I have one of these - bought it for £200 at a car boot sale - was so excited - my first Gibson! Funny thing is I played it as my primary for a couple of years - it stayed in tune and sounded great. I really connected with the instrument - it was so responsive. I suppose the clue was some popped frets but I got those fixed and had no more issues with it after that. Anyway - today I stuck the serial number in google and it turns out that that a lot of people have a Gibson with serial number 02005557 - which led me here. Now as I look at that one-time object of desire, I see the lie revealed. I guess the difference is (as you can hear in the video) it still sounds great (tone, sustain, volume etc) but now I know I don't have an instrument with a £2.5K trade in value. I wonder if, when the mood strikes me and I give it a proper 2 a.m. neo soul / funk workout, whether it will sound the same or whether it will now sound like a knock-off. But I think it will sound the same. It's a guitar that's lied to me about so many things - but it lied with such a sweet sweet voice..
I have to say that the shape of the body looks odd. I dunno if it's from the binding. The upper bout looks square-ish, instead of round. Anyone else see that?
Agreed. From what I can tell, it's a 1mm veneer. It is "solid wood," just a very thin slab. But they bookmatch and offset, which are nice little details for such an inexpensive guitar.
that's the first thing I noticed. I saw one of these at a pawn shop in town and you could not make make out the handwritten "Supreme" in the logo. They wanted $1400 and it clearly had a CNC serial that when googled, showed up on other fake Gibsons online. I am sure they sound fine but for a Pawn shop to try to sell a fake at real used prices is pathetic.
@aronchas Ebony fretboards are black, rosewood is brown. Ebony has a very tight woodgrain, and it's a little shiny. Rosewood has a more open woodgrain and it's usually not shiny. Ebony is naturally a little oily, rosewood is a dryer wood. Ebony is harder than rosewood.
Exactly right. The VAST majority of the price differential is the cost of American labor IN America. No American will work for a buck or less an hour, that isn't even legal. It's not for nothing that virtually all the majors have Asian budget lines of very high quality guitars and basses. Not to mention any number of other products.
I wouldn't be so praiseworthy of a guitar from a company that obviously engages in intellectual property theft. Further, even though you are able to tell the difference between a Chinese and US-made Gibson, many others can't and surely the fakes are being misrepresented and sold somewhere out there as legitimate US-made guitars. Besides, the body shape is off - the horn looks *really* wrong.
mikey71 you grossly overestimate the value of your opinion. Many people can't afford the overinflated prices of Gibson instruments many which are of poor quality nowadays. Value for money is key here sonny, a fool and his money are easily parted. A few hundred versus a few thousand = No brainer!
Yeah, someone in the market to buy a Gibson will have the knowledge they need to make a purchase. If they’re stupid enough to pay 2-3k for a 400$ knock off, then they’re probably to stupid to actual own a Gibson.
If you have to spell out to people how to spot a Fake LP then it may well be fair to say, go find a fake LP, make sure your paying a very very good price and you will be happy that there is enough money left over to buy more gear. And for those looking to avoid Chinese LP this video of course is very good, thanks.
@nacho5611 that's not me, but boy can this guy play guitar, not only that he's pretty good at helping you understand what to look out for when buying guitars possibly one of the most under rated channels on the tube
@themeanbloke It depends on the price. For $2,800, it would matter quite a bit. For $280, not so much. Actually, many people buy guitars without playing them first, just ask Musician's Friend, Sweetwater, Sam Ash, American Musical Supply, etc. If you got the skills to set it up, there's nothing that can't be adjusted to suit preference.
I was just checking your video on fake les pauls I traded an amp for one and I changed the pickups and pots and it plays like butter and sounds GREAT.The thing I was wanting to ask you is who do you buy your les pauls from I've heard different stories about you have to watch who you buy from some are better than other sellers.I would like to get another one thanks keep rocking.
@guitarfreakstyle2 True and true. Though the latter can be replaced with accurate hardware, the former is far more difficult to reproduce or replace with after-market. Chinese "gold" wears off very easily, so even if they did use "gold" frets, the color would wear to silver almost immediately.
@kramerfrank5150 That is how Gibson makes them, too. The bodies are extra hollowed-out inside to allow for the parts to come out through the pickup cavities. Tying string to the hardware seems to be the standard method, then using the string to pull the hardware back into place.
