Spiteface Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 I have a guitar that I am planning to sell off, but I am a little curious about it: I bought this off eBay last year. An Epiphone Les Paul standard, in white. I got it because I'm a big Manic Street Preachers fan, and their lead singer/guitarist plays white Les Pauls, including in occasion a white standard (His usual live guitar is a custom, also white), and it was cheap at the time at £235. Due to me GAS-ing for yet another guitar, and lack of room, I have decided to part with this and another one I'm not really feeling. Could I get a little bit more because of it's finish (I had never seen Epi standards in white before)? It is however imperfect with a few marks, so I'd probably take that into consideration... I'd also be putting the 'guard back on it. I did at one point suspect it was fake, but I checked the serial number and that seems legit - made last year in the Qingdao Plant in China. Any advice on how much I'm likely to be able to get for it would be much appreciated. To be honest I'd be OK with getting just under what I paid for it in the first place... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AS90 Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 Its a fake. The knobs are set wrong, they point away from the guitar instead of into it and the rythm volume knob is in line with the bridge instead of slightly below it, the logo looks too far over to the left. Also the only white with cream plastic Epis I have seen were all fakes last year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiteface Posted April 12, 2009 Author Share Posted April 12, 2009 Thanks. I did have my suspicions later on, but that was after I bought it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bangbang Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 How does it sound? Unless you are a collecter I would keep it if I liked the sound. I collect guns and always took a beating when selling or trading them. NO MORE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiteface Posted April 12, 2009 Author Share Posted April 12, 2009 Nowhere near as good as my real Epi Les Paul (a black standard bought in person in 2001), not as muddy, but seems weaker to my ears. Could be a good guitar with some new pickups! Like I say, I was planning on selling it (along with another guitar) because I don't really need 2 Les Pauls, and to finance another guitar purchase. If it's fake I can't really sell it. Not with a clear conscience anyway! Good for posing with, anyway! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Summerisle Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 If it's fake I can't really sell it. Not with a clear conscience anyway! Good for posing with' date=' anyway![/quote'] :) :) Dude, the world needs more people like you! Some folks wouldn't think twice about sticking that guitar on e-bay, and passing it on to some poor soul who didn't know they were buying a fake. I think all this stuff is karmic. Not only will you keep a clear conscience, but I hope that your next guitar purchase will be very successful for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueLesPaul2006 Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 keep it and use it as a test subject. meaning if you get a real les paul and you wish to change parts on it use this white one as a tester guitar before you mod the real deal. or put it up for sale as a fake someone will buy it that is interested in a knock off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiteface Posted April 12, 2009 Author Share Posted April 12, 2009 keep it and use it as a test subject. meaning if you get a real les paul and you wish to change parts on it use this white one as a tester guitar before you mod the real deal. or put it up for sale as a fake someone will buy it that is interested in a knock off. I had never actually thought of using it as a "test bed"! I have actually considered seeing what can be done to improve on it. Maybe just gut the thing. I've been looking at GFS pickups and fitting some of those - that seems to be the only truly "weak" area on it(and the strap buttons keep working loose - that can be fixed though), it's fine for what it cost me at the time - £235. My 2001 Epi LP cost £385, and I cannot feel that much of a difference. I'm also about have the pickups changed in my favourite guitar - my Epiphone Dot. I'm getting someone else to fit those though - The Bare Knuckle Pickups are almost as expensive as the guitar, and I'm not attempting to rewire a semi when I have no experience of rewiring (save for a VERY basic soldering job repairing the jack socket on my Squier Strat many years ago). I might be more confident with an "easier" guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueLesPaul2006 Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 I had never actually thought of using it as a "test bed"! I have actually considered seeing what can be done to improve on it. Maybe just gut the thing. I've been looking at GFS pickups and fitting some of those - that seems to be the only truly "weak" area on it(and the strap buttons keep working loose - that can be fixed though)' date=' it's fine for what it cost me at the time - £235. My 2001 Epi LP cost £385, and I cannot feel that much of a difference. I'm also about have the pickups changed in my favourite guitar - my Epiphone Dot. I'm getting someone else to fit those though - The Bare Knuckle Pickups are almost as expensive as the guitar, and I'm not attempting to rewire a semi when I have no experience of rewiring (save for a VERY basic soldering job repairing the jack socket on my Squier Strat many years ago). I might be more confident with an "easier" guitar.