The Fake Epiphone Thread II

[colgringo97]

Hi all,

New member, think I may have discovered this forum just in time..........just won an auction on ebay for a LP black beauty and am now concerned I may have a fake. The serial number checks out ok, however the screw on the pick guard looks very close to the edge along with a few other things which are highlighted in the 'how to spot a fake' at the start of this thread.

Epiphone Les Paul Black Beauty Electric Guitar NEW - eBay Electric, Guitars, Instruments, Musical Instruments. (end time 28-Oct-09 21:49:50 AEDST)

Many thanks,

Colin

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Originally Posted by colgringo97

Hi all,

New member, think I may have discovered this forum just in time..........just won an auction on ebay for a LP black beauty and am now concerned I may have a fake. The serial number checks out ok, however the screw on the pick guard looks very close to the edge along with a few other things which are highlighted in the 'how to spot a fake' at the start of this thread.

Epiphone Les Paul Black Beauty Electric Guitar NEW - eBay Electric, Guitars, Instruments, Musical Instruments. (end time 28-Oct-09 21:49:50 AEDST)

Many thanks,

Colin

Hi, welcome to MLP.

Yeah man, that's a fake.

[colgringo97]

Cheers mate, thanks for the quick response and saving me a few bucks!!

So glad I discovered this forum in time...............fantastic place.

Colin

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Originally Posted by colgringo97

Cheers mate, thanks for the quick response and saving me a few bucks!!

So glad I discovered this forum in time...............fantastic place.

Colin

You're welcome!

[zippysticks]

This is a great thread.
I used it as a basis to cancel my transaction for a recent Ebay Purchase.
Rather than repost the gory details here, you can read it here

Since that post the seller has asked me to remove the NEUTRAL feedback I left and even offered cash to do so. I probably made the right choice in asking for my money back.

I am a sucker for an apparent bargain though and have actually just bought one of these

Be very interested in peoples opinion - he has sold 4 of them already.

I hope I have followed all of the advice in this forum and from the pictures (not got mine yet) it looks ok. The guy has emailed me to tell me its genuine and is offering a two week refund window.

Keep up the good work.

PS. if the opinion is that its a fake, could you indicate why you think it is so please.

[zippysticks]

This is a great thread.
I used it as a basis to cancel my transaction for a recent Ebay Purchase.
Rather than repost the gory details here, you can read it here

Since that post the seller has asked me to remove the NEUTRAL feedback I left and even offered cash to do so. I probably made the right choice in asking for my money back.

I am a sucker for an apparent bargain though and have actually just bought one of these

Be very interested in peoples opinion - he has sold 4 of them already.

I hope I have followed all of the advice in this forum and from the pictures (not got mine yet) it looks ok. The guy has emailed me to tell me its genuine and is offering a two week refund window.

Keep up the good work.

PS. if the opinion is that its a fake, could you indicate why you think it is so please.

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Originally Posted by zippysticks

This is a great thread.
I used it as a basis to cancel my transaction for a recent Ebay Purchase.
Rather than repost the gory details here, you can read it here

Since that post the seller has asked me to remove the NEUTRAL feedback I left and even offered cash to do so. I probably made the right choice in asking for my money back.

I am a sucker for an apparent bargain though and have actually just bought one of these

Be very interested in peoples opinion - he has sold 4 of them already.

I hope I have followed all of the advice in this forum and from the pictures (not got mine yet) it looks ok. The guy has emailed me to tell me its genuine and is offering a two week refund window.

Keep up the good work.

PS. if the opinion is that its a fake, could you indicate why you think it is so please.

It's hard to tell from those pictures but since the other guitars he sells are clearly fakes, I'd say this one is a fake, too.
Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, can afford to sell a brand new ZW at half the retail price.

[zippysticks]

Bah, my first post and for some reason it appears to have double posted - can't find the blasted link to remove the second post (help appreciated).

Now I have posted three times rather than one - bah !

[TimayC]

I'm skeered, but I'm gonna put up some pics anyway. Here goes...

[zippysticks]

Originally Posted by -=[Shifty]=-

It's hard to tell from those pictures but since the other guitars he sells are clearly fakes, I'd say this one is a fake, too.
Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, can afford to sell a brand new ZW at half the retail price.

