Dave I am a guitar player who struggles with mental health issues, I greatly appreciate your video and honesty about everything. You took a bad situation and had a chance to learn, teach others and also got a guitar you enjoy out of it, you won.
Exactly. @Dave@Try to think this way: 1. the neck perfectly "sits" in your arms and hands; 2. three humbacker magnets (pickups) give you a huge variety of tonal setups; 3. the tuners hold nicely; the complete build of the instrument is virtually flawless... Simply, WHOEVER produced that guitar, they did an excellent, top of the tops kind of job - isn't it what all the biggest "labels" are after? And atop of all that, you bought it for peanuts... Who could've asked for more?! And still, you were on the verge of a nervous breakdown, just because you felt "cheated", felt being made a fool of! I hope this will be a good lesson to you not only as far as buying a guitar goes, but more in terms of your perception of yourself and the life in general...
And also the name is no guarantee... in the video I watched he was holding an old Gibson Les Paul as he made the point - if its dead, its dead. It needs to ring and resonate un-amped before you plug it in. Both Fender and Gibson have had periods of inadequacy, poor QC, parts and cost cutting, at the same time as brands like PRS (with their the cheaper Asian SE promoted by Carlos Santana) and Vintage (Trevor Wilkinson designed) have stepped up and taken advantage. At a third of the price.
Totally agree mate,,i saved up waiting for a seventies strat ,jumped in,,Natural finish,,looked beautiful but the body was heavy as a bitch and as resonant as a rubber mat,,,,swiftly traded in !
@@gw2031 And that is a great point for vintage guitars also. They may be great for investors but for players, a decent Asian built guitar like a Gretsch Pro Jet (solid) or a Vintage VSA500 (ES hollow) might well beat it up for playability... and tone. The Vintage is close to a Gibson ES335 with Trevor Wilkinson voicing his pickups on the PAF - modern build, great finish, durable parts, easy neck. This is a reality. £370 in the UK. It's like a vintage car in some ways. I always wanted an old Triumph TR but the reality is they are expensive, unreliable, smelly, noisey, take a lot of maintenance, parts can be difficult and to top it all a modern Fiat 500 Abarth can out pace and handle it. With ease. I know, but its not a TR6 - point is it gives you a much better experience for less money and trouble. So do you really want that old guitar to play... or to hang on a wall.
@@Spartanm333 Thanks mate ! Ive been trawling for a 335 style for weeks and since ive got Vintage brand les paul i,ll take your tip for the 335 aswell !!
Ok Dave, you are not allowed to bully Dave! Express your feelings to yourself and practice empathy instead, however nasty comments and physical assault will not be tolerated, ever! Know I love you and rock on!
Quick Tip, regarding Self Harm, if I guessed that correctly: If you get the urge, and you can't fight it down, or release it otherwise, chew on a dryed Chili Pepper. I use birds eye chili, it's hot, but still safe. After you chewed a while on it, you will think about anything but that. But the upside is: It's not dangerous, it just doesn't feel good. Got that tip in a psychiatric clinic, helped me a lot. Helped me not ruin my hands any more than they already are (I used to punch walls, myself, knock my head on stuff, press keys into my skin and rake it, the usual. Let's say, my right won't make a good fretting hand anymore...). If I have bad days, I carry them around with me in a little pill box. Now I just need to think about a "Red Hot Chili Pepper"-Joke, but none comes to mind.... Also, what I want to add: Be kind to yourself. Everyone makes that kind of mistake. And if you don't know how, don't ask me, I don't know either, I'm just relaying the message my Therapist is trying to hammer into my head for a year now.
We can all get bent out of shape and irrational at times, but I'm savvy about fakes - or so I thought - and I wouldn't have suspected a thing. either. I hope you don't beat yourself up over it.
it gives you pain but it also gives you good health benefits, lots of vitamin c for immune boost. you can do it by chewing raw garlic too gives you burning pain but you gain lots of the good benefits of it.
