Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: mikeluke on June 21, 2011, 11:38:25 AM

Title: Les Paul Anorak Challenge
Post by: mikeluke on June 21, 2011, 11:38:25 AM
I know that you folks are always up for a bit of "What the f^%$ is this?"

Found a Les Paul up for sale which looked great at first sight but... What do you think it is?  Few things don't look right - truss rod cover, serial number - any thoughts etc appreciated

Mike

(http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss291/lucky_luke61/1332b.jpg)

(http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss291/lucky_luke61/1332-6.jpg)

(http://i585.photobucket.com/albums/ss291/lucky_luke61/1332a.jpg)

Title: Re: Les Paul Anorak Challenge
Post by: marauder on June 21, 2011, 11:41:28 AM
Fake.
Title: Re: Les Paul Anorak Challenge
Post by: Twinfan on June 21, 2011, 12:05:05 PM
Comlpete fake:

* Three screw truss rod cover, should be two screw
* Poly finish, should be nitro
* Scarf jointed heastock, should be a one piece neck/headstock
* Headstock is too long
* No hard case

Walk away.
Title: Re: Les Paul Anorak Challenge
Post by: shobet on June 21, 2011, 12:49:55 PM
Yep, as fake as my sincerity.
Title: Re: Les Paul Anorak Challenge
Post by: mikeluke on June 21, 2011, 01:03:42 PM
Oh, I was not thinking of buying it, just wondering what was under the skin....

If it looks too good to be true, then it probably is!!

Well spotted on the headstock joint, Dave - I had missed that
Title: Re: Les Paul Anorak Challenge
Post by: Telerocker on June 21, 2011, 01:16:37 PM
Even I - not a Gibson-collector, can see from miles this is a fake. The serial number isn't right too.
Title: Re: Les Paul Anorak Challenge
Post by: Loomer on June 21, 2011, 01:29:27 PM
Haha, yeah that serial number tips it off. I'm not even sure Custom Shop models, or the really ancient ones from the 50s or whatnot have that few digits.

Plus that flag inlay on the top looks like arse.
Title: Re: Les Paul Anorak Challenge
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on June 21, 2011, 01:37:50 PM
Comlpete fake:

* Three screw truss rod cover, should be two screw
* Poly finish, should be nitro
* Scarf jointed heastock, should be a one piece neck/headstock
* Headstock is too long
* No hard case

Walk away.
+1

and
frets go over binding
hardware all looks wrong - cheap stuff
logo is screen printed rather than pearl (which would be ok on a junior but wrong on a standard)
Title: Re: Les Paul Anorak Challenge
Post by: Twinfan on June 21, 2011, 01:39:55 PM
The serial number is right for a 1955 reissue, which the guitar clearly isn't...
Title: Re: Les Paul Anorak Challenge
Post by: Philly Q on June 21, 2011, 01:42:17 PM
Aaaargh!  :x

This is one of those frustrating threads where I can't see the pictures on my work computer.  Hate missing the opportunity to be anoraky.
Title: Re: Les Paul Anorak Challenge
Post by: Telerocker on June 21, 2011, 01:43:19 PM
I mean, should it not be 'stamped in?'
Title: Re: Les Paul Anorak Challenge
Post by: shobet on June 21, 2011, 01:54:56 PM
Didn't most of them have a 3 piece headstock as well, 2 smaller pieces each side?
Like this
(http://www.gruhn.com/features/lespaul275/EB5770hb.jpg)

The OPs pics seem to be one piece.
Title: Re: Les Paul Anorak Challenge
Post by: shobet on June 21, 2011, 01:57:49 PM
Bollocks I've gone an started looking at Gruhn's guitars inventory (http://www.gruhn.com/) now. There goes this afternoons work...
Title: Re: Les Paul Anorak Challenge
Post by: mikeluke on June 21, 2011, 02:03:07 PM
Well - word of warning - stay away from Brown and Co auction in Brigg, North Lincolnshire on Friday!
Title: Re: Les Paul Anorak Challenge
Post by: AndyR on June 21, 2011, 02:13:04 PM
Aaaargh!  :x

This is one of those frustrating threads where I can't see the pictures on my work computer.  Hate missing the opportunity to be anoraky.

Funnily enough it's one of those posts where I can see the pics - not sure why I get to see some but not others...

Anyway Philly, let me tell you, there's also some nice crockery and glasswear that I think you'll be quite interested in. The guitar itself (this is from when I was working at a Cancer Research charity shop) has obviously been classified by one of the nice old ladies as "bric-a-brac" (as in, it's not a skirt, dress, jacket, or shoes... let me see... it's not a book, or a grammophone record... I'll put it with the bric-a-brac then).

No! I'm wrong... one of the stickers does indeed mention "auctioneer"...

It's Celebrity Cash in the Attic!!

It's from the Alfred Nugget episode (famous extra from The Bill, and various TV commercials for pile ointment). His grandad got it for him when he was young un back in 1959. Gloria Hunniford spotted it while they were rootling through his knooks and crannies looking for stuff to sell. The expert got excited... "Gibson's quite a good name you know - almost as sought after as some of the British makes of the time. As it's in such good condition - it's even got all it's strings - I think we could get some interest at £500-£700."

