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fake gibson les paul?


wizardstudios

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just gonna throw my 2 cents in here,

 

if you are unsure about getting a fake why not just buy it from a respected guitar shop it may cost a bit more but you will at least get the right thing,

 

nothing feels better than saving up some hard earned money and getting what you really want.

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You think they couldn´t do already? They may have internet as well. They may even have an original Gibson to check their copies. If I was to copy guitars industrially I´d get me an original. Some of those forgers even have the original machines and plans' date=' because lots of companies are building their factories where ever work is cheap. How much would you think would it take to gibsonize an Epiphone for example?

 

But most important it has to be a lot cheaper than the original and therefore you´ll always be able to tell a fake if you need to.

 

I don´t believe in all those theories of conspiracy about fake questions. And I report every fake I spot, on e-bay or anywhere else to be sold as original, to Gibson.

 

But if you bought a guitar, or decided to buy one, whom would you ask? By the way, you could even ask Gibson. By showing the pics to them they´d tell you as well. But maybe they are working for the chinese too.

 

Greetings

Kurt[/quote']Where were you when I posted it the first time! I said the same thing, and despite popular opinion, the Chinese, are NOT stupid. If they really wanted to, they could just as easily buy European Gibsons, and sell them back to us, for twice what they paid...Oh! I better be quiet, I'm giving them ideas!:-# ...j/k

 

I will post it again, because apperently there are A LOT of people who still need some quidence, on this subject, and it pisses me right off! that, they continue to be taken advantage of!#-o

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We will only have a real problem when the counterfeiters get the neck binding accurate, as that, I suspect, will be the last aspect of the 'copy-errors' they will address because it will be the most expensive one to implement.

 

Headstock, cutaway horn, bridge screws etc...etc...are all just detail differences and could be corrected for, say, a one-off jig adjustment cost. The neck-binding will be an increased cost for every neck produced.

 

As long as they stick to faking LP's with bound necks, that is.......

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We will only have a real problem when the counterfeiters get the neck binding accurate' date=' as that, I suspect, will be the last aspect of the 'copy-errors' they will address because it will be the most expensive one to implement.

 

Headstock, cutaway horn, bridge screws etc...etc...are all just detail differences and could be corrected for, say, a one-off jig adjustment cost. The neck-binding will be an increased cost for every neck produced.

 

As long as they stick to faking LP's with bound necks, that is.......[/quote']No matter how hard they try, they will NEVER be able to match a real LP 100%, so I'm not worried. That's why I posted the 'Real Vs. Fake' thread, because, the odds of them accurately replicating a TRUE Gibson LP would be very slim (due to costs), and apperently the 'PSA' that Gibson themselves posted, isn't as informative as it should/could be.

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No matter how hard they try' date=' they will NEVER be able to match a real LP 100%, so I'm not worried. That's why I posted the 'Real Vs. Fake' thread, because, the odds of them accurately replicating a TRUE Gibson LP would be very slim (due to costs), and apperently the 'PSA' that Gibson themselves posted, isn't as informative as it should/could be.[/quote']

 

That´s the point. Sorry, looks like I got something you wrote wrong for the first time. I think their fakes will get better, but if you take a closer look, you´ll always be able to tell. Plus I also think that they don´t even intend to make the perfect fake.

 

Greetings

Kurt

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No matter how hard they try' date=' they will NEVER be able to match a real LP 100%, so I'm not worried. That's why I posted the 'Real Vs. Fake' thread, because, the odds of them accurately replicating a TRUE Gibson LP would be very slim (due to costs), and apperently the 'PSA' that Gibson themselves posted, isn't as informative as it should/could be.[/quote']

 

As is always mentioned every time this topic is posted, if 'they' truly wanted to re-create an exact copy of a Les Paul all they would need to do is buy a real one and put it on some sort of computer-controlled flat-bed machining scanner and do essentially exactly what Gibson themselves did when they re-created the current re-issues.

 

To build a Les Paul replica using the correct construction processes, craftsmanship, woods, hardware and finishes etc... would, as you quite rightly point out, make the copies too expensive to mass produce 'cheaply' so the exercise would be pointless.

 

Has anyone ever heard of a copy which was made using a solid mahogany one-piece body? A half-inch thick solid maple cap? A properly bound neck with the fret-end nibs? Admittedly, you'd have to be able to inspect the instrument at close quarters to verify these details but it is the people buying these fakes from shops selling them as genuine Gibson instruments who are being ripped off properly - not the people who buy them off the ioffer.com website for$180.00. For $180.00 you will be getting exactly what you deserve. Anyone that thinks they can get a Gibson Les Paul for $180.00 off the internet needs a wake-up call. If, however, you are considering buying one from a dealer then that dealer should be happy for you to give it a thorough going-over to verify it's authenticity.

 

Whilst you, rockstar232007, you, Kurt and I may be able to tell the real thing from the fake it doesn't follow that a father, say, buying an instrument for his son would be as knowledgeable. It is people such as these who need protection from the counterfeiters.

