FAKE Gibson Les Paul | They Are Getting Better at Faking

[@barrytaylor3097]

A 100% sure way to test for a real Gibson is to remove the truss rod cover. The truss rod adjustment is Alan Key in the fake guitar and a nut type end requiring the socket type spanner usually supplied with the original Gibson. I have had to check this method a couple of times when offered to buy a “genuine custom Gibson” which turned out a fake using this method. When hundreds of dollars are at risk you need to be certain.

[@HealthyGuitarPlayer]

Thanks this put my mind at ease I just a les paul special for 500 and that seemed to good a price to be true but I saw the nut earlier and it's how you described it has amazing action

[@hadtodoit2647]

Type in $4,500 chibson part one and two

[@charleswaldon8362]

The nut can be deceptive if an older model

[@markdignam3525]

Kennis I have lived in Asia for over a decade now, and as soon as I saw the first picture, I said "fake". I've played guitar for 50 years. Can't tell you how many there are over here, but for each one Gibson (I mean real one) there are probably ten Chibsons. No kidding. The first thing I saw is the control knobs. They are more realistically located than a few yeas ago, but still not in the right place. For the older versions, the knob closest to the tailpiece was actually above it (that is, closer to the cutout) and at least they have got it partly correct. The pickups are extended too far from the front of the body. Okay, the owner can adjust them but it is a common issue with Chibsons and it looks TOO out of place. You are obviously correct with the bridge screwheads. The tailpiece itself does not look like a Gibson. It looks rather tinny. The three way switch you mention is the wrong colour (it is too plain white) and the writing is also not the same colour as with most Gibsons. It is hard to say from a few photos, but it does not seem to be located precisely where the Gisbon switch is. Agreed that the tuner spacing isn't right, but in this case, they are really, really not right and I don't think I've seen such wonky tuners on a real Gibson. Stamping on the back of the headstock is not located in the right place and agree, looks badly pressed. Also some fakes are inked in, which Gibson does not do. The horns are not the correct shape - the real Gibsons tend to be slightly peaked at the points, and it has not had the two pieces added (though I have to say, I have seen some that are hard to pick). No evidence of a scarf joint, yet again, they are not always visible in photos. Further, the black paint on the side edge of the headstock is too think - that is, look at it from the side. The black section should be much thinner than the stained wood part. Another thing to check - the input jack. If it is plastic, it is fake. Also check the angle of the headstock. Chibsons often have a lesser angle to the neck. The binding can also give fake away. Check if the binding caps the fretwire. Again I can't easily see from the photos but I am pretty sure it isn't right. Next, take the backplate off to check out the control pots and wiring. On a Chibson, it is nearly always very messy, the pots look cheap and the wiring is also nasty and very thin. The internal space is typically poorly finished. If you open up a real Gibson, there will be "gibson" marked on the pot/s and generally the backing plate (Chibsons often don't have a backing plate at all). However, I've seen a few real Gibsons with pretty badly finished internals. You can also look up the serial number though the fakers are getting better at this. They used to be a dead give-away. The name "Gibson" on the headstock looks fake to me as it is too think and seems to be painted on. Next, the truss rod cover is definitely fake. Look at the location of the screw at the top. If is too far below the bottom two tuners. Check a real Gibson - it is pretty obvious. In conclusion, that guitar is fake. 100% sure. It is not the best fake I've ever seen but also not the worst. Going back over a decade or more the Chibsons were just hopeless. Never intonated, necks were often out of shape, fretwire a mess giving fret buzz all the time, electrics were often wrongly wired (that is, the tone and volume controls were in the wrong places or they sometimes did not work at all) and the necks were often not fitted correctly.

[@thexfactor9999]

The binding doesn't always go over the frets on a gibson. My 2019 sg hp has fret over binding.

[@Eagleburger90]

Two tributes I have , have plastic output jacks.

[@eddiejr540]

You are dead right sir...the only other thing I saw that looked wonky was the les paul gold silk screen on the headstock looked way too high...should have been closer to the truss rod cover...but you nailed everything....good job!!!

[@PicksPaints]

The Serial number on real Gibsons are pressed in BEFORE the nitro paint goes down. The fakes are done AFTER the finish has been applied. That's the MAJOR difference. Gibson glues the wings on the headstock. Not to mention the headstock shape is different on the fake. The sides of the headstock on a real Gibson come up closer in height with the top of the mustache with more upturn and sharper points. Another thing to take notice of is the cutaway. On the fakes, they tend to be lazy (larger radius) and generally look more rounded on the horn. Where Gibson cutaways have a tighter radius and are a bit sharper. The caveat on the cutaway is year. There are a few years especially in the late 70's where Gibson did a slightly wider radius on the cutaway. The pickup rings on a Les Paul are radiused to the body to fit over the carve like a glove. Many of the fakes don't take the time and effort to shape the rings properly to fit. And yes, you can immediately tell the 3 way is the wrong one. The collar on a Gibson 3 way is a very low profile. This one is protruding up from the body way too far. One other thing... I couldn't quite make out but it looked like there was a heel cap glued on the back of the neck. That is something you will NEVER find on a real Gibson. And finally you're likely to NEVER find a Chibson with binding nibs over the ends of the frets. That's not always a dead giveaway, because of refrets, and certain years and models Gibson didn't do binding nibs, but it is definitely worth looking at and researching to help determine real from fake.

