important:...Stopping fake Les Pauls

[colchar]

I wonder if there are a lot of fake Fender Strats out there or do the counterfeiters not bother with them?

 

[jimmyb21]

Pawn shops are required to check the serial number to see if it's on a list of stolen guitars. The serial number won't tell them if it's a real Gibson (or Epiphone or whatever) because the fake guitars have serial numbers that were copied from other real guitars.

How can they access that many real serial numbers though?

 

[colchar]

How can they access that many real serial numbers though?

The local police probably give them a list of stolen goods.

 

[-=[Shifty]=-]

How can they access that many real serial numbers though?

Anyone who knows how the Gibson/Epiphone serial numbers work can make thousands up.

 

[shtdaprdtr]

You really are clueless aren't you? Good God.

no..not at all, I just find it very amusing to watch you get worked up and excited about winning a pointless debate on a website...actually its pathetic.
Im off of work this week and just relaxing typing away till my woman comes home while youre probably tearing your hair out (if you have any left) getting all angry about an impulse thread I started, and getting off when you think you got someone cornered in your little debate...the only problem is youre the only one that cares.

 

[Phoenix59]

What I don't get is why the builders that make the counterfeits that are pretty good guitars (and I know that most of them suck, but I have seen people post that they bought a Chinese LP and liked it enough to use it) don't just start putting their own names on their guitars and selling them as Les Paul copies.

I get that the $249 ones are going to suck harder than a Tijuana hooker, but the decent playing ones could be sold under their own name. "Gaijin," anyone?

 

[jimmyb21]

Anyone who knows how the Gibson/Epiphone serial numbers work can make thousands up.

You can make them up but they're not going to hit in Gibsons database which is accesible on their website. That's what I'm talking about. When I take my guitar in the guy checks the serial against Gibson's database.

 

[jimmyb21]

no..not at all, I just find it very amusing to watch you get worked up and excited about winning a pointless debate on a website...actually its pathetic.
Im off of work this week and just relaxing typing away till my woman comes home while youre probably tearing your hair out (if you have any left) getting all angry about an impulse thread I started, and getting off when you think you got someone cornered in your little debate...the only problem is youre the only one that cares.

Haha in your wet dreams buddy.

 

[RickRandom]

Anyone who knows how the Gibson/Epiphone serial numbers work can make thousands up.

What I find hilarious is that instead of putting a different number on each fake guitar, it seems they will put the same "real" Gibson serial number on a whole batch of fake guitars. So if you buy a fake, there's a hundred other guys that have the same serial number you have. (plus one poor b*stard somewhere that has a legit Gibson with that same serial).

 

[-=[Shifty]=-]

You can make them up but they're not going to hit in Gibsons database which is accesible on their website. That's what I'm talking about. When I take my guitar in the guy checks the serial against Gibson's database.

What kind of information does your guy get when he checks the serial numbers? Model, color, etc.?
Does he check Gibson's database or maybe a list of stolen guitars?

All serial numbers I could make up would probably be in Gibson's database.

 

[Lampens]

after all..just slap an ABR-1, switchcraft and even real alnico pros (I just did what I said we shouldnt do) and theyll still be ahead with this one in the video (just dont get this guy to play it Not sure if that Gibson logo is MOP or a sticker, but they nailed the Slash logo.
YouTube - Les Paul Slash Signature Replica

Rob Halford is playing gnr on a fake gibson.

 

[colchar]

no..not at all, I just find it very amusing to watch you get worked up and excited about winning a pointless debate on a website...actually its pathetic.
Im off of work this week and just relaxing typing away till my woman comes home while youre probably tearing your hair out (if you have any left) getting all angry about an impulse thread I started, and getting off when you think you got someone cornered in your little debate...the only problem is youre the only one that cares.

You've proven that you are completely clueless.

First of all, the clueless comment was in reference to you asking when you had asked for money when someone else quite rightly pointed out that knowledge should be free. You obviously didn't get the reference. I am not at all surprised by that.

Second, you are the one who keeps going on about this. The rest of us have moved on, you haven't and are still sticking to your ridiculous proclamation.

Finally, I can no longer continue to have a battle of wits with you when you are so obviously unarmed. It simply isn't fair or sporting on my part so I'll continue to discuss this with others but, as for you, I'll invoke the mercy rule and will leave you be.

 

[colchar]

Haha in your wet dreams buddy.

He's gotten his ire up in this thread but I somehow think that is all he can get up so I am not sure your wet dreams comment is accurate

 

[colchar]

What I find hilarious is that instead of putting a different number on each fake guitar, it seems they will put the same "real" Gibson serial number on a whole batch of fake guitars. So if you buy a fake, there's a hundred other guys that have the same serial number you have. (plus one poor b*stard somewhere that has a legit Gibson with that same serial).

The poor bugger with the real Gibby is the one I feel most sorry for.

 

[jimmyb21]

What kind of information does your guy get when he checks the serial numbers? Model, color, etc.?
Does he check Gibson's database or maybe a list of stolen guitars?

All serial numbers I could make up would probably be in Gibson's database.

You get year, model, and something else I can't quite remember and if you don't register the guitar it's not in the easily searchable database, so I'm a little skeptical of people being able to guess at random matching serial numbers. And I think any hip pawn store owner would be on the look out, I know on 'Pawn Stars' that guy went through mad trouble to check out this like 72 Standard that wasn't anything really special. And I'd rate him like an average pawnbroker. Even with the hell of a job History Channel does lighting that store....its quite dreary if you go in there....littered with people probably trying to get enough money to catch a taxi to catch their flight home

 

[jimmyb21]

The poor bugger with the real Gibby is the one I feel most sorry for.

Yeah I mean I really can't grasp the serial number scheme, moreover, I can't understand why they'd go through it, and Gibson soft presses the serial numbers. You almost need a spotlight to see mine.

 

[-=[Shifty]=-]

You get year, model, and something else I can't quite remember and if you don't register the guitar it's not in the easily searchable database, so I'm a little skeptical of people being able to guess at random matching serial numbers. And I think any hip pawn store owner would be on the look out, I know on 'Pawn Stars' that guy went through mad trouble to check out this like 72 Standard that wasn't anything really special. And I'd rate him like an average pawnbroker. Even with the hell of a job History Channel does lighting that store....its quite dreary if you go in there....littered with people probably trying to get enough money to catch a taxi to catch their flight home

Getting the model and color right is basically impossible, the serial number will still be in the database, though.

Well, the year is usually indicated by the serial number, on the guitars they fake, anyway. But if he really can check what kind of guitar that serial was put on, it would be impossible to fool him.
I'm still wondering where you can check Gibson's database on their site, though. Or is that a special service for dealers and pawn shops?

However, enabling the buyers to pawn their guitars isn't exactly the intention of the counterfeiters, anyway.

 

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Yeah I mean I really can't grasp the serial number scheme,

YDDDYBPPP

Y = Year
D = Day
B = Batch number (changes to 1 after 699 stamped instruments, on a particular day)
P = Production number (1-300 reserved for acoustics)

"014290623" would mean it's the 323rd electric guitar stamped on the 142nd day of 2009 (May 22nd).

It's not exactly rocket science.

BTW, I made that serial number up. You can check it http://www.guitardaterproject.org/gibson.aspx.

 

[shtdaprdtr]

Haha in your wet dreams buddy.

Well then Im livin' the dream..."buddy"

 

[jiveturkey1]

Sorry, I'm new here, but I've got an opinion. I respectfully disagree with the OP. I'm not sure if it's been said, but educating people would do more damage to counterfeiters by cutting into their potential buyers. More so than posting correct info that counterfeiters could use. IMHO, of course.