This instrument came into our shop for adjustments recently, the third in a 'series' of counterfeit guitars we've come across here. Purchased in good faith by their owners only to be duped by the all-to prevalent deception of forgeries in many things but in our experience, musical instruments imported from China. This guitar is badged a 'Gibson Les Paul Special' but is obviously a 'clone' with several glaring discrepancies, most importantly the choice of woods (the mahogany is obviously not genuine), there's something just not right about the lettering and the Gibson logo, and a few other points. The smoking gun is hidden under the truss rod cover for those of you presented with more questions than you have answers for: Gibson guitars (as far as we've experienced over the years) use a 'nut' to adjust the truss rod so you'll need a nut-driver/wrench to turn it-this guitar uses an almost hidden hex head adjuster (allen key wrench) to adjust.
On the left, an authentic 60's Gibson truss rod, R-forgery.
The simplest answer for the tentative buyer would be to contact Gibson Guitars directly with the serial number-chances are the numbers are not in their database or a mismatch.
BE CAREFUL OUT THERE! ;)