[@BadAssHammer]

I have a known Chibson LP that I purchased for a project (Jimmy Page #2 replica) and the serial number is six digits away from the one in the video. 😆

[@PicksPaints]

One other thing to look for is late 1977 to 2014 and post 2019 is learning how to read a Gibson serial number. YDDDYPPP(P) 83641399 this example was made 1981 364th day(Dec 30) and would've been made in Kalamazoo (0-499 was Kalamazoo 500-999 was Nashville). Y1 is the tens year Y2 is the ones DDD is day of the year, and will NEVER exceed 366. If you see a serial number DDD read higher than 366 immediately question the authenticity. From 2014-2018 the serial numbers changed to YYPPPPPPPP, and are almost impossible to decipher sans the year model.

[@schenker7559]

The body/horn shape is the dead giveaway for me, before I notice anything else.

[@tynjynwynjyn1466]

First thing I noticed as well.

[@Dick_Dynamite]

Riggggght

[@iggyward]

It's known as a Lazy cutaway,

[@robertt6430]

So they can't fix this ?

[@The-11]

This is why I bought my Gibson from a reputable local shop. There are just too many fakes out there!

[@kennisrussell]

Not a bad idea.

[@JoeKyser]

Always pay attention to how spot fakes. There are a number of ways even reputable shops can make mistakes. Maybe I watch too much youtube but it's not fool proof by just buying from a reputable dealer. It helps for sure. Probably raises the odds enough I get it but my guess is it's not a fool proof way to know you have the legit thing. Authenticating guitars are not my thing but I am involved in the trade of other highly faked things and I wish reputable dealers always were right with their decisions when buying. I know they are not though

[@qua7771]

To me, the fakes are obvious. The Asian plastics and hardware are a dead giveaway. None seem to have a nitro finish or fret edge binding. They look like rebranded Epiphone's. To produce a convincing replica, the cost involved in making it would not be worth doing. Well built replicas can have better construction than Gibsons, using rare tone woods. These are expensive and purpose built, typically to '59 specs. That's not the case with the cheap imported fakes. Most of the fakes I have seen have Epiphone pickups.

[@Jihadbearzwithgunz]

@@JoeKyser this is true unless they are getting them from gibson directly. If they are going through other suppliers then I could definitely see that happening.

[@JoeKyser]

@@Jihadbearzwithgunz it happens for sure, they try out new distributors ect. I've seen it happen in other industries.

[@thexfactor9999]

The greenish tint to the tuning keys along with the washers size on the machine heads are usually a good indication also. Either that or they installed cheap aftermarket machine heads.

[@F-Andre]

its the same on my Epiphone. And that one is real

[@jstrat121]

My theory is that the Chibsons are actually made in the Epiphone factory........the pickups in my one Chibson that I own are stamped “ Epiphone” inside.It plays and feels very good...as good as my Epiphones.I also own two Gibson Les Pauls,2 Gibson Explorers , a Flying V and an SG....all “ real”. I have put a label inside the electronics cavity that says “ This is a fake/ Chibson guitar....NOT for re-sale”. I bought it as a “ beater guitar” and I have NO intentions of ever selling it.

[@michaelcosta7235]

Your theory is no good. Gibson owns the Epiphone factory in China, it is not a multi-manufacturer facility like Cort.

[@malcolmadams2105]

No but they do use epiphone electronics.

[@J.Burrough]

“Epiphone” branded pickups, all styles are either bootleg or fakes coming from china. Just look at ‘wish’ app- they’re all over it. Who really knows what’s up with anything {except- being true authentic} coming from China.

[@OddTimeMan]

@@michaelcosta7235 Epiphones have been made in MANY different factories over the years. The serial number says it all. Korea I = Saein U = Unsung S = Samick P or R = Peerless K = Korea F = Fine C = Korea China MR = CHINA DW = DaeWon EA = Gibson/QingDao EE = Gibson/QingDao MC = Muse SJ = SaeJung Z = Zaozhuang Saehan BW = China Japan No letter or F = FujiGen J or T = Terada Czech Republic B = Bohêmia Musico-Delicia Indonesia CI = cort indonesia SI = Samick Indonesia

[@michaelcosta7235]

@@OddTimeMan that has zero to do with what I said.

[@jean-francoisremillard9513]

Thanks for that! I hate Chinese companies that make fakes. They deserve no respect whatsoever. Yes, China can make quality instruments in which case, they should be proud of putting their own logo like Shijie does. I am so happy I bought my LesPaul Standard back in 2008 before all this s**t.

[@Ahuntrgw2013]

Good on you, sir! I agree that they deserve no respect. Having said that: 1.) I have had a nice Epiphone LP that was made in china and has lasted this long (2001 - 16/12/22) and a Peavey “Grind” six-string bass, both were made in China, both have lasted through a little bit of playing and much traveling; 2.) I still look at the various online music merchandise sites for things like PRS’s etc., made in Indonesia is okay with me, but made in china? NO THANK YOU! Biggest beef with that: they gave us the “virus” etc. and wrecked economies across the world, so those communist governments / countries can p@$$ off as far as I’m concerned! 🤬 I’ll just save my money for something REALLY made in the USA.

[@stevevallance6326]

I don’t want to see anyone ripped off. I bought a 2020 chib, and it is a nice guitar for 248$. But, in comparison to my Les Paul, it’s lacking. It’s not nitro, and to me, the Gibson acorn truss rod is the giveaway. I’m 60, and if I would have had access for the money, at 15, I would have cherished it beyond anything.

[@s.a.2317]

If no cracks develop or the headstock is still on the guitar, could be a fake.

[@BeauregardHall]

HAHAHAHA. Daaaaaamn son.

[@Win7ermu7e]

If it stays in tune for 5 seconds it's a fake.

[@808Geoff]

Interesting conundrum, on the one hand people need to know what to look for to avoid ending up with one of these, On the other hand, we are helping them to improve the fakes, The knubs on the fret ends being a case in point. That was the first thing I looked for after the colour of the fingerboard.

[@cacornett58]

They know all the details, they just put little things different to try and stay out of trouble. I'm sure they had a real one to go by. I mean that's easy to do.

