have a nice collection. They play and sound as good as the actual models. I'm planning on ordering me a couple in a few months, so now I'll know to just get em from the guitar garden site.

It's unbelievable. Copying everything. Scamming and cheating.

I looked at the website and am real interested in an acoustic.

I Love your vids! After I saw this video I jumped on Guitar garden and they just listed a bunch more new Les Paul style guitars! I have an older blue berry burst LP firefly and I love it! It sounds good and plays great! It’s kinda crazy that there are companies out there making knock offs of with all do respect to firefly, knock offs! I also have a real 2016 Gibson Les Paul standard and that one is my absolute baby! But if you don’t have the money to buy a guitar like that or are just getting started I’d highly recommend the firefly as long as it’s purchased from Guitar garden. I watched the video where you cut the bottom of the firefly LP off and I was impressed with what was under the finish! Great Video and keep up the great work!

How does one get Firefly guitars in the UK?

Proof that some people only care about the name scribbled on the headstock. Even if on an already low price item. Not digging on Firefly, I hear good things, but I also remember people were buying them and reselling at twice or more the price a couple of years ago. All on the name.

I bought a Firefly Les Paul type guitar a while ago. It was NOISY AS HELL. Took it to the guitar shop and the wiring was total crap. I'll never buy another one.

A few years ago I heard that Epi knock offs were a thing.. I've since seen an Epiphone LP standard which looked well dodgy.. especially next to a pukka Epi LP Standard. Ta Max.

the major problem is the chunky Neck of their guitars which make it unplayable

Sometimes the knockoffs are better than the knockoffs they've knocked off. See: most knockoffs of Gibsons for example.😂

Hello, I have a question. What about the Merle Haggard “ Tough Dog” guitars from China. Are they safe to buy and are they of decent quality. I see them on eBay for sale. Thanks Max.

I bought a firefly 335 from guitars garden. It was ROUGH. Im sure there are some good ones out there but the Leo Jaymes, Eart and others are setting a new bar in quality and consistancy.

Max, can you please do a video on the company that backs firefly? JSN or something like that?

Keanu Reeves … that you? Taking a break from the camera…. Ummm nope.😜

How is it your Van Halen logo is reversed on your shirt, but the Marshall logo behind you is correct? 🤷‍♂

I was a huge skeptic of these cheap import guitars. I purchased a Firefly Pegasus about a year back, I can't believe of what a great value this guitar is. If you are thinking about it I would suggest getting one, the resale on these are ridiculous. They regularly go for a hundred dollar markup. I wouldn't be interested in selling mine though.

A knockoff of a knock off. I see the irony there. What would really be funny is seeing Gibson doing an ultra expensive Chibson knock off.

Really appreciate your heads-up. I just got my Firefly Telle through Guitars Garden and am very pleased. I own Fenders, Gibsons, and all major brands. Firefly now my first Chinese guitar. Very pleased with it. It has the right resonance, wood, density, and vibe! As you say, avoid the other questionable sites.

I bought a FireFly from your link and it was a very good guitar for a great price! We all know we can trust Max to tell us the truth, Thanks!!

Chire Fly! Interesting.. Thanks for the heads up Max!

Did you review a 10S already? I saw a tiger sparkle LP style guitar with ebony fretboard and real mother of pearl inlays for like 700$.

Been watching your vidz for a while...thought I subscribed a while ago...JUST DID! Keep up the good work.

Good advice here. Just got a black galaxy FF SPS off guitars garden. E mailed them no response. I’ll be patient. Any advice from here would be appreciated. Thank you.

Yeah, Firefly is sold out of every guitar but the Strat and Tele copies at this time.

I picked up the 338 . It's just beautiful. I want to upgrade it, but I dont want to do it myself...

so close. to real. the look. the feel. so close. and yet. the paints still wet.

Anything for a dollar I guess.

Ok so has any one actually bought one of these guitars because I didn't know ali express was a bit dodgy. I can honestly say I can't find anything wrong with my guitar I have been scrutinising it against the ones that are being reviewed and everything seems identical and where it should be I actually thought i was lucky to get a good one. and it was a lot cheaper than they are now. are you sure that they have always been knock offs or perhaps this is a more recent thing? with respect Andy

Funny, I saw another video where a fellow who looked a lot like Max was saying how these AliExpress Fifefly guitars were just as good. Could this have been a knock-off of Guitar Max? Hmmm...

So Firefly cannot sue them for this?

I didn't realize this was happening now.. But, I had no doubt that it was going to happen; sooner or later.

Only a firefly is good enough, Play authentic. Lol