Tips - Spotting Fakes thread

[Thumpalumpacus]

What WAS your point?

That worrying about counterfeiters scouring MLP for tips on how to improve their fakes ignores the fact that they can buy a Les Paul and get exact details themselves:

Meanwhile, Chinamen are taking notes.

You're right. It's not like they can go out and buy one, or anything.

I should think it was obvious what I was saying.

 

[BuzzHaze]

When you see a serial number similar to this, it may be fake. For some reason the counterfeiters keep using it or a variance of "02005"

 

[ajory72]

well they keep making the same mistakes when copying them

This is actually a point to note, they DO keep making the same old mistakes... I am sure they do this so Gibson stay off their backs ... so I wonder why they do this if not for that reason?

 

[colchar]

You're right. It's not like they can go out and buy one, or anything.

I know eh? I've never understood the belief that they are cruising here looking for tips.

 

[colchar]

Ironically enough, some of the Chinese replicas are very high quality,

Yeah, sure they are.

 

[colchar]

Friend intentionally bought 3 fake gibsons, 2 Chinese and 1 Korean.
+ a couple of Youtube videos - How to spot a fake Chinese Les Paul Supreme - YouTube

If you believe anything the fvckwit in that video says you need help.

 

[AxeBuilder]

Anyone who intentionally buys 3 fake LPs is completely nuts in my book.....

 

[RedSkwirrell]

Knob alignment.

Something many of us will have been criticised for in our time.

nuts

 

[EvLectric]

Lmao, next:
Hack Gibson's serial look-up database.

No leep, Don't LMAO. Thump is serious. We have caught people asking that turned out to be counterfeiters. If you check out the first page of the Epi fake thread, it's been explained.
I think your heart's in the right place, but if you look at your idea from the other perspective, it would just be a "hey, let's get these things right" manual for them.

 

[EvLectric]

Y'know, after reading ALL of your posts Leep, No, I don't think your hearts in the right place, & I think you're exactly who we don't want to know these things. I've been complaining lately about some older members running new members off, but please feel free to leave us any time your heart desires. Like...Now.

 

[Slashperryburst]

There are hundreds of replicas, I highly doubt, actually no. I'm 100% sure you haven't seen half of them in-person.

There's a big difference between a high quality replica and a P.O.S fake. Most luthier built replicas will be far better than anything a mass production company like Gibson build. At the lower end of the spectrum, they'll be of similar quality to high end Gibson's. A Chinese fake on the other hand, is made from slave labour and low quality parts. Frankly, the workers in these places don't give a shit about accuracy when their scumbag bosses pay them peanuts and cheapskate dickheads out there buy them.

Know the difference between "replica" and fakes. There's a reason why we use different terminology.

Meanwhile, Chinamen are taking notes.

Just so you know, unlike "Frenchman", "Englishman" etc, "chinamen" is a derogatory term.

This is actually a point to note, they DO keep making the same old mistakes... I am sure they do this so Gibson stay off their backs ... so I wonder why they do this if not for that reason?

The people who build these fakes couldn't give a shit. They're paid next to nothing and have virtually zero other job prospects. Would you care about the quality of the product you were making if you were working long hours and still barely had enough money to feed yourself?

 

[rockstar232007]

Actually, they build them the way they do, not because of "slave labour", or "low wages", but in order to keep building/material costs low, while maximizing quicker profits.

They have more than enough information to produce accurate reproductions, but it would cost more money, with slower returns. It's very simple economics.

BTW, to all of the people that think that MLP somehow holds the secrets to the wold's most accurate replics?

 

[James Dean]

Meanwhile, Chinamen are taking notes.

This was a joke, people. Maybe I'll add a "" next time.

Oops.

 

[James Dean]

By: Leep
By: Guitarless

By: Leep
Tip: Scarf joints

This happens frequently... I wouldn't call it a fake if one knob was off kilter.

 

[James Dean]

Just so you know, unlike "Frenchman", "Englishman" etc, "chinamen" is a derogatory term.

Fixed. Sorry if anyone was offended.

 

[CHUNKYNECK]

Fake gibson thread number 1 million. I wish they would make a fake gibson forum so we can get some variety around here.

 

[BrianB]

When you see a serial number similar to this, it may be fake. For some reason the counterfeiters keep using it or a variance of "02005"

I loved the fake that was spotted with the 3rd thru 5th being "400"...

 

[colchar]

Fake gibson thread number 1 million. I wish they would make a fake gibson forum so we can get some variety around here.

Check out the other fake Gibson thread going on right now. We've had contact from the seller and now it is getting to the point that, if he continues to respond to our emails, the thread could end up being downright fun.

 

[CHUNKYNECK]

Check out the other fake Gibson thread going on right now. We've had contact from the seller and now it is getting to the point that, if he continues to respond to our emails, the thread could end up being downright fun.

Cheers, hope i'm not too late.

 

[Tone deaf]

well they keep making the same mistakes when copying them

I think that a great deal of this phenomenon comes from the fact that these aren't built one at a time. The counterfeit pieces (necks and bodies) are probably produced in pretty high volume. Rather than scrap the lot (once they figure out where they missed the mark) they make 'em and sell 'em, knowing full well the flaws. Next time, the parts are a little more accurate and so on and so on.

The keys to their "success" are: 1) cheap parts (cheap raw materials fashioned into parts via high volume manufacturing) and 2) low labor costs (i.e. as little human interaction with the product as possible (in addition to low statutory wages)). This second part is what makes it possible for us to still spot the fakes. There will come a time when this will be quite difficult for us to do, without getting our hands on the guitar and fully vetting it.