Official Luthiers Forum!

Well, that’s a first for me. Customer called saying that he had a Martin D45 where the pick guard was “not in the right place”. “Bring it by and we’ll have a look”.
Indeed, the pickguard looks off, and in fact doesn’t look like a D45 piece. Took a closer look, and low and behold came to the conclusion that I was looking at a fake. Many small workmanship clues, scarfed headstock, multipiece heel, finish didn’t look right, serial number made no sense, and the grain on the marriage strip went the wrong way.
Customer was devastated when I pronounced it counterfeit. “But I paid $2000 for it!”




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Looks like bass wood kerfing and the neck block looks pieced together too.

_________________
"I've been had again"
Tim Benware
Creedmoor, NC

Grain on the next block is wrong too. "I got a Mertin. Doh!"

_________________
Pat

It's a Mertin for certain!

_________________
Pat

Where did they buy it?

As we see in other arenas, it can be much easier to "con" someone that it is to convince someone he's been conned. Hope your interaction worked out well.

Occasionally we get the old, "Now, you can't tell for SURE, it COULD be the real thing," along with a little dose of finger-waving.

_________________
Cheers,

Frank Ford

FRETS.COM
HomeShopTech
FRETS.NET

To be honest, I don’t really know. I think that the client may have had suspicions about the guitar. He may yet tell me more, as I’ll be installing another pickguard on it in a week or so when it comes in.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I wonder how many fake D-45s exist in the world, in comparison to real ones? It is probably the most copied model of them all, so it is likely that they actually outnumber the real ones in the wild.
Caveat emptor

Worse - there are "how to" youtube videos walking people through the process of ordering frauds....

But basically - I am very suspicious of buying a Martin or Gibson on CL due to the large number of fakes ....

As for the guitar in question - I recommend you do not work on it. Refuse to be party to making fakes look more like the genuine article... The only "work" you should do is to offer to saw it in half as a service to the fellow.

Or perhaps if you are feeling charitable - quote the owner to replace the headstock logo and martin embossing with his own personalized logo.... Then let the thing stand on it's own merits.... But absolutely refuse to be party to "improving" frauds...

Well, I hope it at least sounds good. That's not even a good fake.