Another possible EBay fraud.

[diverden]

Just in case you come across this Ebay item.

Maybe he just doesn't know, but I doubt that.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290499598404#ht_500wt_1156

[Epi_Fan_101]

Just in case you come across this Ebay item.

Maybe he just doesn't know, but I doubt that.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290499598404#ht_500wt_1156

 

 

Good to know, but for those of us that don't know that much about it, could you please explain why it is a fraud?

 

Thanks in advance

[diverden]

Good to know, but for those of us that don't know that much about it, could you please explain why it is a fraud?

 

Thanks in advance

 

There is no such model as an Elitist John Lennon. Looking at it, I would say it's neither.

[jerrymac]

Just in case you come across this Ebay item.

Maybe he just doesn't know, but I doubt that.

http://cgi.ebay.com/...4#ht_500wt_1156

 

Unless I'm missing something, I don't see any problem with that guitar other than calling it an Elitist when it's actually the more expensive Revolution. It's got the right one piece mahogany neck mounted at the 16th fret. It's got the blue tag in the upper f-hole and the white Lennon label in the lower f-hole. Proper 2 screw TRC, correct USA bridge with nylon saddles, Assembled in USA label, gold Grovers with the Kluson screw holes visible...

 

After the initial run, they did sell off the over runs and they did mark the back of the headstocks with an R, and they were not sold with the Lennon case. I bought one of the '65 Lennons from Musician's Friend for one of the forum members in England (only USA shipping). Here's the R on the back of the headstock:

 

 

[diverden]

Just a "Heads Up' for a potential buyer. Strange that the seller knows how many units were made and that this is an over run, yet

describes it as an Elitist.

I'm just saying, verify a serial number before making an offer.

The fact that the $500 start is low for a Revolution model is also suspicious to me.

[jerrymac]

Just a "Heads Up' for a potential buyer. Strange that the seller knows how many units were made and that this is an over run, yet

describes it as an Elitist.

I'm just saying, verify a serial number before making an offer.

The fact that the $500 start is low for a Revolution model is also suspicious to me.

 

Since you feel qualified to opine on the legitimacy of that guitar, I'm sure you didn't actually recommend checking the serial number to see if it's real. The serial number of every Lennon Casino is the same, 328393. Just like the one I posted. If you do run it through the Epiphone decoder, it will reject unless you indicate it's a vintage American model then it will tell you it was made in Kalamazoo in 1965.

Look, you got to be careful, you're making a serious allegation based upon the guy's description. People sometimes make mistakes. But you don't point to anything specific on the guitar that indicates it's a forgery. He's right about the R, he's right about the case. And no one's going to put an R on the headstock, it devalues the guitar by over $1000!!! The over runs actually sold for less than Elitist, I think I paid about $1250.

The bottom line, no scarf joint on the headstock, mahogany neck mounted on the 16th fret, R on the head stock, it's real.

There are a lot of bogus Epiphones on eBay, but as Freud once said, "Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."

[diverden]

Jerrymac, you seem to want to make a **** storm out of nothing. I didn't claim the guy was selling a fraud.

If you read the post title , it say's "possible" fraud.

I just cautioned, as the guy had mislabeled, and the price seemed low.

And yes I know about the serial number, but he might not. That's why I said verify.

I was just passing it on as this info came to me and I thought I would pass it on for fellow forum members.

Have a nice day.

[jerrymac]

Jerrymac, you seem to want to make a **** storm out of nothing. I didn't claim the guy was selling a fraud.

If you read the post title , it say's "possible" fraud.

I just cautioned, as the guy had mislabeled, and the price seemed low.

And yes I know about the serial number, but he might not. That's why I said verify.

I was just passing it on as this info came to me and I thought I would pass it on for fellow forum members.

Have a nice day.

 

Right, you passed it on and I explained the R models and that he was correct about them. I know, I bought one. I also had a Revolution of my own, and an Elitist. Plus a Korean Casino. I've also had 2 Matsumoku Casinos and 2 mid 60s ES-330s. I know these guitars.

 

After passing along my info, including very specific points about the construction, the parts used, the labels, the history of the over runs, you came back crestating YOUR doubts. But you don't offer any specifics to indicate that it's not a Lennon Casino.

 

There's a guy out there trying to sell the guitar - he might even be a forum member. The reason I want to make the point - and it's not a **** storm out of nothing - is because it's not fair to the poor guy trying to sell the guitar to scare off potential bidders without some concrete evidence. And I happen to think the guy is pretty upfront, he said it was a refurbished model, upfront about it not having the Lennon case or COA (which the refurbs didn't have), and he said he bought it a couple of years ago which is about the right time frame. So let's give the guy the same consideration you would like to have if you were selling something on eBay. You wouldn't appreciate someone calling you a possible fraud on a public forum, right???

 

Now if there's something you see that indicates that the guitar in question is not a refurbished 1965 Lennon Casino, point it out. But I gotta tell you, I'm pretty sure that guitar is what he says it is.

 

PS - Did it ever occur to you that he added ELITIST to the description so that people searching for an Elitist Casino will stumble on his???

 

PPS - I just looked it up, I bought the refurb Lennon in Sept 2007 and it was only $1200.

 

PPPS - You know that the R on the back of the headstock indicates a Refurbished Lennon because you posted about it last month. So when you saw the photo with the R on the back of the headstock on eBay, you should have immediately known what it was and that the guy was telling the truth.

 

R= Refurbished.

[brianh]

After the initial run, they did sell off the over runs and they did mark the back of the headstocks with an R, and they were not sold with the Lennon case. I bought one of the '65 Lennons from Musician's Friend for one of the forum members in England (only USA shipping).

Thanks JM for the clarifications. I think I'll put a bid in on it, hard to pass up at that price...

[jerrymac]

Thanks JM for the clarifications. I think I'll put a bid in on it, hard to pass up at that price...

 

I wish I had the money, good luck...

[Sinner 13]

This is why if I am buying a used unit, be it guitars, amps whatever, if it's not in reasonable driving distance, or walkable for me to personally look it over, I'll pass every time.

 

 

Thankfully I live in a city where we have a shop that deals a lot of well loved, and well played newer, and vintage Gibson's.

 

And well stocked with a lot of vintage amps and an in house builder with their own line of tube driven monsters.

Most of what has put me off Internet purchases is post like this one.

 

JM is right, Think before you speak.

 

a good rule of thumb is:

"if you have to take the time to stop and think/ask about. it's probably the wrong thing to do."