How to spot a fake ESP

Updated December 08, 2021 13:43

Hi everyone, this is my first post here on the forum!!!

So here's the deal.
I am about to buy a second hand ESP Eclipse II VB with it's OHSC (Standard Series btw).

Here's the thing. I want to make sure it's legit. I can only go so far on my own so I need a few tips on what to look for to make sure it is the real deal. Little things that no counterfeit manufacturer would think of.

So far I've checked the guitar out once, as the seller lives quite far away. Here are a few things that I noticed, that I considered noteworthy.

Ok so first off I do have a serial number and the guitar was produced in 2007.
The tuners said Gotoh on the back of them.
A large area of the gold paint from the tuneomatic bridge had faded to reveal a silver bridge underneath. (Does the gold paint come off that easily???)
The guitar felt great to play on and was very comfortable. (Comparing this to a 100% real Eclipse I tested not long ago)
Pretty sure the fretboard was ebony. It was the right color and everything. It felt great. (But are there any other types of dark colored/black wood that could be used on a fretboard?)
Also, was the ESP Eclipse VB of 2007 shipped in different types of cases? I can't remember for sure right now but I think the case didn't have a cutaway to fit the shape of the guitars' body. Also It had a small compartment on one side of the area that the neck sits on (Basically you could open this compartment without lifting the guitar out of the way). A friend of mine who has the same guitar, but a 2011 model, had it dilivered in a case that had a large compartment that covered all the section on which the guitar neck rests.

Any help and tips on identyfying a fake would be trully appreciated guys.

Thanks in advance,

Lee

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Jaskaran S. wrote July 06, 2018 18:16

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Jaskaran S. wrote July 06, 2018 18:17

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Pushead wrote July 07, 2018 03:22

The guitar is legit, a late 2017 guitar.

You're right, the high E string is way too close to the edge of the fingerboard on the higher frets. It looks like either the bridge was notched improperly, or more likely, the neck has shifted. Fixing the shifted neck is reasonably easy to do yourself, but if you are close to the store where you bought the guitar, you should probably ask them to check it out for you, first.

Good luck!

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Thomas E. wrote July 09, 2018 21:51

Hey Guys and hello from Germany!

I need some quick help on this LTD 401 in military green. I want to buy it second hand but I'm wondering if it's really an original because I have never seen an EC in military green with such a bright fretboard and without the EC 401 inlay. I have searched every store around here only to find it with a dark fretboard and the inlay on the 12th fret. Can you tell me if this one is legit?

Is this one one of the new versions with jatoba wood?

Thanks in advance.

Thomas

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Pushead wrote July 10, 2018 01:51

The guitar looks good. It's a late 2017 model, which already had the flag at the 12th like the 2018 models. According to the catalog they say rosewood for 2017, but that doesn't seem likely. It's either jatoba or pao ferro (which is on the 2018 models.)

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Thomas E. wrote July 10, 2018 03:52

Great. Thanks for helping me out.

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Ertan Z. wrote September 02, 2018 06:23

Hi, i' m thinking to trade one of my usa strats with this Esp eclipse VB. This is gonna be my first Esp and i dont know much about them. I want to be sure this one is not a replica. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

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Pushead wrote September 02, 2018 11:53

The guitar in the photos is legit, a 2011 model. But those watermarks in the photos (the white words) are troublesome to me. Unless you're buying on that sahihinden website, I'd be worried that the seller just stole the photos from somewhere on the web.

I'd ask if the seller would e-mail you photos of the guitar that don't have the watermark.

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Ertan Z. wrote September 04, 2018 06:06

Thank you very much Pushead. I have uploaded some screenshots from the website, thats the reason of the watermarks, sorry..

Seller claims this is a eclipse ctm-1 which modified with the emg81-60 instead of passive s.duncans. Does it sounds Real? The model and the stock pickups?

Cheers..

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Pushead wrote September 04, 2018 10:58

Well, it's an Eclipse II (anything with 3 knobs instead of 4 is a II). I'd be surprised if that guitar came stock with anything but the EMGs, but that's not a big deal, especially if you dig them.

The tuners, however have been replaced. The stock tuners should be Gotoh Magnum Locks (the first version) but they've been replaced with Sperzel Locking Tuners. Again, not a huge deal, but something you might want to know about.

Good luck!

https://www.espguitars.com/forums/1963218/posts/4347684-eclipse-school-time

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Ertan Z. wrote September 07, 2018 10:32

Appreciated for the Info.

Thank you.

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sy t. wrote March 04, 2020 18:31

Real or fake? 2004 eclipse ctm

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Pushead wrote March 04, 2020 19:45

As I said in another thread, it's legit. 2004 Eclipse I CTM.

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sy t. wrote March 05, 2020 09:05

Thanks mate. its the logo that seems a little off to me. maybe that's just the photograph.

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Pushead wrote December 02, 2020 13:36

It's legit. A 2010 Eclipse II.

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Anatoliy B. wrote December 02, 2020 13:44

THX!

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Sarah B. wrote January 28, 2021 20:07

Wow just read about FAKES and here we are perfect information !! Thanks !

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Jean N. wrote February 02, 2021 21:04

Azriel Lee

i have the same year Eclipse VB

The bridge finish wear you describe is similar to mine

My tuners are also Gotoh, locking tuners with the slot on the front side)

With a small mirror (or by removing the stings) you can examine the underside of the tail peace. It says Gotoh Japan or something similar under it. (It may not make the guitar itself legit but its a good sign)

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