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How to Spot a Fake Gibson Guitar


March 31 2008. By: admin
There are a lot of fake Gibson guitars out there.
 
The majority of the Gibson counterfeits appear to originate from China. Many of these counterfeit instruments show up on auction websites like eBay. Some of these guitars don't represent themselves as the real thing  but rather as "copies" of popular models. However, some sellers are trying to fool the consumers by selling guitars that look like exact copies of the high end Gibson guitars. They feature trademarked headstocks and logos, but upon close inspection the guitars don’t feel or sound like a true Gibson, the serial numbers aren’t registered with Gibson, and most are not of good standard of quality overall.
 
Gibson advises all consumers to purchase Gibson instruments only from Gibson’s network of authorized dealers, found on the company’s website at www.gibson.com. However, if you still decide to look for a deal on eBay, here is the guide that may help you spot the fakes.
 
Note that counterfeiters move fast, and this guide may be outdated.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
To ensure the authenticity of a Gibson, consumers can check any of the references below when examining a guitar:

Measure the guitar to check that it’s not undersized. Correct measurements can be found on www.Gibson.com.

  • Examine headstock and headstock logo to determine that they match those of authentic Gibson guitars.
  • Check to see that all pearl is inlaid.
  • Check that Les Paul model script is always in cursive.
  • Verify that there’s not a three-screw truss rod cover.
  • Check the control and pickup cavities for sloppy routing or wiring.
  • Make sure the pickup cavity is not painted black inside.
  • Always ask for the Gibson Owner’s Manual and Gibson Warranty Inspection card.
  • Check the wiring. If it’s plastic it isn’t a true Gibson.
  • When all else fails, contact Gibson Customer Service at 1-800-4GIBSON.
Additional info for eBayers:
  • If the guitar is located in China or some other Asian country - it is likely counterfeit. No Gibsons are manufactured in China, all Gibsons are Made in USA. Gibson has satellite companies like Epiphone that manufacture overseas and are much less expensive.
  • The sellers sometimes state that the country of origin is China, apparently in a half hearted attempt to dispell that the guitars are real, even though they stamp "Made in USA" right on the guitars.
  • There are some subtle differences between the fake Les Pauls and the real thing. Look closely at the headstock front. Most of the fakes have a Gibson logo that is of a thicker font than the real Gibson logo and is aligned almost horizontally at the top of the headstock. The real Gibson logo is a thinner font and is angled with the G started near the post of the D string tuner. The real key is to look at the truss rod cover. Real Gibsons have a bell shaped truss rod cover with TWO screws. Every fake I've seen has a cover with a similiar shape but with THREE screws. Also, the copies of Les Paul Standards often say "Gibson" right on the truss rod cover, NO Les Pauls say Gibson on the truss rod cover, some Epiphone Les Pauls do but those aren't made in the USA and say Epiphone at the top of the headstock not Gibson.
  • Some fake guitars that are stamped with legitimate looking serial numbers but they don't always match the true manufacture years of the real Gibson guitars.
  • All high end Les Pauls come with nice Gibson cases, fakes rarely include a case.
  • Ask the seller - many of them will admit that the guitars are made in China, and remember, no Gibsons, especially those that say "Made in USA", are made in China.
Pictures of authentic and fake guitars:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“We will continue to do everything in our power to protect our consumers and the integrity of our family of brands,” says Henry Juszkiewicz, Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar. “We hope that by issuing this warning our consumers will be armed with the right information to protect themselves and understand what they need to do to ensure that what they are purchasing is indeed an authentic Gibson instrument.”
 

To report incidents, consumers should file a police report, and may also visit http://www.ic3.gov/.

For questions about a guitar’s authenticity, contact the Gibson Customer Service team at service@gibson.com or 1-800-4GIBSON.
 
You can send pictures of Guitars that you suspect to be fake to fakes@fakenot.com