Ltd ec 401vf fake?

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Ltd ec 401vf fake?

Can someone help me find out if this guitar is real or fake? 

Everything looks good but I can't find the serial number. The seller said it is inside the guitar, somewhere near the pickup. 

Here is some pictures of the guitar and things i got with the purchase. 

please help me, thanks

Regards,

Christopher 

Nathan S.

Guitar looks legit. However, s/n should be on the back of the headstock. Looks like someone removed it and the RoHs stamp for whatever reason.

Pushead

Can we get some closer shots of the fretboard, especially the 12th fret inlay area?  When you add the image, select the "large" or "original" size.  A shot inside the control cavity would be helpful as well.

Christopher  P.

Pushead, 

Control cavity?

 

 

Nathan S.

Control cavity meaning take the cover off the back side where your control knobs are.

Pushead

Nah, it's not needed.  The guitar is legit, but I have no idea why there isn't a serial number on the back of the headstock.  The number you have doesn't mean anything other than an entry to a drawing.

Shockers

Like Pus said.  Legit.

 

Stevie Strings

I'm sorry. But the guitar is most likely not a real LTD.

Real LTD's (which are low to mid range instruments) will have the serial number, county of origin and lastly RoHS stamp silkscreened under the gloss finish.  The ESP logo shown, will also read, "Designed by" above it unlike the picture which only shows "ESP".

Stevie Strings

I forgot to add, the SN and other information will always be on the back of the headstock only. Never in the body cavity an LTD. Some ESPs will also have a matching SN on the last fret of the fretboard.

Pushead

The RoHS info won't be on a guitar made before it was passed.  The same with the "designed by" over the ESP logo on the back of the headstock.  I have no idea why the serial number is missing.

The request for the cavity was to see the electronics and wiring, especially considering the small photos in the original post, not for the serial number.

The Chinese made fakes only ape the 1000 level instruments, and they've never gotten the inlays correct.  They never get the control spacing correct.  Even if an owner put the Grover tuners on it, I doubt they'd fix the other issues to try to make $100 selling it as "real." 

I respectfully disagree, the guitar is legit.

Stevie Strings

The serial number and other info is missing, because the guitar is likely a copy.  These are quite common. All level of all brands are copied. It's actually easier for a counterfeiter to sell lower end products as most people are not willing to care as much and take a chance. Consider buying a low end LTD you believe is real for $300, that actually cost $25 to produce.  Quite a large profit. It's also the same reason counterfeiters more commonly fake $5, $10 & $20 bills, not $50 and $100s

Alas,. This entire conversation is moot, considering none of us, including the OP have enough information to make any legitimate claims to the instruments true origin.

Pushead

I'd feel comfortable buying it if I was looking for a 400 level LTD.

Derek Y.

I've seen a few Ltd's with no 12th fret inlay these cant be legit right?

Pushead

In late 2017 they stopped putting the LTD and/or model at the 12th fret and instead started putting the model number on the truss rod cover.

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