MAX les paul

[shtdaprdtr]

anyone have any real good clear pics of Slash's MAX les paul from the welcome to the jungle video?

 

[Limo130b]

Hi guys! I have a chance to trade one of my guitars locally for “MAX” Les Paul is there a way to authenticate it? The owner doesn’t have the COA. He claims it was built for him by Max in 2008

 

[BrianM]

It's a fake.

 

[Limo130b]

Thanks for the help! Would love to know way u think that

 

[VictorB]

Well, although it’s a Max and worth some money, it is a fake/replica. BH

There are people here that can authenticate a REAL Burst, however you’d be hard pressed to find someone who can authenticate a fake/replica.

 

[strayedstrater]

I've read that Max retired in late 2007/early 2008 and started selling off most of his tools in April 2008.

I suppose it's possible the seller got one of the last ones. But by 2008 everyone knew that Max's work was valuable with a certificate but hard to prove without one.

I've never seen any of Max's close-up, but the workmanship on that fretboard is pretty atrocious and the fret crowns are very flat:

 

[Duane_the_tub]

As I mentioned in one of the (many) other Max threads you've bumped, Max's nephew Dick Colligan is maintaining maxguitars.com and selling what remains of his uncle's work. I've also seen Scott Sheldon in a few posts on the Max social media channels. I'd reach out to them.

 

[Barber]

Here’s a link to one with the certificate, with detailed pics:

https://reverb.com/item/82001240-max-baranet-1959-les-paul-replica-w-paf

And there’s also an authenticated one for sale at Music Emporium, it’s on their website with detailed pics,

 

[strayedstrater]

There are a lot of '59 clone builders who are anonymous by choice, probably including some people on this forum. (Probably -- they don't come right out and say they've put Gibson logos on some of their work.)

It really wouldn't surprise me if some people have specifically cloned Max's and Derrig's clones.

The best other builders are at least as good as Max was. But Max has historic/collectable value above and beyond the quality of the guitar. An unknown builder isn't worth as much as Max, and provenance is important.

If the seller had letters, emails, receipts, a cleared check made out to Max, an appraisal (especially by someone related to Max), pics of him with Max and that guitar, anything more than "just trust me". But to me, " just trust me" isn't enough.

And if you ever sell, "trust me because I trusted someone else" is even less compelling proof.

In the '80s and '90s no one knew Max was going to be a big deal. Completely understandable that some people didn't keep documentation.

But by 2008, if he doesn't have a story like his house burned down with all the documentation in a file cabinet and the only thing he could save was the guitar, it's unbelievable to me that he doesn't have a scrap of proof. (I'd need to see his insurance payout on the house and a newspaper clipping about the house burning to the ground or similar.)

 

[matte]

And there’s also an authenticated one for sale at Music Emporium, it’s on their website with detailed pics,

that was mine. the paperwork is worth more than the guitar.

 

[Barber]

that was mine. the paperwork is worth more than the guitar.

Nice, if I remember correctly the music emporium advert says that guitar is over 10lbs, does that seem right?

 

[matte]

Well, although it’s a Max and worth some money, it is a fake/replica. BH

There are people here that can authenticate a REAL Burst, however you’d be hard pressed to find someone who can authenticate a fake/replica.

max would leave tells on some of his builds. sharp points on the headstock, no widow’s peak in the control cavity, etc…