The Fake Epiphone Thread II

[GNR4EVR]

Originally Posted by snaredrum

yep, mine came in one

Thats definitely a rare thing... Or theyre faking the boxes now to sneak em by.

[GNR4EVR]

MOre on Payress guitar:

I found this posted over at the Gibson Les Pauls thread. I figured everyone would love to read this:

"The recent arrest and three-year jail sentencing of Beijing’s Li Dan was a monumental victory against the proliferation of counterfeit guitars. Not only were 1,200 fake guitars seized, but years of efforts on the part of Gibson, the Electric Guitar Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition (EGACC) and Chinese legal authorities paid off, leading to the sentencing of Li Dan.

Dan operated paylessguitar.com.cn, paylessguitars.com, musoland.com.cn and musoland.com, web domains that targeted overseas consumers with alluringly inexpensive fake guitars advertised as authentic Gibson, Fender, Gretsch, Ibanez, and Paul Reed Smith brand guitars. Of the 1,200 guitars seized at Li Dan’s warehouse and retail outlet this past fall, 861 were Gibson and Epiphone branded.

The hosting companies for Li Dan’s Web sites responded 4to Gibson’s legal notices by shutting down her sites in 2007. Surprisingly brazen, Li Dan simply re-introduced them months later using new hosting companies. She also kept photos of herself on her Facebook page, and images of her attending guitar tradeshows were found on the Internet."


Here's the full article:
Counterfeit Guitar Bust Yields 861 Gibson Fakes, Ends with Prison Sentence

[stophadog]

Originally Posted by GNR4EVR

By the way......... Any of you guys that got a fake online get your guitar in an Epiphone box? Just curious.

My Silverburst Epiphoney Custom (RIP with pleasure) came in a brown standard box, no branding - having said that I have seen many on UK eBay with Epi boxes for a while
Power to the MLP Fake Hunters

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Yeah, that goes on for quite a while. Don't remember how long, though.

[GNR4EVR]

So I wonder, with that woman locked up, whos running things now, and from where?

[snaredrum]

Originally Posted by GNR4EVR

Thats definitely a rare thing... Or theyre faking the boxes now to sneak em by.

i know, it's odd isn't it? i trust you guys when you say it's a fake, but it still plays and sounds great. it came with Epi humbuckers, as well.

who cares, i peter greened it and i love it!

[snaredrum]

it even came with the little epiphone booklet on how to set the guitars up!

[stophadog]

Originally Posted by GNR4EVR

So I wonder, with that woman locked up, whos running things now, and from where?

I dunno man but was that a knock at their door ..... LMAO !!

[player-one]

Mine came in Epiphone box, with cables, with booklet to claim warranty as well. Funny. I wish I can tell its fake just by looking at pictures.

One way that I knew mine was fake (besides GNR and Gibson confirming) was I look into the output jack connector (after taking the back cab off). Epiphone uses their own's not the cheapish type in fakes.

[Lynyrd77Skynyrd]

Wouldn't it be funny if it turned out Sin and GNR were actually the fake ringleaders, doing their evil deeds under the guise of fake hunters, molding the fake market so they can make changes to production so us lesser mortals can't spot them anymore.
Just a thought.....

[snaredrum]

Originally Posted by Lynyrd77Skynyrd

Wouldn't it be funny if it turned out Sin and GNR were actually the fake ringleaders, doing their evil deeds under the guise of fake hunters, molding the fake market so they can make changes to production so us lesser mortals can't spot them anymore.
Just a thought.....

you may be onto something...

[GNR4EVR]

MUahahahaha!!!!!

[-=[Shifty]=-]

那些某些滑稽的人民,不是他们

[Jayjayman]

Is this a fake?
Epiphone Les Paul Standard Electric Guitar - eBay (item 230355502697 end time Jul-11-09 19:44:05 PDT)

This too?

Epiphone Les Paul Custom Alpine White w/ Hard Case - eBay (item 200360688146 end time Jul-12-09 15:19:43 PDT)

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Welcome to the forums!

The picture of the Standard isn't the best to judge from. It would be best if you ask the seller for more detailed pics.
The white Custom looks fine to me.

[Jayjayman]

Then why is the white custom so cheap? Retail price is $800.

[-=[Shifty]=-]

I don't really consider $425 BIN cheap. That guitar is 4 years old.
Where do you have that retail price from? GC sells them for $699.

[Jayjayman]

Are epiphone les pauls really worn down after 4 years where it can't produce the sound that it once could when brand new? Or is it to do with minor scratches and marks. I stand corrected, yes its $699, sorry I was recalling from memory.

