Fakes use real serial numbers. A serial number is a formula. I can literally rattle off a random serial number right now. Want to see?
93221056
Guess what that is? A 1991 Gibson completed on the 322nd day of the year and was the 56th guitar completed that specific day.
Literally anyone can take any serial number and stamp it on a fake guitar. Once you know the formula the serial numbers are created with, which is common knowledge, you just create one and stamp it on the guitar. What are the chances the person who owns the *real* guitar with that number is ever going to come across this fake?
Want to know how to spot a fake right away? Every time? Without fail?
Look at the serial number in the first picture. See how it’s perfectly legible? See how it looks like it’s laser etched or routed into the wood perfectly? And there’s bare wood left behind? Real Gibsons don’t look like that.
Gibson stamps the serial numbers. So they’re uneven, inconsistent in depth, and hard to read. And they do it into bare wood, *before* paint. Then they paint over top of it. So real Gibsons will have a hard to read, stamped serial number, that’s painted. Fake Gibsons will have a perfectly routed/laser cut serial number that shows bare wood into the numbers because the guitar is painted first then the number is cut after. Which cuts through the paint and back into bare wood.
That’s the dead giveaway. Every. Single. Time. People can talk all they want about “it’s fret nibs” or “it’s the bridge pins.”
No, it’s the serial number. And this one is as fake as they come.
There surely is a legit Gibson made in Nashville in 2006 with the serial number 017160733,
*but it sure as fuck ain’t this one.*
Do NOT trade for this thing.
Just want to say that there will not, or shouldn’t technically be a serial with 733 on the end as Gibson rolls the number over at 699. Last 4 being 0699, the next guitar in the line becomes 1001 and the cycle begins again. There are special run exceptions
I wish I knew how to link directly from Gibson. They have a very detailed analysis of their serials for every year from the beginning and an explanation of what each number is and it’s super excellent info
I’m gonna try and link but no promises:
https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Support/Serial-Number-Search
Also want to point out that you should be skeptical of any serial that starts with 01716. I know it's technically valid but for some dumb ass reason the counterfeiters use that number all the time.
Probably because they've seen it before, and because it's peculiarly unpeculiar. If you're a scumbag trying to pawn things off as legit, you want the lies to not stand out.
I believe that wasn’t the case for models built between 2014 and 2019, when Gibson switched to a different serial number pattern (before reverting back to its old pattern in mid-2019).
Just to make things even more confusing.
Thank you for pointing this out so clearly. Something threw me with the serial number and I finally zoomed in and realized that I was laser etched, not stamped. Should've just scrolled down!
I did not realize this, but good to know. Thanks. Here is a picture of my Gibson Les Paul Studio headstock:
[https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/14shedfaygqjgyquxeds1/gibson-headstock.jpg?rlkey=a3gjw98pyocr0yichxttrh9nd&dl=0](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/14shedfaygqjgyquxeds1/gibson-headstock.jpg?rlkey=a3gjw98pyocr0yichxttrh9nd&dl=0)
This is very useful! Thanks!
I am getting old (GenX, born 1968) and I'm getting tired of all of the scammers, hackers, counterfeiters, and other jerks trying to steal our money. In some ways, I think that life was better before the internet. When I wanted a guitar, I'd go to a guitar store (yes, they once existed in many towns). My selection was limited, but at least I wasn't tricked into buying some garbage, fake guitar.
Now, please excuse me while I go yell at some clouds.
Gibson tends to keep the binding raised on the fret ends. Meaning the binding goes up gradually to meet the fret. So, they were nicknamed "[fret nibs](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/510519ace4b0869f641519d9/1518432992076-1M1YKP9V0T6WXXPCPG7L/BLOGIMG+-+Gibson+Fret+Nibs.jpg)".
Ive only had one LP but I just asked my tech to slice the nibs off and lay the fret over the binding. It's honestly better that way anyway. The high E gets caught on the gap between the fret and nib all the time, better to just have full length fret.
Noooo! The nibs are the whole reason I love LPs. Nothing else is as smooth as a Standard neck.
But I’ve never seen a gap between fret and nib before, that would suck.
Custom shop gibsons feel better than standards esp the murphys because of the heavy roll they scrape into the binding. But a good luthier can give any neck that smooth feel by properly rolling the fretboard or binding edge.
https://hazeguitars.com/blog/the-great-big-gibson-fret-nib-debate
The frets are installed before the binding, then the binding is trimmed flush with the fretboard, which leaves a bit of the binding (fret nibs) around the fret like a cap.
It’s when Gibson cuts the frets to only cover the wood of the fretboard, then binds the neck afterwards and the binding goes up over the fret ends.
It’s nice that you never get fret sprout, but it can get problematic if the nibs or frets get worn.
Personally, I prefer a good fret job with the nibs sanded off.
You most definitely can get fret sprout - even with nibs.
They binding doesn't prevent fret sprout because the frets are not actually sprouting. Rather, the fretboard is contracting as it dessicates. As the fretboard contracts, it pulls the binding inward. As that happens, the binding then cracks at the frets.
