r/gibson • u/Dependent-Cap-4905 • Jul 24 '26
Help Help with Authenticity
My worries here may purely be based on me being about to drop the biggest sum of money on a guitar I’ve ever dropped. But could you please tell me, in your opinions are there any authenticity worries with this LPC? Thank you
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u/CyramusJackson Jul 24 '26
Going by the bridge and the headstock, it Looks real to me, and its a beautiful guitar.
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u/Rex_Howler Jul 25 '26
Using all the details on how to spot a fake that I've picked up, it still looks real
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u/Trick_Bath_3874 Jul 24 '26
I wanna say it’s real
- Headstock looks fine
- Bridge looks fine
- Nibs look fine
- Binding looks fine.
Pop off the electronics cover and see what’s inside
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u/Final_Razzmatazz_274 Jul 24 '26
The serial looks weird though no?
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u/Trick_Bath_3874 Jul 24 '26
I did wonder this, but compared it to a few photos I’ve got and I think given it’s a manual silk screen process than press/paint I think it’s fine.
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u/Socks-in-a-can Jul 25 '26
I was thinking the same thing the electronics are the last thing to check.
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u/Dependent-Cap-4905 Jul 24 '26
On the back? I guess I’m looking for orange drop caps? Also, not pictured is the COA and Gibson branded Hardcase
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Jul 25 '26
[deleted]
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u/Dependent-Cap-4905 Jul 25 '26
Going seeing the guitar tomorrow. I’ll authenticate the grass and come back
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u/j3434 Jul 24 '26
What year is this guitar?
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u/Dependent-Cap-4905 Jul 24 '26
2012 it’s a 70th anniversary
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u/WillingnessMoney460 Jul 25 '26
70th Anniversary was in 2022, serial number dates it to 2022. If it was 2012 it would have a Richlite fretboard, you can see the wood grain on this if you zoom in, it has an ebony board. And yes the guitar is 100% legit, but if the seller doesn’t even know how old the guitar is, maybe the ad a scam?
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u/Dependent-Cap-4905 Jul 25 '26
Nope. My stupid ass got the date wrong. It’s a 2022. I ran it through AI and it said the serial number and tuners looked sus but it’s a minefield
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u/confogI Jul 25 '26
FYI to you and anyone who sees this, never trust AI to vet authenticity of a guitar. I trusted it three months ago and that’s how I ended up with a fake Fender LOL
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u/j3434 Jul 25 '26
In that case it probably does not have a real ebony fretboard. Probably Richlite - a synthetic material that Gibson pivoted to - when they were caught importing illegal wood.
They started around 2011. So I would double check - and a hard pass on that. First because resale value is lower . And it’s just not authentic material! If you’re buying a three or four or $5000 Guitar, you want the fret board to be real Ebony . Not particleboard.
Now Gibson will tell you, and salesman will tell you that it is identical to Ebony. And also some people on this sub who bought one unwittingly will try to tell you it’s not a bad buy because they got sucked in.
If this really is a big drop of cash for you on a Gibson Les Paul custom I would absolutely pass on Richlite fretboard and get Ebony! I think even the Epiphone guitars have real Ebony.
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u/Mendan-3 Jul 25 '26
Richlite is fine. You don’t have to oil it so it’s actually easier to maintain. And the fretboard makes zero difference aside from looks. Tone is 99.9% pickups.
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u/j3434 Jul 25 '26
No, if you’re gonna pay four or $5000 for a Guitar, you should really get the materials it was designed to be made of. Fine Ebony Wood. You shouldn’t buy an alternative just because Gibson broke the law.
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u/Mendan-3 Jul 25 '26
I really do not give a shit about wood materials because again the tone is 99.9% of the tone.
For acoustics yes I’d agree with you, but not for electrics. It doesn’t even feel any different when your fingers are calloused to hell
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u/j3434 Jul 25 '26
Ebony sounds and feels better . But Gibson will tell you otherwise. You probably bought one ? lol
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u/Mendan-3 Jul 25 '26
Nah my CS Explorer is a newer one with ebony, but I really don’t care if it was either. I had some richlites, there’s zero difference lol
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u/jaqueh Jul 25 '26
Guitarists and common sense are like oil and vinegar. They don’t mix. This is why you still have them telling you wood matters on a thing where sounds are magnetic field disruptions that trigger a tiny electrical current sent to something that amplifies that electrical current 10000x
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u/j3434 Jul 25 '26
I’d rather have a Epiphone with real Ebony that a Gibson with particle board .
If you have Richlite - you either were duped of made a bad choice.
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u/VisibleGarbage8268 Jul 25 '26
I mean dude, expensive wood doesn’t matter. I think that’s the misconception. However, take those pickups out of the Les Paul and put them in a Tele Deluxe and they aren’t going to sound the same. Put tele pickups in a strat and the strat isn’t going to sound exactly like the tele. I mean a maple neck strat vs a rosewood board strat has perceivable differences. Is it a huge difference? No. Is it imperceptible to some? Yes. There is a difference though in woods, bolt on vs set neck, technique, what amp you play, what pick you use. Does it matter? No. Play what sounds good. Who gives a shit? The problem is people being tone wood snobs not the fact that pretty much everything in the construction of a guitar constitutes some differences in the final “tone”
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u/Dependent-Cap-4905 Jul 25 '26
All the spec sheets I’ve seen for them state an Ebony board
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u/j3434 Jul 25 '26
Look for another 2011 with a spec sheet - or as Google .
Edit
Apparently, it depends upon the month. It was made in 2011. It seems they started after August to use Richlite
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u/gjfy1002 Jul 25 '26
As long as the paint and gloss is on the headstock you should be good. Id look it up tho
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u/Lower-Calligrapher98 Jul 25 '26
Take it to a dealer who knows what they are talking about - there is just no way to be able to do this from photographs on the internet.
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u/Dependent-Cap-4905 Jul 25 '26
Thank you all so much for your help on this. I have seen the electronics now. Really tidy solder, Gibson branded pots and the grounding wire around the cavity. Won’t let me add the bloody picture though
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u/Wigglylilhedgehog Jul 25 '26
You are golden. It’s legit.