[/quote'] Yeah i had a set of GFS pickups in my LP for a while. they were not what I was looking for because I had bought a PAF set. GFS are nice for the price but in the end i went and am happy with my Seymour Duncan hot rodded set. I was nervous when I did all the pickup changes to my LP since i did not want to mess it up. but it all worked out. if you are interested i compared the stock Epi pickups to the GFS set i bought on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LdUs_cFrAU its not the best playing but i was really trying to cram all different settings into one review. also if you keep this one as a test bed you might just find yourself with a guitar that is a real player. if i were you i would keep it and go wild, then keep my real LP classic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swoop Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 On the subject of fake guitars, I may have spotted one here in NZ. It's the first one I've ever seen here that I suspected of being fake. http://www.trademe.co.nz/Music-instruments/Instruments/Guitar-bass/Electric-guitars/auction-212900592.htm It has the tell tale misaligned control knobs, and the volume knob closest to the tailpiece sits above it, not just below it as it should. The price is too good to be true as well. $650NZ for an Epiphone Les Paul Custom Plus! Hell I paid $550NZ for my used, 14 year old, regular Les Paul Custom. Here the Custom Plus retails for $1500NZ new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueLesPaul2006 Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 On the subject of fake guitars' date=' I may have spotted one here in NZ. It's the first one I've ever seen here that I suspected of being fake. http://www.trademe.co.nz/Music-instruments/Instruments/Guitar-bass/Electric-guitars/auction-212900592.htm It has the tell tale misaligned control knobs, and the volume knob closest to the tailpiece sits above it, not just below it as it should. The price is too good to be true as well. $650NZ for an Epiphone Les Paul Custom Plus! Hell I paid $550NZ for my used, 14 year old, regular Les Paul Custom. Here the Custom Plus retails for $1500NZ new.[/quote'] Damn man that is the exchange rate from NZ to U.S. Dollar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swoop Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 I'm not sure how they work the prices out. A regular Les Paul custom has an MSRP of $1214US, which equates to $2072NZ. Of course, stores probably buy direct from the manufacturer at a cheap price, which is probably why MusiciansFriend can sell them for $700US or $1200NZ, and still make money on them. It'd be much the same here I think, think, but there are probably some factors which cause the stores here to mark them up a bit more to $1500NZ, shipping, exchange rate, and whatever they tack on to make a profit I guess. So you can see why a Custom Plus at $650NZ is a ridiculously good price, too bad it seems to be a fake. Oddly, at the moment in the store, the Custom plus has been reduced to $1300NZ, while the regular Custom remains at $1500. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldie Posted April 12, 2009 Share Posted April 12, 2009 Its a fake. The knobs are set wrong' date=' they point away from the guitar instead of into it and the rythm volume knob is in line with the bridge instead of slightly below it, the logo looks too far over to the left. Also the only white with cream plastic Epis I have seen were all fakes last year.[/quote'] The knobs on my Saein(I) 56 gold top are the same way, as is the logo. I know it is not a fake, it came from MF in a sealed bag, in the Epiphone box. I think you may be mistaken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest icantbuyafender Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 I had never actually thought of using it as a "test bed"! I have actually considered seeing what can be done to improve on it. Maybe just gut the thing. I've been looking at GFS pickups and fitting some of those - that seems to be the only truly "weak" area on it(and the strap buttons keep working loose - that can be fixed though)' date=' it's fine for what it cost me at the time - £235. My 2001 Epi LP cost £385, and I cannot feel that much of a difference. I'm also about have the pickups changed in my favourite guitar - my Epiphone Dot. I'm getting someone else to fit those though - The Bare Knuckle Pickups are almost as expensive as the guitar, and I'm not attempting to rewire a semi when I have no experience of rewiring (save for a VERY basic soldering job repairing the jack socket on my Squier Strat many years ago). I might be more confident with an "easier" guitar.[/quote'] yeah me and BlueLespaul are total tone dogs and we live for finding the best sound by tweaking pickups and such i say keep it as a beater and learn to due wiring and modifications. You can test out pickups or parts to see if they make for results you were looking for. Personally Id mount gold harware (screws/bridge/tuners/pup-covers) with gold covered duncan designed HB101's (based on seymour duncan SH-1 '59' pickups ) and top it off with a gold bigsy vibrola=p~ but thats just meeee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acewarslave Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 well im with you as90 just compared my fake epi ace frehley with my real one and as you say the fake one is in line with the bridge..the rythm volume knob..damm i never realy knew what to look for now i do..thank you=d> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acewarslave Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 goldie ive got a wine red epi coming this week and i think its a saein model les paul so i will check it to see weather mines the same as yours8-[ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swoop Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Is it possible that occasionally at Epiphone they get it a bit wrong and things like the logo go askew, and the holes for the pots are drilled misaligned? But then I suppose they would be marked as seconds. I dunno. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldie Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 goldie ive got a wine red epi coming this week and i think its a saein model les paul so i will check it to see weather mines the same as yours8-[ From what info I've gathered on the 'net, Saein serial numbers start the "I". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpfan Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Since its a fake, it hold any real value so why don't you try a little experimenting with it. Maybe turn it into an LP double cut. Just a suggestion. Since you feel like you can't sell it cause its a fake I'll take it off your hands and you will not have to worry about it any more. LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiteface Posted April 13, 2009 Author Share Posted April 13, 2009 Is it possible that occasionally at Epiphone they get it a bit wrong and things like the logo go askew' date=' and the holes for the pots are drilled misaligned? But then I suppose they would be marked as seconds. I dunno.