@wehurtthosewelove No, the jack is a standard 1/4", but the plate (and hole behind the plate) are like on a Les Paul Standard (square jack plate). The real Supreme uses a large cavity to allow access to the pots and it's covered in a rectangular plate that runs along the bottom for about 3".
@djalsurdi67 I haven't had any issues with the frets to report. I accidentally whacked one of my other guitars on a piece of sharp metal that required the first few frets to be replaced. There is no visible or tonal difference between the three replacement frets and the original frets. However, the real Supremes have gold frets and I've never seen gold frets on a fake. That's a good indicator of whether it's real or fake.
@mingoos4294 It's what the Chinese factory put in the guitar. They are marked "Epiphone" on the bottom, but they are not real Epiphone pickups (which ARE potted and don't squeal). Those are the cheap Chinese-made pickups that come stock with the fake. They're un-potted and bright, but still usable so long as it's not loud (or they get potted first).
@FeebleSatan $600 sounds high to me. These here are usually around $325, including delivery. For $325 or thereabout, definitely worth it. For $600, it doesn't sound worth it unless a lot of the hardware was changed including the pickups. Plug it into a loud amp with lots of distortion and see if it squeals at moderate volumes, then you'll know of the pickups were changed.
@Mrgodcow I can offer a few answers. 1. These fakes are fairly well-made for the most part. Yes, they can use a few upgrades & a little work, but the woods, construction & finishes are usually pretty good. 2. They make good project guitars. 3. A genuine Gibson Les Paul costs THOUSANDS more. 4. Some people gig with their fake and save their delicate expensive Gibson for the recording studio & photo shoots. 5. The fakes offer color choices & options that Gibson doesn't.
@CFloBucket The amp is Guitar Rig 4 with a Boss-style Distortion set to barely on into a Dual Rectifier in "Vintage" mode, Gain and Vol at 40%. Some delay and reverb added at the end of the chain. It's all Guitar Rig, no other effects.
@ZOMB13 Just the Supreme models. The real Supremes have no back cavities, either, though the real ones have a larger input jack cavity to make access a little easier (the fakes don't have the large jack cavity, hence the small jackplate). All of the Customs and Standards have back cavities like the real ones, one for the pots/jack and one for the switch.
@rollsroycess The amp is Guitar Rig 4 (computer software) with a Distortion box set to barely on into a Dual Rectifier in "Vintage" mode, Gain and Vol at .75/100. Also reverb and delay. Everything is from Guitar Rig, no other effects.
@ZenDriveSeven There are no backplates, just like a genuine Gibson Les Paul Supreme. You access the electronics through the jackplate and pickup cavities.
@stronans4life The one in the background was $295. Once you change the strings to D'Addario or Ernie Balls, they stay in tune just fine. I don't know which bolts you are referring to...the neck is set in, not bolt on. If you mean the truss cover, there are only two screws, one at the top and one at the bottom, both in the center. The strings are far above them and they never get caught in the screws. Hope that helps!
@Guy9998 Well I'm not sure what you're saying. Squier & Epiphone isn't licensed by the Chinese, they are owned & operated by Fender & Gibson. They have their guitars built in China by Chinese workers in Chinese factories because the labor is cheap.
@twinsmm1 It's more like an ES-335 - completely hollow inside except for a center block to support the tailpiece and bridge. The common technique is to tie string to the hardware and then dismount and pull it out through the pickup cavities. Do the work outside the body and then pull all the hardware back using the string. It's a pain in the ass, but not impossible.
@pflau1 Pickups are magnetic, wood is not. The vibrating steel strings produce a vibration in the magnet's magnetic field. I have several guitars. One in particular has a poor unplugged sound, but when plugged-in the guitar sings. Another guitar has a really resonant unplugged sound but sounds just okay when plugged-in. With solid-body electric guitars, the majority of the tone comes from the electronics.
@VUZOOKA I think so, but I've never changed anything other than the fingerboard from rosewood to ebony, so I can't say for sure. When it's custom-ordered, though, it takes like 3-4 weeks to get. If it's in stock (comes with ebony without custom order), then it can take less than a week.