Exactly I have no idea what the hell this guy is on about he’s reason why people fake them is naïve. People fake them because there’s money in them he’s getting the counterfeiters The benefit of the doubt
Dave, you are a gemstone in the rough. It is sooo refreshing to see someone being authentic rather than trying to ladle on the BS. This experience has cut another facet onto the gem and Dave shines a little brighter...
I can only say if feels good and sounds good then it has to come home to be loved that simple. Great vids Dave and that jem jr sounds off the charts brother!
as ever, my good brother, your decency and humanity shine through - going to andertons and basically saying 'if it plays well it's good' was my guitar highlight of the year - I'm playing an old columbus strat I bought as parts from a charity shop for 8 quid - love it
I’ve had a few dealings with both China and Chinese products in the past, so I’d like to add a second opinion on why fake an Epiphone or anything else by referring to a true story. Years ago I was an audio engineer and designed speakers and systems. We grew to a point where we couldn’t keep up with production and our owner decided to go the Chinese to begin mass production of our speakers while we focused mainly on systems and designs. The long and the short is that the company in China gave us options to choose from ranging from a complete product from scratch that was our design (which was the most expensive) to a rebranding of an existing product with our name, logo, packaging, etc. The owner chose to rebrand existing JBL speakers which were made there into our “new” speakers. How was that possible? China does not honor any patent, registered trademark, etc. period! That is the point of the story. They do not, have not and will not honor any intellectual property, patented products or any other legally reserved protections. It’s all about the money to them and that’s the bottom line. So why fake an Epiphone? Because it’s profitable and it’s also a popular item. I saw shoes for 1/5 the cost of what they are here and all they did was alter the logo. So yes, I agree that to them certain things are priced too much, but they also don’t have to pay the same price as we do in the Western world. I can buy $150 Nikes at the mall or the same thing for $30 in China. I can pay $600 for an Epiphone at Sweetwater or $125 for an Epiphoney in China. In the US (where I’m at) the ports at Houston Texas are full of fake Fender, Gibson, pro audio, home audio, Coach purses, etc. Many get caught and turned away. A lot slip through and circulate the country deceiving unsuspecting people who have no idea how to spot a fake, or even know that they should be assuming the item is a fake. Finally, I understand your frustration with being deceived. The seller you bought the guitar from was also deceived. The store that sold it was probably deceived also by the original seller who may possibly have been deceived. Welcome to the earth my friend. Lies and deception are normal. However, in order to change this, great gifts like yourself can rise above and focus on your amazing talent, honesty and integrity. From there, myself and everyone of your subscribers can do two things - find our own talent and use it as a platform for change. Your openness and honesty, and what I heard you talk about on the Andertons interview, all point to a great guy with a gift who has the talent and integrity to make music a unifying experience from the ear to the soul for anyone who is willing to listen. So don’t beat yourself up. You’re better than that. Be the change my friend. You are an incredible talent and gift to humanity. Continue to inspire and make the world a better place. Take care and be safe, and may you forever be blessed. Thanks again for your channel sir.
i hope the Chinese don't start counterfeiting Porsche cars can you imagine paying $3,000 for a $60,000 Boxster ? well, that's what I paid for mine , it's a 1999 'S' model and in excellent condition only driven to church on Sunday by a little old lady from Szechuan
@@carmineredd1198 1. - 1/5 of 60.000 is 12.000, but i think you knew that. 2. This was a weird way and place to brag about your car purchase. 3. Hope you drive it like a madman.
It's still an original somehow. In 50 years it will hang in a Hard Rock Cafe somewhere with a sign next to it saying: "This is the original fake Black Beauty of famous guitarist Dave Simpson etc."
Erwo Coolis, I wholeheartedly agree. The biggest point would be that Dave Simpson has played this guitar and really enjoyed playing it, that would be plenty enough for me and many of us! Many of my guitars don't have any name on the headstock because they are mainly Partscasters and just happen to be great guitars too.. A good guitar is a good guitar regardless.