[/quote'] Now you have me thinking. That kind of thing, and the imperfections in the finish. Maybe mine's a "reject" of sorts. The knobs on my Saein(I) 56 gold top are the same way' date=' as is the logo. I know it is not a fake, it came from MF in a sealed bag, in the Epiphone box. I think you may be mistaken.[/quote'] Here's the weird thing. This white one actually did arrive in an Epiphone cardboard box, but they'd be easy enough to get hold of, surely? Out of boredom/curiosity, I did a bit of poking about with it. The pickups have "Epiphone" stamped in the back. I had an Epi LP Special II many many years ago, that was real, and it had this as well. I'd assume it's easy to fake a cardboard box, but would whoever cranks out fake Epiphones go as far as to stamp the epiphone logo into the base plate of the pickups? Some stuff would be easy enough to fake and pass it off as real at a glance, like a serial number. The guy I got it from on ebay had 3 of them to sell, they could all have had the exact same serial number printed on them, and those could probably be easy enough to obtain, and they'd work if you put them into guitar dater project. At this point I'm more likely to assume it's a fake right now. I'd never seen them in white before and AS90 is saying that the only white/cream ones he saw were fakes. You lot know much more than I do about these things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueLesPaul2006 Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 yeah me and BlueLespaul are total tone dogs and we live for finding the best sound by tweaking pickups and such So true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
generation zero Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Here's the weird thing. This white one actually did arrive in an Epiphone cardboard box' date=' but they'd be easy enough to get hold of, surely? Out of boredom/curiosity, I did a bit of poking about with it. The pickups have "Epiphone" stamped in the back. I had an Epi LP Special II many many years ago, that was real, and it had this as well. I'd assume it's easy to fake a cardboard box, but would whoever cranks out fake Epiphones go as far as to stamp the epiphone logo into the base plate of the pickups? Some stuff would be easy enough to fake and pass it off as real at a glance, like a serial number. The guy I got it from on ebay had 3 of them to sell, they could all have had the exact same serial number printed on them, and those could probably be easy enough to obtain, and they'd work if you put them into guitar dater project. At this point I'm more likely to assume it's a fake right now. I'd never seen them in white before and AS90 is saying that the only white/cream ones he saw were fakes. You lot know much more than I do about these things.[/quote'] With as many people who swap out the factory Epi pickups on real ones, it wouldn't be hard for the fakers to buy genuine Epi pickups and put them in the fakes. I see them all the time on Ebay for $20 to $30 a set... Even if the counterfeit makers aren't using real Epi pickups, who's to say the ebay seller you bought it from didn't own a few real Epis, buy a few fakes, swap out the real Epi pickups into the fakes, and upcharge the prices a little to make a profit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest icantbuyafender Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 With as many people who swap out the factory Epi pickups on real ones' date=' it wouldn't be hard for the fakers to buy genuine Epi pickups and put them in the fakes. I see them all the time on Ebay for $20 to $30 a set... Even if the counterfeit makers aren't using real Epi pickups, who's to say the ebay seller you bought it from didn't own a few real Epis, buy a few fakes, swap out the real Epi pickups into the fakes, and upcharge the prices a little to make a profit?[/quote'] well jason. err... generationzero, to me that seems abit of a hassle for a counterfeit epi makers. majority of epi pups online tend to be in "not so mint" condition, only rarely do i ever see mint stock epi pups w/ the logo decal still on them. but, all things being equal, its not out of the realm of possibility. so im gonna sit on the fence for that notion. SpiteFace, did the box's label say 1956 gold top, and was there appropriate packing wrap and epiphone literature included? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spiteface Posted April 13, 2009 Author Share Posted April 13, 2009 I don't have much recollection, but I don't seem to remember there being anything with it really, maybe a lead. Might have been a booklet of sorts in there as well. I've taken a couple of photos of the box, just a minute ago: The box itself The writing on one end of the box: Excuse the surrounding mess. I have no idea what was scribbled out there, may have just been in Chinese. The seller was saying he was getting these sent to him direct from china, then sending them on to whoever bought them. That should have set alarm bells ringing right there. Surrounding the guitar inside was just that white polystyrene stuff, and the guitar was covered as well, and the cardboard box itself was encased in the stuff and heavily taped when I recieved it. It was seemingly well-packed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captmidnight Posted April 13, 2009 Share Posted April 13, 2009 Is it possible that occasionally at Epiphone they get it a bit wrong and things like the logo go askew' date=' and the holes for the pots are drilled misaligned? But then I suppose they would be marked as seconds. I dunno.[/quote'] It does happen Swoop...especially from on factory to another (back cover plates, knob set, Logo off a bit). I would say from one worker to the next in some cases as well...a bad weekend and a hangover , the guy just didn't make sure the guitar was sitting just right in the jig and "poof" knobs off set a bit. Maybe a new guy that hasn't got the hang of it just yet...but it is close enough to get by the inspectors? I know there are alot of fakes out there...but if you go by this forum half of all Epi's that are bought (new and used) are fake. I'd bet if you could get a mid 90's special run custom shop Standard or Custom Les Paul, in a rare/strange color and posted it on here half the folks would say there was a good chance of it being fake. And why is it, it is almost always a Les Paul? Wouldn't the G400 be easier to make and fake with it's flat top design? Capt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.