Murray1281734136 Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Hi guys Ok, I was dumb and didn't do my research before ordering an Epiphone Les Paul Custom Plus from an on-line supplier. Having looked on here and seeing the apparent problem worldwide with fakes, how can I tell if the guitar I have is real or otherwise? Having looked closely at it now, I see a few things that would make me suspicious, however I may just be paranoid now! Having played it, it plays well and the sound isn't shoddy. The action feels good etc., but having been a strat player all my life I have no idea what to look for. If I post pictures here would someone be able to advise? If so, what should I photograph? Front and back of headstock? Wiring? Thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beijing blues Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 I know its not epiphone, but I am unhappy with a Mex strat i was supposed to receive from a co.uk company (MZonline) and the guitar came from Beijing. Very probable a fake, dodgy postal address, no replies to emails, send wrong item (wrong fretboard/no case/no fender box) direct from China. I have seen people deal with MZonline on these forums as they specialise in cheaper les pauls etc. Be very careful. I am having my guitar checked by a local dealer soon. If it is fake, I cant send it back for a refund to a company with a fake Uk address and registered in the USA (USA trading law/not UK/so trading standards cant help). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Summerisle Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Do you really think that the US address is genuine either? Sorry, but you should have bought from an authorized dealer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueLesPaul2006 Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Hi guys Ok' date=' I was dumb and didn't do my research before ordering an Epiphone Les Paul Custom Plus from an on-line supplier. Having looked on here and seeing the apparent problem worldwide with fakes, how can I tell if the guitar I have is real or otherwise? Having looked closely at it now, I see a few things that would make me suspicious, however I may just be paranoid now! Having played it, it plays well and the sound isn't shoddy. The action feels good etc., but having been a strat player all my life I have no idea what to look for. If I post pictures here would someone be able to advise? If so, what should I photograph? Front and back of headstock? Wiring? Thanks in advance![/quote'] Post your pics we can tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IntelligentAl Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Photograph all of it, otherwise we cannot tell whether or not it is genuine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murray1281734136 Posted February 2, 2009 Author Share Posted February 2, 2009 Ok - here goes. I've linked them here as they're 1024xwhatever resolution to ensure you can see clearly. If you want me to put smaller thumbnails in the post to make it easier, let me know? http://www.archersreference.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/guitar/DSCF2240.JPG http://www.archersreference.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/guitar/DSCF2241.JPG http://www.archersreference.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/guitar/DSCF2243.JPG http://www.archersreference.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/guitar/DSCF2244.JPG Thanks in advance. Anything else i need to photograph? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron G Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Murray: Where did you buy it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murray1281734136 Posted February 2, 2009 Author Share Posted February 2, 2009 Via a UK(?) Amazon reseller... Like I said - I had a dumb moment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron G Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Via a UK(?) Amazon reseller... Like I said - I had a dumb moment link, please Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murray1281734136 Posted February 2, 2009 Author Share Posted February 2, 2009 http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002D01I6 seller is called "musiclifetime" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IntelligentAl Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Well I looked at the photographs and I think it is hard to say. There are a number of indicators that suggest perhaps the guitar is not real, but there is nothing that would immediately shout fake. The only things I can see are that the tuners overlap the headstock binding and the diamond inlay slightly, and that the volume and tone knobs may not be completely parallel. However, at the moment this is not enough to determine the guitars authenticity. I'm gonna have to leave it up to someone else to decide, because either that is a real Epi custom, or it is a very good fake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron G Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 musiclifetime = mzonline = fake other member got them, too, unfortunately sorry. but do remember that Epis are made in china, as is your less-expensive fake. if it plays OK, what's the dif? also, search for mzonline in this forum for more info. good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSDx Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Knobs look off to me .... but maybe mine's fake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IntelligentAl Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Ah, if Ron is right and it really is MZonline then I'm afraid there isn't much hope of your guitar being real, unfortuantely. But how does it sound? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murray1281734136 Posted February 2, 2009 Author Share Posted February 2, 2009 It actually sounds ok... and I'd planned to upgrade the pickups and perhaps the wiring in any case. I took a picture of the body cavity and it looks as solid as I'd expect (and the weight seems about right). http://www.archersreference.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/guitar/DSCF2246.JPG http://www.archersreference.