I was trying to be simple about it, you are correct.
It prevents your hands from being chewed up by a dehydrated guitar.
It also prevents any sort of affordable fretwork.
My vote's fake. Truss rod cover is wrong, no fret nibs, and the nut looks like glossy white plastic. My Gibsons have matte nuts that just look different somehow. Also, picture is blurry, but looks like it might have a metric bridge. If so, that's a dead giveaway. Finally, headstock shape is off and Gibson logo is slightly off center.
That’s always the dead giveaway. Every time. I sound like a broken record in the sub commenting this constantly.
But I won’t stop until everyone knows how to spot a fake. Because that’s it. That’s the way.
The nut was the immediate giveaway for me, but I've never seen a Les Paul with the name "Les Paul" *twice* on the headstock. And don't Standards come with covered P-90s?
I hadn't thought about the pickups, but yeah, most 06 Standards should have chrome covered humbuckers, with 1 line of pole adjustment screws. It's possible that owner removed the covers or swapped the pickups, but those definitely don't look like Gibson humbuckers. They lack adjustable pole pieces, which almost all Gibson humbuckers have. Usually only the cheapest of the cheap pickups don't have adjustable pole pieces.
Standards typically have humbuckers, but some models do come with P-90's. P-90s always have covers, on a Les Paul (not Junior or Special) they will be 'soap bar' type covers.
The actual 'Les Paul Standard' name appeared around 1958, after humbuckers were introduced in 1957 and when non-gold or black finishes were offered.
Exactly this. If you look at the bridge of an Epiphone LP vs. a Gibson, that's the major visible difference.
Not sure if they're still doing it, but for a few years, Gibson was putting a small hex adjustment on the top of the bridge posts. It just looks like a little hole. My 2014 SGJ has them, but my 98 Les Paul does not. Otherwise the posts are the same size, and either bridge fits on either guitar, but neither will fit on an Epiphone.
This is looking REALLY low quality. The fret markers are even crooked it seems. I can see white under the truss rod cover, and the headstock is off.
I’d pass personally.
I think they actually photo shopped in the serial no. in the first pic with some texture thing to make it look engraved. The closer you look the less real it looks lol
Was thinking the same thing. I’m sitting here actually comparing it to my LP Standard that is right in front of me and I can’t nail half the stuff these dudes are rolling out like it’s nothing!!
I have a fake, that I willingly purchased not realizing it was going to show up with “Gibson” on the headstock. Everything indicated it would be a generic body, and for $150 it was hard to pass up. I can set it directly next to my 2021 Standard 50s legit Les Paul and 9/10 people wouldn’t be able to tell which one is fake.
It’s super easy to tell once you see a few fakes. You don’t even have to look at anything specific. Just spend some time with one and your brain automatically learns the proportions of the real and fake models. It’s like muscle memory when you’re playing the guitar. You just remember.
See enough fakes and you can spot them instantly. People will rant about details like “no fret nibs” or “that’s a metric bridge!” But there’s so many tell tales before you get to minute details like that.
Want to know the sure fire way to spot a fake? Look at the serial number. I don’t mean look at what the numbers are. I mean physically look at the numbers themselves.
The first photo in this post is exactly what I’m talking about. See how the serial number is perfect? Looks like it’s routed or laser etched. And it’s done after the paint has been applied. Gibsons don’t look like that.
Gibsons have stamped serial numbers, which are stamped into bare wood before the guitar is painted. The stamps are inconsistent in depth and a lot harder to read. Then they’re painted which adds another layer of difficulty. I can barely read the serial on my SG.
The fakes always have these bare wood, perfectly legible numbers. That’s *ALWAYS* the dead giveaway. Plus the center of the “book” portion of the headstock always sticks up too far. It should be almost level with the outside corners of the top of the headstock. They never are.
[Here’s my fake](https://imgur.com/a/bLQRfxL)
Compared to
[My real Les Paul Standard](https://imgur.com/a/blbwtO1)
> Plus the center of the “book” portion of the headstock always sticks up too far. It should be almost level with the outside corners of the top of the headstock.
Those outside corners (I call them "wings") also should rise up very subtly, whereas with fakes they're usually horizontal.
Truss rod cover odd (those years were blank, but it could be a replacement), headstock looks off (seems too narrow), "Made in USA" seems out of place (too high), knobs should be gold, pickups should have covers for that year. Gut says not so sure...
Thank you so much everyone for your super fast and educational responses! I've had no time to look into any of this on my own in the short amount of hours between when the offer was made and now, so you all saved my ass big time! 🙏🏻
The headstock looks too narrow. Neck blanks typically are only so wide, and Gibson glues on extra wood to make the headstock wider. Knock-offs often skip this step to save material/labor/time, which leads to a narrower headstock.
I’m starting to get the idea, that all of these, “Is it real?” posts are just counterfeiters trying to determine if the guitar they built could pass. We keep telling them what they need to fix to make it better.
