The Fake Epiphone Thread II

[GNR4EVR]

Originally Posted by PhilMaddocks2k9

Yeh the pickguard and the knobs r aftermarket for looks. It is MIC in 2004. I am assuming its real cus I brought it from a shop in derby which then became a soundcontrol (was UK biggest guitar shop chain) I have had it almost 5 years now

Ok, That settles it then. Its real. I wouldve said different, because all the pickguards on the fakes are aftermarket also and they look just like that.

[benjamin]

Hello everyone, I've just joined this community yesterday.
I have read through the threads and my case is pretty similar to Jett's.
I bought the guitar about a month ago on ebay and I was told that the guitar was made in Samick Indonesia. There isn't a factory code on the serial number, just the date and the rank number. It came with grover tuners, epiphone alcino II pickups, 500k alpha pots.

I am not paranoid that my guitar is a fake, I still love it because it sounds good and it's a pretty good fake I have to say..lol
I have replaced parts on the guitar and I'm not going to ask for a refund anyway.

Anyone care to have a look at the guitar and tell me what you think?

My thread

Pics provided by seller

[Sinmastah]

Good to go

[mr.sarcastic]

Just curios about mine.... if its fake, oh well.... still sounds awesome







click to enlarge:



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SORRY FOR THE FUZZY PICS


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neew pics 003 (2).jpg


neew pics 003.jpg

[Sinmastah]

Think it is.

[mr.sarcastic]

riiiiiiight... just wanna make sure, last time you said it was real.... oh well it still sounds like sex.



oh and heres a dumb question, what makes a guitar fake? like other then what its made from how is the sounds and mechanics different??

[Sinmastah]

If I said it was real why are you asking again.

[River]

What's the point of playing games with admittedly shitty pictures? And if you like it and don't care if it's a fake or not (the definition thereof is not exactly open to debate), why ask?

Go play it.

[GNR4EVR]

Originally Posted by benjamin

Hello everyone, I've just joined this community yesterday.
I have read through the threads and my case is pretty similar to Jett's.
I bought the guitar about a month ago on ebay and I was told that the guitar was made in Samick Indonesia. There isn't a factory code on the serial number, just the date and the rank number. It came with grover tuners, epiphone alcino II pickups, 500k alpha pots.

I am not paranoid that my guitar is a fake, I still love it because it sounds good and it's a pretty good fake I have to say..lol
I have replaced parts on the guitar and I'm not going to ask for a refund anyway.

Anyone care to have a look at the guitar and tell me what you think?

My thread

Pics provided by seller

Are you sure those are Alpha Pots? If so, they arent stock. Was the Ebay listed as new? If so, Im calling fake. There werent any pics of the control cavity on that link.

[benjamin]

Originally Posted by GNR4EVR

Are you sure those are Alpha Pots? If so, they arent stock. Was the Ebay listed as new? If so, Im calling fake. There werent any pics of the control cavity on that link.

I checked on ebay again and that guy is still selling similar guitars. I am sure those are Alpha pots when I first open up the control cavity.

Brand New Epiphone Les Paul Custom Ebony plus HC !!! - eBay Electric, Guitars, Instruments, Musical Instruments. (end time 07-Mar-09 00:11:03 AEDST)

I then search if there are any stock guitar that came with alpha pots and here's what I found:

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/557280-post25.html

Upgrading LP Standard - Epiphone Electrics - Epiphone Forums

[GNR4EVR]

Originally Posted by benjamin

I checked on ebay again and that guy is still selling similar guitars. I am sure those are Alpha pots when I first open up the control cavity.

Brand New Epiphone Les Paul Custom Ebony plus HC !!! - eBay Electric, Guitars, Instruments, Musical Instruments. (end time 07-Mar-09 00:11:03 AEDST)

I then search if there are any stock guitar that came with alpha pots and here's what I found:

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/557280-post25.html

Upgrading LP Standard - Epiphone Electrics - Epiphone Forums

I dont trust that guy, distributing as a personal seller yet selling as if he is a store says fake distribution to me. And Alpha pots are indeed aftermarket and not stock. I asked about it earlier, because my Chameleon didnt have it, so I double-checked with the real Epiphone manufacturer forum, and they confirmed it there. I dunno what to make of your link about someone replacing their "stock" Alpha pots, but the word I got was they are aftermarket. It IS ok for them to say 500K, thats the usual rating.

[GNR4EVR]

Heres the link...

What Pots are stock? - Epiphone Electrics - Epiphone Forums

[benjamin]

Originally Posted by GNR4EVR

I dont trust that guy, distributing as a personal seller yet selling as if he is a store says fake distribution to me. And Alpha pots are indeed aftermarket and not stock. I asked about it earlier, because my Chameleon didnt have it, so I double-checked with the real Epiphone manufacturer forum, and they confirmed it there. I dunno what to make of your link about someone replacing their "stock" Alpha pots, but the word I got was they are aftermarket. It IS ok for them to say 500K, thats the usual rating.

Oh well all my questions are answered I guess
Many Thank's GNR4EVR

[rezryder]

Hello Guys i am new to the community and i love it here, i have just purchased a Epi Standard plus top. and was thinking about getting one of these, if they are real i would love your help in deciding what to do thanks.

eBay Seller: realprod222: Musical Instruments items on eBay.com

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Originally Posted by rezryder

Hello Guys i am new to the community and i love it here, i have just purchased a Epi Standard plus top. and was thinking about getting one of these, if they are real i would love your help in deciding what to do thanks.

eBay Seller: realprod222: Musical Instruments items on eBay.com

Stay away! Those things have fake written all over 'em!!! The logo isn't right, pickguard screw position is off, knob allignment is off and compare the screw positions of the toggle switch cavitiy cover of the two. Notice anything??

