FAKE GIBSONS BEWARE

ArthurGuinness

Hi this is in reference to a previous thread about counterfeit Chinese Made Gibson’s. I have played one of these and can say that they are terrible and they buzz horribly (I think it was earthed wrong). On the legal side of things from what I can gather is that due to some legal loop hole the sale of these is NOT illegal as long as you notify the purchaser that it is a replica (madness I know) This is why you can Legally purchase these from a few website for $200 including shipping (but I shall not name any of them as I am dead against the whole thing) and this is also why you can purchase them off eBay and why eBay has not banned these stores from trading. All in all though don’t buy one get an epiphone instead. Also beware of guys selling "USA MADE REPLICAS" claiming that they were made by luithers in the USA I have come across a few on the buy and sell and can tell you that they are the Chinese made ones and guys are looking 600 a joke. I own a few gibsons and can say there is nothing like them i still smile very time i open the case.

lavasoft

I was offered one of these last week for 600, the one I tried had all the usual flaws truss rod cover had 3 screws (i doubt it had a truss rod) logo was slightly out serial was heavily stamped with a completly wrong made in usa stamp and it weighed about 5lbs, I plugged it in and it was terrible worst copy ever, I told the guy it was fake and he tried to tell me he bought it from a local shop, I gave the store owner his number and told him the crack I must ring him today and see what happened.

this sort of crack gets on my tits:mad: I hope he gets the carp kicked out of him.

Welease

Best advice I can give is to use the Gibson Customer Service line in the US.. If you ring them with the serial number of a guitar, they will give you exact colour, hardware configuration, spec, and distributor of that guitar when it left the Gibson factory. Makes it much easier to spot a fake if you dont know what exactly to look for.

ArthurGuinness

Better yet if you are unsure and you can send them a picture (service.europe@gibson.com) then do as sometimes serial numbers can be legit i did this recently when some one was selling a mid nineties custom les paul i had my suspicsions the serial number checked out. It had the 2 screw truss rod cover but i noticed it came up on the head stock a bit to far so i sent gibson customer service a picture and they were able to confirm that it was a fake. (by the way i never actually saw the guitar in person the owner emailed me the pics himself)

Voodu Child

Yeah, ive posted a few warnings about these over the last few years, its an aspect of the used market that worries me, its going to cause a lot of problems and paranoia in the future. Ive no doubt that there's guys out there playing fakes that don't know it (inexperienced players etc), and its just going to cause a boat load of problems when they start selling them on to other guys etc.

Ive seen sellers in Ireland bring in these guitars in quantity and sell them on various classifieds. An experienced Gibson player will spot them, but the casual buyer possibly won't.

There's fake Gibson cases out there (makes a fake Gibson look more authentic), fake branded pickups, decals available for a few quid on ebay that lads throw onto crappy Fender copies, all sorts of bullsh*t going on. A guy on this very site tried to sell me a fake Ibanez Jem once :rolleyes:

Just keep your head about you when buying any used guitar, and ask for help if you need it. And walk away from anything that looks fishy.

lavasoft

I would suggest downloading some pics from the manufacturer of any guitar your not familiar with and thinking of buying as there is always some differences on them and as usual if it's to cheap to be true then it's probably not.

I have heard of some fake mij (navigator,bacchus,etc) brands floating around some auction sites I was thinking of buying a strat from one of these manufacturers but it's very confusing, as don't know how to tell the difference without holding one, i've seen some bacchus up for sale, but they had no logo and num ?
if anyone could shed some light on this I would be very grateful.

darrenw5094

Who is buying Gibsons these days anyway????
Did we not have a thread recently about the Gibson downfall.

Huh....custom made Gibson Les Pauls in China....:D
Funny.....one of my mates believed a story that they were made in the Gibson factory in China at night time........fool.

lavasoft

Me:D especially at the silly prices there they are going for:D

darrenw5094

Saw an add for a Standard in the weekend edition of the buy and sell.
€800....wtf??? Go for it.....oh, by the way, make sure she's not a fake...;)

lavasoft

for 800 you can't crib about minor imperfections:D

sei046

this was hardly a lad in wicklow?
slightly fadedhardware?

ArthurGuinness

there is an idiot in wicklow trying to sell an epiphone les paul custom for €900!! can you believe it

lavasoft

Rang that chap today he took the guitar of the market seems he got screwed over on the deal and then just lied about it, he still has it he paid 1200 for it:eek:

ArthurGuinness

he told me he had bought it in 1990 in the states 1200!

Doctor J

lavasoft wrote: »

I have heard of some fake mij (navigator,bacchus,etc) brands floating around some auction sites I was thinking of buying a strat from one of these manufacturers but it's very confusing, as don't know how to tell the difference without holding one, i've seen some bacchus up for sale, but they had no logo and num ?
if anyone could shed some light on this I would be very grateful.

