Help! Possible fake f-200

Liam G.Liam G.
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    Liam G.

    So I do not own the guitar yet but my local music shop is selling one made in Korea i don't have the serial number but I do have a picture from their online page. Just want to know so I don't waste my money. Thanks!

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    Pushead
    Pushead wrote




    What makes you think it's fake? It's difficult for me to tell from one small, underexposed photo.

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      Liam G.
      Liam G. wrote

      the headstock logo looks a bit off

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        Liam G.
        Liam G. wrote

        the fretboard dosent feel great

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          Pushead
          Pushead wrote

          Well, between that LTD Logo style and it's a Korean made 200 level guitar, I'd guess it's 10+ years old already (probably closer to 15.) Who knows what kind of life it lived with a previous owner? I'd guess the fretboard wasn't well or often cleaned and conditioned.

          The logo and truss rod cover are right for the 2003-ish era. The pickups look to be the EMG-HZ 1 models that are also from that era. Again, I'd say it's probably legit. Considering you can buy a new one for $400 (in the US, anyway), I doubt anyone would bother making a fake version of it to sell.

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            Pushead
            Pushead wrote

            Woah, older than I thought. After looking at the product archives, by 2005 they had swapped over to the modern style script LTD logo. They don't have any of the catalogs from 2001-2004, but the 2000 catalog shows the F-200 with that logo.

            https://cdn.connectsites.net/user_files/esp/downloads/000/000/084/ESP-2000-Catalog.pdf?1392144605

            I hope the deal you can get is worth it.  Good luck on your decision.

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