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Category: Custom Shop

Jag Singh found a Fake Zakk Wylde in the UK

Posted in Custom Shop, Les Paul, Les Paul Custom, Zakk Wylde | Comments Off

screenshot from Jag.

Jag sent a brief email about the Zakk Wylde Les Paul he saw for sale in the UK. Luckily, Jag checked out the axe before jumping in with a bid.

Thanks for saving me! Almost panicked thinking I had managed to beat other bidders on a quick sale (thinking/hoping they hadn’t noticed it!). I’ve cancelled my bid and saved the heartache.

Here’s some pics:

A classic example of a fake Zakk Wylde Les Paul Headstock. The serial number is completely wrong and would not have as many numbers, or be stamped into the headstock like a standard guitar serial number, these are supposed to be custom shop models.

Note the one piece neck, a genuine Gibson Custom Shop Zakk Wylde Les Paul would have a three piece neck.

More information on fake Camo Zakk Wylde Les Pauls can be found on this previous inclusion on Fibsons.com

An Updated Version Of The Les Paul Corvette

Posted in Custom Shop, Les Paul | Comments Off

Spotted by Peter Howard in the UK, this Les Paul Corvette is a lot more deceptive than the previous one shown on this website. For a start the headstock on this one is very close to the real one, the ‘Corvette’ inlay on the fretboard is almost in the same place as the original and the serial number is at least in the same ball park as a real one.

The truss rod cover on the genuine ones are a silver metallic with 1960 on them, there is also engraving featured on the pick up covers. The edge of the white area on the top of the body, (that is a slightly different shape to the fakes) should have a raised surround and the selector switch cavity cover should have special engraving.

Thank you Peter for your email and telling us about this newer copy of the Les Paul Corvette.

Wayne’s Faux Frampton Les Paul Custom

Posted in Custom, Custom Shop, Les Paul | Comments Off

Peter Frampton’s original ‘Comes Alive’ Les Paul Custom was lost in a 1980 plane crash, Gibson’s Custom Shop has recreated it, sort of. This one, spotted by Wayne Bauman in Australia, was recreated by someone else…

“Hey guys, thought you might want to chuck this
on your web site. I’m pretty sure this is a fake les paul custom
listed on ebay item number 1605296000**. It’s got all the tell tale
signs from the stickers on the pick up to the pot cover on the
back. The neck looks like rosewood as well. I chucked the serial
number into guitar date coder and it came up as built in 2005. This
guitar is listed as brand new and if it is a custom should have CS
printed on the serial number as well. I would like to thank you
guys a lot for your web site. I brought a fake zakk wild custom off
ebay and saw that exact guitar on your web site (Zakk attack). I was able to get my
money back thank god but not without your help. Anyways check this
out and let me know what you think. Regards Wayne Bauman”

Wayne’s right on all his points, check out the dodgy serial number on the back of the headstock, as well as the decal/sticker on the back of the guitar, these are often found on the fakes. Thanks for the email and the pictures Wayne.

Tom Delonge Signature ES-333

Posted in Custom Shop, ES 335 | Comments Off

For those (parents of?) blink 182 and Angels and Airways fans, if you want to buy a Tom Delonge sig, you’re better off buying from a reputable dealer. This one is a fake.

Why? Well, the frets, (though hard to see here) go over the binding, (which on this white model should be brown). A re-fret? Well, not when it’s advertised as “New”. The headstock appears to be at the wrong angle. Also, notice that the headstock is a different color/colour to the rest of the guitar. The pickup surround on his white one is black, the one on the natural one is white, (the fake white one has the white surround but a natural headstock). Also, the only standard Delonge model, (incidently an ES333, not ES335), that you can get from Gibson is chocolate brown satin with cream racing stripes.

The real one, (pictured above) has been made for Tom in a few different colours/colors, I’m thinking the manufacturers of the fake are trying to combine two models. For a bit more information on the real ones check out this website.

Ewout’s Custom Shop

Posted in Custom, Custom Shop, Les Paul | Comments Off

I have never seen a Custom Shop guitar flaunt it’s credentials so blatantly by displaying it’s origin on the headstock…

This one comes from Ewout in The Netherlands.

“I came accross your website when I googled ‘fake gibson’. The reason I did this was because I spotted a to-good-to-be-true-cheap-ass Gibson (€350) on a dutch classified ads site yesterday. I contacted the seller and asked if I could come around to see and play the guitar. The guy was kind enough to ensure me (over the phone) this guitar is not a real Gibson, but that it sounds and plays really well.”

Judging by the headstock alone, with it’s audacious proclamation of Custom Shopery but dodgy looking Gibson logo, incorrect tuners and truss rod cover, I don’t think we need to be ensured it’s a fake, but still, a bit of honesty from the seller, (when pushed) is a good thing.

Add to that the bad pot placement and Rosewood fingerboard on a Les Paul “Custom” this guitars Gibson authenticity is pretty much on the rocks. Thanks to Ewout for the email and pictures.

Zakk Attack! Another Zakk Wylde Bullseye.

Posted in Custom Shop, Les Paul, Les Paul Custom, Zakk Wylde | Comments Off

Sometimes it feels like I should call this website fibs-zakkwyldecustom-ons.com due to the huge amount of fake Zakk Wylde Les Paul Custom guitars I get told of and see online. It’s got to be at no. 3 in my chart of things I think are being faked the most, (2 being the Les Paul Supreme and 1 being my wife’s interest as I ramble on about that vintage Les Paul Jr I just have to have).

Anyhoo, bear with me while I plough/plow through this once again.

The knobs should be speed dials, not top hats with silver inserts, I suspect the EMG’s are fake but anyway there should not be a pick up selector switch surround, (the plastic circle with Rhythm and Lead on it), the fretboard should be ebony, not what appears to be rosewood. Looking at the back we see the “Gibson” decal on the pots cavity cover, this may as well say, “This is a counterfeit Gibson guitar, bad luck, you’ve been had, don’t you feel a goose”. Why? Because a real Gibson guitar does not have that sticker on it, but most of the fakes do.

Looking at the front of the headstock; The Gibson logo is in the wrong font and at the wrong angle, the split diamond inlay looks like it was done in fourth grade shop, the tuners are fake and the truss rod cover is too close to the nut. Over on the back we see that it has a fake serial number and has Made In USA imprinted into it, (it should not), Zakk’s Silhouette isn’t quite right and the shape of the headstock is incorrect. The truss rod cover is also a giveaway as the fonts are wrong and the words on it are wrong.

Check out more Zakk Wylde fakes on Fibsons.com by visiting the Zakk Wylde category, (link at the top of the page at the bottom right of the banner).