tach409 Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Hi all... I have this ES-347-TD and wondering if it is for real or a fake? I've seen other ES-347 online and this one doesn't have the coil tap switch and the f-holes are bound. What do you all think? Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Wunterslausche Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 Hi all... I have this ES-347-TD and wondering if it is for real or a fake? I've seen other ES-347 online and this one doesn't have the coil tap switch and the f-holes are bound. What do think? Kevin Headstock looks a little off shape, logo doesn't quite look right, the positions of the pots is way out. I'm going to stick my neck out and say fake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted June 14, 2011 Share Posted June 14, 2011 THIS is interesting. I think the headstock does look funny, but to me this makes me think it is authentic because 1) some Norlin headstocks DO look funny, and this looks like it, 2) the tuners. For the time period those tuners were used, I think they would not have been too easy to get and I don't think counterfeit guitars were that sophisticated at that time to replicate them. But, there seems to be some funky stuff going on with the body. I have not seen a body crack like that, not a Gibby or a factory finish. And, I have never seen that knob placement before. I really can't say either way, but I am GUESSING that it has had some work done to it, maybe major, that makes it different than what it was when it was born? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tach409 Posted June 15, 2011 Author Share Posted June 15, 2011 Thanks for your input! I think someone refinished the top, removed the coil tap switch and added the binding to the f-holes (they are less yellow than the neck/body). Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adius Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 Thanks for your input! I think someone refinished the top, removed the coil tap switch and added the binding to the f-holes (they are less yellow than the neck/body). Kevin Someone please correct me on this guess. I have a similar era 335 and the coil tap switch is on the treble bout. The pup selector switch is between the treble f hole and the pups. My guess is they filled that hole during the repaint and moved the selector switch to the treble bout. Have you looked at the underside of the top using a dental mirror? The hole where the pup switch was would be visible or the surface would be disrupted in that area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tach409 Posted June 16, 2011 Author Share Posted June 16, 2011 Someone please correct me on this guess. I have a similar era 335 and the coil tap switch is on the treble bout. The pup selector switch is between the treble f hole and the pups. My guess is they filled that hole during the repaint and moved the selector switch to the treble bout. Have you looked at the underside of the top using a dental mirror? The hole where the pup switch was would be visible or the surface would be disrupted in that area. That's a good idea...I'll see if i can look underneath....Thanks.. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 The locations of the knobs and the jack seem like they're way off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qblue Posted June 16, 2011 Share Posted June 16, 2011 I think it has had some work, but it's real and spectacular. Who but Norlin would put a steel nut on this baby? The Speed knobs are the wrong color, as they are usually black. The position of the pickup selector switch varied with the year the guitar was made. Mine is a 1990 version, next to the last year they were made. Both the coil tap and the pickup selector switch are near the right hand position. That year they discontinued the steel nut, too; I don't have one.COMPARE: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tach409 Posted June 17, 2011 Author Share Posted June 17, 2011 I think it has had some work, but it's real and spectacular. Who but Norlin would put a steel nut on this baby? The Speed knobs are the wrong color, as they are usually black. The position of the pickup selector switch varied with the year the guitar was made. Mine is a 1990 version, next to the last year they were made. Both the coil tap and the pickup selector switch are near the right hand position. That year they discontinued the steel nut, too; I don't have one.COMPARE: That's really nice man! How far is the output jack to the edge of the guitar? Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted June 18, 2011 Share Posted June 18, 2011 I'm surely no expert, but the more I look at it, the more fake it looks. The binding doesn't cover the fret ends. Bridge looks funny. Looks like a Nashville style but the screws are facing forward. Maybe they just turned it around. Neck pickup looks non original. Pickguard looks like it's a single ply. Those pots and the jack are just way off. It's either fake or it's had work done that makes it look fake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tux Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 My guess is that the jack was damaged, probably cracked and so one decided to move the knobs to the PU switch spot and put a jack where the tone knob originally was. It was surely refinished and binding was added to the f holes. I think if you have the finish removed you'll see the damage to the wood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem00n Posted June 22, 2011 Share Posted June 22, 2011 I'm going with real,but im no expert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tach409 Posted June 24, 2011 Author Share Posted June 24, 2011 I think Tux is right... I wonder if I should restore it back to original... Thanks Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 I think Tux is right... I wonder if I should restore it back to original... Thanks Kevin I think that is a great idea. That guitar seems like a real gem, and 347's are great. But something seems weird about the top checking/cracking. It could be the top was damaged OR suffered from over sanding and took the top ply down too far, but what I suspect is the cracking might be caused by an incompatible finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 . Possibly the strip and refinish loosened the top ply layer and it buckled a bit in places? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rlan52 Posted June 24, 2011 Share Posted June 24, 2011 The locations of the knobs and the jack seem like they're way off. At first I thought the same thing but, upon further inspection, it's not the knobs out of place it's the tail piece. It is mounted way lower that it should be. Look at the other example in this thread. The tail piece is mounted almost even with the middle of the left f hole. On this one, the stop tail is mounted even with the bottom of the f hole. It doesn't mean it's fake. Maybe the guitar had a factory bigsby and they removed it and installed a stop tail?... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 At first I thought the same thing but, upon further inspection, it's not the knobs out of place it's the tail piece. It is mounted way lower that it should be. Look at the other example in this thread. The tail piece is mounted almost even with the middle of the left f hole. On this one, the stop tail is mounted even with the bottom of the f hole. It doesn't mean it's fake. Maybe the guitar had a factory bigsby and they removed it and installed a stop tail?... Good eye. But, ES-347's DO have the tailpiece in odd locations. Besides the "normal" location for a 335 or 355, there are at least TWO locations further down toward the rear they have been placed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badbluesplayer Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Good luck!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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