 

This is about the only reason I can think of for people like us, on forums such as this, to carry on pointing out how to spot fake instruments.

 

The counterfeiters, I'm sure, don't need our advice and if they did then it's already too late. As I mentioned in my first post on this current 'fake' thread there are hundreds of posts on this topic hereabouts already.

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so the link i posted on ebay uis a fake?

how do i know if its a fake.

the pictures on the ALPINE WHITE LP looks legit

 

The pictures are of a legit Les Paul Custom, as has been pointed out by Dem00n on the other post.

 

If you think you are going to get a brand new Alpine White Gibson Les Paul Custom from China for $350.00 then you are seriously out of touch with reality. The pickups would be almost worth that alone!

 

Have you any idea how valuable Ebony wood is?

 

How on Earth do you think the person in China selling this instrument could have a real Les Paul Custom for this money?

 

Have you checked to see how much a Les Paul Custom would cost from a dealership in NYC? Is it around about the same price?

 

The Gibson official price is, I know, higher than the price on the streets but it is currently listed at $5,504. So that's only $5,154 more than the one on ebay, or, to put it another way, you could buy fifteen guitars from ebay and still have change.

 

At least you asked first.

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Whilst you' date=' rockstar232007, you, Kurt and I may be able to tell the real thing from the fake it doesn't follow that a father, say, buying an instrument for his son would be as knowledgeable. It is people such as these who need protection from the counterfeiters.

 

This is about the only reason I can think of for people like us, on forums such as this, to carry on pointing out how to spot fake instruments.[/quote']

 

That is the point. But I wouldn´t buy a guitar on the internet without seeing and playing it before, unless it was offered by an authorized Gibson dealer. Especially if it had an unrealistic low price. On one hand I do fell sorry for people who bought an overpriced fake, but on the other hand I must say, if you know nothing about it, buy it from an official dealer. Or maybe ask someone who does know about. If you can´t afford the real thing but find it so important to have the brand name on it, then maybe buy a fake. But buy it as a fake and for the price of a fake.

 

I mean, if you wanted to buy a Rolex for example and you knew nothing about it, would you buy the cheapest one off of e-bay?

 

Frauds, that sell fakes of whatever as the real thing are criminal - no doubt about that. But everyone over the age of 15 should know that there is no such thing like a fairy with veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery big t... that reads every wish from your eyes.

 

Greetings

Kurt

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I agree with the headstock comments. It's hard to tell, but it actually looks like one that came from an LP Studio or Jr. Also, the trussrod cover looks like it came from an Epiphone

 

 

AL 028

 

***************************************************************************************

 

1972 Les Paul Custom (1954 Black Beauty RI)

1976 Les Paul Deluxe

2008 Alex Lifeson Inspired By 355 (AL 028)

2001 Fender American Stratocaster

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Why don't we have a sticky' date=' or a subforum for fakes and fake spotters?[/quote']

 

It's a good idea. We would still get most of the "Is it....?" questions posted here on the Les Paul section as it would be, I strongly suspect, the first point of call for most people trying to authenticate an instrument.

 

Having a sticky As Well would be my preffered option as we could re-direct all such requests there straight away and put an end to most of the repetition that we find on these pages here and now.

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I certainly don't mind people coming and asking questions. Better that, than they waste money on a rip off.

But, ... it just seems that a lot of forum users a rather sharp and off standish about it.

We should remember that peoiple come here to ask help of those who are expert on les paul guitars and are generally unaware that the same question has been asked 3 times already that week. SO, what i'm saying is that we should either be more understanding, or create a safe zone(sticky/subforum) where a moderator or 'in house expert' is chosen to work that zone intelligently and politely in order that people that are fed up with it can have a break.

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I certainly don't mind people coming and asking questions. Better that' date=' than they waste money on a rip off.

But, ... it just seems that a lot of forum users a rather sharp and off standish about it.

We should remember that peoiple come here to ask help of those who are expert on les paul guitars and are generally unaware that the same question has been asked 3 times already that week. SO, what i'm saying is that we should either be more understanding, or create a safe zone(sticky/subforum) where a moderator or 'in house expert' is chosen to work that zone intelligently and politely in order that people that are fed up with it can have a break.[/quote']

 

I agree with you completely and utterly. As I said earlier, it's the people who may be buying an instrument for another person and can have no knowledge at all about Les Pauls, or else the young kids with little experience on the subject who are at the greatest risk of being conned. That's why I, myself, always take some time to reply to the "Is it...?" questions, even if it's only briefly to back up what others have already said.

 

What we should do second, having first given them the benefit of our combined wisdom, is have them use the search engine on this site to check up what has already been written on the subject of fakes. Afterwards, if they still have some issues they would like to clarify we could help them all the sooner.

 

But there are times when I do get a bit short in the patience department - like when, having had several detailed replies from the people here the original poster continues to ask "But are you really sure?...How can you be so certain?". Other times it is when the fake is so bad and they have been told straight out that it's a fake and they refuse to believe it like one guy we had a few months back, before you first came here. He was told over a hundred times that he had a fake and in the end he started to get abusive towards the people who were only trying to help him out in the first place!