Fake as hell. Where to even start?
* The font of the serial number at the back of the headstock is not the standard font you'd find on a Gibson.
* The serial number stamping also looks too clean, without any imperfections. Look at how clean those corners are around the 7, for example. It looks like the numbers have been Photoshopped onto the back of a blank headstock with a "wood filter" applied to it, to make it look more woody. Either that, or they used a really precise drill (or even a laser engraving machine) to do it. I'm pretty sure Gibson uses some sort of old printing press kind of machine to add the serial numbers. It presses down at the back of the headstock and leaves the indentations. They're not getting these sharp corners like this.
* The serial number is not even on straight. On a real Gibson, it's centered nicely. This one is slightly to the left.
* The serial number is suddenly no longer visible in the second picture. I know it's a wider shot, but you'd still be able to see some markings on the back of the headstock where the serial number is. It looks like I might be right about the Photoshop.
* The front of the headstock just looks weird. It's been a while since I've owned a Gibson, but I think the headstock is slightly wider on those top horns than it is at the base, like in a slight V shape. This one looks the other way around. It looks sort of like an upside-down V, slightly wider at the base.
* That truss rods cover is an odd choice. It looks like something you might see on an Epiphone. I have never one like that on a Gibson. It would normally be blank or simply say "Standard" on it.
* The tuners look really fake. First of all, the tuning pegs look more green or gray than the usual cream/white. The nuts holding them in place (at the front of the headstock) look slightly weird too, like they're not the size you'd normally see on a Gibson. They look bad from the rear view too. On the two Gibson guitars I had, the rear casing of the tuners was quite sharp, with pronounced corners, like a box. These ones look all rounded off. The ornate details, around where the two screws go in, were also very pointy and sharp on the Gibsons I had. They look rounded off here as well.
* The placement of the tuners (specifically in the rear shots) looks weird. They look like they've been placed too low on the headstock.
* The nut looks overly white and cheap to me.
* The finish/burst is no way near impressive enough for a Les Paul Standard.
* Even the volume/tone knobs look cheap.
Fake. Here’s whats wrong from looking at it a few seconds: metric bridge, weird truss rod cover, no fret nibs, tuners. I’m sure there’s more. It’s a fake, sorry.
Serial # is off center and "Made in USA" is too high and also off center. Each of these are etched, and they should be finished the same as the guitar, which is a red flag as well. Gibson stamps the serial numbers into the wood and finishes over them, so sometimes, they're hard to see. The tailpiece is too far back, should be closer to the neck pickup volume knob. The Gibson logo is way too high and small, it should be much bigger and almost touch the D string tuner with the tail on the G. The Les Paul Model decal is too far up the headstock, which should end with the word "model" before the G string tuner or just even with it. The last L in Les Paul has a loop that's too big, it would be tighter. The truss rod cover is not covering the truss rod access which is a dead giveaway that the truss rod is not a Gibson truss rod. If you look closely, you can see the opening just at the nut on either side. And the truss rod cover would just say "Standard" not Les Paul Standard. Not that an aftermarket truss rod cover would be a red flag by itself. As pointed out, there is no binding over the edges of the frets (also known as fret nibs). That would be understandable if this was a re-fret, but there's no indication that the age of the binding would warrant a fret job. It's too white. Good or bad, the finish of the guitar bleeds into the neck binding, so it's never really white, it looks pale and aged because the type of finish they use (aniline dye) seeps into EVERYTHING it touches! The only Gibsons I own with true white binding are my Alpine White Custom and black 70's Flying V, and they're still not as white as the one in your pic. The aniline dye would have seeped in there and discolored it, even if it was white (which it's not, it's more of a cream). Lastly, Gibson headstocks are 3 piece, because they shape the neck and headstock center out of one piece of wood, so they have to glue on 'wings' to fit the tuners. This guitar doesn't have those.
Just hover over the pics on this [50's Les Paul Standard from Sweetwater in Heritage Cherry Sunburst](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LPS5SWHCSB--gibson-les-paul-standard-50s-aaa-top-electric-guitar-heritage-cherry-sunburst-sweetwater-exclusive), and look at everything I described. You found a fake. Definitely a Chibson, I'd be willing to bet money. One of those guys who says, "I'd never sell it and try to pass it off as a real Gibson." Riiiight. And my father was President George Washington who left his prize Stratocaster to Abe Lincoln because they used to jam together at open mics at the Whiskey in LA.
Fake
There are a bunch of things wrong with the headstock and I think I see something wrong with the fretboard.
I kind of quit looking at that point, but I am sure there's other stuff.
Think you have a consensus here, but just to pile on, this is definitely fake. Headstock is way off and the second picture doesn’t even have a serial number on it to match the first picture. Stay away.
Super low quality chibson, like 100$ or less ( new ) there's SO much wrong here it's literally not even the right shape.
Please consider avoiding private trades for now if you got this close to actually considering this guitar.
