What is this? (real/fake question)

[LPcreation]

So I just saw this posted on my local craigslist, and while I'm no Chibson expert, this seems pretty fishy. Can some of you experts take a look? The knobs look weird, I can't see wings, but it's got nibs, and someone loved it at some point.

Thanks.

Gibson Les Paul

 

[ddh101]

So I just saw this posted on my local craigslist, and while I'm no Chibson expert, this seems pretty fishy. Can some of you experts take a look? The knobs look weird, I can't see wings, but it's got nibs, and someone loved it at some point.

Thanks.

Gibson Les Paul

Whether or not the ad is a scam you'll have to decide, but the guitar shown has every indication of being real. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for unscrupulous sellers/scammers to post photos of real guitars to entice the transaction with no intention on delivering.

 

[Dino]

Looks legit to me.
Price seems too good to be true though.

 

[endial]

I've never seen a neck heel that looks like that on a Les Paul. But that's just me, I'm no expert.

Can anyone verify?

 

[herzog]

Too good to be true - dodgy (the ad, not the actual guitar...I think).

Some photos, with strings, some without, some with pickup and bridge on/off. For someone who isn't even sure of the model, there's a lot of work going on (perhaps photos taken from someone elses upgrade blog/post).

"Needs new strings"...that rings alarm bells for me.

 

[Cjsinla]

That bridge is a Sung 2, it's metric, guitar as probably not USA Gibson. No serial or stamp = trouble to me as well.

 

[Ozzy Mandeus]

I think the guitar itself looks off. Pickup rout, control cavity, neck heel and the headstock to neck transition area all look wrong. Hardware is a mixture of all sorts - I think it might be someone's DIY guitar rather than a chibson. Maybe the seller really did pay $700 at an estate sale, and maybe it isn't even worth that much.

 

[LPcreation]

That's what I'm thinking Ozzy. The mahogany on the body looks weird, the fretboard material looks weird, and the headstock job looks sloppy.

Anyone recognize the pickups? I think it looks like a cool guitar and I'm interested if the price is right.......real Gibson or not.

 

[endial]

Okay. I'm a little new at this "spot-the-fake" gig, but from what I take from these pics are some pretty glaring red flags.
First is the bridge has slotted pins/posts (replaced?). Second is the pup routing (pics 8-9). Third is the wonky pickup rings (pic 7). Third is the "humpy" decals on the headstock. Fourth is the back of the headstock, at the nut area, just looks off to me. Fifth is the heel.

 

[endial]

Everybody types faster than me.

 

[musicmaniac]

Seems too funky to me.

 

[Juan Wayne]

I wonder where he got the top half of the headstock veneer from...

 

[boyscout]

Stay away. Some things wrong, some things very suspicious.

Buy it and soon YOU will be flogging it on craigslist and hoping you can get your money out of its next guitar-adventurer-with-money-to-burn. You wanna be the guy who sells guitars like that?

 

[colchar]

The asking price isn't a huge red flag to you?

 

[LPcreation]

No, I bought dirty 2004 Am Deluxe Standard Strat for $400, and an early 90's JCM800 B cab for $90.

And a 1983 Tubescreamer $100.

All off craigslist.

 

[rockstar232007]

Definitely not a "Chibson". But, it's also definitely not a Gibson. Looks to be some sort of "replica", or maybe even a kit?

The weird:
MOP inlays

Poorly finished (overall)

Aftermarket pickups/hardware

The list goes on.

It DOES however appear to have the correct type of truss-rod, so I'm guessing higher-end kit.

Btw, the grain-pattern on that back is killer That being said, I would steer clear of it.

 

[RRfireblade]

Oddball, somethings are right, some not so much. Wondering if it's not an Epi or something with inlays and a modded headstock.

 

[Lucidsounds]

Back of the headstock looks wrong to me. Also, no photos of the serial number (if it has one) which is always a red flag.

 

[ironrain1]

That wiring looks a bit iffy, as well as the resistors and quality of those pups are a dead giveaway to me. I installed wiring into guitars myself and this looks nothing like a gibson I seen. I mean the fretboard material is bizarre and the I don't know but there was something weird about the the truss rod covering near the headstock that looks abnormal. I wouldn't buy this guitar. Also 700 $ for a guitar model he isn't too sure of? If I were looking to sell a guitar, I would bring it to a music store or search online for relative models. Its odd how this person would "examine" this guitar yet not know the model

 

[THDNUT]

I wouldn't buy that thing for $200. "Nuff said.