Fake Chinese Gibsons - My Story!

tBird · 2011-02-23T16:34:55+00:00

Following a previous thread about the fake Gibsons being manufactured in China I secretly went about searching for these Chinese suppliers on the Internet with the view of buying one for myself. I found on online trading portal called Tradetang and searched through the infinite listings of traders selling Fake Gibson Les Paul guitars of various kinds, colours, models, shapes (yes, they seem to be different from guitar to guitar) and styles. I will not reveal the trader's name since I know that there are South Africans who have bought from him as well since I have read their positive reviews about other items, so I will just tell my story in short. I saw pictures of this beautiful black Gibson Les Paul Custom going for 280USD (including case) and added this as a favourite. After communicating with the seller back and forth for a few days I was comfortable that I was dealing with an honorable dealer (not that I had honorable intentions when buying a fake in the first place) and he even sent me private pictures of the guitar. So I jumped in and placed an order and paid with my Master Card - No problem. Shipping added another 80USD and the item was shipped with EMS. I tracked the item as it made its way to South Africa and was delighted when I found a thing in my post box 3 weeks later to tell me to come and pick up my guitar. Paid another R290.00 for VAT at Customs and rushed home with my guitar. I cut away the excessive brown tape from the Styrofoam box and was really happy to see a brand new black Gibson case. I opened it and there it was - My black Gibson Les Paul Custom! Lets move forward 10 minutes! On closer inspection I quickly realized that the guitar was just a p[iece of sh**. From the pictures on the website it looked awesome but on close inspection it is absolutely clear that the thing is just rubbish: 1) The neck is connected at a slight angle to the body with the result that the lower E-string falls off the neck. 2) The entire guitar feels extremely cheap, there are inferior manufacturing details thoughout, the body is pitted in some places and not filled properly, the edges of the body of the guitar are so sharp so as to hurt your arm when you rest it on an edge. The bridge & tailpiece is rubbish and their anchors only go halfway into the body with 3mm of thread still visible, the frets are so sharp so as to cut your fingers, no though was given to the binding and frets hang over this, the logo is incorrect, the diamond-shaped inlay on the headstock is at the wrong angle, the list goes on and on and on! 3) Everything plastic is more "plastic" than normal. The plastic parts of the guitar feels and looks like the plastic used in the manufacturing of kitchen appliances and kids toys and are soft and malleable, really weird to handle. I mean the back pickup cover can be pushed in about a centimeter. 4) Oh yes, did I mention that the guitar came with a broken neck. There is a serious crack just behind the heel of the neck and if you pull on it the crack opens up to reveal a gaping wound all the way through. Now here's the thing - the case is in perfect condition and without a scratch so this guitar was clearly packaged with full knowledge of the broken neck. The dealer claims that the guitar was damaged during shipping and that it isn't his problem and that I should take it up with EMS - what crap! So, I've been had! And you know what - Good! I deserve it! In a perverse way it almost makes me feel good! It got what I deserved! They say a fool and his money are easily parted and I have to hang my head in disgust and recognize that I am such a fool. Here's some pics: Just thought I'd warn you!

Tonedef

A member of THIS forum?

StephenG

irrespective of what "upgrades" u plan on doing.. is it your intention to leave the fake Gibson logo on the headstock?? or will you remove it??? or does it remain a priority to you that the headstock says Gibson.???

IceCreamMan

wrote 3. If enough fake Gibson Les Pauls are in circulation, it will dilute the value of the real Gibson Les Pauls out there. Some other guy who forked out serious amounts of dough for his real Gibson LP might one day find that the guitar just didn't appreciate in value as the expectations were because people have lost faith in second hand Gibson LP's.

I disagree ..fakes of this ilk will increase the value of real gibsons....

fakes are part of society wether we like it or not .... the high moral ground taken by most here will just drive it deeper an the next ou wont say a word .... we need education as tbird has done to steer the rest of us away...tbird bought it ,its HIS money rest of us learnt from his school fees yet some okes still want to lynch him ...

lets get cleverer and educate not sermonise

guidothepimmp

X-rated Bob wrote
guidothepimmp wrote shees..

talk of being moral eh? what with so many willing to give bird some stick because he decided to waste your (oops.. correction).. his money on a cheap knock off.
I don't see any problem with questioning the morality of this rather murky tale or the motives behind it. My own initial inclination was to not get on too high a horse, but the story of the resale moves things into different territory.

If tBird was somehow trying to solicit advice here and then decides to go and hand the scammers more money for another fake and then sells a fake guitar on then expressions of astonishment and/or dismay seem not inappropriate.

x..agreed

while astonished at the apparent nonchalance of the OP making the same mess up twice.. i am equally astonished at the attention this thread has generated.

i wouldnt buy from this poster ever and i know how i would feel if i bought something only to find later on i was conned.. so.. i agree with deefstes.. if the OP sells this off as anything other than a fake.. he is as big a plonker as the guys who made it.

i just hope there is enough knowledge out there to stop this thing getting passed off as real.

im curious though why he didnt just get a vintage ibby with the lawsuit headstock. or as mentioned an epi. strange indeed. but if this is how he gets his kicks.. then whatever. as long as someone doesnt get burnt down the line

deefstes

tBird wrote Wow, this thread has grown beyond what I could have imagined!

