Is the serial number on a Gibson LP Custom always pressed into the wood? - Harmony Central Musician Community Forums

orourke · 10-23-2009, 10:01 PM

I've come across what I think is a counterfeit Gibson Les Paul Custom. If it's a counterfeit it's disturbingly good, it doesn't have any of the issues the are mentioned at Gibson's "what to watch for" site. The pots say Gibson, the logo looks corrects. I just think the paint looks wrong, I can see some wood grain though the black paint. I've never seen a black beauty like that. The gold hardware looks o.k. I guess.

But the real thing that bugs me is the serial number is just ink stamped in white. It wasn't pressed into the wood before being painted like other Gibson's I've seen.

There also a lot of chatter marks on the neck and binding that could be just crappy Gibson quality control.

What do you think.

AluminumNeck · 10-23-2009, 10:28 PM

how old is this instrument supposedly ?

orourke · 10-24-2009, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AluminumNeck

how old is this instrument supposedly ?

It's supposed to be a 2007.

orourke · 10-28-2009, 07:32 AM

^^^

100+ views and this is the only answer I can get for this simple question?

sgt mukuzi · 10-28-2009, 05:20 PM

i feel your pain, i have the same issue with a delux here in NZ
its allmost like people dont care about dropping 1K on a fake

daddymack · 10-28-2009, 06:36 PM

okay, in my experience I have never seen a serial number inkstamped on a Gibson.

mc5nrg · 10-29-2009, 03:04 AM

How about some decent photos of the guitar as a whole including decent closeups of the bridge area, the binding/frets and board, the back of the headstock including the serial #, pickups back and control innards, truss rod area cover on and off. Bak of the pots... The white serial number isn't a good sign but I hesitate to make any judgements without lots more to check out.

orourke · 10-29-2009, 05:57 AM

Thanks for the replies.

The guitar isn't mine, it belongs to a friend who is kind of in denial about the situation so I'm not sure if he'll let me take pics but I'm going to ask.

ctkarslake · 10-30-2009, 06:23 PM

My Gibson Elegant '03 is NOT stamped in the wood, it is inked on the back of the headstock. The soon to be mine '97 R8 is ALSO INKED on the headstock. Both are Custom Shop Guitars and the best that Gibson produces.
It is NOT common for custom shop guitars to be stamped I believe, nor do they say "made in USA". It is something they do to distance themselves from der regular Gibson guitars, which normally ARE STAMPED and say made in USA. That is my experience, as limited as it is... I have no experience about the finish of the black customs etc.

BrokenFusion · 11-02-2009, 12:51 PM

Why not just contact Gibson? They seem very interested in curbing the counterfeit issue and you can verify #'s with them.

"Les Paul Classic: This model features an ink stamped serial number with no "MADE IN USA" (just as we used on the original 1952-1960 Les Pauls). Most will be 5 to 6 digits in length, but the earliest examples feature 4 digit serial numbers. There should be a space after the 1st digit with the 4 and 5 digit serial numbers, and no space with the 6 digit numbers."

http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Support/SerialNumberSearch/

orourke · 11-02-2009, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctkarslake

My Gibson Elegant '03 is NOT stamped in the wood, it is inked on the back of the headstock. The soon to be mine '97 R8 is ALSO INKED on the headstock. Both are Custom Shop Guitars and the best that Gibson produces.
It is NOT common for custom shop guitars to be stamped I believe, nor do they say "made in USA". It is something they do to distance themselves from der regular Gibson guitars, which normally ARE STAMPED and say made in USA. That is my experience, as limited as it is... I have no experience about the finish of the black customs etc.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrokenFusion

Why not just contact Gibson? They seem very interested in curbing the counterfeit issue and you can verify #'s with them.

"Les Paul Classic: This model features an ink stamped serial number with no "MADE IN USA" (just as we used on the original 1952-1960 Les Pauls). Most will be 5 to 6 digits in length, but the earliest examples feature 4 digit serial numbers. There should be a space after the 1st digit with the 4 and 5 digit serial numbers, and no space with the 6 digit numbers."

http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Support/SerialNumberSearch/

thanks for the repies.

Yeah, I sent some photo's to Gibson and they confirmed it's authentic. But there are some shocking chatter marks on that Custom. I've seen a few flawless Customs lately but this one has bad sanding on the neck binding and side of the pickguard. It's supposed to be a '59 reissue so that might account for the thin finish.

