How to spot a fake LP?

[tonedogg]

you need to provide the links so people can see which you mean if it's this trader ,

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-Epiphone-Les-Paul-Standard-Guitar-Cherry-Sunburst_W0QQitemZ320340208694QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item320340208694&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1688|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

 

see what this site says about it

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/epiphone-les-pauls/31153-fake-epiphone-thread-ii-7.html

[vomer]

Tonedogg, I missed that one, I'll add it to the list

 

Here's the white one. Keep you busy while I look for the other one.

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Eiphone-les-paul-custom-electric-guitar-White_W0QQitemZ250372736125QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item250372736125&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1688%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

[vomer]

And look at the knob position on this silverburst, same seller as a trans blue which is on at the moment:

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Epiphone-Les-Paul-Custom-Electric-Guitar-Silver-Burst_W0QQitemZ130288083597QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV?hash=item130288083597&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1688%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

[carverman]

Ok, I had a look at one of the sites suggested in a previous post, and there are pictures that

clearly show some difference between fake and "genuine Epiphone" made in China.

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/epiphone-les-pauls/12286-fake-epiphone-thread.html

 

From the pictures, it's clear to me (at least) that there may be some leeway in cutting out

the headstock logos and placement of the 5 pieces of the "Custom split diamond", although

my Korean made (at least I hope) has a wider spacing between the 5 segments of the diamond.

 

Obviously Epiphone is not going to publish measurement specs on placement of things like

pickguard screws or specific locations of the emblem or parallel placement of the pots,

but there appears to be some minor variations from different factories..Korea vs China.

 

EDIT: The other thing that the above site does not show, is the underside of the Epi

P_ups. Mine have an Epiphone script stamped to the underside with a sticker 57CHG

(G). The HOTCH is similar.

[tonedogg]

also ebay items why does seller want to keep bidders hidden is it so people can't warn them mmmm? looking at some of the pics on ebay they look like some of the ones on the chinese trade sites.

[Munky]

I agree with Ayush - the tuner placement and the diamond placement are just TOO appalling to be a genuine that slipped though QC. Although the mother of toilet seat is better than usual fakes.

 

And thats surely plywood in the cavity pics.

[vomer]

Carverman, that's a useful link. Perhaps we should have something like that as a sticky.

 

Or maybe ebay could have a separate category for fakes, if they're not going to stop people selling them.

[Sinb]

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' date=' but a rip off is a rip off, I'd rather Epiphone/Gibson benefitted from the income!

 

Thanks guys.[/quote']

 

To me, the fact that the wiring is slopping and bunch together like that definately throws up a few red flags to me man.

[carverman]

And thats surely plywood in the cavity pics.

 

 

Plywood only in the sense that it's got a mystery wood core with a mahogany cap glued to the top of it.

Some of the best Gibsons are plywood..nothing wrong with that.

 

Look, these are Chinese made..so you are not going to have the attention to detail

that a Gibson LP made in the USA is going to get. As soon as Epiphone decided

to make a factory there, there were certain potential tradeoffs that occurred

as a result of that decision...the technology/techniques is now visible to the people

that work there, take one home and go to another unauthorized factory.

 

So now it's a major problem that will plague buyers everywhere. It's not

going to be easy to eradicate, because these guitars are low cost and sourced

from there. In today's economy, a "black market" can exist which undercuts the

bonafide sellers.

 

The solution is an improvement in serialization/registration technology.

 

Credit card companies ran into the same problem with fake cards. They have

lost billions to the scammers, and just now some of the newer cards have

micro chips built in to discourage fake artists. This may be too expensive

to implement in a one time only sale for a guitar..but there are other solutions

such as complementing bar code stickers where one sticker goes onto the

product and a matching sticker with a secret change goes separately

to Epiphone's registry.

 

The simple solution would be to buy only from authorized dealers, but

in todays online shopping world, it's not going to happen.

[Ricochet]

And thats surely plywood in the cavity pics.

 

 

Looks pretty solid to me. Sure you're not confusing the toolmarks(of the router) with plywood layers?

[gilbert_cfc]

if you take a pick up out on the back of it should say epiphine engraved in it

[ghostme]

Hi, I just bought a LP Standard Trans Blue from this newbaby seller. i payed 310 for it plus postage. So i guess its more than likely that i have just purchased a fake epi?

 

I emailed the seller and give him what for, i have just asked for a full refund and for him not to bother sending the item.

 

If he is awkward about it, whats the best way to prove he is selling fake guitars, just so i can get in contact with ebay and get my money back.

 

thanks

neil

[AyushPresley]

Hi' date=' I just bought a LP Standard Trans Blue from this newbaby seller. i payed 310 for it plus postage. So i guess its more than likely that i have just purchased a fake epi?

 

I emailed the seller and give him what for, i have just asked for a full refund and for him not to bother sending the item.

 

If he is awkward about it, whats the best way to prove he is selling fake guitars, just so i can get in contact with ebay and get my money back.

 

thanks

neil[/quote']

 

Don't buy from Ebay unless you are very sure about what you are doing. Get your Instruments from an authorized or a reputable store.. that way you can be pretty sure that you don't have a fake..I don't know if you'll get a refund but you sure have been ripped off...keep it if it plays good and don't try to sell it to anyone..

[tonedogg]

alot will depend on how you paid him, if paypal contact them telling them of your suspicions, sorry can't provide any other help, maybe put a chargeback on your card?

[ghostme]

he is going to give me a full refund. thanks for the heads up guys.

[Murray1281734136]

Hi guys

 

A lot of mention of plywood, but it really does look like router marks to me, not lots of layers. Anyway, the guy refused to give me a refund until I returned the guitar, and I refused to return the guitar until I got a refund... end result was that I complained to Amazon that their seller was shifting counterfeit goods - I got my money back from them in full and the guy was kicked off Amazon (only to return again, I'm sure).... so, I got the guitar for free!! My only regret is that the scammer got his money as did the Chinese who made it/etc.

 

Getting it set up properly, sticking some SD pups in it and it will be rockin'!

[brianh]

Man, all these fake threads are getting me paranoid too. GC, MF and SW are looking better all the time. The few dollars saved on eBay buys just don't seem to outweigh the risks. What's weird is that most of the fakes seem to be Les Pauls. Perhaps the best rule is buy yer LPs from a reputable source, and don't worry so much about semis and hollows. In any case, the last six Epis I've bought have all been off Craigslist - I got to inspect them first and at least two have been major coups ('05 Dot and '79 Genesis). Of course I had to pay cash and risk that I missed something. The unwritten rules on CL are cash only and no returns, period.

 

Note to self: Don't buy any geetars on eBay, and don't buy expensive ones on Craigslist.