[@madkeysfilms]

I remember a certain store on London selling fake Les Paul guitars in the late 1960’s

[@michaelcosta7235]

Headstock shape is a easy giveaway. They always pin route it wrong.

[@JoeKyser]

I resell shoes and it's the same thing in that market. The lengths they have gone to match the real thing are long. It seems like it's the same story with guitars. That's awesome you make videos like this

[@kennisrussell]

Thanks. I bet it’s the same with shoes. Anything that can be faked for dollars and sold for hundreds will happen. I bet you could spot a fake pair of shoes in seconds. I would not be able to. That is why I make these videos because some people don’t know.

[@JoeKyser]

@@kennisrussell Which is true. I handle so many Jordans its not funny. Hundreds and hundreds a year. In my hands and personal with them. Right away I can tell when things are different or off. These things are things that 99.9% of the people out there will not pick up and cant tell. I have had shoes in my hand that I knew for a fact were not real and looked so close to the real thing that it would even fool authentication at respectable places. Ive had it happen. I have bought from reputable sites that you pay a premium for authentication and they have got it wrong. It wasn't just one place it was all the big players. Now the odds are probably low but I cant deny it happened because it did. These places all had no return policies but I was able to initiate a return every time I picked one out and was able to get my money back with no fight, hence proving I was right. Ive told people they had fake items before and they don't believe me. They try and argue sometimes. That could be maybe because they were the seller and trying to see if they could fool me. Who knows. Its strange world, especially if you get dipped, things can get stranger. People are not honest. People want to be honest and for the most part try to be honest but there are a large majority of people who will lie even if its by omission. I have never been into buy and sell guitars. I just fixed them and just now getting into building them. I can see a correlation in the industry compared to others though. Consumers are consumers. If there are people out there buying guitars, new or used, they better educate themselves. The worst thing you can do is rely on someone else. I saw a comment that said well I buy from a reputable dealer. Makes me think about the times I spent thousands with reputable dealers and got fakes. Fakes that could have fooled most people. Good thing I know better

[@dspellman2002]

I often wonder why these fakes are still easily spotted. They certainly have the capability to make an accurate copy and the hardware on a real Gibson is actually pretty cheap to buy, especially in bulk. One conspiracy theory is that Gibson quietly encourages these not-quite-accurate fakes to depress the used market, forcing would-be-buyers to buy a new Gibson rather than taking a chance on a used version. Since Gibson makes no money on resold *real* Gibsons, this would be a slightly underhanded marketing tactic to increase new sales.

[@Colhogan06]

I would bet there are two reasons why they make them like they do. The first one is they make it sort of obvious so they can claim they are not trying to copy them exactly. I'm not sure if that matters since they are putting the Gibson name on it but if some court ended up ruling that it was ok because it was obviously a fake they would be one step closer to being legal. Kind of like when Jerry Fallwell sued Larry Flint because of the cartoon he printed implying he did some lewd act with his mother, or some dumb thing like that. The court ruled in favor of Larry Flint saying that it was obviously a joke and wasn't intended to be a true statement. So who knows about that one, the second is and probably will be the cost. If they save alot they will keep doing it as poorly as they can with getting away with it.

[@zone47]

I'll bet the Chinese watch these videos and say: Oh! thank for tips we try harder next time!!

[@ΟΟύτις]

That's what I thought too.

[@bandninkasimusic6484]

Funny!

[@eathanstraker2691]

China have their own version but still Doesnt stop china for trying but.. KZbin access is blocked in China! Sorry to burst your bubble

[@motherlovinsnuffstar]

"Me Chinese, me play joke. Me put pee pee in your Coke!"

[@Riazor1370]

Or why won"t we buy the entire company outright itherwisw? That happened sevdral times before.

[@ejpurkis]

The position of the switch cover on the back looks off. Also, the spacing of the pots is unconvincing.

[@chadwickhurlburt6529]

Other things to look for: Check the bridge and make sure it isn't an Epi bridge, check the shape of the neck heel. Epi heels are shaped like a box with rounded corners, Gibsons are fully rounded. Check under the truss rod cover to be sure it is an authentic Gibson truss rod. If it adjusts with an allen key, it's fake. Take out the neck pickup, is the top a veneer? If there isn't an actual maple cap, it's fake (does not apply to goldtops or black beauty finishes). While the pickup is out, look at the internal joint were the neck is attached to the body. It should be neat and clean inside. If it's a nasty mess with gaps in the joint, it's fake. Also, if the pickup is an Epi pickup, it's fake. Open up the control cavity and have a look. It you see small-size pots and the wood is messy inside, it's fake.

[@meclazine]

Thank you highlight upgrades we need for make guitar in Ghuangzhou. We now make better Gibson for America buyer.

[@WW-1995]

Lmao

[@iggyward]

pickup surround screws are flat head on Gibson, dome head on Chibsons, watch out the sellers put pics of real Gibsons on their sites and that's one way to tell, plus the cutaway just dosen't look as carefully cut as on a genuine Gibson.

[@daleonov]

Great video! Also, 1. Frets are going over the binding on this guitar, on real gibsons fret edges stop where binding starts, totally different design. Unless it's a refret. 2. It usually says just "Standard" on a truss rod cover in a funny font. But maybe there were truss rod covers like that one too, not sure.

[@Aceroxx02]

The fret nibs are usually a standard on legit Gibsons, yes, but some years they actually put the frets over the binding. And many of the fakes now put the fret end nibs too. So going by that isn't a telltale sign really.

[@dspellman2002]

Gibson has been putting frets OVER binding on a lot of their guitars for several years now, including the one that the Chibson is copying. They made a big announcement about it at the time, as if it were a vast improvement that they were introducing.

