by Amy Guth<
Question by airsofter123: is this gibson les paul for real?
http://www.tradetang.com/for-sale/wholesales-new-lp-electric-guitar-in-cherry-sunburst/125702-2275856.html
this price looks suspicious, and please take a look at the cerial # and tell me if it meets the requirements of this
n 1977, Gibson standardized the serial number system that is still in use today. An eight digit (or 9 digit after July 2005) number on the back shows the date on which the instrument was produced, where it was produced and its order of production that day (e.g. first instrument stamped that day, second, third, fourth etc.). The serial numbers are deciphered using the following system:
YDDDYRRR[21]
YY is the production year
DDD is the day of the year the guitar was stamped
RRR is the production order/plant designation number
Production order/plant designation numbers numbers are as follows:
001-499 Kalamazoo, Michigan (1975–1984)
500-999 Nashville, Tennessee (1975–1990)
001-299 Bozeman, Montana (after 1989)
300-999 Nashville, Tennessee (after 1990)
For example, the serial number 90992487 means that the instrument was produced on the 99th day of 1992 (Wednesday 8 April) in Nashville, TN and that it was the 187th instrument stamped that day.
In July 2005 Gibson introduced a 9 digit serial number system. The system is largely the same as the 8 digit system used before, however the 6th digit now represents the batch number. The first 5 and last 3 digits remain the same.
An exception is the year 1994, Gibson’s Centennial Year: Many 1994 serial numbers start with “94″, followed by a 6-digit production number.
please tell me if its a real gibson or not (most likely not)
thanks
Best answer:
Answer by Mikey, just Mikey
It’s a fake. There’s lots of stuff on the web about these crooks.
Answer by TommyMc
OMG, where to start…….It’s a Chinese counterfeit….forget looking up the serial number and think about it. TradeTang is a Chinese import site.
From the product description:
>>>Description:
Our guitar is of the finest ,You may be wondering why so amazing product with so cheap price? yes ,it is possible !!!because it has been manufactured in china, in which the labour is cheap than world other country. Cheap labour does not mean that the has been lower; all parts are of the highest and have been imported from overseas.
Guitar come with foam box, easy to carry and safety enough for guitar shipping.
our guitar is 100% exactly same with the picture shown.because the picture making from our real guitar in our factory.<<<<<
The description admits that it's made in China but the guitar in the picture clearly says Made In USA?(!) Real Gibsons ARE made in the USA. Gibson has some info on how to spot a counterfeit http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/CounterfeitGibsons/ but of course, the Chinese can read too.....and correct their errors as fast as Gibson spots them.
Ya gotta love the reflection of the photographer standing over the guitar with a camera.....a real class act.
Although this guitar may look like a Gibson, it isn't one. If you buy it and try to sell it later as a real Gibson, you'll be liable for fraud. Save your money. If you want a real Gibson, it'll cost. If you can settle for a copy, at least buy one with a known brand name like Epiphone. You know the old saying about if it's too good to be true.......
What do you think? Answer below!
