rockstar232007 Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 I know that this is probably (by now) common knowledge/old news, but... To everyone who uses/directs anybody to The Guitar Dater Project, DO NOT! take the information provided as definitive or as a sign/indication of a guitar's true authenticity, as the information provided isn't very accurate, and MANY people have been led to believe that the [Gibson] guitars they have either purchased or are planning on purchasing (possibly from a counterfeiter), are real when in fact that's not often the case. The best way to find out the authenticity of ANY Gibson guitar is to contact Gibson Customer Service, and provide them with the serial # in question. And even though there are no guarantees (due to the VERY complicated/unorganized serial number records), they will be able to provide more accurate/in-depth information on most guitars. http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/beware-web-sites-722/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 Amen! That site also only works on Gibson USA serial numbers. If a guy was looking at buying a Custom Shop guitar, the serial number would come back as unrecognized. So, what does that say to a guy who doesn't know much about Gibson Guitars - that it's fake? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepblue Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 What happened to the micro-chip?.....Authorized Gibson dealers SHOULD have the proper equipment to read them. But, they do not. It gets very expensive to have to ship a Lester back to Nashville for true identification purposes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pohatu771 Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 Guitar Dater Project is a great tool, if you're aware of what it does. It doesn't have a database of Gibson (or any) serial numbers, and doesn't ask you what model the guitar is, so it can't determine if the serial number belongs to the guitar it's on. I've used it much more for Epiphone guitars, and it's really only useful for determining the year and origin of the guitar... for instance, DW08122435 is a number I made up, but should come back as a guitar made in December 2008 at the Dae-Won factory in China. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted September 13, 2009 Share Posted September 13, 2009 Good thread. I've tried to explain to people that the Dater is a nice tool for info, but it's kinda like the polygraph test that's inadmissable in court due to the possibility of circumstantial info that may or may not be correct. Hell, I've had enough trouble getting Gibson to confirm serial numbers on guitars I owned - and they built 'em! Call 800-444-2766 Touch tone option #1 Open 24/7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Rock Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 MANY people have been led to believe that the [Gibson] guitars they have either purchased or are planning on purchasing (possibly from a counterfeiter)' date=' are real when in fact that's not often the case. [/quote'] What do you think? The serial number on a fake is copied from a real! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weetabix2110 Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 IM Having problems i.d.ing the serial No on my gibson les paul custom can anyone help as gibson said it was to hard to get the right Data,, Serial No 02005563. cheers, weetabix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockstar232007 Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 What do you think? The serial number on a fake is copied from a real! Actually? There have been MANY cases (and I've tried this' date=' to see how full of crap this site really is) where, people can put almost ANY random number in and, guess what? You can actually get something. Example: The number (81232560) that is used as the "Example" number, can be used to get this: Your guitar was made at the Nashville Plant, TN, USA May 3rd, 1982 Production Number: 60 I've also tried this with several other [random'] numbers, and it worked most of the time. The bottom line is (as pohatu771 has already stated), the Guitar Dater IS NOT a database of Gibson (or any company for that matter) serial #s, the program merely uses the serial # "code" (factory code, year, production #), to generate random information that, 9 times out of 10, is incorrect. This is why no specific information can be given about any particular instrument. Now, if you call Gibson, and give them a number, they can (most of the time) give you VERY specific information about the guitar (model name, actual production number, etc). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockstar232007 Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 IM Having problems i.d.ing the serial No on my gibson les paul custom can anyone help as gibson said it was to hard to get the right Data' date=',Serial No 02005563. cheers, weetabix.[/quote']Is it just me, or does this number look weird? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarJunkie Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 IM Having problems i.d.ing the serial No on my gibson les paul custom can anyone help as gibson said it was to hard to get the right Data' date=',Serial No 02005563. cheers, weetabix.[/quote'] It shouldn't be hard for Gibson to "get the right data". That number will show up in their database as belonging to a particular model/color of guitar. If it doesn't match yours, then you likely have a problem. Now, having said that... you likely have a problem. Serial numbers starting with "02005..." are found on many, many, many fake Gibsons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarJunkie Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 This serial # indicates that you guitar was made in Nashville' date=' in July of 2005[/quote']No, that serial number likely indicates his guitar was made in China sometime in 2008/09. And THAT'S the problem when someone with limited knowledge posts guitar dater results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockstar232007 Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 No' date=' that serial number likely indicates his guitar was made in China sometime in 2008/09. And [i']THAT'S[/i] the problem when someone with limited knowledge posts guitar dater results. That wasn't from the guitar dater (hello! I started this thread!). I was trying to explain WHY you can't rely on it, by showing how misleading serial #s can be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockstar232007 Posted September 23, 2009 Author Share Posted September 23, 2009 IM Having problems i.d.ing the serial No on my gibson les paul custom can anyone help as gibson said it was to hard to get the right Data' date=',Serial No 02005563. cheers, weetabix.[/quote']How's this for a coincidence? http://acapella.harmony-central.com/archive/index.php/t-2384749.html You didn't happen to get this guitar (if you really have it) from Ebay, did you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarJunkie Posted September 23, 2009 Share Posted September 23, 2009 Yeah, if you google that serial number, you'll find it all over the web in reference to fake Gibsons. I wasn't busting your balls. I was also pointing out the uselessness (new word?) of the GDP for verifying a guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockstar232007 Posted September 24, 2009 Author Share Posted September 24, 2009 Yeah' date=' if you google that serial number, you'll find it all over the web in reference to fake Gibsons. I wasn't busting your balls. I was also pointing out the uselessness (new word?) of the GDP for verifying a guitar.[/quote']I know. I was going to make a joke out of that post (about the serial #), but realized that this thread should be kept somewhat serious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weetabix2110 Posted September 24, 2009 Share Posted September 24, 2009 IM Having problems i.d.ing the serial No on my gibson les paul custom can anyone help as gibson said it was to hard to get the right Data' date=',Serial No 02005563. cheers, weetabix.[/quote'] Well thats me been taken,,I was thinking that i had got a real bargan,, So ill just have to save up and buy a REAL GIBSON,,thanks all for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simonphilipps Posted October 6, 2009 Share Posted October 6, 2009 Well thats me been taken' date=',I was thinking that i had got a real bargan,,So ill just have to save up and buy a REAL GIBSON,,thanks all for your help.[/quote'] I told youuuu.... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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