A4 or Fake on eBay?

[JLeather]

Here's another weird one. Based on the fact that no one's nibbled in spite of the low price I must not be the only one concerned about the provenance. Has an A4-ish fretboard with a Florida, A2 peghead inlay, but a neck joint and soundhole inlay that doesn't match anything from the time period that I'm aware of? Also a 1-piece neck? Wish the pictures were clearer. Anyone care to weigh in on what they think it going on here?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/GIBSON-mand...53.m1438.l2649

[EdHanrahan]

Restoration from parts? With modern tuners, maybe? Too bad the label is illegible.

[Roger Adams]

The seller seems to deal a lot in parts, so .........

But it seems to me that with a minimum of effort he could have taken WORSE pictures. Just needs to apply himself.

[Charles E.]

I can't recall Gibson ever using a herringbone soundhole rosette. The binding looks to be too white and too sloppy. Agreed that the photo's are pretty bad.

[jim simpson]

Were any older A's constructed with non-integrated fingerboard extensions?

[MikeEdgerton]

I think it's a Gibson product with little or no original hardware. The tuners are Gibson Grover's that were being sold on eBay a few years ago cheap. The tailpiece cover is a replacement. Probably the bridge as well. Not sure if it's an A4 or not. The case isn't original either. I hate fuzzy pictures.

[colorado_al]

Looks like it has an original treble side crack in the top though

[Charles E.]

No way that is an original Gibson product. Whoever buys that is getting a pig in a poke.

[mrmando]

Old A style stripped and refinished, with new rosette and fretboard. We can see the edge of a Guaranteed label, and the headstock shape is correct.

Seems to me that if you were going to do the wrong finish, wrong rosette, wrong fretboard and all the wrong hardware, you wouldn't bother to fake a very good repro Guaranteed label.

[NickR]

Maybe, someone should ask if there is a FON number on the neck block.

[Jeff Mando]

Looks like it sold for $519.....plus ship.

As mentioned, the pictures are terrible, so I'm not sure what is what...

Seller does mention the crack. Could be a bargain for a cheap player, IF it is real AND plays and sounds good.....

[EdHanrahan]

Old A style stripped and refinished, with new rosette and fretboard. We can see the edge of a Guaranteed label, and the headstock shape is correct.

Seems to me that if you were going to do the wrong finish, wrong rosette, wrong fretboard and ... wrong hardware, you wouldn't bother to fake a very good repro Guaranteed label.

Isn't that, in effect, what the Gibson factory did to instruments that came in for repair or restoration during (just my guess) the '30s thru '50s: apply the current finish, fretboard, hardware, etc?

[MikeEdgerton]

For posterity:

[Timbofood]

Isn't that, in effect, what the Gibson factory did to instruments that came in for repair or restoration during (just my guess) the '30s thru '50s: apply the current finish, fretboard, hardware, etc?

Reasonable parallel but, that was the original manufacturer not the “man on the street”. But, for $519.00 what can you really expect?