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Is my Epi Frehley real or fake?


4thought

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Wondering if someone who knows can help me out. I bought an Epi Frehley about 6 years ago and I'm wondering if its fake. The serial is I00071926 which I gather means it was supposed to be made in Korea in 2000. Things that have me wondering are that Ace's outline on the headstock is not continuous - there are two breaks. Someone told me the outline is too close to the left side of the headstock as well. Some of the binding is not perfect. Someone also questioned whether the pups are real DiMarzios.

See the link for a bunch of close up pictures. I can post more if you want to see anything else.

https://plus.google.com/photos/11439...01844774923377

Thanks very much!

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Quote Originally Posted by onelife View Post
Do you like the guitar?

Does it play well and sound good?

How important is it to you for the guitar to be "real?"
I like it and it plays and sounds good. I'm curious since a couple of people seem to think it's fake.
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Quote Originally Posted by onelife View Post
Do you like the guitar?

Does it play well and sound good?

How important is it to you for the guitar to be "real?"
I like it and it plays and sounds good. I'm curious since a couple of people seem to think it's fake.
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Plenty of fake Epi's out there. Why? B/c new price on some are $700-900, and you could build a lower quality fake for $200 or less (probably $100 with enough volume production).

Is yours fake? I'm no expert, so I won't judge. If you bought it with proper documentation or confirmed with Epiphone that the serial number is one for an Ace, then you're probably ok.

I've heard stories of GC taking in fakes on trade without knowing they were fake, and then selling to the public.

Best you can do, with instrument in hand, is take it apart. Check the pickups, see what kind of wood is in the pickup cavity. (if it's painted in a shielding paint, see if that's normal - usually a good way to hide that it's not a full maple top or they used plywood for the body).

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Plenty of fake Epi's out there. Why? B/c new price on some are $700-900, and you could build a lower quality fake for $200 or less (probably $100 with enough volume production).

Is yours fake? I'm no expert, so I won't judge. If you bought it with proper documentation or confirmed with Epiphone that the serial number is one for an Ace, then you're probably ok.

I've heard stories of GC taking in fakes on trade without knowing they were fake, and then selling to the public.

Best you can do, with instrument in hand, is take it apart. Check the pickups, see what kind of wood is in the pickup cavity. (if it's painted in a shielding paint, see if that's normal - usually a good way to hide that it's not a full maple top or they used plywood for the body).

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Quote Originally Posted by ashtray View Post
Plenty of fake Epi's out there. Why? B/c new price on some are $700-900, and you could build a lower quality fake for $200 or less (probably $100 with enough volume production).

Is yours fake? I'm no expert, so I won't judge. If you bought it with proper documentation or confirmed with Epiphone that the serial number is one for an Ace, then you're probably ok.

I've heard stories of GC taking in fakes on trade without knowing they were fake, and then selling to the public.

Best you can do, with instrument in hand, is take it apart. Check the pickups, see what kind of wood is in the pickup cavity. (if it's painted in a shielding paint, see if that's normal - usually a good way to hide that it's not a full maple top or they used plywood for the body).
you think epips cost $200 for them to make? I bet it's more like $75 on the boat, if that.
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Quote Originally Posted by DaleH

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you think epips cost $200 for them to make? I bet it's more like $75 on the boat, if that.

 

Considering the cost of labor where they're made, I'm thinking less than 25 North American $'s wink.gif
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Quote Originally Posted by 4thought View Post
Good idea to check the serial, but I've also heard the forgers use real serials.

I bought it used off an HC ad.
I had a fake LP Supreme. Serial number was the same as the real deal. Back of the pickups were even stamped Gibson USA like the real thing. Even had the right bridge posts and 2 screw engraved truss rod cover. Looking inside the body at the woods used and the wiring were dead giveaways though.
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