How to spot fake ESP
How to spot fake ESP
Hey guys,
Do you have any knowledge regarding fake guitars and how to spot them?
Maybe guitar companies should start a database where we could register original guitars and verify their authenticity. I understand that, I his is extra cost but we have to somehow protect ourselves from not honest seller, specially when we buy used instruments.
Yeah, that serial number doesn't mean anything to me, either. It's more likely a tracking number for the current owner than an actual ESP number. The tuners look legit as does the volute (or at least the portion we see.)
The inlays (or part of the "inlays") are likely stickers. They're a bit silly looking to me. I suspect the guitar originally had the block style inlays like the older Horizons (like below, but with an ESP inlay at the 12th)
I'm not sure what the block at the 24th of the V is supposed to signify.
It seems reasonable that it's an ESP of some mid 90s vintage. I'm not sure that means it's worth all that much, though
I have no proof, but I think this is fake. No S/no for one, but also the weirdly aggressive nature of his listing, and the fact I reckon I've seen it on there for at least a year, it always says 'new listing' and there is another account under a different name with the exact same 'sorry some people don't get it' bit at the end of the listing.
It looks to be a mid to late 90s Viper. The logo and font are what I expect for that era, the Eclipse was similar. I've never seen one in holoflake, but that doesn't mean much. Could be a refinish, could be stock.
Not necessarily a "custom shop" guitar, all the guitars that weren't for the Japanese domestic market got those circle logos.
Probably a touch high on the price, imo, but maybe he'll find the exact right buyer for it.
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It's difficult to say from just these two pics. Any shots of the back of the guitar, especially the back of the headstock.