Allow me to set the record straight against those of you are suggesting that I am selling the first fake for a profit and buying another fake from the proceeds - YOU'RE DEAD WRONG! I simply said that I was made an offer for the guitar for 3K which quite frankly surprised me!. A fellow forum member PM'd me and made me an offer! I simply mentioned it on the forum.

I have NO intentions of selling a fake guitar under false pretenses or any condition. I'll keep it and use it for parts or something or a wall decoration, like someone suggested here before!

I took a chance and paid for the shipping for a replacement simply because I still wanted this guitar to play around with. If I actually get it I will rip everything out and modify the hell out of the thing, just for fun - FOR MYSELF, and not with the intentions of selling it.

So please, get off your high and mighty thrones and just chill. If it was my intention to sell fake guitars at a profit do you think I would have posted this thread - Get Real!

Dude, you don't get it, do you? Not only is selling fake merchandise illegal but, and please pay attention now, BUYING FAKE MERCHANDISE IS ILLEGAL.

I'm not suggesting that you will break the law by selling a fake guitar to make a profit (or just to get rid of it). I'm suggesting that you have already broken the law by dealing with a known counterfeiter. Please read my earlier message a few posts back.

Jack-Flash-Jr

Tonedef

Jack Flash Jr wrote

Lol, I think we all needed that.

Warren

Jack Flash Jr wrote

Stand back! I gotta chainsaw!

Hammmumm mummm mmmmm mmmm.

deefstes

guidothepimmp wrotei agree with deefstes.. if the OP sells this off as anything other than a fake.. he is as big a plonker as the guys who made it.

I don't think you understood what I was saying. I'm not saying that this guy is a plonker if he sells it off as anything other than fake, I'm saying he is a plonker if he sells it off, full stop. Moreover, I assert that he is a plonker for buying the thing in the first place because he is driving a criminal industry.

Maybe his surprise at this thread growing beyond what he had imagined should be his first hint that others consider this to be a serious issue. Maybe he (and one or two others in here) are alone in thinking that it is an insignificant little fun exercise.

This thing about "it is his money and he can do with it what he wants" is, to put it prosaically, bullshit. Just as he can't go around buying cocaine or paying for hitmen with "his money", he can't go around buying counterfeit goods with his money.

tBird

Tonedef wrote A member of THIS forum?

Yes!

StephenG wrote is it your intention to leave the fake Gibson logo on the headstock?? or does it remain a priority to you that the headstock says Gibson.???

Don't be a fool! Of course it is my intention to keep the Gibson logo on. Why do you think I bought the thing? I could have bought any one of hundreds of guitars locally for this price.

I'll customize the hell out of it and fool everyone into thinking that I'm playing the real thing, which I will buy when I get that precious Telkom contract that I've been working on for months! Then I'll show you pictures of my REAL Custom!

StephenG

tBird wrote
Tonedef wrote A member of THIS forum?
Yes!

StephenG wrote is it your intention to leave the fake Gibson logo on the headstock?? or does it remain a priority to you that the headstock says Gibson.???
Don't be a fool! Of course it is my intention to keep the Gibson logo on. Why do you think I bought the thing? I could have bought any one of hundreds of guitars locally for this price.

I'll customize the hell out of it and fool everyone into thinking that I'm playing the real thing, which I will buy when I get that precious Telkom contract that I've been working on for months! Then I'll show you pictures of my REAL Custom!

and you call me the fool???? remind us again why you came onto this forum to post your story in the first place??

DonovanB

Wow. You're going to actually try keep this and try fool people into thinking its real?
Why bother playing guitar? Why not mime to backing tracks? Then post videos of your "REAL" playing online.

vic

tBird wrote
Tonedef wrote A member of THIS forum?
Yes!
StephenG wrote is it your intention to leave the fake Gibson logo on the headstock?? or does it remain a priority to you that the headstock says Gibson.???
Don't be a fool! Of course it is my intention to keep the Gibson logo on. Why do you think I bought the thing? I could have bought any one of hundreds of guitars locally for this price.

I'll customize the hell out of it and fool everyone into thinking that I'm playing the real thing, which I will buy when I get that precious Telkom contract that I've been working on for months! Then I'll show you pictures of my REAL Custom!

It's NOT ME...! :-[ ?

tBird

deefstes wrote
tBird wrote Wow, this thread has grown beyond what I could have imagined!

Allow me to set the record straight against those of you are suggesting that I am selling the first fake for a profit and buying another fake from the proceeds - YOU'RE DEAD WRONG! I simply said that I was made an offer for the guitar for 3K which quite frankly surprised me!. A fellow forum member PM'd me and made me an offer! I simply mentioned it on the forum.

I have NO intentions of selling a fake guitar under false pretenses or any condition. I'll keep it and use it for parts or something or a wall decoration, like someone suggested here before!

