{"id":1263,"date":"2026-03-01T14:00:56","date_gmt":"2026-03-01T14:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aboutguitars.uk\/?page_id=1263"},"modified":"2026-03-01T14:02:48","modified_gmt":"2026-03-01T14:02:48","slug":"how-to-spot-a-fake-gibson-les-paul","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/aboutguitars.uk\/?page_id=1263","title":{"rendered":"How to spot a Fake Gibson Les Paul"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>While it can be easy to spot the difference, the Chibson copies are getting better. It is OK if you are aware that you are not getting a genuine Gibson, let&#8217;s face it Les Paul copies have been around almost as long as the genuine Les Paul. Having said that, you really don&#8217;t want to think that you are getting a Gibson when you are not.<br><br>Here are some of the things that may make you suspicious, slide left and right to compare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Serial No<\/strong><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-jetpack-image-compare\"><div class=\"juxtapose\" data-mode=\"horizontal\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"1264\" src=\"https:\/\/aboutguitars.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Headstock-rear-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2460\" height=\"2560\" class=\"image-compare__image-before\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"1265\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/aboutguitars.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/IMG_20230324_165330687-Copy-scaled.jpg?ssl=1\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"2560\" class=\"image-compare__image-after\"\/><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The image on the left is the fake.  The genuine LP is stamped and is done before the final finish.  The fake number is too well defined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Truss Rod<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-jetpack-image-compare\"><div class=\"juxtapose\" data-mode=\"horizontal\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"1268\" src=\"https:\/\/aboutguitars.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TrussRod1-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"526\" height=\"602\" class=\"image-compare__image-before\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"1269\" src=\"https:\/\/aboutguitars.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TrussRod2-1.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"285\" height=\"312\" class=\"image-compare__image-after\"\/><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Under the cover the genuine Gibson, on the left,  will be a Nut and not Hex key (Allen Key) like the Epiphone on the right.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bridge<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-jetpack-image-compare\"><div class=\"juxtapose\" data-mode=\"horizontal\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"1275\" src=\"https:\/\/aboutguitars.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Tuneomatic.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"687\" height=\"522\" class=\"image-compare__image-before\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"1276\" src=\"https:\/\/aboutguitars.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/EpiphoneBridge.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"682\" height=\"569\" class=\"image-compare__image-after\"\/><\/div><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The genuine Gibson Tune-o-matic has thumb wheels for adjustments not screwdriver slots at the top of the post<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Control Cavity<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-jetpack-image-compare\"><div class=\"juxtapose\" data-mode=\"horizontal\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"1277\" src=\"https:\/\/aboutguitars.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GibsonControlCavity.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"963\" class=\"image-compare__image-before\"\/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" id=\"1278\" src=\"https:\/\/aboutguitars.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/ControlCavity-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"2544\" class=\"image-compare__image-after\"\/><\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Small pots are fake, Muti-colour wire and no shielding is usually fake as shown on the right, shielded braid is usually genuine.  The finish \/ paint inside is usually better on a genuine Gibson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These are perhaps the easier things to spot.  You will need to dismantle to check some things.  Here is a list of other things to look at.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Binding &#8211; Genuine Frets under the binding<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Body Shape &#8211; Top Bout slight difference, Thickness of Body<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Headstock logo &#8211; Poor definition<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nut &#8211; Fake too square<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Inlays &#8211; Not accurate \/ poor quality<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pickups &#8211; Remove and examine will show obvious copies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jack Plate &#8211; Genuine is square and jack is flush, fake usually rectangular and sticks out<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>I will possible add more photos later.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>While it can be easy to spot the difference, the Chibson copies are getting better. It is OK if you are aware that you are not getting a genuine Gibson, let&#8217;s face it Les Paul copies have been around almost as long as the genuine Les Paul. Having said that, you really don&#8217;t want to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1263","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P536vY-kn","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aboutguitars.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1263","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aboutguitars.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aboutguitars.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aboutguitars.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aboutguitars.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1263"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/aboutguitars.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1263\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1284,"href":"https:\/\/aboutguitars.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1263\/revisions\/1284"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aboutguitars.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1263"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}