Case closed.

bfglp · 11-16-2009, 04:38 PM

lol, i just posted the same question, but found it even more funny that your last name is orourke too.

it pisses me off that gibson dosent list there serial numbers online. or at least have some current info on there different processes for marking guitars.

10-23-2009, 10:01 PM	#1
orourke Hall of Fame Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Bronx, New York Posts: 5,301	Is the serial number on a Gibson LP Custom always pressed into the wood? I've come across what I think is a counterfeit Gibson Les Paul Custom. If it's a counterfeit it's disturbingly good, it doesn't have any of the issues the are mentioned at Gibson's "what to watch for" site. The pots say Gibson, the logo looks corrects. I just think the paint looks wrong, I can see some wood grain though the black paint. I've never seen a black beauty like that. The gold hardware looks o.k. I guess. But the real thing that bugs me is the serial number is just ink stamped in white. It wasn't pressed into the wood before being painted like other Gibson's I've seen. There also a lot of chatter marks on the neck and binding that could be just crappy Gibson quality control. What do you think. __________________ http://www.myspace.com/399453211 http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...?bandID=276061 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nails

10-28-2009, 07:32 AM	#4
orourke Hall of Fame Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Bronx, New York Posts: 5,301	^^^ 100+ views and this is the only answer I can get for this simple question? __________________ http://www.myspace.com/399453211 http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...?bandID=276061 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nails Last edited by orourke : 10-28-2009 at 11:23 AM.

10-28-2009, 05:20 PM	#5
sgt mukuzi Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Posts: 2,391	i feel your pain, i have the same issue with a delux here in NZ its allmost like people dont care about dropping 1K on a fake __________________ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES8Nd5_w3BQ

10-28-2009, 06:36 PM	#6
daddymack Epitome of Moderation Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Here...well, not exactly right here, but nearby anyway... Posts: 30,197	okay, in my experience I have never seen a serial number inkstamped on a Gibson. __________________ “It's a travesty of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of two mockeries of a sham.” Woody Allen, Bananas, 1971 from Blue Strat:"I checked out those links. The mediocrity is underwhelming."Geezer #37...and proud to...um...yeah, anyway... "If English was good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for us."

10-29-2009, 03:04 AM	#7
mc5nrg Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Back in the USA Posts: 2,662	How about some decent photos of the guitar as a whole including decent closeups of the bridge area, the binding/frets and board, the back of the headstock including the serial #, pickups back and control innards, truss rod area cover on and off. Bak of the pots... The white serial number isn't a good sign but I hesitate to make any judgements without lots more to check out. __________________ "Now we're going to play a Cecil Taylor tune"-Fred "Sonic" Smith check out www.myspace.com/sonicsrendezvousband box set recommended!

10-23-2009, 10:28 PM	#2
AluminumNeck Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,925	how old is this instrument supposedly ?

10-29-2009, 05:57 AM	#8
orourke Hall of Fame Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Bronx, New York Posts: 5,301	Thanks for the replies. The guitar isn't mine, it belongs to a friend who is kind of in denial about the situation so I'm not sure if he'll let me take pics but I'm going to ask. __________________ http://www.myspace.com/399453211 http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...?bandID=276061 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nails

10-30-2009, 06:23 PM	#9
ctkarslake Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 1	My Gibson Elegant '03 is NOT stamped in the wood, it is inked on the back of the headstock. The soon to be mine '97 R8 is ALSO INKED on the headstock. Both are Custom Shop Guitars and the best that Gibson produces. It is NOT common for custom shop guitars to be stamped I believe, nor do they say "made in USA". It is something they do to distance themselves from der regular Gibson guitars, which normally ARE STAMPED and say made in USA. That is my experience, as limited as it is... I have no experience about the finish of the black customs etc.

11-02-2009, 12:51 PM	#10
BrokenFusion Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 22	Why not just contact Gibson? They seem very interested in curbing the counterfeit issue and you can verify #'s with them. "Les Paul Classic: This model features an ink stamped serial number with no "MADE IN USA" (just as we used on the original 1952-1960 Les Pauls). Most will be 5 to 6 digits in length, but the earliest examples feature 4 digit serial numbers. There should be a space after the 1st digit with the 4 and 5 digit serial numbers, and no space with the 6 digit numbers." http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Support/SerialNumberSearch/ Last edited by BrokenFusion : 11-02-2009 at 12:56 PM.

11-16-2009, 04:38 PM	#12
bfglp Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 70	lol, i just posted the same question, but found it even more funny that your last name is orourke too. it pisses me off that gibson dosent list there serial numbers online. or at least have some current info on there different processes for marking guitars. __________________ here's my mule

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