[@Aceroxx02]

@@dspellman2002 Not what I was saying. Fret nibs on Gibsons go back a long time. But in recent years, there were models they removed them from and put the frets over the binding. Then they went back to traditional binding over the frets. Look it up.

[@ctcards2636]

@@Aceroxx02 Those nibs show up on the fakes too. So thats not always a way to find out if its a fake. You really need to look at more than just one thing to tell. Because they are indeed getting better and better with fooling people. THese as i mentioned above use to be a joke and now... not so much and the easy accessibility of them in recent times is def a cause for concern on this issue getting even more out of hand.

[@somebodyelseuk]

Truss rod cover. Gibson never puts Les Paul on it when the words appear on the head. The body is the wrong shape. Back plates wrong colour... I'd go as far to say thats a Chinese Tokai that's had the head refaced.

[@sweettoof9002]

The logo is never on the right angle. The bridge is never right, metric sized. The horn is the wrong shape, and the truss rod cover is never right. Just a few things to look for.

[@jimmyjames2022]

Nice alignment on those machine heads, lol. They kinda gave up at that point didn't they. There's so many things wrong with this but there are tons of people that will buy it thinking it's real and that sucks. Glad you are on the fight against this BS!

[@User-gfys-0icu81]

Your comment aged poorly. If you are buying a guitar, you better do your homework on it first. If you get scammed, thats on you. You are responsible for your own due diligence.

[@jimmyjames2022]

@@User-gfys-0icu81 I never buy online, always try before buy, so never get scammed. Thanks anyway.

[@frantisca]

Hi Kennis: also the plastic covers on the back are brown on the originals. Not white… I could not see it from the pics, but the binding goes over the fret edges on original Gibbies.

[@chucklee2995]

Cool Rene,, not all real Gibson's have binding over the frets, there are a few different models that do not, Google it and look it up, you would probably be shocked

[@frantisca]

@@chucklee2995 Yep, agreed some rare models/years don’t.

[@barryengle12666]

Yeah, that truss rod cover is absolutely not what Gibson does. Only the Custom is the only regular guitar which has which model of Les Paul it is stamped on the cover, all others say "Standard" or "Deluxe" alone.. obviously the special run guitars have their own, but this truss rod cover was the first thing I saw that told me it was fake. The back plates too, no white ones

[@andrewmuelleranantababaji8073]

It's about way instrument plays in your hand than the label, I have unbranded strat great neck and I added full tone brass tremolo block, roller saddles, tusq nut ,roller strings trees, and locking tuners sounds play so good I'm not even nodding pickups now happy. Guy at upscale guitar shop guy told me should put a label but, not into

[@StudioBeast7575]

Something else to note. les Paul on the headstock, the lines are all the same widths real gibson it varies in width.

[@michaelsablan8772]

Right away, I see the open book profile is not crisp and the inlays are not lined up well.

[@michaellittlewood3032]

I learned much today. Thank you. Important for sure.

[@lesthegreat]

Its the word standard that would get me thinking. And yes my Gibson head stock has different wood glued to the sides

[@Morthwyl]

Personally, I think it’s time for guitar manufacturers to include anti-forgery practices. For example, holograms or track and trace of serial numbers

[@User-gfys-0icu81]

That already exists, even then. PRS’s come with a COA, now. Personally, i buy chibsons, i love them. A $220 guitar that i can mod into oblivion. Plus, mine is a LPC silver burst with FLAMEtop. Ask gibson to make one. 😂😂😂😂

[@rickwiggins283]

On the question of why aren't they learning faster to make better copies is they don't really need or want to. These Chicom shop/factory owners are shrewd businessmen. They have highly honed profit margin models. They only need to make it close enough to satisfy X amount of buyers or fool X enough people to sell the quantity of guitars they can make. If spending the time & money to have PERFECT headstock wings, truss rods, electronics, tuners, fretboard nibs, bridges, maple caps, etc adds $500 and doubles their cost and that turns away 75% of potential buyers who don't know anything about those details that reduces their aggregate profits. With exceptions of select high value fakes they simply don't need or want to make perfect copies.

[@darphbobo55]

Thank you for this series it’s really good and helpful!!

[@VintageDefectors69]

I feel like the headstock shape and maybe the logo are what would tip me off if I were tipped off at all. It just doesn't look like most of the ones I've seen (I don't think standards ever had such low horns in any era. In the 70s they were higher than normal even) I think I'd realize the bridge screw relatively soon after, but I forget to look for that a lot when looking at them.

[@Foxonian]

A Real Gibson wouldn't say "Les Paul Standard" on the truss rod cover. It would just say "Standard". It's the one thing that all the Chibsons screw up on, because only some Chinese made Epiphones have that type of truss rod cover.

[@mikepj1025]

Hey man, to the best of my knowledge, real Gibson’s only use black cavity covers on back. Not white.

[@gibsonvos5120]

Mike PJ10 depends on the model. LesPaul Custom SG’s have cream rear covers

[@yakacm]

Chibsons also usually have really nice veneers on them, which gives them away as you have to pay a boat load of dough to have a nice top on a real Gibson. The thing is, you can get a piece of nicely figured veneer for a few $, so for them to fit a veneer to a chibson costs next to nothing.

[@dbvetter7485]

I can tell right away from the back, the pot electronics cover - the screws aren’t in the center of each of the four sides. They are offset slightly. The treble and bass lettering on the poker chip should be gold not black. And of course the serial number being routed not pressed.

[@michelgiachino5887]

WE ALL KNOW, TODAY, THAT GIBSON doesn't mean quality anymore. Broken necks are numerous... ASIA is the future, because owning the best Woods, and talentuous craftsmen. I bought deliberately a ES335 STARSHINE, 5 years ago, I play everyday, it never gets out of tune... Thanks to China, the price allowed me to get to my '' dream guitar''

[@jonnorris4204]

Open the back cavity and look at the wiring/pots.