[Lynyrd77Skynyrd]

Originally Posted by rezryder

Hello Guys i am new to the community and i love it here, i have just purchased a Epi Standard plus top. and was thinking about getting one of these, if they are real i would love your help in deciding what to do thanks.

eBay Seller: realprod222: Musical Instruments items on eBay.com

Typical clear cut fakes we see all to often, i don't think we need to wait for GNR or Sin to confirm that, for all the good it will do i reported the listings.

[GNR4EVR]

Good job! All of his sales have been dumped, it shows zero items for sale.

[Lynyrd77Skynyrd]

Originally Posted by GNR4EVR

Good job! All of his sales have been dumped, it shows zero items for sale.

Cool thanks, i was going to send him a quick message under my "thisguitarisafakeandthesellershouldbeshot" name but i'm unable to contact him at this time, must be suspended
Those poor 9 other people that bought this crap from him.

[Lynyrd77Skynyrd]

I have decided to launch a personal vendetta against realprod and i declare him my arch-enemy. If we all picked one evil fakemongerer on ebay and kept a close eye on them and reported all there crud we could quite easily make a dent in the fake ebay market. I know that's probably a futile effort but it's just so frustrating that these people can get away with robbing people.

EDIT: I forgot to say, i have messaged 7 of the 9 people who bought this crap from him and informed them of their fake purchase and gave them advice to start a dispute with ebay and paypal, also if they need any proof that there guitar is fake to look at this thread.

[rezryder]

My step dad bought a black beauty from the same seller, we checked the serial and it came out the it was built at the Epi Factory. his serial started with EE, i have a epi les paul standard plus top with a serial but no EE in the front of it,

[rezryder]

I wonder if paypal will refund me somehow.
I am lost i have know idea what to do. I already paid and have no way to prove its fake. Not to paypal anyways.

[GNR4EVR]

Paypal will refund you. Go to your paypal account and file with them, they will give you your money back and go after him for it.

[Lynyrd77Skynyrd]

Originally Posted by rezryder

I wonder if paypal will refund me somehow.
I am lost i have know idea what to do. I already paid and have no way to prove its fake. Not to paypal anyways.

Send pictures of the guitar to Epiphone USA through the website, ask them to confirm if it's a fake or not, send them clear pictures of the front and back of the headstock, the body looking down on it vertically and preferably inside the control cavity cover. If they confirm it is a fake which we can safely assume it is if it's from this seller, then open a claim in Paypal's resolution centre and attach the information given to you by Epiphone, this should be enough evidence for them to accpt your claim, refund your money and set their legal rockweilers onto this jerk. Keep the pressure on don't let them fob you off.

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Yeah, damn good job Lynyrd77Skynyrd!!!
They shut him down pretty fast. Maybe the same works with other sellers in other countrys too.
Let's start a fakeseller huntdown all over the world.

[tonedogg66]

Hi, guys wow looking through UK ebay and looks like alot of possible fakes,
wonder if this is a new trick saying it's genuine by pointing to guitar daterproject site to confirm serial, like on this one Epiphone les paul custom electric guitar ebony on eBay, also Epiphone, Electric, Guitars, Musical Instruments (end time 01-Mar-09 20:28:25 GMT)
not saying he's selling fakes but just wondering if it's a new trick.

[Sinmastah]

Fake.

[GNR4EVR]

Originally Posted by tonedogg66

Hi, guys wow looking through UK ebay and looks like alot of possible fakes,
wonder if this is a new trick saying it's genuine by pointing to guitar daterproject site to confirm serial, like on this one Epiphone les paul custom electric guitar ebony on eBay, also Epiphone, Electric, Guitars, Musical Instruments (end time 01-Mar-09 20:28:25 GMT)
not saying he's selling fakes but just wondering if it's a new trick.

No,its not a new trick, in fact, they USE the dater project to make their own serials so they will match up. Just another new way to pull one over on people.
As far as it being fake, it definitely is.
1). The pickguard screw is too close to the edge. Why? Look at the mounting bracket sticking out, it should only be protruding about a pinky width, that ones about 3/4". That means the pickguard is shaped incorrectly.

2). The "H" on the headstock is all wrong. One of the branches is longer and it looks slapped together.

3). The knobs should point straight to the head, those are wandering off in outer space somewhere.

Bad fake, IMO.

[Lynyrd77Skynyrd]

Yes another bog standard fake with all the usual trademark faults. All these sellers usually have very little feedback or previous sales which probably means their previous usernames were banned for selling fakes. I don't know why ebay can't ban their IP's if they are removing the listings when reported. My guess is they turn a blind eye and collect the seller fees until someone reports them, then they are forced to act so it looks like they actually give a crap.

[rezryder]

Thanks alot for all the help you guys, someone here actually emailed my step dad on Ebay and told him his was fake, they found out that he bought the fake black beauty, and pointed him here for advice, that is awesome help guys. I followed his lead a day before all this (SORRY TO SAY) and ordered one from the seller also, then his account was paid to ad valorum so i started researching this fake Epi thing. I think i have to wait till i get the actual guitar to dispute it right? Or can i start the process without seeing the actual guitar in my hands? Also i wanna upload the Pics of the Guitar i bought from another seller who said he bought it at a store 4 months before me, i cant seem to match up serials so i'll leave it for you guys to check it out.. THanks!

[PhilMaddocks2k9]

looks ok from the pictures but Ull have to wait for others to give the all ok on it.