punxnskins Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 i want to check the authenticity of my gibson les paul its a zak wylde custom green camo i just wanna know if its a real Gibson the serial number on the back of the head is 02005559 anybody help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 Not without snaps (and preferably good quality ones at that, please). The areas we need to see are; Peghead; fret-ends; cut-away horn; fret-board wood; bridge-pins; toggle-switch; truss-rod cover. As many of these as you can but the peghead and fret-ends are the most tell-tale. The Zakk Wylde green camo Custom is just about the most often copied Les Paul out there. The serial number is probably no indicator as the counterfeiters have wised-up to a certain extent. It may check out with the guitar-dater project (as, indeed, it does) but still be a fake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tman5293 Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 Not without snaps (and preferably good quality ones at that, please). The areas we need to see are; Peghead; fret-ends; cut-away horn; fret-board wood; bridge-pins; toggle-switch; truss-rod cover. As many of these as you can but the peghead and fret-ends are the most tell-tale. The Zakk Wylde green camo Custom is just about the most often copied Les Paul out there. The serial number is probably no indicator as the counterfeiters have wised-up to a certain extent. It may check out with the guitar-dater project (as, indeed, it does) but still be a fake. Do what pippy says. He is wise in the ways of finding fake Gibsons. Especially fake Les Pauls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swampash Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 Guitar Info Your guitar was made at the Nashville Plant, TN, USA July 19th, 2005 Production Number: 259 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 Guitar Info Your guitar was made at the Nashville Plant, TN, USA July 19th, 2005 Production Number: 259 Maybe. As mentioned by Pippy - a "valid" serial number has nothing to do with whether the guitar is fake or real. No one has seen pics yet. BTW, welcome - and please, to avoid confusion, be careful with what you post to fake inquiries. i want to check the authenticity of my gibson les paul ... Welcome. And we're waiting for some pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 I believe Zakk Wylde Customs have serial numbers that begin with "ZW." My guess, without seeing pics, is that it's fake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rogerb Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 Eight digit serial numbers on Gibson solid body electrics beginning with 02005*** is a recurring fake serial number. Watch out for those numbers. Zakk Wylde serial numbers start with his initials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 BTW, welcome - and please, to avoid confusion, be careful with what you post to fake inquiries. What BigKahune said, everyone. Keep it brief, please. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GibsonAlmighty Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 I believe Zakk Wylde Customs have serial numbers that begin with "ZW." My guess, without seeing pics, is that it's fake. +1, I'm w/ R9 on this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artie Owl Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 Actually, I agree with R9 AND rogerb on this one, it's not looking good, but we'd still like to see pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 Whoa. Let me mark that down. Two guys agree with the definitive answer by Gibson C/S (thanks Roger). . . R9 nailed this one. . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chase1410 Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 Im pretty sure that serial number is used on a ton of fakes as well...I've seen it before. (Ah sorry Gibson already pointed it out!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artie Owl Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 True, Jocko, but at the same time, despite them knowing what's wrong it's difficult to make an accurate reproduction without (generally) obvious flaws, if it was easy everyone would be making knock offs. The real downside is the online shopping and people trying to get the "too good to be true deal" when they don't even get to hold the guitar before getting it. Although some people are ok with knock-offs, it's always going to be a business, as long as you're happy with what you've got there's not much else that can be done, (sadly). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 Also many use this place as a testing ground for their counterfeit guitars; then we stupidly tell them whats wrong and the counterfeiter goes back and corrects his/her mistakes. I believe we can say if it is or not but pointing out specifics is just wrong; but thats just my thoughts on this subject. I have come to this conclusion after many years of watching these counterfeit guitars go from laughable to damn near dead on (some but not all). ... Counterfeiting is a perfectly acceptable topic for discussion, as well as what to look for when judging authenticity. Acquire a product, copy it well = not caught. That's been the equation for hundreds of years, no matter the product copied and I just don't see studying product forums in that equation. The worst copies are easy to spot, the best copies don't get caught. Eventually the worst copiers are all caught. If Gibson or any other manufacturer thought otherwise, they would ban these types of forum threads. Gibson currently believes in educating its customers and potential buyers - 2007 Gibson spells it out - http://www.gearwire.com/gibson-counterfeit-guitars.html 2007 - http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/CounterfeitGibsons/ 2009 - http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/counterfeit-guitar-bust-708/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 Eight digit serial numbers on Gibson solid body electrics beginning with 02005*** is a recurring fake serial number. Watch out for those numbers. Zakk Wylde serial numbers start with his initials. This. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 Also many use this place as a testing ground for their counterfeit guitars; then we stupidly tell them whats wrong and the counterfeiter goes back and corrects his/her mistakes. I believe we can say if it is or not but pointing out specifics is just wrong; but thats just my thoughts on this subject. I have come to this conclusion after many years of watching these counterfeit guitars go from laughable to damn near dead on (some but not all). A huge indicator is a brand new user, and the very first post " hey is this real". If Gibson employees don't see an issue, why should you? They post how to spot a fake on their website and even posted in this thread. If I tell you your guitar is fake, would you believe me without telling you why it's fake? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S t e v e Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 i realy wanna see some pics now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solid G Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 PICS PICS PICS !! , It is going to be trade tang quilty Givson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowdiddley Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 Whoa. Let me mark that down. Two guys agree with the definitive answer by Gibson C/S (thanks Roger). . . R9 nailed this one. . . Yeah I found this funny also. I guess its always good to have one more person agree with the expert. LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Solid G Posted October 12, 2010 Share Posted October 12, 2010 Where is the OP punxestiltskin at ?.no no no straw into gold today Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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