[@marceloevera2009]

they have gibsons really close to the originals... on ebay theres a seller that has a kit and the headstock has wings and all...

[@marceloevera2009]

i was about to buy one unfinished body and neck from this guy and have the other parts from ebay.. you can build one for less than a thousand....even the headstock overlay (oem) i found.

[@marceloevera2009]

www.ebay.com/itm/New-project-electric-guitar-kit-with-maple-top/202950653043 this seller would build a LP for me the way i wanted...then i decided to buy an orville by gibson from japan.

[@marceloevera2009]

www.ebay.com/itm/New-project-electric-vintage-58-s-guitar-kit-with-flame-maple-top-2-3cm-by-CNC/193403057927?hash=item2d07b87707:g:FXoAAOSwbI9eAgmL

[@darklinkduck2275]

Don’t need to Gibson never used white pick up covers.

[@WalkenDead]

The first thing that caught my eye was the color of the tuning keys. I will admit to owning 2 Chibsons, the SG I have came with tuners like that and I guess it's supposed to look aged, but it fails miserably

[@thewatcher1120]

By purchasing known fakes, you are happily supporting the theft of intellectual property which the Chinese have been doing for years! Don’t forget, the Chinese are good at replicating and duplicating, not innovating, and this is one of the reasons that millions of American jobs have been lost. Good old American design, innovation and know how went into Gibson guitars, that is why they have been going for over 100 years. What was the only original thing to come out of China? Gunpowder, and we know what good that did to the world!

[@julienmorand5525]

I own a 2015 custom shop Gibson ES-339 made in Memphis and there are no laminated wings on either side of the headstock, so my guess is it's may be plausible a custom shop les paul may not have them as they may have used a wider piece of wood for the headstock.

[@famousvoiceimitator]

Thanks for the tips on identifying real and fake Gibson guitars dude.

[@baileypawsplays1047]

I don't understand the allure of buying this fake trash. Unless your sole intent is to try to scam someone. They play like garbage, the pickups inside of them are worth like $5 the wiring is horrible. The neck and frets are all jacked... Everything is just so bad about it. For the same price or slightly more you can get a Real Epiphone Les Paul that plays wonders around these things right out the box.. I've played a few of these chibsons. 1 in particular that had a lot of neck/fret work done...new nut and switched out gibson burstbuckers, wiring, and orange drop caps. + real grover tuners switched out. This guy spent like 700$ on this thing after all the work and parts... whats the point at the point? Idk... to each their own i guess. Happy 4th of July! 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲 all the way!

[@kennisrussell]

Happy 4th to you too. I 100% agree. Especially if you plan on upgrading. You are just upgrading to what an epiphone already is.

[@lucbos7516]

I have 4 Chibsons and they are totally awesome Fretbinding One piece mahogany Ebony fretboard You name it It's so much fun to upgrade I sold my 2800 euro goldtop because i liked the Chibsons better

[@markburrows1179]

I intentionally purchased fake Gibson and Fender guitars simply because imitation is the highest compliment. Sort of like having a print of a famous painting, everyone knows it is not real but it is still appealing to the eye. Besides I just turned 65 and decided to take up guitar for the first time. Why would I spend thousands on the real thing and on a pension to boot? They do the job as I muddle through my lessons. It's for my own personal enjoyment and not to impress others or feed my ego. Whether or not my fake does or does not stack against the real deal is redundant.

[@eddiejr540]

Kennis...good eye...it is so wrong to try to pass a fake as the “real thing”...great work!!!

[@kennisrussell]

Thanks

[@joetheman74]

The Gibson logo on the headstock does not have the typical outline that develops in the finish around the inlay. Also the truss rod cover is wrong for a standard of that year. Even if it did come with one like that the font is too thick and bold. This is a common mistake made on fakes but can't be used as the only tell as someone may replace a lost truss rod cover with an aftermarket replcament. The wings and serial are a good tell though and the bridge is obvious. As for the switch and poker chip the over seas guitars switch protrudes more where a real USA Gibson it is slightly more recessed. Pickup rings are also usually taller on fakes.

[@malcolmadams2105]

That is the slash model colors without the top hat 🎩 headstock. Chibson

[@williambrotherton9388]

The open book head shape is incorrect.

[@wesleybecker834]

I was thinking of that too. This one is routed, the groove is pretty round, while on Gibsons it's a perfect, pointy V, like it's been filed with a triangular file.

[@7GabriEl7FM7]

Thank you so much for your help! I had to like & subscribe with the note bell ringed! Keep on doing the good work!🍻💯🙌🏼

[@jamesbuchanan1641]

On the back Gibson rarely uses white/cream cover plate for the pots and switches. It’s pretty much always black

[@onlywhenprovoked]

I recently bought two usa made les pauls off reverb, a 2007 BFG model and a 2014 futura model. Most of why I chose them was price but also I figure these are two oddball limited runs that no one would bother faking. The 2014 has a 120th anniversary inlay on the 12th fret and it used to have robo tuners. You can see where someone got impatient when removing it, stripped a scew and rotated the whole mechanism to get it off.. leaving a circular mark on the finish, and screw holes where it once sat. If thats a fake then they get bonus points for creativity.

[@kennisrussell]

That’s a good way to buy. You know for sure.

[@fongy200]

That's a great point Ken. The Imperial / Metric differences are a dead giveaway. If you have good quality pictures of the guitar your buying or if you are on the spot always remember Gibson USA use an Imperial size the Asian imports tend to almost always use metric, if you can memorise the screw sizes on the pick up surrounds and the height adjustment screws that will tell you if it's authentic. I know it's best to write the information down it may save you a lot of money one day. Nice one Ken, God bless.