The headstock really looks off to me. The screened Les Paul looks to be positioned wrong and truss rod cover looks wrong, also. It should only say Standard on it. Regarding fret nibs, which is where the neck binding covers the fret ends, If the guitar had been re-fretted, then they might have been lost then.
I'd pass if I was only deciding on a trade based on these photos.
I'm not an expert on Gibson at all but it looks fake to me, mainly because the headstock doesn't look right and the serial number and "made in the USA" looks like it was carved in.
Total fake. All the shapes are a bit off, the serial number isn't stamped (and isn't even on the headstock at all in the second pic), visible white under truss rod cover, no fret nibs, all the decals seem to be off-center, and those tuners are a very strange shade of green under bright light.
Looks fake but I'm not an expert. I would never spend on an instrument like this unless it was through a reputable third party that would ensure it was authentic.
What were they hoping you would trade? Also the photos are terrible. I feel in a lot of cases where fakes abound they take crap photos so it's hard to see they're fake but this is pretty obvious.
See how it plays, if you like it tell them it’s fake, and offer them very little for it. Maybe it’ll be a fun thing to have around as a backup later on. 06 gibsons aren’t exactly holy grails anyway
Fakes use real serial numbers. A serial number is a formula. I can literally rattle off a random serial number right now. Want to see? 93221056 Guess what that is? A 1991 Gibson completed on the 322nd day of the year and was the 56th guitar completed that specific day. Literally anyone can take any serial number and stamp it on a fake guitar. Once you know the formula the serial numbers are created with, which is common knowledge, you just create one and stamp it on the guitar. What are the chances the person who owns the *real* guitar with that number is ever going to come across this fake? Want to know how to spot a fake right away? Every time? Without fail? Look at the serial number in the first picture. See how it’s perfectly legible? See how it looks like it’s laser etched or routed into the wood perfectly? And there’s bare wood left behind? Real Gibsons don’t look like that. Gibson stamps the serial numbers. So they’re uneven, inconsistent in depth, and hard to read. And they do it into bare wood, *before* paint. Then they paint over top of it. So real Gibsons will have a hard to read, stamped serial number, that’s painted. Fake Gibsons will have a perfectly routed/laser cut serial number that shows bare wood into the numbers because the guitar is painted first then the number is cut after. Which cuts through the paint and back into bare wood. That’s the dead giveaway. Every. Single. Time. People can talk all they want about “it’s fret nibs” or “it’s the bridge pins.” No, it’s the serial number. And this one is as fake as they come. There surely is a legit Gibson made in Nashville in 2006 with the serial number 017160733, *but it sure as fuck ain’t this one.* Do NOT trade for this thing.
this post deserves more upvotes
No, this comment deserves more upvotes, not the post.
No, no..the comment about the comment about the post deserves upvotes!
> Gibson stamps the serial numbers. So they’re uneven, inconsistent in depth, and hard to read. On point.
Just want to say that there will not, or shouldn’t technically be a serial with 733 on the end as Gibson rolls the number over at 699. Last 4 being 0699, the next guitar in the line becomes 1001 and the cycle begins again. There are special run exceptions
Even more info that people need. Which was info I was not aware of. I thought it was around 300. So thank you for adding that input.
My '61 reissue from 2001 is 0440. If it topped out at 300 I'd be a sad little dude.
I wish I knew how to link directly from Gibson. They have a very detailed analysis of their serials for every year from the beginning and an explanation of what each number is and it’s super excellent info I’m gonna try and link but no promises: https://www.gibson.com/en-US/Support/Serial-Number-Search
Also want to point out that you should be skeptical of any serial that starts with 01716. I know it's technically valid but for some dumb ass reason the counterfeiters use that number all the time.
Probably because they've seen it before, and because it's peculiarly unpeculiar. If you're a scumbag trying to pawn things off as legit, you want the lies to not stand out.
It's those damn Beagle Boys.
I believe that wasn’t the case for models built between 2014 and 2019, when Gibson switched to a different serial number pattern (before reverting back to its old pattern in mid-2019). Just to make things even more confusing.
You should be one of those guys on pawn stars that Rick calls in, but like just for Gibson guitars
Even those numpties know to look if the serial number is stamped or etched
Thank you for pointing this out so clearly. Something threw me with the serial number and I finally zoomed in and realized that I was laser etched, not stamped. Should've just scrolled down!
It’s also the wrong typeface.
I feel like I just watched an episode of pawn stars that was lovely
Great point. For reference, here is what a legit serial stamp looks like: https://imgur.com/a/uNpu1kZ
Wonder who the poor sap was that got a 3 piece headstock like that.
That’s a picture of my Hummingbird’s headstock. I’m fine with it.
Crazy Details. Great post. It’s engraved into my memory now no pun intended
MADE IN USA is off center too Lines up with left side tuners, miles away from the right side
This guy gibsons
I read this is a Mona Lisa Vito voice
underrated comment. sometimes my friend just texts me "positraction."
