The real thing?

Vick

Hi there...
I got a offer from a guy 2 buy his 80's gibson lp for 4k...im gona go and take a look at it tomorow...

What do i have to look at to determine if its a fake or not? i have only playd 3 gibson lp's in my short life,and they were 90's and 00's models...so ja, help,plez? ? thanx

AlanRatcliffe

R4K sounds suspicious off the bat. Best thing is to go there and get the serial number and detailed pics of every detail. Then post them on the Les Paul Forum - some of those guys know every last detail by year and can spot a fake easily.

Bob-Dubery

Vick wrote Hi there...
I got a offer from a guy 2 buy his 80's gibson lp for 4k...im gona go and take a look at it tomorow...

What do i have to look at to determine if its a fake or not? i have only playd 3 gibson lp's in my short life,and they were 90's and 00's models...so ja, help,plez? ? thanx

That price sounds too good. It is possible that the guy doesn't know the value of what he's got, but check it out carefully.

Is it a complete guitar? (maybe there was small print to the effect of "no pickups")

What condition is it in?

Is actually a Gibson? I recall many years ago going to see a drum kit with a guy I was playing with at the time. The drums were a no-name brand with something about "Ludwig replica" stuck inside the bass drum. The seller was either very thick or thought we were - and tried to convince us that the set was one of Ludwig's "Rep-plicka" (that's how he pronounced it, with emphasis on the 2nd accent) line.

And I concur with Alan, take the serial number and, if possible, some photos and get it checked out. If the guy protests then he probably knows there's something unkosher about the axe.

aubs1

But then again, some people think R4K is one helluva lot of money if they bought it in the 80's for perhaps that same amount........I would race to go see this guitar, but yeah, does sound too good.......do take the advice of Alan and Bob..........

Remember Blues got a GT8 the other day for R800!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ?

[deleted]

(It was a GT-6. Blues saved it just before it turned to coal... ? )

Bob and Aubs are right - I have experience that not every seller knows exactly what he has, or its worth, and may be driven more by the price he/she originally laid out for it. The internet has, of course, substantially reduced the numbers of these witless sellers, but they do still exist. Still, yes, make sure the serial looks like it hasn't been tampered with, and, if they seller gives you time, check it out on some sites first.

DonovanB

I met a guy in durban who sold a 60's strat in good nick for R5k.... not everyone is clued up.

aubs1

Stratisfear wrote (It was a GT-6. Blues saved it just before it turned to coal... ? )

10,000 apologies.......was still a good price, heh? Hahahaha ?

[deleted]

Hahahaha, just yanking your chain, Aubs - that WAS still a fantastic price for it.

Keira-WitherKay

ok let me take another tack on this............

1. GO SEE THE GUITAR .............

2, IF YOU DON'T LIKE THE GUITAR REGARDLESS WHATS ON THE HEADSTOCK .... DON'T BUY IT

3. IF YOU LIKE THE GUITAR ...... BUY IT COS WE ALL KNOW THAT R4000 WILL NOT BUY YOU EVEN A CRAPPY SOUNDING REPLICA........ OF A LP SO IF THE GUITARS WHAT YOU LIKE....... EVEN IF IT'S A FAKE...... WHO CARES YOU GETTING A GUITAR THAT IS IN THE SHAPE AND SOUND OF WHAT YOU LIKE FOR A MERE R4000 WHICH IS NOTHING FOR EVEN AN INTERMEADIATE INSTRUMENT THESE DAYS.IF I SEE THE RUBBISH THEY SELLING FOR R8000 THESE DAYS ............

4. THEN GET IT AUTENTICATED....... AND IF IT'S A FAKE .. F@#K IT YOU GOT A COOL LOOKING GUITAR WHICH EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WILL THINK IS A LP .. SO IT'S GOT COOL FACTOR........ AND YEAH IT'S A NICE SOUNDING GUITAR ..........AND IF IT'S AN ORIGINAL... DAMN BOY YOU HIT JACKPOT.......... AND REVEL IN IT .......AND YOU'LL HAVE STORIES TO TELL ON FORUMS ABOUT IT FOR A LIFETIME........

SO YEAH AT THAT PRICE JUST BUY IT IF IT'S A GOOD ENOUGH GUITAR ..........WHO CARES WHATS ON THE HEADSTOCK ...THATS EITHER A BONUS OR NOT

COS TO ME THE SUCKERS ARE NOT THE ONES WHO BUY A FAKE FOR R4000 BUT THOSE WHO BUY THE FAKE FOR R12 000 OR MORE

PEACE AND LIGHT
KEIRA

Vick

:'( .....its a fake....and a very crapy one 2....crapy tone....no serial number...brige pup busted...im kinda disappointed....thanx for everyones input....vreede ?

mattayou

Report the guy! lets get him locked up!!!!

Banditman

Just one word of advice before posting on the Les Paul forum: some of the characters on there who hail from the YOO ESS AY can be utter prats & gear nazis when answering a post, especially if you go straight on asking if the guitar you're after is a fake or not. The reason being that there have been a few attempts by fakers posing as buyers, and who're obviously trolling for tips on improving their fakes.

Rather search and read up the threads dealing with fakery first, as you may just get an answer there without the aggro.

At least, Vick, you know the one you looked at is fake.