[@arthurblackhistoric]

I had to retire from performing after 50 years of playing guitar. My hands just don't work any more, to the point where I can't even eat with cutlery! Anyway, I'm gonna re-learn all my slide guitar licks and tricks I used to bang out easy as pie back in the 1970s when I was in an Allman Brothers-type band. I haven't played slide since 1975. so I've really got my work cut out for me, that's for sure! Now I made my rep and my notoriety playing Epiphone Sheratons since I jumped into the music scene full-time in 1997. Prior to that I just played cheap Asian-made ES-335 copies that I set up to play really well. But I wanted to be taken seriously as a pro muso so I bought the first black Epiphone Sheraton ever sold in Australia to kick off my professional career. But even with my playing what is an awesome looking guitar, I still ran afoul of the American guitar owners who, to a man, were all complete snobs. They'd even leave the room, en masse at jam sessions when I got up to play my Epiphone, in a very obvious and arrogant way. One of the guys who used to walk out with them was a complete dickhead who owned a $5,500 Buddha hand-wired, point-to-point-wired full tube amp so he could suck and blow his mouth organ through it. Now the truly ironic thing about the regular walkouts was that I could play rings around those losers . . and one of them even used to constantly pick my brain for tips on how to play the classic Blues songs! Before I arrived on the scene everyone musta been playing the same old songs all the time. I rocked up and immediately introduced them all to Hoochie Coochie Man, Suzie Q, Walking By Myself, Stormy Monday, and plenty more, all of which this dude didn't know how to play. I even suggested a cool name for his band when they had to change it, which they adopted straight away. Whenever I did show up with one of my Gibsons, they all wanted to be my friend, so I turned my back to them and walked away! That, I believe, was the right thing to do. So, why am I writing all this? To aid in my comeback I purchased, for $300 each, a pair of fake Gretsches. They've been made, to the best of my investigations, in one of the Chinese factories where they make both Epiphone and Gretsch guitars for the Asian market, and for the rest of the world via Ebay. They have 16" bodies, center blocks, the Gretsch thumbnail fingerboard markers, the deluxe step tuners, gold hardware, tune-o-matic adjustable bridges, a Chinese Bigsby, the Gretsch version of the F-holes, the same pickups as are found in the Epiphone Rockabilly guitars as well as in the Chinese made Gretsches, and best of all, the necks join the bodies at the half-way point between the 19th and 20th frets!! That's perfect for a guy with gorilla hands that don't work well at all. They even have a small headstock plate that says "The White Falcon". Now, no one is gonna mistake them for REAL White Falcons . . and that's the whole point of why I got 'em. Gretsch are the most unplayable guitars in the dusty area of the neck, every bit as bad as the Epiphone Casino, with all those un-reachable frets because they fit the necks to the bodies too far in. To compound that, the Gretsch neck-body join further frustrates me, by further reducing the number of frets I can reach. My guitars, just like my Epiphones, allow me full access to every fret. If anything, they're Grepiphone White Falcons. I can't wait to see the stampede when I pull out "The White Falcon" and get to playing it in front of those snobs.

[@DragNetJoe]

One piece headstock instead of glued on wings...arguably one thing better than real.

[@OddTimeMan]

Gibson calls them "wings" on the body (like on the Firebird and Thunderbird models), and "ears" on the headstock.

[@midlifemotox]

Judging from the way the tuning pegs line up, I'm questioning if the fakes aren't better constructed..

[@ziggylayneable]

Those mint green tuning pegs, that horrible job of a headstock.The cutaway on the bottom looks a bit off too(I can't be sure of that last one,it depends on the angle of the photograph).

[@wiseguy9202]

I picked up on the tuning keys to. None of my Gibsons are that green. Also did you notice the verbage on the truss rod cover? I've never owned or seen one that says, 'Les Paul Standard'. None of mine ever did anyway.

[@hozzer68]

If you are not sure always ask to see the truss rod, it should have a nut not an Allen wrench slot. The black on the headstock is a veneer not painted, this makes it look like the nut is slightly below the level of the face of the headstock

[@kennisrussell]

You are right.

[@hozzer68]

Kennis Russell, I think when it comes to spotting fakes there are some good ones that make it more difficult, but when you can identify as many tell tale signs as you can it all helps, the more you know what to look for the easier it gets. Keep up the education, if it helps one person not get ripped off it’s worth it, 👍

[@yakacm]

There will be ppl who have bought a 2nd hand chibson, who will be totally oblivious, and it will be their favourite guitar, something they cherish and love playing, either because of just the sheer mojo of the Gibson, made in the USA on the headstock, or because it's actually a good guitar, lets face it, with modern CNC the Chinese made guitars will have spot on geometry, and they all look great from a far. And I say that as someone who has just dropped £2k on a US made LP. I did look at chibsons, and was tempted to get on just to have a look in person, what stopped me was what would I do with it once I'd looked? I mean I wouldn't sell it as the real thing, and you couldn't sell it on eBay or Reverb as I'm pretty sure they don't allow counterfeit stuff, so you'd be stuck with it.

[@Ophidicus]

there is a 4mm Wilkinson USA bridge that have a screw slot all be it not very common, they are just very small, the Import bridges have a 6mm and wider screw slot. spot on about the truss rod cover and other tell tale signs.

[@jakefromstatefarm9721]

This is great information for those dudes at the Chinese plant.

[@RockyH.]

Those dudes at the Chinese plant huh? They aren't dudes they are slaves...literally slave labor for a government waging a black market war against "guess who" YOU!!!!

