How can you tell a counterfeit guitar?

Most fake guitars will utilize multiple pieces of wood, creating a scarf joint on the neck. Upon close examination of your hardware, you will find structural and visual inconsistencies. With Acoustic Guitars, the most common trick is for forgers to swap plywood in place of solid wood.

How do I know if my guitar is original?

Is it illegal to own a counterfeit guitar?

Conventional interpretation of the law regarding counterfeit guitars suggests that it is not illegal to buy them, but it is illegal to sell them.

How can you tell a cheap guitar?

Cheaper guitar models are often copies of the more expensive guitars, but there may be some blemishes in the finish, have an inferior cut of wood, or lower quality lacquer and paint. However, there is more to the aesthetic element than just looking nice.

Do people sell fake guitars?

When buying a Gibson, Fender or any other branded guitar, that is exactly what you should get. Unfortunately, there are unscrupulous and dishonest individuals who may try to rip you off by selling a counterfeit guitar posing under a famous brand name.

Can You Spot Counterfeit Guitar Strings?

What is a replica guitar?

Replicas can literally sound as good or even better in some cases than the original. Counterfeit Guitars are exact copies logo and all of the original, they are not illegal to own in all countries, but it is almost always illegal to sell or transport them…..which puts them in a very grey area.

What is a Chibson guitar?

Chibson is a collective name for any counterfeit Gibson made in the far east, that is actually branding itself as an authentic guitar made by Gibson. The sellers of these guitars have entire digital shopfronts, normally with autogenerated usernames in order to remain fairly anonymous.

What makes a cheap guitar cheap?

Cheap guitars are made of cheaper materials than more expensive ones. Cheaper guitars use plywood bodies. More expensive guitars are made of more expensive solid woods like rosewood and mahogany. Cheaper guitars also have cheaper paints, lacquers, and finishes.

How do you know if a guitar is good?

Do cheap and expensive guitars sound better?

The answer is yes, expensive guitars will most likely always be of better quality than cheaper guitars. The detail in which the guitars are made, the type of materials used and how well the adjustments are made is what increases the quality of a guitar, therefore the price.

What is the difference between counterfeit and knock off?

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, “knockoff: A copy that sells for less than the original.”, “counterfeit: Made in imitation of something else with intent to deceive.” The key difference between the way these are defined is by the words “copy” and “imitation”.

How can I sell replicas legally?

Can you sell replica items on Facebook?

Much like other social media platforms who experience similar problems with counterfeit and copyright infringement, Facebook's policies and Terms of Use strictly prohibit the advertisement, promotion or facilitation of the sale of counterfeit goods.

How do I identify my guitar?

Guitar builders affix their guitars with names so people know what they are playing. The most common place to find identification is on the headstock or on a label inside of the guitar, if applicable. If there is nothing on your guitar in question, chances are the original label or logo has fallen off.

Where do you find the serial number on a guitar?

A real serial number is stamped dark on the back of the headstock. A fake serial number is usually in white. Brands such as Gibson, Fender, PRS or other renowned brands also issue a certificate of authenticity, but this can also be used for fraud.

Why do older guitars sound better?

Older guitars often sound better than newer ones as they dry out over time which causes them to become harder leading to a more resonant tone with better sustain. The increase in age affects the tone more in acoustic guitars than electric ones.

Which company guitar is best?

To sum it all up, the best guitar brands are Ibanez, Fender, and Gibson. The best overall option would be the Ibanez JSM100, based on its overall quality and versatility. The Fender Telecaster is our number one Fender recommendation, while from the Gibson range we would single out the ES-175.

What makes a high quality guitar?

Solid Hardware. One of the most important distinguishing factors of a high quality acoustic guitar is its hardware. There's a lot of components to a guitar, from the bridge, to the string pegs to the tuning pegs. Tuning Pegs are on head of the guitar and they are twisted to change the tightness of the strings.

How much does a good beginner guitar cost?

A good ballpark cost for a decent, beginner guitar is anywhere between $200 and $800. Depending on your means, your previous experience, and your commitment to learning, this is different for every individual.

How much should I spend on a guitar?

So, How Much Should I Spend on a First Guitar? If you are considering an electric guitar then you should spend at least $200 and shouldn't spend over $400. If you are considering buying an acoustic or a classical then you should spend at least $150 and shouldn't spend over $250.

Are Chinese guitars any good?

Just because a guitar is Chinese made does not mean it is poor quality. Far from it. A lot of very familiar brand names source their guitars from China to keep production costs low and enable us, you and me to buy a quality guitar at a reasonable price. the keyword there being 'quality'.

Where are fake Gibson guitars made?

This is not an attempt to single out any particular nation, however, the vast majority of fake Gibson Les Paul guitars do come out of China. It's not unheard of for them to appear from other far eastern countries, but large scale e-commerce websites hosted in China are rife with knock off Gibsons.

Are Chinese Epiphones any good?

Chinese Epis are just as good as the older Korean ones. When Gibson opened their own Epi plant in China that they still supervise. Epis have gotten so much better IMHO the best they have ever been.

What is a Les Paul copy?

What Is a Les Paul Replica? Although guitars like these are generally referred to as Les Paul copies, they are in fact replicas. A Les Paul replica is any electric guitar that copies the design of the Gibson Les Paul, but is not manufactured by Gibson.