BEWARE the imitations !

[JoeShell1110]

Just got this link from about 10 guitars that are currently on e-bay with POP in the descrition.

fad-shop.com

I hope people do their research before buying on e-bay.

[LoKi]

I used to feel bad for people who bought fake guitars on ebay... Now with all the information available online, there's no excuse for it.

Too many newbies get stars in their eyes when they see a Les Paul Custom for sale for $399. What a deal!

[Harpozep]

Maybe we should have a sticky here describing what to look for. Since the info is out there, it's not like the bootleggers are caring enough to pay attention now and fix 'em.
They and we have known about the three screw trus rod over thing for years. Yet there they are STILL putting out the guitars with that obvious thing not corrected.

Newbies need to know. We can all get suckered in life with a variety of things,and likely all have been at some time in our lives. Perhaps a sticky, though it would be a two edged sword, would be of much more good than harm.

True, a $500.00 LP Custom should sound bells, but when the same guitar is selling for $1,500.00 and up, THEN it may not seem such an obvious fake. The problem is so many are priced so low. That I'm betting they could change. Plus, once they're on the used market and into the pawn shops....Oy........

[terence_tez]

i just met a kid in my teacher's shop who e-bayed a custom fer US$650.

[Harpozep]

Originally Posted by terence_tez

i just met a kid in my teacher's shop who e-bayed a custom fer US$650.

He sold a Custom fer that?

[terence_tez]

he bought a Custom fer that.

[terence_tez]

turns out to be fake
it had ALL the signs of an imitation,but he didn't know better.

[Harpozep]

Originally Posted by terence_tez

he bought a Custom fer that.

Looks like you may be able to take a close look at it then, fer the lad's sake an all....
Singapore being close to the source an all.....

[Harpozep]

Originally Posted by terence_tez

turns out to be fake
it had ALL the signs of an imitation,but he didn't know better.

Is it like a typical Say, Epiphone, you know, WORTH only a few hundred dollars, and plays intone anyway, or is it an utter piece of crap?

I don't mind cheap guitars that play OK, but really hate the counterfeit thing.

[terence_tez]

utter piece of crap.
says gibson on the headstock.MIC junk.

[blueszman]

I don't mind cheap guitars that play OK, but really hate the counterfeit thing.[/QUOTE]

I don't mind cheap guitars either. Some may agree that Gibson charges too much for their products, but that doesn't give anyone the right to build a guitar and slap Gibson's or any other guitar company's name on it. It really grips my grits to see people making a profit with the unauthorized use of a person's or company's name.

[LoKi]

Originally Posted by blueszman

I don't mind cheap guitars either. Some may agree that Gibson charges too much for their products, but that doesn't give anyone the right to build a guitar and slap Gibson's or any other guitar company's name on it. It really grips my grits to see people making a profit with the unauthorized use of a person's or company's name.

You and me both. Gibson may be over priced, but they are the ONLY Gibson, and have been since 1894.

[RONM]

I GOT A LATE 90'S EPIPHONE DOT, THERE ARE A SET OF PICK-UPS FROM A GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM PLUS FROMTHE 80'S THROWN INTO IT IT ALSO GOT GIBSON POTS, BUMBLE BEE COMPACITORS ..... ETC

TO HEAR IT YOU WOULD THING IT WAS A GIBSON, I'D KNOW I OWN A COUPLE AND HAVE SOLD TWO..... AND IT DON'T PLAY HALF BAD EITHER

[3dmac]

Well guy's I feel sorry for the poor guy that just won the fake Joe perry $2027 for a $300 epi parted copy Gibson Joe Perry Boneyard Les Paul Electric Guitar NEW - eBay (item 280212147585 end time Apr-01-08 17:45:00 PDT)

You can get this one from paylessguitars.com.
I did send this seller several messages about the trash he's selling, but with no response . Also informed ebay with all the info of the copy and a real Joe perry on ebay a Zsounds.
O Well !