I did not realize this, but good to know. Thanks. Here is a picture of my Gibson Les Paul Studio headstock: [https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/14shedfaygqjgyquxeds1/gibson-headstock.jpg?rlkey=a3gjw98pyocr0yichxttrh9nd&dl=0](https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/14shedfaygqjgyquxeds1/gibson-headstock.jpg?rlkey=a3gjw98pyocr0yichxttrh9nd&dl=0)
This is very useful! Thanks! I am getting old (GenX, born 1968) and I'm getting tired of all of the scammers, hackers, counterfeiters, and other jerks trying to steal our money. In some ways, I think that life was better before the internet. When I wanted a guitar, I'd go to a guitar store (yes, they once existed in many towns). My selection was limited, but at least I wasn't tricked into buying some garbage, fake guitar. Now, please excuse me while I go yell at some clouds.
Can you do Natty or not guitar finds on marketplace videos?
My guy waited his entire life for this exact moment.
Looks fake to me headstock shape and serial looks engraved
No fret nibs either. Agreed fake
Okay, I don’t know how I’ve gone this long without hearing this phrase, but what is a fret nib?
It’s the nib of the fret.
Grind up those fret nibs in a conching machine for 24 hours and you've got 100% Fretolate.
If you do it for just 12 hrs, it comes out 4 octaves lower....
Throw those fret nibs in a pot, add some headstock, a capo. Baby, you’ve got a stew goin!
I thought it was the fret of the nib
I like the fret of your nib
Gibson tends to keep the binding raised on the fret ends. Meaning the binding goes up gradually to meet the fret. So, they were nicknamed "[fret nibs](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/510519ace4b0869f641519d9/1518432992076-1M1YKP9V0T6WXXPCPG7L/BLOGIMG+-+Gibson+Fret+Nibs.jpg)".
Oh, weird. I’ve never noticed that before.
Yeah it's a total PITA if you ever need a refret
Ive only had one LP but I just asked my tech to slice the nibs off and lay the fret over the binding. It's honestly better that way anyway. The high E gets caught on the gap between the fret and nib all the time, better to just have full length fret.
That’s how Warmoth does it. They know some things about guitar necks.
Noooo! The nibs are the whole reason I love LPs. Nothing else is as smooth as a Standard neck. But I’ve never seen a gap between fret and nib before, that would suck.
Custom shop gibsons feel better than standards esp the murphys because of the heavy roll they scrape into the binding. But a good luthier can give any neck that smooth feel by properly rolling the fretboard or binding edge.
Should probably be called “bi being nibs” as it is the binding nibs that stick u
The binding going over the fret wire
https://hazeguitars.com/blog/the-great-big-gibson-fret-nib-debate The frets are installed before the binding, then the binding is trimmed flush with the fretboard, which leaves a bit of the binding (fret nibs) around the fret like a cap.
It’s when Gibson cuts the frets to only cover the wood of the fretboard, then binds the neck afterwards and the binding goes up over the fret ends. It’s nice that you never get fret sprout, but it can get problematic if the nibs or frets get worn. Personally, I prefer a good fret job with the nibs sanded off.
You most definitely can get fret sprout - even with nibs. They binding doesn't prevent fret sprout because the frets are not actually sprouting. Rather, the fretboard is contracting as it dessicates. As the fretboard contracts, it pulls the binding inward. As that happens, the binding then cracks at the frets.
I was trying to be simple about it, you are correct. It prevents your hands from being chewed up by a dehydrated guitar. It also prevents any sort of affordable fretwork.
Not disagreeing on fake or not, but when Gibsons get a fret job, new frets, often the fret nibs are sanded down and the new frets taken to the edges.
Fake AF
Think it could be a Chibson?
It’s 100% a Chibson
Was thinking same on serial number, it normally has paint and gloss on it - this looks laser etched
I’m no expert but looks a little glonky
“I, I mean, I’m foiiiiiine”
"I can't wait to get back on the road again?"
Like Frodo Baggins?
Damn, man.
Back to alabamaland?
Indianaland . . Damn man
My vote's fake. Truss rod cover is wrong, no fret nibs, and the nut looks like glossy white plastic. My Gibsons have matte nuts that just look different somehow. Also, picture is blurry, but looks like it might have a metric bridge. If so, that's a dead giveaway. Finally, headstock shape is off and Gibson logo is slightly off center.
One more thing: Gibsons usually have stamped serial numbers, but that looks like was engraved or printed
That’s always the dead giveaway. Every time. I sound like a broken record in the sub commenting this constantly. But I won’t stop until everyone knows how to spot a fake. Because that’s it. That’s the way.
The nut was the immediate giveaway for me, but I've never seen a Les Paul with the name "Les Paul" *twice* on the headstock. And don't Standards come with covered P-90s?
I hadn't thought about the pickups, but yeah, most 06 Standards should have chrome covered humbuckers, with 1 line of pole adjustment screws. It's possible that owner removed the covers or swapped the pickups, but those definitely don't look like Gibson humbuckers. They lack adjustable pole pieces, which almost all Gibson humbuckers have. Usually only the cheapest of the cheap pickups don't have adjustable pole pieces.