 

I realise that for those without detailed knowledge it must seem a bit strange that some others can be so certain having only seen a few snaps of an instrument and we should show more understanding but there does come a point when all you can do is walk away thinking "Why did I bother?".....

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just gonna throw my 2 cents in here' date='

 

if you are unsure about getting a fake why not just buy it from a respected guitar shop it may cost a bit more but you will at least get the right thing,

 

nothing feels better than saving up some hard earned money and getting what you really want.[/quote']

 

My wife bought a Louis Vuitton bag on eBay that turned out to be a fake =P~

 

When she brought it to the Louis Vuitton flagship store 2 different employees told her it was real before a rude manager said it was fake. His reasoning was funny though. He was very dismissive and said their policy is that if you didn't buy it at Luis Vuitton then it's a fake as far as they're concerned. But they wouldn't put it in writing so that she could return it to the seller.

 

I did a little research on-line and unfortunately discovered 100% that it was fake (size of buckle, exact shape, 'case candy', etc.) but Paypal required a 3rd party 'authority' to confirm that it was a fake. What a run-around.

 

We were finally able to get our money back but it wasn't easy.

 

Unfortunately the attitude LV took and the way they handled it she almost didn't even want one of their bags after that...

 

...notice I said almost.

 

I told her next time we woud avoid eBay and shop at the store.

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Since this topic pops up nearly once a week - I have now made this thread a Sticky.

 

Whilst you, rockstar232007, you, Kurt and I may be able to tell the real thing from the fake it doesn't follow that a father, say, buying an instrument for his son would be as knowledgeable. It is people such as these who need protection from the counterfeiters.

 

This is about the only reason I can think of for people like us, on forums such as this, to carry on pointing out how to spot fake instruments.

 

+1

 

Prior to purchasing a big ticket item like a real Gibson Les Paul - do some research first.

 

The Gibson Les Paul Handbook: How To Buy,

 

http://www.amazon.com/Gibson-Paul-Handbook-Maintain-Troubleshoot/dp/0760334706/ref=pd_sim_b_10

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So what's the etiquette now? we say more than "It's a fake" and start pointing out how we spot them? Okay, fair enough. The color on the back is too orange/gold and looks like varnish instead of lightly ambered lacquer (fakes tend to be finished in polyester or polyurethane instead of nitrocellulose lacquer, which you can't smell from a picture). The back plates aren't supposed to be white. The tuners should have letters stamped on the back. Gibsons NEVER have allen wrench trussrod adjusting nuts; they always have an acorn nut. Your headstock closeup cuts off at the nut, but the spacing from the trussrod cover to the nut is important. You probably know that the first mark of a fake is a three-screw trussrod cover. Also they generally don't have the little binding "nibs" left by scraping/filing down the binding until it meets the fretboard and the frets. The bridge should not have huge studs underneath and should not have the slotted screw head showing in the little hole where the bridge sits on the studs. Color of the case lining is funky, too, didn't they have grey before the current white fuzz?

 

And generally you start with the price point - there's an old saying "You can't con an honest man." It's the people who think they're getting such a great deal that are actually turned on by the secrecy of the "underground store" that Gibson doesn't know about.

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Hey there i bought or should say i did a trade with a guy who had a 2000 goldtop les paul standard well when i was showing people a few said it was a fake and others said no way its real so i started digging guitar center said it was a 59 reissue and so i said ok they know thier stuff or at least id think they would' date='

heres some pics and the one thing that kind of set me off to maybe it was fake is the truss rod ive seen how the truss rod end at the head stock has the nipple like end fo rth etool to adjust it sticking out past the hole and mine didnt, the truss rod was about a quarter inch inside the neck to adjust it with a allen wrench so let me know what you think please

wizard

[img']http://i412.photobucket.com/albums/pp208/elantric/fake/Copyof100_0803.jpg[/img]

 

Copyof100_0802.jpg

 

100_0827.jpg

 

100_0826_00.jpg

 

Damn dude you just got a fake.

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Man...if it sounds good...does it matter?

 

If you are buying a copy on purpose because it sounds and plays good for a fair price, then i guess it doesn't. It does matter if you are spending a lot of money for the genuine article and getting fobbed off with some Asian firewood.

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Hi Guys

 

Well I can definitely say that your Gold top is NOT a genuine Gibbo because I have it's brother ,or should I say its same self ,According to the serial number. I came by this one cheap so It doesn't matter if it is a fake .To be honest it sounds better than my Studio, and it plays absolutely beautiful . I suppose its ok to get one of these to mess with if it doesn't cost that much ,and dont try to pass it off as a original Gibson.

I have made one or two mods but overall its not bad, and it saves me wearing the frets out on my Studio

here's a couple of pictures plus my Studio

 

 

SUC30017.jpg

 

SUC30021.jpg

 

gibson2.jpg

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