Quick one - Ist this Les Paul legit?

[waltschwarzkopf]

Hi guys,

I saw this 2012 Gibson Les Paul Traditional on the classifieds and before I buy it (I'll see it and play it first) I want to make sure that it's legit.

Dessertburst
57 & 57+ pickups
TonePros tuners replaced by Gibson Deluxe
Original Gibson case

It all looks fine to me, BUT the headstock does look a bit narrow. It may be the angle of the picture, but I thought I'd check with someone with more experience.

These are the pics on the ad:




This last one is the headstock on my studio


Any help will be greatly appreciated. I will ask the seller for more pictures and post them ASAP.

Cheers,
Walter

 

[AlexR]

Re: Quick one - Ist this Les Paul legit?

No Flags there.

You cannot compare different models with regard to headstocks. There are perhaps 4 or 5 different shapes in current production, and more shapes when you consider the history of Gibson since the LP was first made.

 

[waltschwarzkopf]

Re: Quick one - Ist this Les Paul legit?

No Flags there.

You cannot compare different models with regard to headstocks. There are perhaps 4 or 5 different shapes in current production, and more shapes when you consider the history of Gibson since the LP was first made.

ok, so it looks normal. goot to know.

I just asked becase I saw video on how to spot a Chibson and the headstock was a key point, as it shoudl have some "wings" which make it wider at the top and this one look narrower than my studio.

 

[BTMN]

Re: Quick one - Ist this Les Paul legit?

is .ch a Chinese internet address? That might have a bearing on if it is legit or not too. Just saying. :dunno:

 

[InbredJunk]

Re: Quick one - Ist this Les Paul legit?

Looks good, ask for a picture of the serial number on the back of the headstock, and investigate that too. And a picture of inside the electronics cavity couldn't hurt.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

 

[AlexR]

Re: Quick one - Ist this Les Paul legit?

ok, so it looks normal. goot to know.

I just asked becase I saw video on how to spot a Chibson and the headstock was a key point, as it shoudl have some "wings" which make it wider at the top and this one look narrower than my studio.

All the Gibsons have wings, and all of them are wider at the top......but all of them have slightly different shapes.
Chibsons are wider at the top too, so this is a very bad point to use as a determinant.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Quick one - Ist this Les Paul legit?

is .ch a Chinese internet address? That might have a bearing on if it is legit or not too. Just saying. :dunno:

.ch is swiss

 

[ICTGoober]

Re: Quick one - Ist this Les Paul legit?

Chinese made LP copies usually have some of these attributes...

Look at the posts for the Tune-a-matic - do they have slots in the top? It's Chinese.

Look around the edge of the guitar body - can you see multiple pieces of wood, but the back looks like one piece? It's Chinese.

Pop the cover on the control cavity - are the pots full size (like a quarter), or small (like a dime)? If small - it's Chinese.
Also, they should be silver colored with stamped numbers, but not shiny like chrome.
Some of the Chinese pots are full size, but they are dull gray with no numbers.

Check the jack - if it's not a robust design like this - it's Chinese.
https://www.tubesandmore.com/sites/default/files/uc_products/w-sc-l12a_copy.png
(this is a Switchcraft jack - what you want)
Asian made guitars ALWAYS have crappy jacks - even Ibanez and Eastman, so upgrade them.

Look at the back of the neck - is the peghead & neck one piece, or is the peghead scarfed onto the neck (two pieces)? Two pieces - it's Chinese.

 

[Discharged]

Re: Quick one - Ist this Les Paul legit?

is .ch a Chinese internet address? That might have a bearing on if it is legit or not too. Just saying. :dunno:

.ch stands for Confoederatio Helvetica, aka Switzerland.

I guess that simply googling that was too hard work?

J/K. :joke:

/Peter

 

[Wattage]

Re: Quick one - Ist this Les Paul legit?

Looks right

 

[BTMN]

Re: Quick one - Ist this Les Paul legit?

.ch stands for Confoederatio Helvetica, aka Switzerland.

I guess that simply googling that was too hard work?

J/K. :joke:

/Peter

You are correct. I was being lazy at that moment and was not motivated enough to look it up myself.

 

[Jeff_H]

Re: Quick one - Ist this Les Paul legit?

The easiest way to tell if a LP is legit is to look for the wings on the head stock. You have to look at it from behind. Counterfeiters don't take the time to fit wings like Gibson does; it's too labor intensive and expensive. You can clearly see it on the right hand side of my head stock below. All authentic Les Paul's have a wing on each side of the head stock to make it the proper width.

There are many other things you can look for, but this is the easiest.

 

[gilt.suspect]

Re: Quick one - Ist this Les Paul legit?

It looks good to me so far. Can they take a photo of the control cavity? The back of the pots should have the Gibson name on them as well as the bottom side of the humbuckers (Gibson stamped logo).

 

[Securb]

Re: Quick one - Ist this Les Paul legit?

If it is a fake it is a damn good one. Looks legit to me.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Quick one - Ist this Les Paul legit?

Mismatched flame? Definitely Gibson work.

I dig the flame. Very early Vandenberg.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: Quick one - Ist this Les Paul legit?

Mismatched flame? Definitely Gibson work.

Ha ha ha! So True!

 

[AlexR]

Re: Quick one - Ist this Les Paul legit?

Thats actually bookmatched, but the sort of maple used always shows off the opposite reflection (which is a feature of bookmatch) much more obviously

 

[SAguitar]

Re: Quick one - Ist this Les Paul legit?

That one sure looks good from here!

 

[Aceman]

Re: Quick one - Ist this Les Paul legit?

Thats actually bookmatched, but the sort of maple used always shows off the opposite reflection (which is a feature of bookmatch) much more obviously

I don't think so....


But like I said - looks great. But not AAA great

 

[Adieu]

Re: Quick one - Ist this Les Paul legit?

Wouldnt a 2012 have pots on a PCB?

Or is that later in the 2k-teens? Pretty sure they were all-PCB by 2012