[@a_hope_in_hell]

It also looks like the headstock is a scarf joint like on epiphones, but I could be mistaken!

[@DMSProduktions]

As the Romulan Ambassador screamed to Sisko in DS9:'IT'S A FAAAAKKKKE!!!'

[@the_nondrive_side]

I have a friend who makes clones that are easily too nice to be real. Confusing. His Gibsons are better and look vintage. You'd never know as it's essentially all Gibson Gear and Nitro. He doesn't pretend anything however

[@ppgwhereeverett4412]

At 2:30, one of the Biggest tells is the Tuners : Look close. The tuners Are Not in perfect alignment. Gibsons Are. At 12:30, look at those tunes. All nice and Lined Up !

[@iamstan_rimp]

I actually just sold this exact guitar for $240. Trade and some cash. I was honest and told them it was a Chibson. Prior to selling I took it to the pawnshop…if I hadn’t told them it wasn’t a real Gibson they would’ve paid me for it! This guitar feel wise it’s good quality. Pretty heavy…not as heavy as a real Gibson. These are pretty good guitars tho if u just swap the pickups out.

[@DoctorEnigma01]

I bought one of these to make my own signature Les Paul, I replaced everything, headstock veneer with my own name, pots to CTS, pickups to SD Seth Lover’s, tuners to Grover, tone ninja locking bridge and tailpiece, switchcraft switch and jack, I even removed the frets and binding and installed SS frets with fret nibs,bone nut, literally everything was replaced right down to the thin pickguard and poker chip that came with it, can you make one as good as a Gibson yes, but unless you love working on guitars as much as playing them it’s not worth it, I would imagine I spent well over $400 so you might as well save up and buy the real deal, but if working on guitars is a labor of love give it a try

[@tonepilot]

Right off the bat, that lower horn isn’t right.

[@sandlmv8301]

Has anyone ever found a chibson with fret edge binding? It's still the tell tale sign I first look for. I won't buy a Les Paul without it so a refretted real Gibson is a no go for me just in case....

[@dlemon90]

i’ve seen it before, my friend had a chinese lp supreme with fret edge binding. there’s a channel i used to watch called pixxyLixx who had a couple fakes with feet binding too. that being said my friends was NOT a very convincing fake. As others have said there are usually many other ways to tell it is fake: finishes feel weird, horn shape, nut style/shape, cheapass hardware+metric pickup surrounds, also gibsons never come with white or cream colored plastic cavity covers... just a few things i’ve looked for. my advice is that if you’re sceptical, walk away! Gibson has made thousands and thousands of guitars, no reason to risk it with a questionable one!

[@sandlmv8301]

Very interesting, guys. Chibson's with fret edge binding and real Gibson Les Pauls with neck binding but no fret edge binding!!!. I know of course the cheaper Gibson Les Pauls don't have any neck binding at all, but the ones with neck binding I assumed all of them had fret edge binding... I'm not surprised they lost heaps of money on a real Les Paul with neck binding and no fret edge binding. People pay big bucks for the edge binding!! Lol I really like it myself, and I can actually notice a comfortable difference when playing a guitar that has it. Thanks for the knowledge. Cheers.

[@WW-1995]

Seen many yes but most of those fakes still don't have fret nibs.

[@andyplatt6692]

No fret nibs is a dead giveaway too. Gibsons with neck binding will have fret nibs unless 'it's an older guitar that's had a refret.

[@finaljesus]

I have a fake and i love using mine but the seller did tell me it was and i knew as well and he’s a friend of mine also got for a good deal paid $260.00 has good passive pickups they are EMG’s H4 and H4-A I’m really happy with my guitar

[@cyb3r3vil30]

Another thing to look for in a Fake. Nashville Style Bridge They have adapter studs for metric Les Pauls so you can put a Nashville Bridge on There getting better and better at counterfeiting Guitars

[@kennisrussell]

Good call.

[@marceloevera2009]

@@kennisrussell www.ebay.com/itm/New-project-electric-vintage-58-s-guitar-kit-with-flame-maple-top-2-3cm-by-CNC/193403057927?hash=item2d07b87707:g:FXoAAOSwbI9eAgmL

[@firsteerr]

i have ordered a few now , i just get an unequipped unit what eve color my client wants and add my own hardware and pickups to their spec and they are pretty good as far as it goes and you can make em fairly reasonable make a bit of profit

[@spunk49]

#1 way i usually tell a fake is the binding not covering the fretwires

[@wiseguy9202]

The tuning keys color were way off and the nut was definitely not cut like Gibson. And no Gibson truss rod cover says 'Les Paul Standard'. I've never seen one anyway.

[@tiagocampos5675]

In the fake ones, the color of tunning pegs have a shade of green.

[@ickimadrasi8965]

Troglys guitars is the real Gibson expert, he knows about Gibson inside out

[@beatleme2]

Just buy vintage or used look for these giveaways...or a Studio, buy from Gibson online if New... the fakes are usually the standard and expensive ones, I got an 89 studio with dot inlays and ebony I doubt they will fake that n sell that cheap …but yeah the bridge should be an ABR-1 and the tail should have a Bar line cast underneath also, and of course real Gibson pickup's, switchcraft parts - but yeah people need to know and do research and Know their Equipment, like the Military makes you take apart and put back together..Blindfolded! ..i learned how to re-cone speakers and use tube amps and work on them.and made my own using Record player 6v6 and console parts … Not just buy them cause you can and rich , cause most best guitarist aren't, hence the Blues, its just fun and what it's all about.. i find it Fun and making others happy playing is Music And you'll play not only better but ...anyway

[@troydavis1612]

I think this might be an Epiphone with the silk screen changed, along with a few other things. With Epiphone’s updated headstock to look more like a Gibson, It makes it easier to copy.