@omfg51 Gibsons are just ASSEMBLED in USA. The woods, pots & caps, hardware, and plastic parts, among other things, are all imported. USA doesn't manufacture much anymore.
I've seen, examined, & played several fakes that were basically Epiphones with Gibson style headstocks. They were Epi quality, and they came loaded with Epi parts & features. They looked, felt, played, & sounded just like Epi's, minus the Quality Control (they needed fret-dress, set-ups, & maybe a few upgraded parts). They're most likely made in the Epi factories in China. When Gibson moved Epi production there in 2002, that's when we saw an explosion of these fakes.
Man I really like your vid clips. I got a Slash A. F. D. and a Supreme just like yours and I am happy as a pig in a mud puddle and did not have to go into large debt to buy them. Yeah they are not the real McCoy but I am the only one that needs to be impressed and I am with the 2 I got so far. I WILL buy more!! Keep on jammin dude!!!!
@stratplayinguy The inside is hollow, like an ES-335. There's a block at the bridge and tailpiece for support, but it's mostly hollow. The pickups need to be potted, at the very least, but changing them is probably a good idea, too. The pots probably should be changed as well. They are slow-turning and ramp up quickly. Not a very good taper to them. The nut on mine is fine, though it is plastic. The bridge and tailpiece seem ok. The tuners stay in tune, but their ratio is low.
I don't have a Chinese Gibson. My friend has 2 of them though. I never once said that they're NOT illegal, but counterfeit products like designer sunglasses, handbags, shoes, clothes, watches, jewelry, CD's, DVD's, etc. have been coming into the country for DECADES. You might even have some yourself. And yes, there ARE many Gibson owners who also own fakes.
Funny thing, in 1968, Gibson started to make the logo with no dot on the i and an open o which looks like gibsun. When I bought my 1969 SG back in 1984 I didn't notice that until after I purchased the guitar. First I thought I was ripped off but A.R Duchossoir's book on guitar identification set me straight.
@OddTimeMan Well, I don't agree at all. I'm a guitar seller, and figured out several times that even guitars from the same series (let's say two Gibson Les Paul Standard Traditionnal, same color, same everything, twin guitars) are sounding slightly differently... It's not just about woods with pickups. The way woods are cut, set together, the piece of woods used... There is too many random factors to think it's that simple. But if you prefer another guitar it's fine ;)
So I decided after much debate I would buy a Chinese Gibson. I bought the exact one in this video from the exact same guy. I received it yesterday. My dad, who owns two gibsons (real ones), and has been playing for 37 years, picked it up. He claims he can't tell a very distinct difference, and the differences he could tell, were not a 1900 dollar or more difference, i am greatly happy with the guitar.
I want to tell you something sir! You are one of the very few guitarist that is worth watching on this miracle of endless reels of some interesting things to watch but mostly wasted time! I have learned more things that I can actually USE in my guitar playing from watching you! Rock On!
@UnderDeceptionMetal They both feel as good as any decent guitar. The Supreme's neck is a little slimmer than the Custom, but not by much. The weight is pretty good on the Custom because of the mahogany body. The Supreme is a little lighter because it's hollow, not chambered like the real Supreme.
@richass100 The amp is Guitar Rig 4 with a Boss-style Distortion set to barely on into a Dual Rectifier in "Vintage" mode, Gain and Vol at 40%. Some delay and reverb added at the end of the chain. It's all Guitar Rig, no other effects.
@Gunsnrosestreflip It's like working on an ES-335 (or any f-hole guitar without openings in the back). First you tie string to the other hardware and then pull everything out through the pickup holes. Then do the work and then pull all the hardware back through using the string you tied in the first step.
@SHRUDE So a veneer is not a slab of wood, albeit a thin one? Then what is it? I'm saying it's real wood and not a photo finish and I think you are agreeing (unless you think a veneer is not real wood). My abolone is real, and has little cracks and scratches at the edge, so wrong on that one, dude. The inlays are plastic, but they look nice and are inlayed very tightly, a great job if you ask me. The pup mounting screws are a non-issue, those can be changed at any time.
@pickmaster Yeah, they're not too easy to work with. Basically, you have to tie string or fishing line to the hardware and then pull it out through the pickup cavities. Do your work, and then pull them back through using the line. It's not impossible, but it's a bit of a pain, to say the least.
