Epiphone Les Paul Custom Ebony, Is It Fake?

[RenegadeMaster]

I have just purchased an Epiphone off this website

 

http://www.mzonline.co.uk/new-epiphone-les-paul-custom-electric-guitar-ebony-84-p.asp

 

I was quite weary because of the price, but anyways it arrived, and I've looked it up and down

however being no professional on the subject, I cannot decipher if it is fake or not

Comparing it to other Les Paul customs it is EXACTLY like

http://erikguitars.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=112

the one in the pictures for that product, Is it real or a fake?

The serial code is EE06053732

I already have used that website that tells you the year it was made and where etc.

But that website cannot tell me if it is a fake or real, hopefully you can

[pohatu771]

We certainly can't tell if yours is real or fake based solely on stock photos of an authentic guitar. We need to see yours.

[RenegadeMaster]

I can take pictures on my digital camera and post them tomorrow, but after very close inspection I would say mine

is exactly like that one, down to the detail, what is the best way to get the pictures I take onto here for you guys to see?

The main worry I had was on the headstock where that one says Les Paul Custom (like mine does) some instead say Gibson, anyway I can pretty much say mine is exactly like that one down to the very detail and if that one is indeed aunthentic then I guess mine is but I can get photos

[AyushPresley]

Well I guess you should take the photographs your self. That photo out there doesn't tell much... make sure to take a close photograph of your headstock and the body. if you want you can take the Pickups out and see under it too. or just do the easy thing and upload photos here on the forum and we'll probably be able to tell you if that's authentic or a fake..Cheers and hope it's Authentic...but i have so many guitars in the UK's sites that are fake and they are cheap too. well wouldn't like someone to get ripped off..hope it's not fake

[RenegadeMaster]

I now have pictures if you want to have a look and judge the authenticity of the instrument :-

 

http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/31/l_631b72f671d24125aab9ab0e7ffe40de.jpg

http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/56/l_20b34ab993024caf91885579addaca79.jpg

http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/44/l_174b477008c94ab390d86c4fd6abbe3e.jpg

http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/60/l_c5c6f222d9d24a84bbd0bde7791f0369.jpg

http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/57/l_761cc85b32b14eb7be0ee909d3f4b668.jpg

http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/11/l_1af0596bd74a44b68965057e8de72111.jpg

http://c3.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/28/l_9d75000596454aad95d68a8d95d55b66.jpg

 

Sorry the pictures aren't the best quality and have poor lighting, I had to take them pretty quickly

[wrighty3693]

REAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[RenegadeMaster]

Is it really? I hope it is, if it is I got a good deal, could anyone say what the

pick ups that come with it are any decent? I was thinking of buying two

Burstbuckers, could anyone comment on this?

[wrighty3693]

It really is real if you look at the volume and tone knobs they should for two parallel lines and they do plus i have an epi

LP custom in alpine white and the pickups are amazing dont knock it

100% Epiphone Purity

[wrighty3693]

someone post please

[RenegadeMaster]

Is it that hard to form two parrallel lines with the nobs for people trying to fake ? But anyways, thank you, you've put my mind at rest, if anyone wants to second him though a little more clarification couldn't hurt

[wrighty3693]

itrs difficult because the parralel lines are formed when the guitar is stood upright when on its side

the knobs are off axis to each other true im not 45 but im not an idiot either thankyou very much

i do know what im talking about!!!!

[generation zero]

It would appear to be real, at least at first glance... did it have the epiphone clear protective stickers on the pickups when you got it?

 

That site you got it from looks fishy to me though... I doubt I would trust a purchase from them myself. I find it odd that they sell Epiphone guitars exclusively, along with violins, digital cameras, memory sticks, and health and beauty aids? Considering that two very popular chinese counterfeiting products are Epiphone guitars and digital cameras, I would at least want to check with Epiphone first to make sure that site is an authorized dealer. But if you got your guitar and it looks and feels right, I guess that's what counts.