The ones with the Fender headstock on that Swiss fella's page? AFAIK they're real, they can't put their logo on a Fender headstock, simple as that.

lavasoft

they seem very cheap compared with some other sites, do they have a cheaper unbranded version? can these be bought direct, listening to people on here it seems I am missing out by not having one and I am stratless at the mo and love the idea of the slightly scallop top which give it the feel of being worn.
trouble is I've searched the interweb and anyone who has one love,s it and so on but I don't know what I should be paying for 1 or where to buy one the more I look the more confused I get and I'm ready to buy now:mad:

sei046

ArthurGuinness wrote: »

he told me he had bought it in 1990 in the states 1200!

Is this the lad, Brian i think? Gibson harcase and logo and all? 900 squids for a nineties one? sent pic by email i think

ArthurGuinness

Yes i think thats what his name was sent me two pics by email but didnt have it in the add that it was an epi i was shocked lol 900 for an epi. He has it in the add now tho. Poor Chap it was a 3pup one i think

Quattroste

lavasoft wrote: »

they seem very cheap compared with some other sites, do they have a cheaper unbranded version? can these be bought direct, listening to people on here it seems I am missing out by not having one and I am stratless at the mo and love the idea of the slightly scallop top which give it the feel of being worn.
trouble is I've searched the interweb and anyone who has one love,s it and so on but I don't know what I should be paying for 1 or where to buy one the more I look the more confused I get and I'm ready to buy now:mad:

If you want a Bacchus have a look on Ebay. There is a seller called Hisashi. I have just bought a Bacchus from him and am waiting on delivery. It's in the country at the moment so hopefully by tomorrow. He is very reputable when it comes to MIJ guitars.

Down with Fake Gibsons!

ArthurGuinness

Ok so ive never been a fan of fender the look of them etc but had never really played a proper one in-fact the closest I got was a squire. But I bought one off a guy (angel77) on adverts yesterday really only because I was getting it at a fantastic price €500 for a new 2008 fender strat American standard and I mean its NEW normally when you see new on an add you go ok! But this came with a receipt lol. He only bought it on the 7th of Aug. The plastic and stickers were still on it and the bag containing the lead, strap, whammy bar, polish cloth, manual etc etc hadn’t even been opened what a deal!. And even better I’m completely in love with it its one of the best ive ever played I can’t put it down I think I may be converted from Gibson to Fender and I have 3 Gibson’s at present. Any wayz I know this is off topic my apologies’ I just had to express my joy!

DOWN WITH FAKE GIBSONS & NOW FENDERS ALSO
TO HELL WITH IT DOWN WITH ALL FAKES!!!!!!!!!!!

EXCEPT BOOBS' I'M TOTALLY OK WITH IT IF THERE NOT REAL:cool:

lavasoft

Was that the candy cola one I thought that was a really good deal, coulden't understand why nobody was taking it. good luck with it either way.

ArthurGuinness

ya twas the candy cola. Cheers lava

lavasoft

Quattroste wrote: »

If you want a Bacchus have a look on Ebay. There is a seller called Hisashi. I have just bought a Bacchus from him and am waiting on delivery. It's in the country at the moment so hopefully by tomorrow. He is very reputable when it comes to MIJ guitars.

Had a look there today he doesen't have the model I'm after, I keep an eye out new stock comimg in.
Thanks for the heads up though.

ArthurGuinness

Hey guys whats the deal with these Bachus are they really not just the same copy gibson and fenders like Tokias etc heres one i was looking at on eBay http://cgi.ebay.ie/Bacchus-Universe-Series-BLS-700-LP-CSB-Flame-Top_W0QQitemZ320290976846QQihZ011QQcategoryZ2384QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD2VQQcmdZViewItem
to me just blatent rip off of the LP. Are they really that goo. Am i missing out

feylya

Do a search of this forum. All your questions will be answered

Quattroste

ArthurGuinness wrote: »

Hey guys whats the deal with these Bachus are they really not just the same copy gibson and fenders like Tokias etc heres one i was looking at on eBay http://cgi.ebay.ie/Bacchus-Universe-Series-BLS-700-LP-CSB-Flame-Top_W0QQitemZ320290976846QQihZ011QQcategoryZ2384QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD2VQQcmdZViewItem
to me just blatent rip off of the LP. Are they really that goo. Am i missing out

The problem with the one you have there Arthur (if that is your real name Bart Simpson) is that it is Chinese made. All of the Bacchus's purchased and raved about on here are generally, if not all, Japanese and cost over double what you are looking at. I can't recommend the Chinese versions as I have no experience with them.

ArthurGuinness

Bart Simpson? I dont get it.

darrenw5094

General rule with guitars:
Made in China = scrap
Made in Japan = top quality

Print that permanently into your brains and you will do great in life.