You are definitely a gifted guitarist, I watch you play all the time, I never played a guitar before, and I'm 61 years old, but you have inspired me to buy a guitar and start learning, I do play a little drums, but I'm definitely interested in learning how to play the guitar !!!!
Dave just keep in mind, your life is much more valuable than any guitar and you don’t have to get real mad and do bad things because of a guitar, just stand for a minute and think and learn the lesson but you don’t have to call yourself stupid or any of that because at the end of the day we’re all humans and we all make mistakes. Love you man.
Don't worry Dave, my dad used to tell me '' We reach success by going from one mistake to another''. If this was a video game it would be '' Guitar knowledge, Level up''.
But look at it... it's gorgeous and plays amazingly. Who cares if it's fake? You paid peanuts for it anyway, I'd feel blessed to own a guitar that cool regardless if it's "legit" or not! Rock it Dave. 🙃
Exactly this. Who cares as long as it plays great and sounds great. If the "fake" status is such a big issue for you, it's be cool to get someone to remove the Epiphone logo and replace it with Simpson 😂😂. Or something that would clearly lable it as a fake. You could then legitimately sell it too for whatever someone would be prepared to pay for it. Sorted.
mee twoo, nothing payed, plays fine, WHY this vid , why..., I have Yamaha Pacifica 112Vs many, arent they copy of some superstrat ........., copying: say that to a guitar builder/designer...
Tbh, if it plays well, sounds decent and you enjoy it then I wouldn't get too hung up on it - takes a lot to admit to and talk about it publicly on here too Dave! I've had an Epiphone black beauty for over 15 years as it was my first 'proper' electric when I was a young teenager - Literally saved up for months and bought it new using Xmas and birthday money, along with a relatives staff discount from one of my local stores (and a good number of times trying it out in the shop) so that style of guitar will always have a special place for me. Also, on the topic of fakes - the other reason might be it's easier to 'sneak by' with an epiphone too. Ie lower price point, so people will overlook small imperfections or flaws, and unlikely to be dealing with 'serious' players doing the same due diligence as someone might do on a Gibson.
Heck Dave, we can all make a mistake, that looks like a real Epiphone from this distance, it sounds fantastic, looks like a dream to play! So glad you resolve this.
I’m sorry you went through that dark place over this, but I really appreciate your vulnerability and honesty. On a positive note, its a great guitar, and without endorsing fakes, its still going to inspire you as a player.
Dave, it's OK to make mistakes. We all do. I've shopped-for, played and owned a number of Les Pauls and the workmanship has varied from good to downright awful. My current Vintage V100 out-performs all of the Gibsons I've owned, and at the fraction of the price. Dave, you have it right, as consumers we need to forget about brand and being seen to play the 'right' guitar, andn trust our hands and ears ad select an instrument on the basis of how it plays and sounds - not on price and the logo on the headstock.
The more I watch of your videos dave .. the more down to earth and humble you become. Your a legend mate and I've nothing but full respect for you. You're living proof that you can be talented and not a brand snob. Forget about names on guitars.. if it sings well it sings well.
I recently had a Chibson Les Paul, admittedly i knew exactly what it was when i purchased it, Beautiful lemon drop finish. Out of the box, initially looked superb. after a quick play i was initially unimpressed. as a resolve i took it to my local guitar shop for a pro set up. Wow it came back a different guitar. with a new set of strings and an intensive set up it really made a huge difference. Admittedly it would never pass for a Gibson in a month of Sundays, but after a bit of TLC from my local guitar shop it didn't half play well. Amazingly low action. neck perfect. Pickups were also great, no idea what they were but even the guitar shop said no need to change them as in their opinion they were superb. kept the guitar for 5 years, gave me hours of pleasure. I recently passed the guitar on to a friend as part of a part exchange for a Gretsch. Was a great deal on the whole but i do admittedly miss my Chibson. Just putting my 10p into the discussion as many state the chinese copies are poor quality on the whole. My personal experience differs from this opinion as my Chibson was easily as good if not better than a large number of renowned branded Guitars i have played over the years. was it as good as a Gibson.... Ha Ha was it heck!!!
