budtee Posted November 9, 2022 Share Posted November 9, 2022 (edited) Hi everyone! I don't know much about Gibson acoustic guitars. Therefore, I ask you to help me figure it out. So, one guy from Armenia wants to sell me a guitar - SJ 200 He says he bought it in the USA in 2016. Serial number is correct. The guitar is beautiful but looks a little strange, so I have doubts about its authenticity. Could you help me understand if this is a fake or an original. Thank you in advance for the answers! Edited November 9, 2022 by budtee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 Looks sketchy to me. I'd pass. Something hokey about the fret markers. Case too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 (edited) 52 minutes ago, fortyearspickn said: Looks sketchy to me. I'd pass. Something hokey about the fret markers. Case too. I agree. Rossetta looks suspect, pickguard looks cheap, the fretboard extends past the sound hole, type on the label looks suspect and probably a few other things I'm missing. I wouldn't buy it as a true Gibson. Edited November 10, 2022 by Dave F Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sevendaymelee Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 1 hour ago, budtee said: Hi everyone! I don't know much about Gibson acoustic guitars. Therefore, I ask you to help me figure it out. So, one guy from Armenia wants to sell me a guitar - SJ 200. He says he bought it in the USA in 2016. Serial number is correct. The guitar is beautiful but looks a little strange, so I have doubts about its authenticity. Could you help me understand if this is a fake or an original? Thank you in advance for the answers! See how I formatted your post? It's also easier to read when every sentence isn't bullet-point. Just some friendly advice for the future. As for the guitar, it looks fishy to me, so I would pass if I were looking at it. At that price, I would always err on the side of caution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jchabalk Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 It's weird, most of what i see looks pretty good, but the label is sketchy and a few other details don't make sense. The bridge looks pretty good though, and that seems like one thing they wouldn't get right (the pictures aren't the best though so maybe i'm off on it). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosinante Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 Sj-200 usually has a truss rod access and truss rod cover at the headstock doesn't it? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 1 minute ago, Rosinante said: Sj-200 usually has a truss rod access and truss rod cover at the headstock doesn't it? Always. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosinante Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 Just now, Dave F said: Always. Well I guess that it is probably not legit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 100% fake. Buy a SJ200 local from a reputable dealer. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 12 hours ago, slimt said: 100% fake. Buy a SJ200 local from a reputable dealer. Well, it HAS to be fake! Whoever built it put in a lot of pretty stuff, then simply forgot a truss rod and cover plate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 1 hour ago, DanvillRob said: Well, it HAS to be fake! Whoever built it put in a lot of pretty stuff, then simply forgot a truss rod and cover plate! The OP did ask if it was. . The body contour is wrong , headstock is wrong. Btw who would buy a guitar from that region anyways. shipping would cost more than the guitar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanvillRob Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 26 minutes ago, slimt said: The OP did ask if it was. . The body contour is wrong , headstock is wrong. Btw who would buy a guitar from that region anyways. shipping would cost more than the guitar. Well....I hope we helped budtee....he never responded to any of the posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave F Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 (edited) May be a guitar he modified to look legit and he was just having us critique it for him. He hasn’t returned since after posting it and getting the first response Edited November 10, 2022 by Dave F Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 1 hour ago, DanvillRob said: Well....I hope we helped budtee....he never responded to any of the posts. True enough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 1000% fake. Label is wrong, binding around birdsbeak is dismal, pickguard is wrong, bevelling on the edge of the bridge is wrong, body shape is slightly off around upper bout, sunburst isn’t right, case isn’t a Gibson case…plenty to avoid! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flatlander Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 On 2016 standard SJ-200, believe bridge only has single row of abalone , not double. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted November 10, 2022 Share Posted November 10, 2022 1 hour ago, Flatlander said: On 2016 standard SJ-200, believe bridge only has single row of abalone , not double. They were both. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holiday Hoser Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 Like trump said. "Because it came from CHINA" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 20 hours ago, slimt said: The body contour is wrong , headstock is wrong. Btw who would buy a guitar from that region anyways. shipping would cost more than the guitar 19 hours ago, Dave F said: May be a guitar he modified to look legit and he was just having us critique it for him. He hasn’t returned since after posting it and getting the first response Interesting. I was guessing he was legit and in Europe somewhere so shipping, etc. would not be expensive and it's hard to find SJ200s. BUT ... his English is very good and it was his first and only post. So, could be someone from China setting up a Gibson knock-off factory in his garage who wanted to know what things would tip off a buyer. Good thing we didn't tell him to be sure the TRC should have 3 screws. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted November 11, 2022 Share Posted November 11, 2022 (edited) I have a 2016, the truss rod is always at the nut. the pickguard doesn't look right nor does the "burst" finish look kosher The 2016 standards did not have the double bars on the bridge, I could go on -- it's fake, walk away. Edited November 11, 2022 by kidblast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hype Posted November 18, 2022 Share Posted November 18, 2022 FAKE AS F*#%^! Can spot it from Pluto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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