This is how one should approach learning how to spot a fake guitar – by learning all about the real thing. They learn to spot a fake dollar bill by studying the real thing until each and every little detail is committed to memory. They know what the real thing looks like. Their agents are highly trained in spotting a fake versus the real thing – and not because they know what a fake look likes. The United States Secret Service is responsible for policing crimes of counterfeiting money in the US. So before you get stuck with a fake guitar from a charlatan calling himself a guitar dealer, learn the telltale signs. Not only are you paying a lot of money for a phony that sounds and plays poorly, but there is also no warranty, no trade-in value, and it’s usually illegal to resell.

Knowing how to spot a fake versus the real thing is key if you are going to partake in this activity, particularly in this day in age where the counterfeit guitar problem worsens by the day almost.Ī counterfeit guitar is a real nuisance. However, this is also one of the easiest ways to get ripped off. It’s a great way to get a good deal on an otherwise hard-to-find-guitar.

If you love guitars as much as I do, the cost of collecting these instruments can take a toll on the checkbook, so one of my favorite pastimes is spelunking in the local pawn shops or perusing the local Craigslist ads. I don’t want some cheap knock-off or counterfeit like the infamous “Chibson” guitar. As a guitar player, when I drop money on a Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, PRS or any other top-of-the-line axe, I want to know that I am getting exactly that.

Fender guitar identification codes