It's an "Epiphoney"! I can't be the first person to come up with that. :D It's like my wife (of pure heart and soul) says: "Would you speak to others the way you speak to yourself"? Which sent me into a rage and then I went on Facebook and started talking smack.
Dave there is a bigger reason for the fake Epiphones - you may or may not have come across this in the forums - if you try to fake a Gibson that’s worth £3000 Will come under heavy scrutiny from the buyer No one would ever expect a £500 every phone to be fake So it doesn’t come under such scrutiny and is easily passed as the real thing
No one is an idiot ! Never be ashamed of making a mistake . Be ashamed of not learning from it. Thanks to you Dave i have learned many things. I am very glad that you are so open about everything for it has helped me!
Some of them are getting really good. I've covered the similarities between Epiphone and Chibson a while back. I'd be really interested to chat with you about this.
Hey Dave! I just wanted to shoot some encouragement your way and basically some props in general. I'm a drummer, been playing over 30 years, and I watch your channel religiously. There is no pretense ever in any of your videos and especially not in your personality. I always appreciate your honesty and humble manner. What hooked me on your channel was your video in which you explained your history of depression, troubles in school and feeling "not part of" and how discovering the guitar basically changed your life in the best of ways and and (my words) likely gave you confidence in your ability to come out of your shell. You're an excellent example of the power of music and how it can improve so many different aspects of one's life. Cheers my dude!!
This turned out to be a pretty deep philisophical post, touching on economics, morality, what is real, complexity of emotions we feel and why. The best of the best of this type of post.
Dave, first good on you for talking about this., secondly.. don’t fret too much on it as you could probably find a 1000 young people out there that would cry to have that and seriously appreciate it. You could donate it and write it off. Maybe include a lesson or two for some aspiring person, and possibly inspire the next great musician. That said.. thievery in the counterfeit world is rampant.
Dave, if the guy selling it was trying to rip you off, he would have painted the word Gibson on it. The guy dropped the price to nothing-ish ? ? ? If it plays nice, sounds nice, looks nice, and stays in tune. IT IS, WHAT IT IS. You should play it for a while, think about what it feels like to you. ,...... Then pay the guy what you think it's worth, that's only fair and honest. You seem like a fair and honest person.,... That's how the world should be.
As a musician who struggles with self-harm, I appreciate this video so much. I'm also glad you're not letting the harsh lesson jade your view of this guitar. Fake or not, it's still a beautiful piece.