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/images/guitar/DSCF2247.JPG Does seem like a pretty good fake, but a rip off is a rip off, I'd rather Epiphone/Gibson benefitted from the income! Thanks guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSDx Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 Hmmmm ......... do not Epis usually have painted cavities and that stupid wiring coupler (whatever ya wanna call it) in there ??? Dunno... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcelo1281734115 Posted February 2, 2009 Share Posted February 2, 2009 The guitar looks like it is made from plywood. If so, it would be a fake. The location of the knobs does not add up. The shape of the pickguard does not look right either. If you post better pictures, you can probably find a lot of inconsistencies. Also, the chinese are trying to pass a similar guitar as a Gibson Les Paul in the Gibson Forums this week. Here is the correct pictures of what a Custom should look like from the manufacturer itself: http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Epiphone/Les-Paul-Custom.aspx As for the suggestion to let it go and do nothing, that this is a chinese copy of a chinese guitar,....I suggest, that if you got cheated, you get your money back no matter what. They tried to sell you a Custom, sure you probbaly got it cheaper than a real Epi Custom, but just because they went thrugh so much trouble to cheat you, it means that they overcharged you even for what you got. So take a stand and send it back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murray1281734136 Posted February 16, 2009 Author Share Posted February 16, 2009 Well, the guy has offered me a refund when I return the guitar, however, it's the only proof I have that he sold me a fake, so I've told him I want the refund first... which he has refused to do. Now it's in the hands of Amazon and the seller's storefront has gone offline :) Hopefully it'll stay offline, but the chances are he'll be back under another name soon enough. Will let you know how I get on with a refund from Amazon! It's all good fun :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 It actually sounds ok... and I'd planned to upgrade the pickups and perhaps the wiring in any case. I took a picture of the body cavity and it looks as solid as I'd expect (and the weight seems about right). Actually, that looks better than 2 of my Epi LPs, allthough obviously it's missing the wire-connector. If it sounds good and plays well you might want to consider keeping it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyushPresley Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 Now here's another one with a fake...sorry buddy it's a fake..try getting some refund though.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonedogg Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 hi guys another on Amazon uk that looks suspect LP customs for £299 from newbaby8888, though the pictures used are from dangleberry music still may not be them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyushPresley Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 hi guys another on Amazon uk that looks suspect LP customs for £299 from newbaby8888' date=' though the pictures used are from dangleberry music still may not be them.[/quote'] That newbaby8888 is a Chinese dealer... he is in sites such as tradetang and dhgate (Chinese sites selling fake Gibsons) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carverman Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 Now here's another one with a fake...sorry buddy it's a fake..try getting some refund though.. Just curious here..why are there of the opinion that it's a fake? I've looked at the obvious places on the headstock and the nameplate and name are cut out accurately for a chinese made Epi. Guitar dater is returning Qindao as the factory for the EE0605xxxx sn. The p_ups have the peel off "Epiphone" sticker. It's a chinese made Epiphone...a cheap copy of a Gibson. So where are the telltale signs that identify it as a fake? Ok... serial numbers can be duplicated. EDIT: Gibson is taking fakes of Gibson LPs seriously. "Gibson leads industry fight against Counterfeit Gibsons"...but why is Epiphone/Gibson silent on fake Epiphones? Why isn't the company providing consumer guidance so that prospective online buyers can see the differences? If these are indeed fakes' date=' they are very cleverly made fakes, and Epiphone [b']should be [/b]concerned. Things like crooked logos or improper TRC can be easily spotted, but other subtle manufacturing details are not that obvious. The p_up and control cavities are covered in the same coloured plastic finish as other parts of the body, mystery woods, faux gold plating that wears off..all these things are part of the previous asian manufacturing that may now show some quality improvement in the latest efforts...but asianfactories pumped out a lot of Epiphones in previous years, and perhaps not all are sold yet. As previously mentioned, Epiphone/Gibson need to come up with a more foolproof method to discourage counterfeits. Micro-chipping, matching bar codes, a better sn database..perhaps then it will be easier to spot them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonedogg Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 i have a fake epi lp standard here the serial checks on dataproject but thats not hard to copy from a legit one, and it has the pup stickers again easy to copy, if you wanna make money doing fakes you buy a proper one and make copies its worth the initial investment. so dont just rely on those things you have to do a proper check not just on 1 or 2 things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vomer Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 I'm confused here- the last fake we had pics of here last week had vol & tone knob alignment not parallel with neck, this one is; headstock inlay ran into the TRC, this one doesn't tho' is off-centre; 1st fret inlay was wider than A & B strings, this one isn't. I take the points of you guys who are more knowledgable than me, about pickguard shape etc, but I'm now confused to the point of paranoia. Have a look at ebay.co.uk for epiphone today and there's a couple of examples which caught my attention, both LP's, one a silverburst, one blue. Both 'new' in Epi boxes and "in the UK"- why did they need to mention that?- what do you guys think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.