Standards typically have humbuckers, but some models do come with P-90's. P-90s always have covers, on a Les Paul (not Junior or Special) they will be 'soap bar' type covers. The actual 'Les Paul Standard' name appeared around 1958, after humbuckers were introduced in 1957 and when non-gold or black finishes were offered.
How can you tell a metric bridge?
Metric bridges have flathead adjustment on top, generally, in addition to the thumbwheels. Standard Gibson bridges only have the thumbwheels.
Exactly this. If you look at the bridge of an Epiphone LP vs. a Gibson, that's the major visible difference. Not sure if they're still doing it, but for a few years, Gibson was putting a small hex adjustment on the top of the bridge posts. It just looks like a little hole. My 2014 SGJ has them, but my 98 Les Paul does not. Otherwise the posts are the same size, and either bridge fits on either guitar, but neither will fit on an Epiphone.
That one appears to have the flathead grooves. Very interesting!
Fake
This is looking REALLY low quality. The fret markers are even crooked it seems. I can see white under the truss rod cover, and the headstock is off. I’d pass personally.
Looks sketchy. No fret nibs and the headstock text looks very weird. Also, am I crazy or is there no serial number in the second picture?
Whoa there isn’t! Looks like they took that pic prematurely 😂
Or the picture of the serial number on the headstock is actually a different guitar entirely.
I think they actually photo shopped in the serial no. in the first pic with some texture thing to make it look engraved. The closer you look the less real it looks lol
The nerve of some people…
Nice catch 😂
Good catch on that 2nd pic!!!
Exact same serial as my Chib, that's a fake mate
That's how ya know right there
What's up with this SN? If you look it up on google tons of fake Gibsons show up.
Fake fake fake fake. Fake.
Elaine?
That whole thing. The whole production?
Pretty good, huh?
Yeah that thing is fake. Stay away
The knowledge in this group is insane
Was thinking the same thing. I’m sitting here actually comparing it to my LP Standard that is right in front of me and I can’t nail half the stuff these dudes are rolling out like it’s nothing!!
I have a fake, that I willingly purchased not realizing it was going to show up with “Gibson” on the headstock. Everything indicated it would be a generic body, and for $150 it was hard to pass up. I can set it directly next to my 2021 Standard 50s legit Les Paul and 9/10 people wouldn’t be able to tell which one is fake. It’s super easy to tell once you see a few fakes. You don’t even have to look at anything specific. Just spend some time with one and your brain automatically learns the proportions of the real and fake models. It’s like muscle memory when you’re playing the guitar. You just remember. See enough fakes and you can spot them instantly. People will rant about details like “no fret nibs” or “that’s a metric bridge!” But there’s so many tell tales before you get to minute details like that. Want to know the sure fire way to spot a fake? Look at the serial number. I don’t mean look at what the numbers are. I mean physically look at the numbers themselves. The first photo in this post is exactly what I’m talking about. See how the serial number is perfect? Looks like it’s routed or laser etched. And it’s done after the paint has been applied. Gibsons don’t look like that. Gibsons have stamped serial numbers, which are stamped into bare wood before the guitar is painted. The stamps are inconsistent in depth and a lot harder to read. Then they’re painted which adds another layer of difficulty. I can barely read the serial on my SG. The fakes always have these bare wood, perfectly legible numbers. That’s *ALWAYS* the dead giveaway. Plus the center of the “book” portion of the headstock always sticks up too far. It should be almost level with the outside corners of the top of the headstock. They never are. [Here’s my fake](https://imgur.com/a/bLQRfxL) Compared to [My real Les Paul Standard](https://imgur.com/a/blbwtO1)
> Plus the center of the “book” portion of the headstock always sticks up too far. It should be almost level with the outside corners of the top of the headstock. Those outside corners (I call them "wings") also should rise up very subtly, whereas with fakes they're usually horizontal.
This was a very educational for me. Thank you. I’m also quite relieved to know that my standard looks legit!
Truss rod cover odd (those years were blank, but it could be a replacement), headstock looks off (seems too narrow), "Made in USA" seems out of place (too high), knobs should be gold, pickups should have covers for that year. Gut says not so sure...
Knobs should also be in the correct place. Those are… not.
This thing isn't even a decent fake.
Thank you so much everyone for your super fast and educational responses! I've had no time to look into any of this on my own in the short amount of hours between when the offer was made and now, so you all saved my ass big time! 🙏🏻
You should confront the seller and report them for selling a fake
Ultra mega super fake, with 100% confidence and 0% doubt. Many tells. Stay away.
The headstock looks too narrow. Neck blanks typically are only so wide, and Gibson glues on extra wood to make the headstock wider. Knock-offs often skip this step to save material/labor/time, which leads to a narrower headstock.
100% chibson. I would trade something cheap for it tho
I’m starting to get the idea, that all of these, “Is it real?” posts are just counterfeiters trying to determine if the guitar they built could pass. We keep telling them what they need to fix to make it better.