 

As for the pickups, if you're mainly playing through the little Marshall combo in the pics, you'll be fine with the stock pickups, and you probably wouldn't notice much of a difference if you did upgrade them. If, however, you have a high-end gig worthy 100 watt valve halfstack in the other corner of your room that we can't see, you might benefit from a pup upgrade... I loved my Epi pickups through my old Behringer modeling rig, but when I upgraded that to a Mesa Roadster, I soon felt the need to put Duncans in my Paul. As for Burstbuckers, I put a B1 and a BB2 in one of my Pauls, and I wasn't happy with them... I'd reccomend a set of Duncans. Either a pair of '59s, or the tried and true Jazz/JB combo. Really though, it's all in how it sounds to you. If you like it the way it is, don't bother changing it. Likewise, if it does turn out to be a fake, but you like the way it plays and sounds, and you feel it was worh what you paid for it, then really who cares at this point? Enjoy your new axe! :D/

[generation zero]

itrs difficult because the parralel lines are formed when the guitar is stood upright when on its side

the knobs are off axis to each other true im not 45 but im not an idiot either thankyou very much

i do know what im talking about!!!!

 

As is clearly evident in the eloquent way you verbalize your thoughts in every post you make.

 

I'm pretty sure he was questioning why the fakers get that simple aspect wrong, not your ability to spot a fake based on said aspect. Don't be so quick to jump to the defensive, not everyone on this forum is out to get you. Acting like you are though, it won't be long.

[wrighty3693]

generation zero point taken i understand perfectly what you are saying

btw have you been reading my posts lately check out the marshall vs100

forum

also its hard to get that aspect wrong because the carved top of the guitar sets the

volume and tone knobs off axis when on its side thats what many fakers miss

 

Regards wrighty2012

[RenegadeMaster]

Yeah it came with Epiphone stickers on the pick ups, Sorry I forgot to mention that, but I took them off

and yeah I wasn't questioning your ability to spot a fake, I just like to question things in general

If something doesn't make sense to me, I'll question it, no matter who is saying it, I'm not trying

to attack your integrity, sorry.

[generation zero]

generation zero point taken i understand perfectly what you are saying

btw have you been reading my posts lately check out the marshall vs100

forum

also its hard to get that aspect wrong because the carved top of the guitar sets the

volume and tone knobs off axis when on its side thats what many fakers miss

 

Regards wrighty2012

 

You mean THIS THREAD? Yeah, I've read it... My words of advice would be to calm down a little, and perhaps try to pay some attention to proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation from time to time. People will take your posts more seriously if you do. No offense meant, but posts like yours, with no capitalization, rampant misspelled words, and run-on sentences with no punctuation are alot harder to read. Put a little more work into making yourself look as intelligent as I'm sure you are in real life, and you'll get respect alot faster here. You're posting on a message board, not sending text messages, LOL!

[wrighty3693]

RenegadeMaster you don't have to say sorry it was my mistake in the first place i understand

why you wish to question your guitars authenticity

[wrighty3693]

I understand the use of grammar aswell as the use of punctuation. Although i don't use grammar that much within a forum I do understand

it's importance.

[generation zero]

I understand the use of grammar aswell as the use of punctuation. Although i don't use grammar that much within a forum I do understand

it's importance.

 

Fair enough. :D

[wrighty3693]

It's always good to see that people don't have to be pedantic over other peoples actions. Thanks alot, considering the fact that im new to these forums.

[generation zero]

It's always good to see that people don't have to be pedantic over other peoples actions. Thanks alot' date=' considering the fact that im new to these forums.[/quote']

 

Point for you, sir... I had to look up "pedantic", LOL! :D

[wrighty3693]

This just proves the point that age doesn't mean you know better, just means theres

more chance to gain knowledge through another.

[pohatu771]

From the pictures you posted, I don't see anything obviously fake about it. One way a lot of people can tell is to open the control cavity and scratch a bit of the paint off. The fakes tend to be plywood underneath, while the authentic guitar should only be two pieces.

[Ron G]

......and run-on sentences with no punctuation are alot harder to read

"alot" isn't a word (I figured that since you're criticizing......)

[MelodyMaker1]

Hey Dude, Sorry but I say it may be fake. In looking at the headstock, the corners are cut in a straight line. My EE LP standard

has a slight inward curvature on the headstock corner cuts. And if you look at the photo of the back of the headstock, looks as if the corners have been touched-up. But, I am a newbie. So..........