There is a huge ethical difference between making a replica of a tonearm that is still available from the manufacturer/inventor and then selling it under the pretense that it is a bona fide original and the making and marketing of a reproduction of the B60 accessory for Technics tonearms, whether that replica is of good quality or bad. The seller of the replica B60 acknowledged that he is/was selling a replica, and the price is/was a fraction of that which one would have to pay for a "real" B60. Moreover, the original B60 has been out of production for several decades; there is/was no attempt to defraud. In my opinion, the guy who made and sold me the B60 replica did me a great favor. It adds mass to the base of the pivot point and thereby helps to soak up resonant energy, not to mention the fact that VTA is much easier to adjust with the B60.
Nandric’s post reminded me; the B60s that he and I bought, for $500 each, went away after the initial run of production, because, as Nandric wrote, the seller claimed he was not making any money on the item at that price. So it would seem that the current reproduction is from a different source.
I do share the sentiments of others as regards the fake SME V’s.
By the way, under US law, selling the fake and then shipping it to the buyer under an SME label is "mail fraud", a felony. But you'd have to chase down the crooks in Hong Kong or wherever. Lots of luck with that. On the other hand, eBay should block them. Has anyone lodged a complaint via eBay?
