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Is my les paul black beauty the real deal ?

Elliott

By Elliott
in Epiphone Electrics

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Elliott

Elliott

Posted
Posted

I got this a couple days ago as an early birthday present, and it is amazing.

Like many others, Im getting so paranoid whether it is real or not.

(Btw, I need to know how to get pictures onto here as well, as im new. =])

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leicester35

leicester35

Posted
Posted

Well...first question might be (in the absence of photos)

 

Where was it bought from?

 

If it came from an authorized Epi dealer, then stop worrying and just enjoy playing it!

 

By the way - to post photos, set up a free account at photobucket and then use the image tool (the little button which looks like 2 mountains and the sun) to post the link to your photo- (just insert the URL of your photo between the image tags).

Elliott

Elliott

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Oh of course !

I have a photobucket account, It slipped past me that I could do that.

 

Right, thing is, I got it on ebay.

The seller seemed good, it said it was new, which it most definately was, but came without a warranty sticker on it.

(The pictures on his page had one on. :D )

 

Also, it said in bold on his page THIS IS 100% GENUINE FROM EPIPHONE, and what not.

 

Ill get the pictures right up now.

JefferySmith

JefferySmith

Posted
Posted

 

Each line (photo) has to go between two brackets that come up when you click the picture icon above.

leicester35

leicester35

Posted
Posted

Well Elliott, I am not an expert on Les Pauls by any means.

 

It's a nice looking guitar - and it looks OK, so far as I can see from the little photos. I really hope that you have bought the real deal.

 

There is a chap called RotcanX who used to be very active on this forum, who really is an expert. If he ever reappears, he will doubtless ask for pictures of the control cavity...and will then pass judgment for you. If you can post larger photos, I'm sure others here will advise you also. Seeing the wiring etc is important when determining whether or not a guitar is a fake.

 

OK...here comes the big question...

 

How much did you pay this seller on e-bay?

 

People here will hit you over the head (quite rightly) with one mantra:

 

Epiphone only sell new guitars through their authorized dealer network.

 

This automatically makes "new" Epis sold through all other outlets, well...suspect.

 

This guitar sells for $799 from Sweetwater ( http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ENBBEBGH/ )

You know that their product is the real deal; so if the "new" guitar on e-bay is much cheaper, then you have to ask: "why?" If it's only a little cheaper than Sweetwater (or Guitar Center / Musicians Friend etc.), then personally I'd still rather buy from the authorized dealer, if only for the peace of mind.

 

Anyway, it sounds as though you like this guitar - so I really hope that you've got a good' un.

Elliott

Elliott

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I really hope it is as well.

I mean, it sounds good also.

 

Well, I live in Britain (dammit, I love america.)

And, I got it for around £400 on ebay !

Which is exactly half of what you said it should be in dollars.

 

So far so good....

28v6r

28v6r

Posted
Posted

Did it come from the UK seller or overseas? If it was a UK seller then you could go and see the shop??

 

£400 notes sounds about right for a UK genuine item...

BlueLesPaul2006

BlueLesPaul2006

Posted
Posted

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I spot a fake. The guitar looks nice but the binding on the head stock is a dead give away of a fake. The binding is way to think. I know this for a fact I bought a fake Gibson Les Paul and it had the same thickness of binding on the headstock. Go to your local guitar shop and look at the real deal you will see what I mean. Sorry bro

Bender 4 Life

Bender 4 Life

Posted
Posted

Would they go to the expense of putting Grover tuners on a fake?

those are Grovers....right?

What does Guitar Dater Project say about the sereal #....?

Have you looked at the "Fight counterfiet guitars" link on Gibsons website to get real details about how to spot them?

 

just a few ideas.

antwhi2001

antwhi2001

Posted
Posted

I think Blue may be right about the binding.

 

There are a lot of UK e-bay auctions for dodgy black beauties and customs, usually shipped direct from China, although they don't always admit that in the auctions. In some cases people have hijacked dormant UK e-bay accounts with good feedback to sell them. Where was yours actually shipped from?

 

There are several reputable UK internet dealers selling new BBs at £400 or slightly less, delivered.

jcwillow777

jcwillow777

Posted
Posted

I really can't tell from the photos, they are to small for me to see. But, if they guitar was shipped to you from China, it is a fake. There are several sellers on Ebay that state they are in Canada, UK, or various places in the US, BUT the guitar ships from China. Epiphone doesn't work that way. They ship to dealers, then the dealer ships to you.