[@wiseguy9202]

No it's a Chibson.

[@Rocknrollrecoverist]

I got stung with a fake epiphone the same finish as that one is The eBay seller had it up as the real thing. I am not impressed. It’s near identical to that one

[@BartholomewCounty]

My question is this. Is it legal to sell someone a fake Gibson as long as they know it's fake and sign a release statement that they understand what they are buying is not an actual Gibson product. If someone could answer this question that would be great.

[@ctcards2636]

Just caught this video and i actually heard of one of the options you can ask some of the DHgate sellers is for a stamped on S/N on these now. Funny it seems every time a video gets posted that shows how to identify these guitars, there is a person or many people who see this and now will find a way to hide the clues even more. Im not saying your video is doing this, but as crazy as it sounds, it seems like the word of mouth and videos and forums out there with all of the real Gibson owners pointing this stuff out has in return made these even better fakes than before. I own real Gibson and a fake Chibson i just bought a month ago and finished modding, just for the hell of it. Wow this is a pretty good guitar, i have video on my youtube of it. Im not buying this to fool anyone, it was more curious and to see how these things stacked to the real deal. Its not a Gibson, nor will it ever be. But that doesnt mean its not a nice playing and sounding guitar after the work i did on it. If you want a real Gibson, buy a Gibson. Simple as that. What i found scary was that the one i ordered recently was from an ebay seller who had these instock here in the US. It was at my door in 6 days. Yeah.... that should be the bigger issue here is how easily these are obtainable, this is how more of these are going to be used to dupe people more often than before. Usually theres like 2 months + on waiting time. But with no customs or waiting time... uh oh...

[@malcolmadams2105]

The green tuners. And certain colors. It’s a chibson 💯 %. Shapes of Gibson’s do change from time to time, so you can’t fully go off that unless you know the year. The back is to light in color for that color ensemble.

[@malcolmadams2105]

It looks cheap except the wood.

[@richgh4905]

Back of head stock is the best place to tell now they have wings on both sides . The print cut in not pressed and neck angie i became almost a pro😊

[@martymcpeak4748]

The bridges aren't interchangeable the slot head type are metric you could change it out but you would have to fill and rebore the holes.

[@danielf.8262]

Hi Could you tell me about the nuth? Its seems plastic.. A quite difference from the original

[@marfg12345]

A dead giveaway to me is the finish. The fakes clearly have a toy-like thick polyurethane finish. It takes me a second to tell whether the finish is nitro or poly.

[@dk70]

Green tuning keys are a dead giveaway. They should be yellow-ish. This one was very easy to tell

[@donnyhud]

great info!! thank you!!

[@Dave062YT]

If they actually copied Gibson rather than Epiphone they would fool a lot more people.Other than the head stock everything else is Epi.I bought one happily knowing its a Chibson and it's very clearly not a Gibson but a lovely guitar and plays great.

[@tommygiuliati]

thanks man, this was so useful!! Grazie!

[@TheRockCzars]

Trolls notwithstanding...It appears the general consensus "everywhere" is to replace the electronics (PUPs, jacks, switches, pots, wiring, etc. & some hardware items if desired) from "any" guitar from China and save thousands of dollars if you just desire additional crayons in your production box that matches the feel/tonal characteristics of iconic off-the-shelf US manufactured instruments. However, if you desire something truly special, it's NOT rocket science, just a guitar any human with the implied skill level/equipment can produce when detailed specs are provided and confirmed via pics(i.e. Back: 1-Piece Mahogany w/12-hole weight relief, Top: 1-Piece 3/4" Plain Maple, Joint: Long Tenon (Ultra Modern Contoured heel) 1-piece Solid Mahogany custom elliptical/modern "flat oval" profile neck, custom paint job: Neck Binding: Electric Violet Single-ply & Body Binding: Dark Turquoise Multi-ply, Fingerboard Material: Solid Ebony, Number Of Frets: 24, 3 Humbuckers, etc.), one can theoretically own the quality of those ranging $5k-$10k+ for far less than $2k with all the push/push/pull pot wiring one can dream up (i.e. "Gibson LP Custom Shop Original" 1-off w/case). Those of you with thousands of dollars burning holes in your collective pockets can donate it to TheRockCzars & the proceeds will support All US instrument manufacturers. ;)

[@bobareeniobobareenio2935]

I have a GREAT IDEA: don’t but a LP. , and you won’t get fooled … or, NEVER BUY from a private seller. Go to a reputable guitar dealer - and check it as soon as it arrives ( because you have time to return it )

[@apogeedata]

You will never find a Gibson where the tuners are that out of alignment😂

[@oscarmorales-cn3hz]

Thanks, great info! But you are missing out on the obvious, the binding...

[@kennisrussell]

I assume you mean the binding over the frets. None of the pictures were good enough to see.

[@oscarmorales-cn3hz]

@@kennisrussell Of course, but this is the main thing.

[@philipatoz]

As long as one is not trying to sell a Chibson as being the real thing - AND that has a fake Gibson logo on it, I don't see the big deal. Cause there are TONS of LP and Strat copies that have been around for decades. People are in love with the legacy and the logo - that's why they're willing to shell out ridiculous money for a guitar that has a certain logo on it. For the money a new LP costs, one could get several very good guitars. They're a huge ripoff!

[@pwman]

The inlays looked way off in terms of centering between the frets, the body bout looks a bit misshaped ... and the tuner peg alignment looks out of whack .... great video!

[@TheSmashingDoc1]

i got an epiphone les paul and would like to know if its a real gibson, it looks kinda the same

[@mrblues1981]

thats why im worried fakes , as i really want a buy 1958 custom lespaul and they are like 5.000 pound in uk ,some of them on ebay like 3.000£ 3.500£