I may never buy a used guitar again...

[Brian Krashpad]

Those are very "good" fakes.

Unbelievable.

Unfortunately they are in fact getting harder to spot.

One dead giveaway on the "Gibsons"-- first, sfaik real Gibsons do not use scarf joints (see lower left corner) on necks to get the angled headstock:



Also-- Gibby serials, generally, are pressed into the wood--they are not filled with paint or ink for contrast as above. On some historic models and on Les Paul Classics an inked serial is used-- but the above serial number does not match the type of inked serial. Plus, Gibson either impresses the serial number into the wood, OR inks it, but not both. The above appears to have been pressed in and then also filled with ink or paint for contrast.

Last, everyone should know the modern Gibson serialization code (inapplicable to LP Classics and custom shop/historic):

The pattern (to 2005) is as follows:
YDDDYRRR
YY is the production year
DDD is the day of the year
RRR is the factory ranking/plant designation number

After 2005 serial numbers went to 9 digits inserting a "batch" number in the 6 slot and bumping the "RRR" designation to slots 7 through 9.

Looking at the above faked example, first we know it cannot be a new Gibson because there are 8 digits-- which stopped in 2005. Even overlooking that, to determine date, we look at the first and fifth digit-- 00. So this "brand new" "Gibson" was made in the year 2000, ten years ago.

Homey don't play dat.

[Brian Krashpad]

PS-- somebody working the "Gretsch" logos had a little too much beer on lunch break one day:

[ZMAN]

This was a Zak Wylde my friend took in on a Pawn. He gave the guy about 300 worth of goods back, no cash.
He thought he had a real one.


He ended up keeping it and put a set of active Emgs in it. It had covers over cheap asian HBs. No battery. The guy said it was worth 4000 but took the goods and left. LOL

[Brian Krashpad]

He ended up keeping it and put a set of active Emgs in it. It had covers over cheap asian HBs. No battery. The guy said it was worth 4000 but took the goods and left. LOL

Ouch. Headstock inlay hinky, printing on trussrod cover crooked, 3-screw cover. All signs.

[Geraint Jones]

I touched on this topic last month when I bought my last guitar . A colleague of mine who also runs a music shop bought a Les Paul Supreme for about $400 from made in china dot com , he compared this with his Studio and a mates` LP custom and they were blown away , forget the how to spot a fake on stuff on ebay this thing looked the real deal , I gave up after looking at 15 pages of fakes but there`s copies of '59 Teles cheaper than stock Squiers .

[Stringtreat]

Here is a great tool for running Fender serial numbers
http://www.guitardaterproject.org/fender.aspx
All of the serial numbers used on the fake junk page are mostly dated 2000 to 2002 built at the Corona plant.
I wonder what Fenders position on these fakes is.

[oldguy]

Here is a great tool for running Fender serial numbers
http://www.guitardaterproject.org/fender.aspx
All of the serial numbers used on the fake junk page are mostly dated 2000 to 2002 built at the Corona plant.
I wonder what Fenders position on these fakes is.

If I were to take a wild guess, I doubt they like the idea much........

[FrankenFretter***]

You know what these fakes would be good for? Movie props. They always use name brand guitars and basses in the movies, and the actors are seldom actually playing them. They never get close enough that they'd be spotted as fakes, probably.

[oldguy]

You know what these fakes would be good for? Movie props. They always use name brand guitars and basses in the movies, and the actors are seldom actually playing them. They never get close enough that they'd be spotted as fakes, probably.

Now that would throw a big monkey wrench in the product placement gears, huh?

[FrankenFretter***]

Now that would throw a big monkey wrench in the product placement gears, huh?

Hmmm, I hadn't thought about that. They actually pay for product placement, don't they? I guess the prop idea wouldn't work in that aspect.

Pete Townshend could keep some around to smash, if he still did that.

[NWBasser]

Wow, this thread of discussions has been very interesting to say the least!

Our very own Commodore64 was a recent victim of these counterfeits which shows what a scam they are.

I'd suggest that they be used for firewood, but I think the finishes may make the air a bit toxic.

Even if these fakes were high-quality, I think the whole idea is wrong and they should be shut down.

With the prevalence of these fakes around, it really puts the buyer in a precarious position when buying a used instrument. I think a fair amout of due dilligence may be needed in a used instrument purchase these days.

[NWBasser]

Here is a great tool for running Fender serial numbers
http://www.guitardaterproject.org/fender.aspx
All of the serial numbers used on the fake junk page are mostly dated 2000 to 2002 built at the Corona plant.
I wonder what Fenders position on these fakes is.

Cool site!

My jazz bass checks out to be valid.