Stevie Nazarenie

Stevie Nazarenie

Posted
Posted

picture 6 does not look right. i had an article on fakes i can not find now but the ring things around the tuning pegs should not go out to the binding. this was one giveaway. email gibson they did my identification in 30 mins of emaiing them!

Bender 4 Life

Bender 4 Life

Posted
Posted

I just went to the Gibson link about counterfeit guitars, and I have bad news for you.......

go to the link from Gibsons lifestyle page, and compare your neck/headstock/nut joint with a genuine Gibson/Epiphone.

 

Looks like you have a fake on your hands.

Bender 4 Life

Bender 4 Life

Posted
Posted
Yep' date=' and in regards to Prolife's comment on the tuners check out headstock pic in this listing and see the difference.

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Epiphone-Les-Paul-Custom-Black-Beauty_W0QQitemZ220285417828QQihZ012QQcategoryZ33037QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem[/quote']

Sorry, that one is a fake also........notice the absurd thickness of the nut, to make up for the incorrect headstock angle? The tuners aren't even installed straight, and from what i've read here, NOTHING ships factory direct.

GlennW

GlennW

Posted
Posted

That is a huge nut, maybe Epi means elephant nut in Chinese. This is bad...fake Epis to the left of me, fake Epis to the right...here I am...stuck in the middle...

 

I need to study up on this stuff.

 

They'll probably start putting up fake "How to tell if it's a real Epi" sites to support their devious tactics.

epinder

epinder

Posted
Posted

It's hard to tell from the photo, but after looking at my sons LP custom; shouldn't the TRC be a 2 ply black w/white trim on the edge?

 

The one in the photo looks single ply and plain black.

leicester35

leicester35

Posted
Posted
I really hope it is as well.

I mean' date=' it sounds good also.

 

Well, I live in Britain (dammit, I love america.)

And, I got it for around £400 on ebay !

Which is exactly half of what you said it should be in dollars.

 

So far so good....

 

[/quote']

 

Always good to have fellow Brits on the board! (I'm from Leicester, as you might have guessed...)

Anyway, I sometimes use the Sweetwater site when I'm talking about guitars, just because their gallery of guitars is fantastic.

 

It seems that you might have a fake on your hands, judging from what others have said here.

 

If you get this confirmed by Gibson/Epiphone, then you should be able to get your credit card company (or PayPal) to get your money back.

 

If you're still after a Black Beauty, my advice would be to use imuso - they're based in Surrey and they are pretty good. They're selling the BB for 449 quid.

http://www.imuso.co.uk/ProductDetail.asp?StockCode=EG00202

leicester35

leicester35

Posted
Posted
It's hard to tell from the photo' date=' but after looking at my sons LP custom; shouldn't the TRC be a 2 ply black w/white trim on the edge?

 

The one in the photo looks single ply and plain black.

[/quote']

 

Reckon you're right...

 

custom-blackbeauty.jpg

28v6r

28v6r

Posted
Posted

Guys,

 

Without a definitive "Yay or Nay" from Epi/Gibson themselves I think we're worryin' the guy into a frenzy here...

 

My Reasons are this:

 

After Trawling around the internet and talking to a few people that have them (Me included!) It would appear that there are "variants" of Black Beauty...

 

Some of the earlier bb's appear to have been supplied with Gold pots as opposed black, a student of a friend of mine has one in this guise and it was bought in Glasgow cash.... (new)

 

Then there's the Trust nut plate some came with BB others LP custom as in "LP Custom BB" I have one of those.. mine was verified by a UK agent in Scotland as a possible 2nd but still genuine....

 

Take a look at the photo on Epi's site, it displays a BB3 with gold pots, Does that mean its a fake too - on a genuine site???

 

I maybe talkin' from "an orifice in the unknown" but at least get a verification from Epi/Gibby before flamin' otherwise Paranoia will set in and..

 

 

" Oh! the guitar in your avatar is a fake because..... Its blue and XXXX never came in blue..." (Example Only!! Nuttin' wrong with blue!)

28v6r

28v6r

Posted
Posted

P.S

 

How a bout a Sticky of the " Gibson Link" that notifies you how to spot a fake as I am interested on this, again, I'm from a country that still wears skirts and hasn't caught up on technology yet...8-[

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