10 ways to make sure you don’t get scammed buying a guitar on eBay

Following the post last week on the dangers of buying an Epiphone guitar on eBay, I thought it would be a good idea to post a few tips on how to avoid being scammed. There are two key factors which make it possible for fraudsters to sell fake guitars on eBay – the copies are often very good (at least until you play the guitar) and the prices are very, very attractive.

The combination of those two elements sucks lots of people into bidding on and buying these guitars, only to regret it later. Don’t be fooled. Just because these Epiphone guitars look like the real thing doesn’t mean they sound or play like a real Epiphone. They don’t. They’re poorly and cheaply made, the wiring is usually dreadful and the finish slapdash.

Here’s 10 ways to avoid being scammed.

1. Read the listing closely.

Most of these scams originate in China but the listing often has a location in a different country. Read the listing carefully. If it has been translated by eBay or is written in very poor English, be suspicious.

2. Does it say ‘direct from factory’?

This is a give away. Reputable guitar manufacturers such as Gibson don’t sell direct from the factory. All legitimate Gibson and Epiphone guitars are shipped from the factory to Gibson in the USA and then shipped to distributors from there. If the listing says ‘direct from factory’ it’s probably either a fake or stolen.

3. Is the Buy It Now price ridiculously cheap?

Simple one this. Remember that old adage ‘if it seems to good to be true, it probably is’? Well, it applies as much to guitars on eBay as anything else. If it seems too cheap, it may well be a fake.

4. Are shipping charges extortionate?

Check the shipping charges. Often scammers will charge a low price for the guitar and sting you on the shipping. Also if the listing says ‘Location: UK’ and the text says it ships from China, it’s likely to be a fake.

5. Look closely at the pictures and check details.

Most fakes are very well done, however they often miss small details. Fake Epiphone Les Pauls for example often have the Epiphone logo too close to the top of the headstock, the screw on the scratchplate too close to the edge, or the plastic covers on the back the wrong way round. On Gibsons, often the truss rod cover has three screws rather than two (Epiphones should have three screws).

6. Ask someone who knows.

There are dozens of guitar forums on the web and they’re inhabited by some very knowledgeable and helpful people. So if you’re unsure about a guitar you’ve seen on eBay, post a link to the listing in a new thread in a forum dedicated to the guitar you’re thinking of buying and ask nicely what others think. If it’s a Les Paul you’re interested in, Epiphone or Gibson, I’d recommend the My Les Paul forum.

7. Ask the seller for the serial number and a picture of it. Check it.

If the pictures on the listing don’t clearly show the serial number of the guitar, ask the seller for a picture which does. Then check the serial number with the manufacturer and check the picture with pictures of the serial number from a known legitimate guitar of the same make and model. Some fake Epiphones have what look like real serial numbers, but the ‘EE’ part is bigger than the rest where it should be the same size.

8. Does it have a box or case?

Gibson guitars come with a hard guitar case with ‘Gibson USA’ on it, Epiphones come in a cardboard box. If the case or box isn’t included, this could be another indicator of a fake.

9. Don’t trust eBay feedback or Powerseller status

Don’t assume that because a seller has a high feedback rating that they are legitimate. Often the feedback will be for buying rather than selling or will be for selling lots of small items very recently. Powerseller status and feedback ratings aren’t foolproof and are no guarantee of legitimacy.

10. Don’t buy on eBay

Sadly, the only guaranteed way not to get scammed buying a guitar on eBay is not to buy a guitar on eBay. While there are lots of perfectly legitimate guitars for sale on the auction site, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to weed out the fakes. If you do decide to buy on eBay, at least verify that the seller is who they say they are and take as many steps as you can, including 1-9 above, to make sure the guitar you are interested in is genuine.

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