You could be right, I'll give an update when (if) I get mine.

Any idea what the manufacturer/wholesale price is for this model ?

I'm reasonably sure there is a rather large manufacturer/wholesale/retail markup on mass produced electric guitars like this model. I'd be very surprised if it costs more than $150 to make any genuine Epiphone Les Paul.

[eva]

Hey, Just wanted to thank everyone here again for all your help...This is really a great site, I only wish I had found it BEFORE I bought that fake epi...to let you know, I finally received the refund that paypal said I had coming...(waiting since August)...and the seller disappeared and did not claim the guitar, so it was returned to me...I have my money and the guitar...I would really recommend anyone file a paypal claim right away, this doesn't give the seller time to empty their account...luckily I did this...thanks!!!

[GNR4EVR]

Thats what were here for. My advice to others wishing for a Zack Wilde of ANY kind, BE CAREFUL. TONS of fakes of those.

[Fimu]

Hello people! Yet, here I am again.

So, here's the Black Beauty Woodwind and Brasswind sent me. Looks ok (opinions please?), but it came with A LOT of scratches and a loose pickup. Take a look:

http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/2678218/DSCN0013.JPG
http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/2678218/DSCN0014.JPG
http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/2678218/DSCN0026.JPG
http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/2678218/DSCN0009.JPG
http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/2678218/DSCN0038.JPG
http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/2678218/DSCN0017.JPG
http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/2678218/DSCN0028.JPG
http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/2678218/DSCN0033.JPG

[KillerRx4]

2 Questions for the gurus

1. This 1 is real yeah?
2003 Epiphone Les Paul Standard Elitist Burst - eBay Right-Handed, Electric, Guitar, Musical Instruments. (end time 16-Oct-09 03:35:07 AEDST)

2. To choose between this or a Orville (not OBG) for same $... Which is the better choice? in your opinions.

[GNR4EVR]

Originally Posted by KillerRx4

2 Questions for the gurus

1. This 1 is real yeah?
2003 Epiphone Les Paul Standard Elitist Burst - eBay Right-Handed, Electric, Guitar, Musical Instruments. (end time 16-Oct-09 03:35:07 AEDST)

2. To choose between this or a Orville (not OBG) for same $... Which is the better choice? in your opinions.

1. Yes its real. And VERY nice.
2. MIJ Orville or the Elite are both par with one another.

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Originally Posted by KillerRx4

2 Questions for the gurus

1. This 1 is real yeah?
2003 Epiphone Les Paul Standard Elitist Burst - eBay Right-Handed, Electric, Guitar, Musical Instruments. (end time 16-Oct-09 03:35:07 AEDST)

2. To choose between this or a Orville (not OBG) for same $... Which is the better choice? in your opinions.

Yes, it's real.

MIJ Epiphones and Orvilles are the same guitars. Epiphone took over the Orville production in '98 and they basically just changed the logo on the headstock (and the headstock shape in case of the Elitists).
I think if I had to choose between an Elitist and an Orville, I'd pick the Orville, simply because of the headstock (assuming that the color and model are the same).

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Originally Posted by Fimu

Hello people! Yet, here I am again.

So, here's the Black Beauty Woodwind and Brasswind sent me. Looks ok (opinions please?), but it came with A LOT of scratches and a loose pickup. Take a look:

http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/2678218/DSCN0013.JPG
http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/2678218/DSCN0014.JPG
http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/2678218/DSCN0026.JPG
http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/2678218/DSCN0009.JPG
http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/2678218/DSCN0038.JPG
http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/2678218/DSCN0017.JPG
http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/2678218/DSCN0028.JPG
http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/2678218/DSCN0033.JPG

Wow, looks like a floor model with all those scratches. I'd at least ask for a discount. Not sure about the pickup, though. They are only held by two srews, so it's normal that you can rock them back and forth, a little. Yours looks a little extreme, though. Maybe the screwholes of the pickup ring are broken?

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Originally Posted by TimayC

I'm skeered, but I'm gonna put up some pics anyway. Here goes...