Unfortunately Alfred's young nephew, Herbert, had already spotted it a few months back. He'd swapped it for an Epi that his mum had bought him but he never played, it looked similar enough (his mate tarted it up a bit), and he had it away with the '59 and got £500 for it down the pub.



(As you can tell, I am SO enjoying today at work...)
Title: Re: Les Paul Anorak Challenge
Post by: Philly Q on June 21, 2011, 02:27:05 PM
Anyway Philly, let me tell you, there's also some nice crockery and glasswear that I think you'll be quite interested in.

Sounds potentially dangerous.  Especially the trousers.  :o

The guitar itself (this is from when I was working at a Cancer Research charity shop) has obviously been classified by one of the nice old ladies as "bric-a-brac" (as in, it's not a skirt, dress, jacket, or shoes... let me see... it's not a book, or a grammophone record... I'll put it with the bric-a-brac then).

Does it come complete with a bag, strap, lead, plectrum and a copy of Bert Weedon's "Play in a Day"?  I'm not interested otherwise.

Title: Re: Les Paul Anorak Challenge
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on June 21, 2011, 03:12:35 PM
Aaaargh!  :x

This is one of those frustrating threads where I can't see the pictures on my work computer.  Hate missing the opportunity to be anoraky.

Funnily enough it's one of those posts where I can see the pics - not sure why I get to see some but not others...

Anyway Philly, let me tell you, there's also some nice crockery and glasswear that I think you'll be quite interested in. The guitar itself (this is from when I was working at a Cancer Research charity shop) has obviously been classified by one of the nice old ladies as "bric-a-brac" (as in, it's not a skirt, dress, jacket, or shoes... let me see... it's not a book, or a grammophone record... I'll put it with the bric-a-brac then).

No! I'm wrong... one of the stickers does indeed mention "auctioneer"...

It's Celebrity Cash in the Attic!!

It's from the Alfred Nugget episode (famous extra from The Bill, and various TV commercials for pile ointment). His grandad got it for him when he was young un back in 1959. Gloria Hunniford spotted it while they were rootling through his knooks and crannies looking for stuff to sell. The expert got excited... "Gibson's quite a good name you know - almost as sought after as some of the British makes of the time. As it's in such good condition - it's even got all it's strings - I think we could get some interest at £500-£700."

Unfortunately Alfred's young nephew, Herbert, had already spotted it a few months back. He'd swapped it for an Epi that his mum had bought him but he never played, it looked similar enough (his mate tarted it up a bit), and he had it away with the '59 and got £500 for it down the pub.



(As you can tell, I am SO enjoying today at work...)

Are you allowed to read bedtime stories to the kids - I fear that you may "embellish" them a bit
Title: Re: Les Paul Anorak Challenge
Post by: AndyR on June 21, 2011, 03:40:17 PM
It's a LONG time since I did any bedtime stories... (and they're both 19 now anyway).

Most of the time we stuck to the words on the page - but now that you mention it, if either of them did want to "explore" the pictures, I did encourage them to make up their own stories and subvert the one they'd already learnt! :roll: :lol:
Title: Re: Les Paul Anorak Challenge
Post by: Philly Q on June 21, 2011, 11:25:03 PM
Now I've seen the original pics!  Is someone actually touting that thing as a genuine Les Paul?
Title: Re: Les Paul Anorak Challenge
Post by: Andrew W on June 22, 2011, 09:03:10 AM
Now I've seen the original pics!  Is someone actually touting that thing as a genuine Les Paul?
The catalogue calls it something along the lines of 'a guitar with "Gibson" on the headstock' which you might say is being a bit economical with the actualité.
Title: Re: Les Paul Anorak Challenge
Post by: mikeluke on June 22, 2011, 10:12:19 AM
It is in a 'Fine Art and Chattels' auction

http://www.brown-co.com/content_auctions.php?page=artCalendar

On June 24th - I found it via a search and then asked for more photos....

You can see someone being fooled if they only have the auction catalogue to go on...
Title: Re: Les Paul Anorak Challenge
Post by: Philly Q on June 22, 2011, 11:51:44 AM
To be fair, they've named other guitars in the auction by brand - e.g. "second hand Encore acoustic guitar in blue".

"Second hand boxed electric guitar stamped "Gibson"" is an accurate description.  To describe it as a "fake Gibson Les Paul" or something would be speculative, it may have started out as a perfectly legitimate branded LP copy then somebody re-badged the headstock because they thought it looked cool.  They weren't necessarily trying to con anyone.

I think the auctioneers are choosing their wording carefully to allow people to read between the lines.
Title: Re: Les Paul Anorak Challenge
Post by: Keven on June 23, 2011, 03:00:05 AM
well i for one don't know much about spotting fake gibsons. this thread has given me alot to think about!

my schecter's neck doesn,t have a scarf joint. and the headstock has one big piece and 2 smaller pieces on each side. awesome! XD