[Tyman]

Just joined and I have to comment about what a great forum this is. I've been lurking in the background for a while and felt I just had to join. I have too many Fenders and only one Ebony Gibson Les Paul (91 Standard) and I love her(but not as much as my wife). I've been thinking about trying to balance the herd with another Les Paul but they are so freakin' pricey. I had no idea that the Chinese counterfeit market was so huge. I can see how they dupe unsuspecting and unexperienced buyers. Still the pictures are very luring. I just found this POP ebayer and fired off a few specific questions about his product. More than likely crap. I haven't found any feedback from buyers of these counterfeiters about the guitars. I wonder what they're made from, how they are made or even what the quality is. Can't afford to buy an original but I do like what I see and hear about the lawsuit copies particularly the Grecos and the Burnys. Someday I'll have that tobacco burst I've lusted after for years...someday.

[rodneyk915]

Just checked out paylessguitars for the first time...made my stomach feel sick thinking about those who don't know any better buying those fakes and that *@#%!! getting rich by blatantly ripping people off Kinda makes a person want to track that fellow down and get him straightened out to put it mildly! I'm typically all for free enterprise but there ought to be a way to ban that type of thing from being on the internet. China blocks a lot of our (USA) stuff from their internet maybe it's time we return the favor.

[LoKi]

Originally Posted by rodneyk915

Just checked out paylessguitars for the first time...made my stomach feel sick thinking about those who don't know any better buying those fakes and that *@#%!! getting rich by blatantly ripping people off Kinda makes a person want to track that fellow down and get him straightened out to put it mildly! I'm typically all for free enterprise but there ought to be a way to ban that type of thing from being on the internet. China blocks a lot of our (USA) stuff from their internet maybe it's time we return the favor.

China blocks soooo much stuff on the internet its insane. Thats the communist regime for you. People there don't even have access to any information about stuff like Tienanmen Square in '89, certain religious practises *Falun Gong, Tibetan Buddhism, Muslim Uighurs, types of Catholicism ect..*.

Not only are the web pages blocked, and the information about the people looking for it recorded, but its not taught in schools, or written in books or anything.

Pretty sad.

[Harpozep]

Originally Posted by LoKi

China blocks soooo much stuff on the internet its insane. Thats the communist regime for you. People there don't even have access to any information about stuff like Tienanmen Square in '89, certain religious practises *Falun Gong, Tibetan Buddhism, Muslim Uighurs, types of Catholicism ect..*.

Not only are the web pages blocked, and the information about the people looking for it recorded, but its not taught in schools, or written in books or anything.

Pretty sad.

Yeah Very sad state of affairs there. Not that we are not learning from them and others. Certainly a lot of internet end personal watching/tabulating going on here too, "for our own good" as it were. Plus hundreds of new cameras every month, like in Britain. Just the way of the world and the Big Brother we foist upon ourselves I guess. The Chinese did it much more thorough.......

At least when we are finally rounded up and put in our proper camps, we may be able to write home. Not so with the Chinese.

You think Payless is bad, visit this site:

bazaarofchina.com - China Wholesale Marketplace

[Tyman]

I got a response from "Wangxing" about my questions regarding their guitars. His response was "We are the Chinese biggest foreign trade wholesaler. so our products is very cheap, but the quantity of our goods is good. Sincerely hope we can become good partners in business. Best regards!" I didn't ask him why they were cheap, I ask what materials were used in construction and the quality of the parts and to post more pics. I guess "the quantity of our goods is goods" is an answer to the quality question but he didn't even attempt to answer the others. Very vague, very shady. "Wax on Wax off"

[aeromonte]

Can someone post a list how you can tell a Gibson is a fake?

I can't believe that person stole $2K from someone and gets away with it.

[nut4les]

i wasn't buying that theres a website up and around that is blatantly violating copyright laws and selling fraudulant guitars....then i clicked the about us link and wow it says "we have our own guitar factory and can make any guitar you want with any logo you like"


holy shit thats fucking scary

[dwagar]

A lot of us can spot the fake Gibsons, but what about the fake Fenders, Gretschs, PRSs, Ibanezs, etc.

Ebay has a warning somewhere on there. Usually you can tell by the headstock shape and logo placement, some don't get the horn shape correct, they put stickers on the pickups, there's more too. If it's from China, don't buy it.