I took a chance and paid for the shipping for a replacement simply because I still wanted this guitar to play around with. If I actually get it I will rip everything out and modify the hell out of the thing, just for fun - FOR MYSELF, and not with the intentions of selling it.

So please, get off your high and mighty thrones and just chill. If it was my intention to sell fake guitars at a profit do you think I would have posted this thread - Get Real!

Dude, you don't get it, do you? Not only is selling fake merchandise illegal but, and please pay attention now, BUYING FAKE MERCHANDISE IS ILLEGAL.

I'm not suggesting that you will break the law by selling a fake guitar to make a profit (or just to get rid of it). I'm suggesting that you have already broken the law by dealing with a known counterfeiter. Please read my earlier message a few posts back.

You, the who have been preaching proper English here seem unable to grasp the simplicity of my message, that YOU quoted! Read it a few times and you might just get the idea.

I am NOT selling anything!

Tonedef

tBird wrote
Tonedef wrote A member of THIS forum?
Yes!

Interesting. Very interesting.

Don't be a fool! Of course it is my intention to keep the Gibson logo on. Why do you think I bought the thing? I could have bought any one of hundreds of guitars locally for this price.

Lol, so why didn't you? You seem so stuck on the idea that because it sez Gibson on it, the guitar is worth something.

IT'S NOT. IT'S A PIECE OF SHIT.

Oh looky! I made a Gibson-branded post!

This post is now OFFICIALLY the most awesome goddamn post in the history of the internets.

I'm gonna charge royalties to let you okes read it (As soon as I sort licencing out with Gibson USA). Oh, but wait, that sort of unethical behaviour is perfectly fine, isn't it? :?

I'll customize the hell out of it and fool everyone into thinking that I'm playing the real thing, which I will buy when I get that precious Telkom contract that I've been working on for months! Then I'll show you pictures of my REAL Custom!

Grow up. Nobody cares about your equipment. You have a piece of shit, you'll have a piece of shit after its modded, it will always be a piece of shit. Every note you play on it will whisper "Piece of shit" to you, and you'll know it inside.

Don't you have any self-respect whatsoever?

tBird

StephenG wrote
tBird wrote
Tonedef wrote A member of THIS forum?
Yes!

StephenG wrote is it your intention to leave the fake Gibson logo on the headstock?? or does it remain a priority to you that the headstock says Gibson.???
Don't be a fool! Of course it is my intention to keep the Gibson logo on. Why do you think I bought the thing? I could have bought any one of hundreds of guitars locally for this price.

I'll customize the hell out of it and fool everyone into thinking that I'm playing the real thing, which I will buy when I get that precious Telkom contract that I've been working on for months! Then I'll show you pictures of my REAL Custom!

and you call me the fool???? remind us again why you came onto this forum to post your story in the first place??

Read my first post! I admitted to being a fool - up front!

Read carefully! Read carefully! Read carefully! Read carefully!

Read carefully before you carry on blabbering!

AndrewD

but you plan to keep it as a counterfeit Gibson to fool people thus promoting the trade... thats as bad as the people who buy rhino horn powder and fuel the killing of rhinos... not cool dude.

Bob-Dubery

tBird wrote Don't be a fool! Of course it is my intention to keep the Gibson logo on. Why do you think I bought the thing? I could have bought any one of hundreds of guitars locally for this price.

I'll customize the hell out of it and fool everyone into thinking that I'm playing the real thing, which I will buy when I get that precious Telkom contract that I've been working on for months! Then I'll show you pictures of my REAL Custom!

And why would one believe them? We already know, because you've told us, that you are, for reasons known only to yourself, out to con people into thinking that you have the real deal.

Now having told us that you're going to post pictures of something shaped like a Les Paul and saying "Gibson" on the headstock and expect us to believe that it's the real deal.

That's the oddest thing I've seen yet in this thread.

tBird

AndrewD wrote but you plan to keep it as a counterfeit Gibson to fool people thus promoting the trade... thats as bad as the people who buy rhino horn powder and fuel the killing of rhinos... not cool dude.

You have the right to an opinion!

tBird

X-rated Bob wrote
tBird wrote Don't be a fool! Of course it is my intention to keep the Gibson logo on. Why do you think I bought the thing? I could have bought any one of hundreds of guitars locally for this price.

I'll customize the hell out of it and fool everyone into thinking that I'm playing the real thing, which I will buy when I get that precious Telkom contract that I've been working on for months! Then I'll show you pictures of my REAL Custom!
And why would one believe them? We already know, because you've told us, that you are, for reasons known only to yourself, out to con people into thinking that you have the real deal.

Now having told us that you're going to post pictures of something shaped like a Les Paul and saying "Gibson" on the headstock and expect us to believe that it's the real deal.

That's the oddest thing I've seen yet in this thread.

I don't actually understand what you're getting at!

I have posted pictures of my broken fake Gibson here for all to see.

When I have money I will buy a real Gibson Les Paul Custom and share pictures of that guitar with other forum members who owns real Gibsons in the "Gear" department.

Understand?

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