A look at what is currently available on eBay
Should I buy this guitar?
I went into my local guitar shop recently and said I was looking for a Epiphone Les Paul as Gibson was out of my budget and he showed me a Vintage V100 and said he would sell me it for £250. I then found what looked like an Epiphone Les Paul Custom in white. they then told me that this was a fake and then showed me all of the differences (like the shape of the headstock, the 'mother of pearl' fret inlays were out of place, the guitar body was thicker) but told me that it had genuine Humbucker pickups and would be just as good as the real version... and that he would sell it to me for £100.
Now I do not have enough money for either yet but I am thinking that if I get the fake Epiphone now and then save up again and then buy a real Epi/Vintage and give the fake to my little bro. But i am not sure at all. Please help!!!
PS who would make a fake Epiphone? It's a fake of a fake!!! :/
First of all, an Epiphone Les Paul Custom is NOT a fake. Epiphone is owned by Gibson and has served a long time as their brand of less expensive (not "cheap") guitars. I own an Epiphone Les Paul Custom and I actually prefer it to most Gibson Les Pauls that I have played.
That said, I will discuss the guitars you are looking at. The Vintage V100 is a rip off at £250. They retail at about £179, so he's kinda high on the price. They are a quite well made Les Paul copy and are good value for money at £179. The V100 has humbucking pickups that sound quite true to the p90's that you find in stock Epiphone and Gibson Les Pauls. This might be a good choice for you, from a more honest music shop.
Now to the fake Epiphone. Who would make a fake Epiphone? Two words: The Chinese. They make cheap but real looking fakes of many famous brand guitars. This guitar is likely a piece of junk and I doubt that the pickups are real p90's. Not only would you likely get a crappy guitar, but by buying it, you are helping the chinese perpetuate the ripping off of trademarks.
I'm finding myself questioning dealing with a music shop that is selling the V100 for 70 pound more than what they go for and in the same breath would try to sell you a chinese rip off, claiming it has real humbuckers in it. If you believe that, I have a bridge in Brooklyn that I'd like to sell you as well. It's the real version, after all...lol.
I think you need to shop around. There's bound to be a more reputable and honest music shop within a reasonable bus ride from where you are. Look in the phone book and go check them out. Something smells very fishy about the one you've been visiting.
xx
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