[bert0]

I wonder how many people are buying these because they are so cheap.

They look like a real LP, but I wonder how they sound compared to a real one.

I'm of the school that a good guitar sounds good, regardless of cost. I have a MIM Strat that if you do not read the MIM logo, you will not be able to tell where it was made. Also, my Epi LP (real) sounds better than some Gibson I've tested and plays better (more important).

But for a rookie that wants a nice guitar (looks wise), instead of a cheap no name brand, would this be a better route?

Just looking for thoughts on this...

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Originally Posted by Jayjayman

Are epiphone les pauls really worn down after 4 years where it can't produce the sound that it once could when brand new? Or is it to do with minor scratches and marks. I stand corrected, yes its $699, sorry I was recalling from memory.

No, they're not worn after 4 years, that's just the way the market goes. And seriously, who would buy a used guitar for $50 less than a new one would cost?

[Sinmastah]

Originally Posted by bert0

I wonder how many people are buying these because they are so cheap.

They look like a real LP, but I wonder how they sound compared to a real one.

I'm of the school that a good guitar sounds good, regardless of cost. I have a MIM Strat that if you do not read the MIM logo, you will not be able to tell where it was made. Also, my Epi LP (real) sounds better than some Gibson I've tested and plays better (more important).

But for a rookie that wants a nice guitar (looks wise), instead of a cheap no name brand, would this be a better route?

Just looking for thoughts on this...

First off, just a few comments and answers to your questions. Fakes are made from crap quality wood period. Someone on this forum had gotten one for free, don't remember how, and the wood was pure crap. Firewood might be better tonal wood. Made from 5-8 piece bodies. Some rare 3 piece tops and 3 piece bottoms if I remember correctly. The sustain you want will not be there. Quality is poor, because all they care about is aesthetics. I might fall apart on you eventually, things will break, electronics stop working. The pickups suck.

If you are looking for a quality guitar, you can look at faded G-400, they are around 300 and same quality IMO as the Customs, but without some aesthetics. Studios are also pretty cheap too.

Also sorry, but I find it very hard to believe your Epiphone sounds better that Gibsons, or plays better. You will find me being one of the biggest promoters of Epi's on this forum, assuming your Epi is a Korean or Chinese model, there is no way it sounds better, unless you replaced the nut, bridge, TP, pots, caps, pickups, tuners. Then it might stand a chance Acoustically or Electrically. Sorry, but it's just not going to happen.

Also MIM Fenders are good, I have one, it's no American or Japanese guitar, but better quality then my Les Paul.

[snaredrum]

Originally Posted by Sinmastah

First off, just a few comments and answers to your questions. Fakes are made from crap quality wood period. Someone on this forum had gotten one for free, don't remember how, and the wood was pure crap. Firewood might be better tonal wood. Made from 5-8 piece bodies. Some rare 3 piece tops and 3 piece bottoms if I remember correctly. The sustain you want will not be there. Quality is poor, because all they care about is aesthetics. I might fall apart on you eventually, things will break, electronics stop working. The pickups suck.

i'm going to demand a recount on my fake soon, cos NONE of that applies to it.

[bert0]

First off, I am in no way supporting fakes... they are stealing. Stealing a brand, a history and flat out, money from the Gibson company and the buyers that are being deceived...


Now, you can think what you want, but I know what I know and my Epi sounds better than some Gibsons I've tested.

You saying that's not true is the same as saying that your grandma can make better meatloaf than my grandma without trying both.

I won't argue the sounds of the guitars as you have to be there with me to hear it.

Back to the question, there are tons of crappy no name guitars out there that beginners buy that I think are similar to the fakes. The materials may be of lesser quality, so you may be right on that count.

The reason I brought this up was because Snaredrum says his sounds and plays well, so for a noob on a budget these under other circumstances, may not be a bad idea. But for that matter, they can buy a no name, no fake guitar and most likely get the same quality.

[Bubbletonic]

Gibson Epiphone Zakk Wylde Les Paul Custom on eBay (end time 16-Jul-09 07:40:32 BST)

Fake EPI is Fake, Non-Sanded/Unfinished Maple neck, terrible serial number positioning, bullseye isn't correct.

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Ewww!

[Boleskinehouse]

Who's got sluts? Any sluts around these parts?

[GNR4EVR]

LOL, Yeah, now that YOURE here, we do!

[Boleskinehouse]

WoooHooo!!

[GNR4EVR]

LOL.... NOw all we need is Axe up in here livening things up....

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Be carefull what you wish for!