A gift for my Dad, is this Authentic?

[Joshua22]

Hello everybody,

 

My dad is an avid guitar player (all his life) and I purchased him a 'Gibson Les Paul Standard 2000'. I myself do not play guitar and a friend of mine who plays says he believes the model I purchased is a fake. I was just wondering if anybody could tell me? If so, I'll return it to the store I purchased from (A pawn store) and look for another guitar to purchase him. Any help would be appreciated, If I need to upload different photos (or better, please let me know). There's a link at the bottom to look at the photos.

 Thank-you for your time.

Josh

https://imgur.com/a/9mYQBuF

[Filbert]

Judging by the logo and the way the serial number is etched, I think it’s a fake. 

[Lou Theeur]

What are your friends criteria for claiming it to be fake? 

[sparquelito]

A few details look off to me, and this is from a scan of photos of a half-dozen 2000 Gibson Les Paul Standards;

* Truss rod cover has etched on it, "Les Paul Standard".  All the others I see have simply the word, "Standard" on it. 

* A 2000 Standard apparently came with Grover tuners with kidney bean tuning keys, not those ivory jobbies. 

* The quality of the back covers looks poor.

* The serial number and Made in USA  filled in with gold paint.  Not seeing that anywhere else. 

Most importantly, do a Google search for " 00170429, Les Paul".
That serial number pops up quite a few times. 

I'm no expert, and I would stand by for more seasoned posters to wake up and offer their opinions, but it doesn't seem right to me.

🤨

[sparquelito]

Oh, I forgot to ask;

What did you pay for it at the pawn shop?

That alone might give us a clue.

😉

[Lou Theeur]

https://www.guitarinsite.nl/serienummers-gibson_eng.php

and this: 

Edited July 4, 2020 by Lou Theeur

[kidblast]

Sorry to tell you from what I see in your pics  (IMHO) this not an authentic USA made Gibson

Gibson's do not have slotted posts (your first three pictures show just that) and from what I can see in the 2nd photo the toggle switch looks too long.   USA gibson's the toggle switches are shorter than what that appears to be.

I hope you didn't pay more than $350 for it, b/c that's about what Counterfeits cost new.  

 

Edited July 4, 2020 by kidblast

[Sgt. Pepper]

The font on the serial number looks wrong.  I'm going fake.

[kidblast]

48 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

The font on the serial number looks wrong.  I'm going fake.

Don't even need to look further than the slots on the bridge posts,,  Gibson does that like NEVER...

[mihcmac]

On 7/3/2020 at 5:57 PM, Joshua22 said:

Hello everybody,

 

My dad is an avid guitar player (all his life) and I purchased him a 'Gibson Les Paul Standard 2000'. I myself do not play guitar and a friend of mine who plays says he believes the model I purchased is a fake. I was just wondering if anybody could tell me? If so, I'll return it to the store I purchased from (A pawn store) and look for another guitar to purchase him. Any help would be appreciated, If I need to upload different photos (or better, please let me know). There's a link at the bottom to look at the photos.

 Thank-you for your time.

Josh

https://imgur.com/a/9mYQBuF

*****Note I had to completely redo this response after visiting DHgate..*****

Yours doesn't look US built to me and with a duplicated SN.

Another tell would be a 14° headstock (like an Epiphone) which is hard to see in the photos compared to Gibsons 17°.

Below is a not quite as a good copy from DHgate .. It does have a lot of similarities with OP's purchase..

Standards usually don't have anything on the nut plate, but I have seen a few but with Standard in cursive script.

But defiantly not US. But I am definitely not an expert and could be totally wrong about what I think I see.

These fakes usually sell between $200 and $300. There are quite a few different manufactures and sellers..

Sorry I hope you didn't pay the Gibson price of a few grand for one of these, but if the person who sold it to you sold it as a Gibson, it would make sense to notify Customs or other legal options..

A close current real Standard Model below..

Edited July 5, 2020 by mihcmac

[Big Bill]

Oh man, couldn't get more fake as that. Sorry my friend.

[Retired]

One Thing,  Do not go by the truss rod cover plate. I have a Standard that came with no writing on it.  Just plain, I went to Dietz and bought  a cover plate with standard on it. So those can be changed out. I thought, it just looked better but still have the original cover plate. Interesting reading everyones comments . Where is Pipp'ys two cents worth? 

[Retired]

11 hours ago, kidblast said:

Sorry to tell you from what I see in your pics  (IMHO) this not an authentic USA made Gibson

Gibson's do not have slotted posts (your first three pictures show just that) and from what I can see in the 2nd photo the toggle switch looks too long.   USA gibson's the toggle switches are shorter than what that appears to be.

I hope you didn't pay more than $350 for it, b/c that's about what Counterfeits cost new.  

 

Yep, You are right.  Haha, I am still learning on what's fake or not.  I couldn't figure out what you were saying on the slotted posts. Kept going back to look at his guitar. I had to get out my Gold Top and compare photos, Yep. That is a Fake.  Darn good looking though, Not worth the price they probably charged him though. 

['Scales]

more importantly, you sound like a great son and I'm sure he will be proud of you for being so thoughtful! 

[kidblast]

 

12 hours ago, Retired said:

Yep, You are right.  Haha, I am still learning on what's fake or not.  I couldn't figure out what you were saying on the slotted posts. Kept going back to look at his guitar. I had to get out my Gold Top and compare photos, Yep. That is a Fake.  Darn good looking though, Not worth the price they probably charged him though. 

 

Right,  just for the sake of clarity....   authentic USA gibsons will never have these.   Tell Tale sign of a "Chibson"

[Retired]

Yep, Thats what I saw.  I gave you a plus, Good eyes Kidblast. 

[BigKahune]

Slotted bridge post is wrong.

Pup collar anchor screws should be flat heads.

Sorry, Not a genuine Gibson.

[MissouriPicker]

I think it’s cool how you want to get your dad a Gibson.  You are both lucky.👏👍