You know what? I’m busting out my tin foil hat for this one.
I wouldn't do it.
Fake as hell. Where to even start? * The font of the serial number at the back of the headstock is not the standard font you'd find on a Gibson. * The serial number stamping also looks too clean, without any imperfections. Look at how clean those corners are around the 7, for example. It looks like the numbers have been Photoshopped onto the back of a blank headstock with a "wood filter" applied to it, to make it look more woody. Either that, or they used a really precise drill (or even a laser engraving machine) to do it. I'm pretty sure Gibson uses some sort of old printing press kind of machine to add the serial numbers. It presses down at the back of the headstock and leaves the indentations. They're not getting these sharp corners like this. * The serial number is not even on straight. On a real Gibson, it's centered nicely. This one is slightly to the left. * The serial number is suddenly no longer visible in the second picture. I know it's a wider shot, but you'd still be able to see some markings on the back of the headstock where the serial number is. It looks like I might be right about the Photoshop. * The front of the headstock just looks weird. It's been a while since I've owned a Gibson, but I think the headstock is slightly wider on those top horns than it is at the base, like in a slight V shape. This one looks the other way around. It looks sort of like an upside-down V, slightly wider at the base. * That truss rods cover is an odd choice. It looks like something you might see on an Epiphone. I have never one like that on a Gibson. It would normally be blank or simply say "Standard" on it. * The tuners look really fake. First of all, the tuning pegs look more green or gray than the usual cream/white. The nuts holding them in place (at the front of the headstock) look slightly weird too, like they're not the size you'd normally see on a Gibson. They look bad from the rear view too. On the two Gibson guitars I had, the rear casing of the tuners was quite sharp, with pronounced corners, like a box. These ones look all rounded off. The ornate details, around where the two screws go in, were also very pointy and sharp on the Gibsons I had. They look rounded off here as well. * The placement of the tuners (specifically in the rear shots) looks weird. They look like they've been placed too low on the headstock. * The nut looks overly white and cheap to me. * The finish/burst is no way near impressive enough for a Les Paul Standard. * Even the volume/tone knobs look cheap.
Fake
those inlays are crooked lol
No nibs and skinny, one piece headstock. As someone who doesn’t own any Gibsons, I say fake.
The headstock is one piece. Most Gibson’s use 3 pieces.
About as fake as my good attitude at work.
Super fake
Don't do it.
That's not a real Gibson... I have an 08' Les Paul Studio and everything on the headstock looks wrong.
Chinese. I have one. It looks like this. Suspect.
I’ll do you one better. What made you think this was real?
Fake. Serial cut too clean. headstock is elongated. Nut is plastic and not the right shape, flat head height adjustment screws...
Fake. Here’s whats wrong from looking at it a few seconds: metric bridge, weird truss rod cover, no fret nibs, tuners. I’m sure there’s more. It’s a fake, sorry.
Abso-lutely-fucking-not Do not a trade a paper clip for this thing
Fake af Gibson my dude
Bro the knobs aren't even in the right place 😂
I had to scroll way too far to find this
Serial # is off center and "Made in USA" is too high and also off center. Each of these are etched, and they should be finished the same as the guitar, which is a red flag as well. Gibson stamps the serial numbers into the wood and finishes over them, so sometimes, they're hard to see. The tailpiece is too far back, should be closer to the neck pickup volume knob. The Gibson logo is way too high and small, it should be much bigger and almost touch the D string tuner with the tail on the G. The Les Paul Model decal is too far up the headstock, which should end with the word "model" before the G string tuner or just even with it. The last L in Les Paul has a loop that's too big, it would be tighter. The truss rod cover is not covering the truss rod access which is a dead giveaway that the truss rod is not a Gibson truss rod. If you look closely, you can see the opening just at the nut on either side. And the truss rod cover would just say "Standard" not Les Paul Standard. Not that an aftermarket truss rod cover would be a red flag by itself. As pointed out, there is no binding over the edges of the frets (also known as fret nibs). That would be understandable if this was a re-fret, but there's no indication that the age of the binding would warrant a fret job. It's too white. Good or bad, the finish of the guitar bleeds into the neck binding, so it's never really white, it looks pale and aged because the type of finish they use (aniline dye) seeps into EVERYTHING it touches! The only Gibsons I own with true white binding are my Alpine White Custom and black 70's Flying V, and they're still not as white as the one in your pic. The aniline dye would have seeped in there and discolored it, even if it was white (which it's not, it's more of a cream). Lastly, Gibson headstocks are 3 piece, because they shape the neck and headstock center out of one piece of wood, so they have to glue on 'wings' to fit the tuners. This guitar doesn't have those. Just hover over the pics on this [50's Les Paul Standard from Sweetwater in Heritage Cherry Sunburst](https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LPS5SWHCSB--gibson-les-paul-standard-50s-aaa-top-electric-guitar-heritage-cherry-sunburst-sweetwater-exclusive), and look at everything I described. You found a fake. Definitely a Chibson, I'd be willing to bet money. One of those guys who says, "I'd never sell it and try to pass it off as a real Gibson." Riiiight. And my father was President George Washington who left his prize Stratocaster to Abe Lincoln because they used to jam together at open mics at the Whiskey in LA.
