The Fake Epiphone Thread II

[PonchoMX]

Hi im Alfonso from Mexico how ir everyone
I found this Epiphone Les pual Standard here in Mexico and i would like to buy it and to know if it is not a fake first.
I hope it will be real because i really want to buy it

kind Regards

[tonedogg66]

suspect? New Epiphone Les Paul Standard Guitar Cherry Sunburst on eBay, also Epiphone, Electric, Guitars, Musical Instruments (end time 21-Feb-09 01:15:20 GMT)

[GNR4EVR]

Originally Posted by PonchoMX

Hi im Alfonso from Mexico how ir everyone
I found this Epiphone Les pual Standard here in Mexico and i would like to buy it and to know if it is not a fake first.
I hope it will be real because i really want to buy it

kind Regards

Good to go.

[GNR4EVR]

Originally Posted by tonedogg66

suspect? New Epiphone Les Paul Standard Guitar Cherry Sunburst on eBay, also Epiphone, Electric, Guitars, Musical Instruments (end time 21-Feb-09 01:15:20 GMT)

Fake.

[Gez]

Hey,
First post here and this is generaly down to me being worried. Although I've been lurking unregistered for ages!

Anyway, Id bought this Black Beauty a while back, like mid last year (maybe not that late). And it's nly recentley come to me that it could possibly be a fake. And after reading this I'm paranoid!

I took these photos in hope that you can let me know if I've been ripped off or not.

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I removed the pickguard, hopefully you can see the hole where the screw should be.

A side note, I took out the bottom pickup and it is stamped with the right details. But I also removed the switch to find there was no Epiphone markings. The inlays are well done, and the headstock does have the perl writing. So I'm just a bit worried that's all. I know you guys can help

Thanks!

[PonchoMX]

Hello thanks for your comments but i have bad news someone else won me the last les paul but ok

i found another one but has a problem
it has a damaged but the owner said that it was repaired and works great like that for many years what do you think about it



What do you think it is ok

here are more pictures

Regards

[djwilbanks]

I'm weary of repairs I didn't have done myself. You don't know who did or how they did the repair. Steer clear, IMO.

[Lynyrd77Skynyrd]

Originally Posted by djwilbanks

I'm weary of repairs I didn't have done myself. You don't know who did or how they did the repair. Steer clear, IMO.

I'd agree with that, i had one repaired by a luthier i know and trust his work, he made a great job of it and it played better than new. Take his advice, avoid repair you didn't do yourself.

[Username??]

Hello there. First off thank you for all that you are doing with this thread it is great and i have learned alot. But i am no expert. Could you help me to determine if the linked epiphone is legit? Thank you very much.

2006 Gibson EPIPHONE LES PAUL STANDARD w/ Gig Bag - eBay (item 220362650170 end time Feb-22-09 18:36:00 PST)

[Sinmastah]

[Username??]

Thank you very much for taking the time to have a look. I thought so but you never know. Appreciate it very much.

[Gez]

Anyone fancy having a look at mine please?

[Sinmastah]

Pics aren't very useful, the S/N isn't looking good, but 08's have the larger EE's on someone models.

[Jett]

on this one! What's the maximum price I should go to?
Les Paul Epiphone Elite Series Guitar MIJ - eBay Electric, Guitars, Instruments, Musical Instruments. (end time 28-Feb-09 19:24:39 AEDST)

[Sinmastah]

Don't know currency rates in australian money.

[Jett]

1 Aust $ = 0.63 US cents = 0.50 Euros = 0.44 Pounds. Hope that helps.

[Sinmastah]

Hmmm, soo 1000 dollars is 630, I could see that Epi going to 1200 Max

[Jett]

Thanks Sin, so its safe to bid? 1200 AU $? I'm happy to pay a bit more. So hopefully be mine soon...

[Jett]

Hey Sin, are Burny's better than Epip's? I don't know much about them, I'm searching the forums now...
Burny Les Paul 1959RI Old Cherry Sunburst Flame Top MIJ - eBay Electric, Guitars, Instruments, Musical Instruments. (end time 19-Feb-09 15:44:13 AEDST)
This one ends soon.

[Gez]

Ah sorry, what angle(s) shall i take? I'd really like to know

[Sinmastah]

Just frontal shot of the body please. Also one of the back of the body will be helpful

Jett. Burnies are good, but I prefer Elitists to them.

[Gez]

Ok, here u go. Hope these are better. If not il take more tommorow...maybe its too dark atm

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Here is one of the inside too;

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[Kølabrennern]

Not promising. The whole body shape is wrong in my opinion.

[GNR4EVR]

Originally Posted by Jett

on this one! What's the maximum price I should go to?
Les Paul Epiphone Elite Series Guitar MIJ - eBay Electric, Guitars, Instruments, Musical Instruments. (end time 28-Feb-09 19:24:39 AEDST)

MmmMmm Gibby Headstock goodness.....

[GNR4EVR]

Originally Posted by Gez

Ok, here u go. Hope these are better. If not il take more tommorow...maybe its too dark atm

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Here is one of the inside too;

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The shape is all wrong and the knobs dont look right, they should be straight in line towards the headstock. Can you get better photos?

[wookie111]

Thanks for the info bro! Much apperciated. I do however have one question that someone must know the the answer to... what's the differance between a MIK and MIC other than where they were made? I have a MIK and am just curious. Thanks again.

[Lynyrd77Skynyrd]

Originally Posted by wookie111

Thanks for the info bro! Much apperciated. I do however have one question that someone must know the the answer to... what's the differance between a MIK and MIC other than where they were made? I have a MIK and am just curious. Thanks again.

Theres a varied opinion as to the difference, some people say that MIK's are slightly higher quality, others say that is bull. Each guitar is still partly "handmade" so human error is the main cause of these differences. I often watch ebay for prices and to keep an eye on the market and IMO MIK's usually sell for a little more than a MIC purely because of the rumour that they are slightly superior. Obviously there have been many poorly constructed MIK's as there have been MIC's so i don't think anyone can really say that one is better than the other.....except me:
I own a '96 MIK myself and therefore must conclude that MIK's are far superior in every single way

[djwilbanks]

I've had both MIC and MIK. I prefered my MIK, it just felt tighter, better constructed. But then I had a MIK Dot that just felt less polished (was a second). Then I had a MIC G400 that was a second that felt superior to all of my les pauls (except my Gibsons ).

Try not to let that line about the SG go to your head, Sin.

[Sinmastah]

That is because SG's rock.

[blusky]

Originally Posted by Jett

on this one! What's the maximum price I should go to?
Les Paul Epiphone Elite Series Guitar MIJ - eBay Electric, Guitars, Instruments, Musical Instruments. (end time 28-Feb-09 19:24:39 AEDST)

This is a great thread.

This one looks a bit suspect to me. The epiphone elite logo on the back of the neck doesn't look like it's printed properly. The text is very thin in some points. I used to have a model with a similar serial number and the headstock is not like that. It's more of a closed book shape. I would be careful with this one.

On another note, I was jamming with a friend of mine from Indonesia a few days ago and he told me that you can get fake guitars from Java with real Epiphone hardware. He said he knows the guy who makes them. It only costs them about $150 US to make and they sell them for about $400-$500 US on ebay and other places. Apparently, they make their own guitar bodies and then install real epiphone hardware on them. If this is true, it means that fakes will be really hard to spot.