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s...c/classic1.jpg

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s...c/classic2.jpg

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s...c/classic3.jpg

Hmm, the knobs look a little funky but the rest seems fine. Do you have a pic of the serial?

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Originally Posted by zippysticks

You could be right, I'll give an update when (if) I get mine.

Any idea what the manufacturer/wholesale price is for this model ?

I'm reasonably sure there is a rather large manufacturer/wholesale/retail markup on mass produced electric guitars like this model. I'd be very surprised if it costs more than $150 to make any genuine Epiphone Les Paul.

No, I don't know what manufacturer price is. I know that they charge more than it costs to make a guitar, though. I mean, they gotta make a profit, don't they? Then you gotta keep in mind that at every link of the chain, there's about 100% markup. The retailer pays about double of what it costs to make a guitar, plus shipping, and the customer pays about double of what the retailer pays (I'm sure the chain is longer).
Needless to say that only authorized Gibson/Epiphone dealers are able to buy guitars from the factory. Looking at all the fakes that guy sells, he's sure not an authorized dealer.

[scott123]

Would it be possible for Guitar Center to unknowingly (or not) have some fake Epi's? I saw some vintage sunburst and sunburst (standards I think) for $479. Price seemed kind of low and vintage sunburst felt kind of chincy. Just curious if anyone else ran across that or should Guitar Center be trusted? Thanks.

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Originally Posted by scott123

Would it be possible for Guitar Center to unknowingly (or not) have some fake Epi's? I saw some vintage sunburst and sunburst (standards I think) for $479. Price seemed kind of low and vintage sunburst felt kind of chincy. Just curious if anyone else ran across that or should Guitar Center be trusted? Thanks.

GC should be safe. They get the guitars directly from Gibson/Epiphone.
It can, however, happen that an unknowing salesperson (I've heard about those kind working there, sometimes) accepts a used fake as a trade in.

[Fimu]

Originally Posted by -=[Shifty]=-

Wow, looks like a floor model with all those scratches. I'd at least ask for a discount. Not sure about the pickup, though. They are only held by two srews, so it's normal that you can rock them back and forth, a little. Yours looks a little extreme, though. Maybe the screwholes of the pickup ring are broken?

I don't know about that, but I'm so returning it. I don't want to keep a worned-out guitar, even if they give me a discount - there's no point :S

I've sent them a complaint, let's see what happens.

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Originally Posted by Fimu

I don't know about that, but I'm so returning it. I don't want to keep a worned-out guitar, even if they give me a discount - there's no point :S

I've sent them a complaint, let's see what happens.

Yeah well, you have every right to do so. You ordered a 'new' guitar, after all.

[TimayC]

Originally Posted by -=[Shifty]=-

Hmm, the knobs look a little funky but the rest seems fine. Do you have a pic of the serial?

Not a great picture for this purpose - these were from the seller. I can take some more, but here is what I have:




Thanks!

[Fimu]

Originally Posted by TimayC

Not a great picture for this purpose - these were from the seller. I can take some more, but here is what I have:




Thanks!

looks ok to me.

[Sinmastah]

And now each of the threads have the same amount of posts

[The Guitarist]

Not anymore!




Hail the victorious Threadchild!

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Originally Posted by Sinmastah

And now each of the threads have the same amount of posts

Does that mean it's time for #3?

[KillerRx4]

Originally Posted by -=[Shifty]=-

Yes, it's real.

MIJ Epiphones and Orvilles are the same guitars. Epiphone took over the Orville production in '98 and they basically just changed the logo on the headstock (and the headstock shape in case of the Elitists).
I think if I had to choose between an Elitist and an Orville, I'd pick the Orville, simply because of the headstock (assuming that the color and model are the same).

Thanks GNR & Shifty. I jumped on the Elitist.
The Orville headstock is slightly more appealing but I read on here somewhere that the elitists appeared to have had better QC scrutiny before leaving the factory. Now I just hope it has a safe journey down under.

Cheers guys, keep up the great work.

[Skit]

That headstock looks sketchy to me. Is it me or does it look photoshopped? There is a distinct line going across the bottom and something on the side looks wacked.

How the hell do I load a full size image?