What scares me is the kid that orders one, finds out it is a piece of crap, then tries to sell it locally as a Gibson. This isn't just someone getting 'taken' by a fake, this is criminal fraud. I've seen one case where the seller was charged. There are probably others.

I can't believe that US and Canadian Customs let these come in, not just because of Gibson's (and the rest) trademark, but because the Chinese are imprinting an incorrect country of origin (Made In USA). That should be enough to get Customs to seize and destroy every one coming in. If they started burning them on entry, it wouldn't be long before people stopped trying to bring them in. And if they were required to say 'Made In China' on them, we wouldn't have this problem.

[BigC]

Originally Posted by aeromonte

Can someone post a list how you can tell a Gibson is a fake?

I can't believe that person stole $2K from someone and gets away with it.

As mentioned above, there are a couple of guides on ebay itself:

eBay.co.uk Guides - How to spot a FAKE Gibson Les Paul

eBay Guides - spotting fake gibson guitars addition

[aeromonte]

Good stuff BigC!

[LoKi]

Originally Posted by dwagar

A lot of us can spot the fake Gibsons, but what about the fake Fenders, Gretschs, PRSs, Ibanezs, etc.

Ebay has a warning somewhere on there. Usually you can tell by the headstock shape and logo placement, some don't get the horn shape correct, they put stickers on the pickups, there's more too. If it's from China, don't buy it.

What scares me is the kid that orders one, finds out it is a piece of crap, then tries to sell it locally as a Gibson. This isn't just someone getting 'taken' by a fake, this is criminal fraud. I've seen one case where the seller was charged. There are probably others.

I can't believe that US and Canadian Customs let these come in, not just because of Gibson's (and the rest) trademark, but because the Chinese are imprinting an incorrect country of origin (Made In USA). That should be enough to get Customs to seize and destroy every one coming in. If they started burning them on entry, it wouldn't be long before people stopped trying to bring them in. And if they were required to say 'Made In China' on them, we wouldn't have this problem.

Custom guys aren't smart enough to know a real from a fake. Hate to see a 59 burned because of dumb Customs people.

I know the answer. I just won't buy guitars from ebay. Problem solved... Until these Chinese counterfitters start making amps that is...

[mobprop667]

Ron....those are my pickups in that epi 335 dot! I hope that they sound good in the guitar. that burstbucker pro that you hooked me up with is still in the LP. sound great.

[Harpozep]

Originally Posted by LoKi

Custom guys aren't smart enough to know a real from a fake. Hate to see a 59 burned because of dumb Customs people.

I know the answer. I just won't buy guitars from ebay. Problem solved... Until these Chinese counterfitters start making amps that is...

Not quite. They are showing up in pawn shops across the country too. You and I and others who may be able to tell the differences are safe, but many others are not.

I think , unless you know the integrity of the person on the other end, don't buy a guitar without playing it first. It only makes sense since guitars are all so different and we are so subjective. Plus that mode of buying ( actually holding and playing a guitar )should eliminate the accidental purchasing of a counterfeit.

[dwagar]

If a guitar is coming in from China, and has Made In USA on it, then let them burn it.

[LoKi]

Originally Posted by dwagar

If a guitar is coming in from China, and has Made In USA on it, then let them burn it.

I suppose this works out. Especially if shipped from a known manufacturer.

There are a couple in Calgary now. I want to smash them. Not only are they rip offs, but they are the worst playing guitars I've ever layed hands on.

[LoKi]

Originally Posted by Harpozep

Not quite. They are showing up in pawn shops across the country too. You and I and others who may be able to tell the differences are safe, but many others are not.

I think , unless you know the integrity of the person on the other end, don't buy a guitar without playing it first. It only makes sense since guitars are all so different and we are so subjective. Plus that mode of buying ( actually holding and playing a guitar )should eliminate the accidental purchasing of a counterfeit.

That sucks because I'm a big fan of pawn shop bargains. I usually wind up scoring a deal, not getting ripped off, but I'm also one of those guys who won't even buy a pair of shoes or pants unless I know some company history.

The tools are out there for us to be smart consumers... but unfortunately 94% of the world just wants what they want, when they want it, which is usually RIGHT AWAY.