The Fake ESP Thread

Updated
The Fake ESP Thread

Pushead and I are here to help verify ESP and LTD guitars. If you have, or are looking to buy a guitar that you're unsure of, post pictures and questions in this thread. Please post clear pictures of the front and back of the headstock, the fretboard, and the front and back of the body. Preferably before you buy anything.

Anyone else is free to offer suggestions on authenticity. If you answer a post, please tell us why you think it's real or fake.

Dan OC

Hi guys. I was wondering if you could take a look at the pictures below and tell me if the M-II looks legit? Its for sale for a really good price so I’m worried it could be a fake. Thanks!

Pushead

Looks good to me.

Dan OC

Great! Thanks

David L.

Hey guys, can you tell me if my Ltd EC-1000SW is legit? Only issue I notice is the S/N is a little crooked. Everything else seems to check out. I hope

 

Pushead

Looks good to me. 2007 model.

Jake P.

There is an ESP LTD JH-200 at a local pawn shop. What should i take pictures of to get authenticity. The neck was either not painted or was stripped. It also had the Eagle Inlays. Some online have the H with the sword in it and a painted black neck.

metalhobo

the jh models have gone through a buttload of inlay changes, including eagles. many black 200 series hannemans had unpainted necks. if you're worried, photo at least the headstock front and back, the bridge, and the back of the body (control cavity).

Pushead

And the serial number.

maximummetal288

Saw this "SCT-607B" on the GC used site. Pretty sure it's a fake....

- Listed as an LTD but the guitar says ESP
- Definitely not Stef's signature by the logo
- Satin finish, I think these only came in gloss 

All that could be from a refinish BUT there's no battery box, the pickguard and body looks off, and the EMG logos look off too. Also the serial looks like an E-II format, would be weird to refinish a guitar and put that serial on it and a "designed and built by ESP" logo on it, right?

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/ESP/LTD-SCT607B-Stephen-Carpenter-Signature-7-String-Solid-Body-Electric-Guitar.gc

Spoon

I actually bought this guitar a few days ago and cancelled my order after seeing this thread:

https://www.espguitars.com/forums/1963222/posts/2069456-serial-number-check?page=30&show_post=4652454#forum_post_4652454

I even called customer service and told them that they were selling a counterfeit guitar and was basically shrugged off and laughed at. I'm pretty livid to see that they re-listed it. 

Benjamin B.

i keep finding cheap ltd esp sct 607b guitars for really cheap prices. the website is called DH GATE. i cant post a link cause i just made this account. 

Pushead

That's OK. Everything on that site is fake. No one wants the link anyway.

sy t.

Hi Guys, i wonder if you can help. i just bought this esp horizon.  i have been after this model for quite a while.  obviously i really like it, but a few have questioned its authenticity, because the fingerboard is a little too light for rosewood.  bought from an esp collector in italy, so i am now keen to find out.

I would appreciate any information you have

 

 

 

Body: Swamp Ash

Neck: Maple

Finger Board: Rosewood

-abalone inlays

Construction: Bolt-on

Scale: 25.5

Pickup: Seymour Duncan JB/Jazz

Bridge: Original Floyd Rose

Hardware: Black

Control: 1Vol, 1Tone 5way switch (Split pickup)

 

 

 

metalhobo

looks fine to me. it's expected that there's a lot of variation in the color, grain, and darkness of rosewood specimens. the oddest thing about the guitar to me is the half-round cavity cover, but I think that's just what esp was using in the late '90s.

Pushead

Yeah, hobo is right, it's legit.

sy t.

Thanks guys

LeChuck

Hi all, 

I've created an account just for this, I own what seems to me to be a ESP Custom JH-2, with the Diamond plate. The only thing is that, I bought a long time ago when I was a careless kid, and can't really tell where, and even if, I had the certificate of authenticity.

From what I've searched on the Internet, I only find a version with diamond inlays and the metallica logo inlay on the first fret, where on mine, there are only regular circle inlays.

Any idea? Has this model ever been produced with "regular" inlays?

I'm not trying to sell it, but at only to assess its value.

Thanks a lot!

Pushead

Hi LeChuck, any chance we could see some photos? It may help determine what the guitar actually is.

Brian N.

Fake or real

Brian N.

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