Related anecdote, my sister’s fiance (at the time) gave me a guitar he supposedly found by a dumpster or in a storage unit. It looked like a Les Paul, but wasn’t, I forget the name on the top. I sent it to have it looked over and a couple little things repaired.
The repair guy ended up calling me and making sure I was good with XYZ, and I asked if he could tell me anything about it. Apparently, I had a Japanese counterfeit Les Paul. I guess back in the 70s/80s/90s, Japanese companies would make clones of Les Paul’s and sell them for a reduced price, but their quality was kinda comparable to the real deal.
Les Paul would sue and/or send a cease and desist, and the company would shut down and pop up a few months later under a different name, rinse and repeat.
I ended up selling the guitar back in high school, kinda wish I hadn’t, but actually ended up buying another a few years later, different color but a Japanese Les Paul.
Related anecdote, my sister’s fiance (at the time) gave me a guitar he supposedly found by a dumpster or in a storage unit. It looked like a Les Paul, but wasn’t, I forget the name on the top. I sent it to have it looked over and a couple little things repaired.
The repair guy ended up calling me and making sure I was good with XYZ, and I asked if he could tell me anything about it. Apparently, I had a Japanese counterfeit Les Paul. I guess back in the 70s/80s/90s, Japanese companies would make clones of Les Paul’s and sell them for a reduced price, but their quality was kinda comparable to the real deal.
Les Paul would sue and/or send a cease and desist, and the company would shut down and pop up a few months later under a different name, rinse and repeat.
I ended up selling the guitar back in high school, kinda wish I hadn’t, but actually ended up buying another a few years later, different color but a Japanese Les Paul.