Some people buy these fakes out of curiosity, some buy them to mod & experiment on, some buy them to gig with and they save their expensive & fragile genuine Gibsons for the recording studio & photo shoots. My friend bought one years ago to mod. He was so impressed with the result he ended up buying another one. A lot of people who buy these fakes end up being repeat customers because the woods, construction, & finishes are usually pretty good.
@Svet69 If you want to be sure you're getting mahogany, get one that shows the wood, like a Standard. All of the Les Paul Standards have clear finishes on the back so the mahogany comes through. Be warned, though, the core mahogany is very blemished (but real mahogany, none the less), and usually two pieces. The back is covered in a paper-thin veneer of really nice mahogany to cover the blemishes. The tops are the same. A half-centimeter maple cap is covered in a paper-thin figured maple.
@OddTimeMan thanks for the back up man. my Martin has a 11 degree headstock and it sounds great, my peavey has a 13 deg and it sounds great. and technically all Floyd roses have a zero degree and they sound awesome all headstock Angles do is make the guitar look nice and keep the strings on the nut
@shipleyshipster They are more akin to movie props. They have a certain look, but that's where the similarities end. That said, these are not toys; they are real instruments made with tone woods and they can play quite nicely after a bit of setup. The real sacrifice is in resell, which is non-existent. One has to ready to hang it on the wall as 3D art, or remove the emblem before reselling. Selling one "as is" always brings the risk of trafficking, so best to avoid that unpleasantness.
@stratplayinguy I think you might be right. I'm not positive, but it would appear to be maple. I think that I went with basswood because I didn't think maple was plausible, but now I'm not so sure. At the very least it appears to be maple with perhaps a maple veneer over the top, but that would seem like too much work for the money.
@TTyuyTT They are just ok. The pots are really slow and sluggish, like the heavy knobs on a stereo. That makes quick volume swells nearly impossible. Also, the pickups are crappy, not potted and very microphonic. Replacing the pickups with GHS Fat Pats and replacing the pots with low-friction ones would go a long way in improving sound and performance.
I also have one of these, the electronics were garbage, but after switching out the pots switch and pickups, the guitar sounds great, and plays better than any LP I've found, including some Gibsons.......much better than any Epiphone I've seen, which is Gibsons overseas made LP anyway.
@alpilon23 I think so, but not everyone is in agreement. It really depends on whether you like to tinker with instruments, because they usually need some setup and adjustment right away. They are not perfect, but for the money, they are great. Also, stick with a simple design (like a Les Paul). Their more complex parts (like a locking tremolo) are difficult to make with both precision and low cost......and cost always wins.
The video's informative, but I keep coming back to watch your playing and hear that awesome tone! I'm thinking of ordering one of these. I sent them a question, asking if they fixed the "Sopreme" problem, and they obviously had no clue what I was talking about. Can't blame them though, I mean, I don't speak Chinese at all so I'm lenient to a Chinese person trying to understand English. Anyway, these guitars, while total counterfeits, seem to be pretty decent for he price.
@dasfarfignewton It's more like an ES-335 - completely hollow inside except for a center block to support the tailpiece and bridge. The common technique is to tie string to the hardware and then dismount and pull it out through the pickup cavities. Do the work outside the body and then pull all the hardware back using the string. It's a pain in the ass, but not impossible.
@houleyman There's a Gibson-China? I thought all Gibsons came from the US and only the Epiphone brand is Chinese/Korean made. Anyway, these guitars are not made by Gibson (or Epiphone), but I'm hesitant to call them counterfeit. Counterfeit implies that they are attempted to be passed as the real thing (like a counterfeit dollar), but these aren't (not by my dealer, anyway). He's right up front that they are not made by Gibson, but instead by a Chinese factory.
@OddTimeMan I stand corrected it is BASSWOOD i was referring to. In the last year or so the quality has improved a lot. I've probably seen 6/ 7 of these Chibsons over 4 years. More people are opting for them these days. I understand other guitars have veneer but they aren't labelled "Gibson'. :) The inlays we see here look pretty bad down near the 18th. I've seen some really bad inlays where they need to be VERY precise. Dont matter. Its not the wood or the maker, but the hardware & the player
@PixxyLixxx My friend has 2 fake LP Customs and we believe they are maple. Basswood is pretty light but his fakes are 10 lbs. each. Basswood is soft and dents easily, but when we took out the pickups and pressed into the wood with a screwdriver, it did not dent. The necks are definitely maple and the bodies are 3 pieces. They were probably all cut from the same maple lumber. The bodies also have a maple veneers on the top & back.