Brother Dave, aka "Guitarzan"! You are hands and feet down the very best pure emotion axe man on the RUclips!!! Please allow me to indulge as I look back, waaaaay, waaaaay back to the very first time your channel came up in my feed even though I had no clue who you were. I assume someone...perhaps one of the band members had sent me the link, WHO KNOWS! WHO CARES!? I clicked the link and to my tremendous shock and awe, I saw/heard you having your filthy way with whatever axe you were taking entire forests down with and for the first time in many years I heard an axe master throwing every last ounce of passion and pride into the blistering solo you were unleashing on the world!! That solo had all the classic earmarks of greatness from the axe's internal organs to the inner sanctum, the very Nucleai ~ the holy of holies!! I watched with amazement as you poured out every last grain of intensity and every last drop of your very spirit which you somehow managed to summon up from the great depths of the axe-master's eternal majesty up from your own inner sanctum which you then channelled into your heart and down along your shoulders, arms, wrists, hands and finally, your fingers!! You somehow managed to unleash the sacred axe-master in this most simple of explanations which translated to the strings and by the time you had completed this once in a billion lifetimes you kept those peepers closed and listened intently to the last note, off the last chord which hung on nothing in the same manner as the Earth also hangs on "nothing"! If I closed my eyes and simply listened there would have been no way for me to discern whether I was deep inside the Amazonian rain-forest sitting (Indian style) beside deadly venomous serpents, spiders, poison frogs, and the king of all nightmares, the giant king serpent, the Anaconda grooving along with David Gilmore as he flawlessly executed some of Pink Floyd's absolute monster tripping on Ayahuasca, OR...whether I was a victim (a willing victim) of your RUclips channel listening to you unleash a spiritual coup d'état having actually experienced you create sentient life out of guitar strings and series of I had front row seats, and was witness to a genuine axe-master smothered in the gravy of his very own altered reality, and I LOVED every last second of it!! So, if you do ever go out on the lamb, I want you to know there's a ready made band, a "Band In A Box" with an open slot for guitar genius!! God Bless you brother Dave aka Guitarzan!! Jack ~'()'~
Hey, Dave. I've been following your channel for a while. This is one of the best, you know? You're awesome, man. It's OK to feel bad when we make mistakes. Sometimes we just beat ourselves up too much for fucking up... But you didn't just stay there. You moved on to the next stage which was accepting you failed, learning from the experience and moving on. There's no pain, no self-deprecation anymore, but newfound wisdom. It's like after all the sadness and anger, you gave yourself a warm hug and said "it's all right, man. We did what we thought best with what we knew at that moment. We fucked up. People make mistakes sometimes. It's fine. You're still great". So, you rose above all the darkness as a greater human being. And thank you for being genuine, open and humble enough to share this experience with us. It's not always easy. Warm regards from Peru and rock on!!!
From experience Dave personally? I've been playing for 35 years. Arthritis has slowed me down some but I can still play. I have good days and bad days. Point is:"the headstock name on any guitar does not matter what type of guitar.if that guitar feels good plays and sounds good to you? And is worth the amount of money that they are asking? Don't get hung up on name brands. It was a mistake I made for years. I have a guitar collection of well over 20 guitars & about 10 of them are really really expensive.The rest of them which is a little bit more than 20 +?because I know how to set up a guitar and I can basically could go on tour as a tech,I can take a Squire,hang a washcloth over top of the headstock and I'll bet you can't tell the difference if you played it. Number one rule: never disrespect a budding musician who's not as good as you. Number two rule: ignore name brands and concentrate on quality,playability, and one of the most important things is durability to last for years and years and still be a good playing guitar no matter what the name brand is Chinese made fakes sometimes are great guitars. I've been duped.I did so much work it plays better than the Gibsons they're putting out of the factory with their QC control these days...
Gotta give you props for being the better man and being honest about a mistake, better than most would do. The silver lining is that you do like it and we're all more educated now. By the way I just discovered your channel... BRILLIANT guitarist, you are inspiring!
Takes a class act to do what you have done.Not many people would humble themselves as you did Dave.Humility isn’t thinking less of myself..It’s thinking of myself less.Your the best Dave.
here's a theory: A counterfeiter might fake an Epiphone instead of a Gibson because they know people will look at the Epiphone with less scrutiny. Or in other works, have a better chance to actually sell it and make a profit
@@wilson4180 That's like comparing apples to pumpkins. If you have the capability of counterfeiting a $100 bill, why would you waste time and resources counterfeiting $10 bills?
The brand is supposed to be a mark/proof of quality; every experienced guitar player knows it isn't. If it plays good, sounds good and looks good: who cares about the brand? Only investors, not players.
You're too good for this world mate. Don't be hard on yourself for making a mistake. There are at least 72.3K people out here (at time of posting) that love you because of your innocence and vulnerability and humilty and honesty and all the other good things about you. I don't know about anyone else, but I can relate to you because you aren't some super confident RUclips dude with an alpha++ personality. You're just an ordinary(ish) person who plays and loves guitars, and the world's better because you're in it.