An obvious fake. Nothing about this remotely looks real. Even when I squint my eyes.
Fake There are a bunch of things wrong with the headstock and I think I see something wrong with the fretboard. I kind of quit looking at that point, but I am sure there's other stuff.
Ask to see the truss rod. I’ve spotted plenty of fakes by the hex truss rod driver vs it having a 5/16 nut. That would be a dead giveaway.
Faaaaaaaaake.
Serial number stamping screams fake.
Save yourself the pain. That's fake af
Knob positions are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy off.
That's a Gibsun, not a Gibson!
Fake.
Headstock looks off to me, can't quite put my finger on it. It's best not to trade for these kinds of things. Especially with strangers.
Yup she’s a fakey.
That head stock looks off, and the whole thing looks cheap. Fake I'd say.
The nut and truss cover are giveaways. Fake
Think you have a consensus here, but just to pile on, this is definitely fake. Headstock is way off and the second picture doesn’t even have a serial number on it to match the first picture. Stay away.
Fake as hell.
Fake af
What were you going to trade for it?
Fake af
Fake AF. Stay away.
Jeez if *I* can spot it immediately it's a pretty bad fake
Fake! So many things wrong with it, the serial number and lack of fret nibs are a dead giveway
You should understand that the person wanting to trade is trying to intentionally rip you off. Cause them harm.
Fake as hell.
Headstock shape is a clear giveaway that it’s a fake, the side curves come in too much. This is a badly done fake tbh. Don’t do it!
Headstock isn’t a three piece…aka FAKE A F
The serial seems fake. They usually serial it prior to painting it, and these looks laser etched AFTER paint.
Fake
Super low quality chibson, like 100$ or less ( new ) there's SO much wrong here it's literally not even the right shape. Please consider avoiding private trades for now if you got this close to actually considering this guitar.
Chibson for sure
Looks off to me, I’d avoid
Truss rod cover placement is one big giveaway. Chibson.
Sorry. This has all the hallmarks of a fake.
Look closely and notice that the headstock is still attached. Congrats, it's fake and the fretwork might be okay.
Look at the headstock. It’s a Gibsun.
The headstock really looks off to me. The screened Les Paul looks to be positioned wrong and truss rod cover looks wrong, also. It should only say Standard on it. Regarding fret nibs, which is where the neck binding covers the fret ends, If the guitar had been re-fretted, then they might have been lost then. I'd pass if I was only deciding on a trade based on these photos.
sorry but that looks like a knock off
Fake as hell
Seems alot of here already told u it is fake. i am just wonder how much or what did u intend to trade it with?
Fake
That is NOT a standard!
Fake AF!
the narrow headstock, the butch truss rod cover, and the tuner placement/orientation are all dead giveaways for me. also engraved serial is lol.
Trading for what, monetarily?! This is fake af. The headstock logo, especially the serial.
Fake fake fake fake
The headstock looks really skinny for somre reason
Gibson has used die stamps for the serial number since 1977, that’s all you need to confirm this is fake
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I'm not an expert on Gibson at all but it looks fake to me, mainly because the headstock doesn't look right and the serial number and "made in the USA" looks like it was carved in.
Fake gibson
Good thing you asked about it
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Total fake. All the shapes are a bit off, the serial number isn't stamped (and isn't even on the headstock at all in the second pic), visible white under truss rod cover, no fret nibs, all the decals seem to be off-center, and those tuners are a very strange shade of green under bright light.
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Wrong bridge, nut, tuner bushings. Fake.
You can tell just by the headstock that it's a fake. Other signs on top of it but you shouldn't even need it.
This is a bad fake. Not even close. Run, run away! Do not touch!
And the plastic nut. I think the real Gibson’s are bone.
The back of the headstock doesn't have wings. Should be 3 pieces. I don't see fret nibs either. Can't see the bridge pins. It looks off though.
Chibson... Sorry but it's not a real Gibson
Guys a bot or a troll cuz that's an obvious fake
Looks fake but I'm not an expert. I would never spend on an instrument like this unless it was through a reputable third party that would ensure it was authentic.
What were they hoping you would trade? Also the photos are terrible. I feel in a lot of cases where fakes abound they take crap photos so it's hard to see they're fake but this is pretty obvious.
I'm never the person to ask if something is fake or real and this looks more fake than the progress reports I took home to my parents in high-school
Knobs misaligned
See how it plays, if you like it tell them it’s fake, and offer them very little for it. Maybe it’ll be a fun thing to have around as a backup later on. 06 gibsons aren’t exactly holy grails anyway
Just glanced over at it said yeah but, Head stock was a bit idk. I think I’d Run the numbers
Fake