@CptCippe New pickups would go a long way with the fakes and you're right, they need new strings, a setup and check right away. I always have to adjust the string height and occasionally the truss rod. For the most part, though, they come pretty clean and sometimes set up just perfectly. I guess that's like any guitar maker, really.
@fabiolone70 Truss rod works fine on mine, but there are lemons out there. The quality out there varies considerably, but I've been happy with mine. No complaints here.
That's a true comment, ive seen people play on Gibson's and make them sound like a cheap! then you get someone who can play and they will make the Gibson's sing!! A Gibson really does have an extra something that will bring the best out in a good player, its not all about the high price and headstock as some keep insisting
A follow up- Gibson LP VOS-Counterfiet. After another $150.,($430.00 total cost with case) to my guitar tech for fret leveling, filing the bridge to remedy its sharpness, a set up, new strings, this plays pretty damn good. I feel better about it when I'm not comparing it to a Legit. Gibson. It is what it is. I like the sustain I'm getting compared to my Tele's. It's pretty good looking too.BTW your video is great, and obviously you've practiced many years. Thanks for sharing!
What ive learned from these videos is that for the price you pay, looks like a sweet deal to me, I just ordered a EDS-1275 Replica and I payed 350 for it, can't wait for it to get here
@SDJrekoff Oh, none taken - your ears are right, it was still out. That's funny you mention the 11s, I used those exact strings for about 10 years. But they're too heavy for me now. My old fingers can't take it anymore. I haven't had much luck with DRs. I used FLoyd Rose trems for years and I always missed the right spot to cut the ball end, so I'd accidentally unravel the windings. I went running back to the pressed windings of D'Addario after I ruined a few sets.
@soares1971 The neck is fairly thin. Not chunky at all. I like it a lot. Very easy to play. The custom is a little thicker. The bodies on these are mostly hollow, like an ES-335, with a block in the middle for the neck, bridge and tailpiece.
@OddTimeMan The unplugged sound has everything to do with the plugged-in sound. The electronics only amplify and create harmonic overtones from the unplugged sound.
Hey Pixxy Lixxx!!! I must say, that les paul supreme is the nicest sounding fake I've heard yet!!! Do you have stock pickups in there or did you change them? What kind of inlays are those on the fretboard??? Also, is it something that you ask for over the phone or can you specify on the site??? Thanks man!!! That thing sounds amazing compared to all the others I've heard!!! Sounds real as hell!!! Keep on rockin buddy, good stuff!! Rainy
The Guitars sound Great and I think it has a Lot to do with your TALENT man ! Please tell me who exactly that you bought them from cos I will order one. Please keep up the demo video's cos you are a good player...thanks for the info...
Great video... made me smile from the get go and I gotta say I have bought 14 guitars from China now, majority Gibsonesq and a couple of Fender types. I bought the first with the intention of replacing the switchgear and pickups but when I stripped that baby down I discovered good quality Korean parts and Epiphone pickups. I have a great relationship with a couple over there that export French Horns into Europe with a side line selling guitars through a couple of stores. They are so beautiful.
American-made guitars became the "standard" back when that meant something: America had the skilled labor and the economy and whatnot to produce superior products of all sorts (not just guitars). A lot has changed since the 50's or 60's. At this point, you can pay 200 bucks for a Chinese guitar or 1000 bucks for an American guitar with the only real difference being who put the thing together. 90% of parts come from overseas now, a lot of the wood does, etc. Asia has caught up to the US.
I want to buy an LP custom "cherry sunburst" to replace the original one I bought in 1971 for AUD$376 and sold 5 years later and still regret it. I would also buy a Black Beauty which I bought in 2005 for AUD$5200 and had to sell in 2006...Damn. Now hopefully I can replace those great looking axes with these great looking affordable copies. Thanx Pixxi
@RichardGuitarTV Access is through the extra large Jack Plate on Supremes. The 3way and pick ups have extra long wires and can be assembled outside the guitar.