Just think of it as Lister from Red Dwarf said "Its a genuine Les Paul Copy". Also, its quite likely the pickups in there are real Epiphone pups at least. A ton of fake "Chibsons" as they are known come shipped with Epiphone stamped pickups, they really is a chance they can pick those up for pennies in bulk in the East.
My brother who is a professional musician for many years moved to Indonesia thinking he would have his guitars and amps shipped to him after he was settled. He primarily played Fender and G&L. After living there a while he found that local woodworkers who built his furniture also built guitars. He decided to have them make a stratocaster custom from scratch and add all the best Fender hardware even logo on headstock and the price was incredible. After taking delivery he felt that the build quality was exquisite perhaps alot better than his custom shops in the USA. He was delighted and had several more made to order. He ended up not shipping his gear from the USA. He is still living there and loves his fake Fenders because as you said "they sing to him"
I've got a fake Les Paul that was given to me a few years ago. All the components were substandard, but the solid mahogany body and neck were fantastic. So, I replaced everything. Leveled and dressed the frets. Installed Seymore Duncan Seth Lover pickups. Re-wired with high quality pots and cap. New Grovers, bridge, nut, etc. So, for about $800 I have a really decent guitar. It was more of a challenge than anything to see if I could do it. Learned a lot in the process.
My question is, why did the guy who sold it to you sell it for, as you say, such a low price, because even Epiphone's can fetch a good penny when resold? that is suspicious to me Dave. And also, people probably do this because it is much less suspicious to fake an Epiphone than a Gibson..nobody would suspect it.
I would agree . Buyers are much more likely to scrutinize a Gibson because of value and they are more likely to be bought by a more experienced buyer. Epiphones are far more likely to end up in the hands of a buyer with much less knowledge (a beginner or a gift for a beginner) and it'll be relatively cheap too. Much easier to pull off the scam IMO.
One reason they'd fake Epiphones is because nobody would believe they'd fake Epiphones ;-) .... also it might be easier to sell 10 faked ones at $200 each than one fake Gibson at $2000 each
Dave, you are such a lovely human being. And I can confirm your position, here in Serbia for many young musicians and working people Squier Classic Vibe or Fender Mexican is like a Fender American Deluxe or Custom Shop model. But I have never encountered fake 'budget zone' guitars, only fake Fenders and Gibsons
Be good to yourself mate. That's the reason there are fake epiphones: it's not an expensive mistake, so people are less likely to have researched all the details. It also means it's not such a big deal if you get fooled. I'm guessing the fretboard might be mango wood.
nobody can be harder on us than ourselves when we make a mistake,,,i totally understand that for sure,,,im a new subscriber and you are one hell of a Man...i always tell my sons when you can stand up admit you were wrong/made a mistake ..its a growing experience as a human and helps us accept we all make mistakes and thats ok..im a human and im going to make more through my life and thats ok and it humbles me and opens my mind to always remain teachable ,,i love your channel ! your such a good guy and one of the most down to earth ppl on youtube and one hell of an awesome guitarist for sure,,,i look forward to looking back on your other videos,,
Dave, Dave, Dave....I have followed your channel for years , your enthusiasm and honest grass roots approach to reviewing equipment is invaluable . I switched from Marshall to a Orange CR 120 head because of your demo , I ended up buying two of them !! ..in the big picture I have recently bought Gibson's which should of never left the factory..ever !! We all get shafted at some point... that's life brother. You like the guitar it sounds great it has a back story..it is what it is . Many people support you Dave and want you to stay safe , be kinda to yourself my friend.
Great points here: - There is a reason for people fake Epiphone and Squier. In Brazil, for example, you have to spend a considerable amount of money to buy the most basic Epiphone or Squier; - If the guitar plays great, it's a great guitar; - Everyone makes mistakes; - Dave is a wise man; - The guitar is lucky to find an owner like Dave. Thank you, Dave, for sharing this, for the lessons and for your music !
Hey Dave, EVERYONE makes mistakes. Nobody died.. i can totally relate to your moods. I’ve struggled with severe depression and anxiety for decades and absolutely “get” why you would be hard on yourself. You’re a good guy, a phenomenal musician and your channel is really cool, informative and helpful. Don’t beat yourself up over feeling bad for making a mistake. Be kind to yourself, you’re trying your best and thats ALL you can do. Sorry about the long message. 🙏☘️☘️☘️
7:58 keeps tune? There’s your first clue it’s a fake 😂 What’s in a name, tradition and treachery. They pirate strings ... Strings like what’s the profit margin on that ? Hell man lots of people even fake having a personality! Just be who you are and be honest about it! 🤘🏽
Heck, Gibson stole the Les Paul design from O.W. Appleton - who presented to them in 1943. They said they couldn't see anyone playing or wanting a solid-body electric guitar. So, in the early 50's McCarty stole the design and made them. So much for 'authentic'.
Go easy on yourself, Dave ❤️ You have an awesome talent that will carry you through it all and you’re such a good guy 👍 Just play. We’ll listen and all will be bliss on earth☮️
Some say Fake, Some would say a hand crafted original! However it started its journey in life it's made it's way into your hands for a reason and listen to the beauty of the music it gives. Big Respect to you Dave. You are big big human being.
Hi Dave! my father always wanted to have a les paul gold top, he died wanting to have the guitar. A few years ago through the Chinese sales portals I bought a les Paul AFD in Corsican red, beautiful, with resonance on the body of an obvious mahogany, I changed the microphones for some iron gear (Tesla sharks) all this thanks to globalization and the ease of online shopping. Today I have 15 les pauls with different types of tone, and I love to play one by one and feel that unique vintage and modern sound at the same time. They are not "authentic play" but they brighten my life and every time I hear your songs I go and choose one that can give me a similar tone and let the feeling invade me. Thanks for sharing your art!
My first guitar was a Harmony Les Paul Standard,,.I still crave one to this day & I dig your vibe it made jesus put a little dirt in my eyes as I listened to youtell your story so thaks again.& you play very well ,,just the stuff you doing right now soundsgraceful & tender,,yet proud & elegant .I play by ear,,.So Ill have to send ya someof me playing.
It may be a fake guitar but there is nothing fake about the way that you play it. Playing that guitar the way that you do brings it to life and makes it real dude! Really real! You rock!!
I think the best attitude, is to always think the best of people. And if they're liars or cheats, that's their problem, not mine. I know it's annoying if you think you've been ripped off, but again - you've acted in good faith, they haven't.
I got a Scottish Terrier puppy about five years ago. As he grew up I realized he wasn't a thoroughbred, but I had got to love him so much ( which I still do ) Moral of this is, had I known at the time I probably wouldn't have taken him and now he's my best friend. I love his soul, not his pedigree. Best I can tell you , love the guitar if it loves you.
Hi Dave, it’s so easy to beat yourself up over a mistake many of us would make. I’ve now decided to avoid buying fakes it is easier to go for the less well known brands. I bought a Revelation thinline (RJT-60) after seeing you play one. It needed some fretwork (sharp ends), but otherwise absolutely awesome. I’ve got top of the line US Strats and a US Les Paul - they can now stay at home - because that Revelation is a revelation!
Honestly and openly admitting you are wrong and then using the lesson and making most out of it for the next time, is what makes you a brave and better person. Great job here Dave, beautifully done! Also, if it looks like a guitar, if it plays and sounds like one (especially if it plays good), then most definitely it is a guitar no matter what the headstock reads. Personally I never cared about brands. Keep up the good work man and most of all take care of yourself and your loved ones. Cheers from neighbouring Scotland :)
You are certainly no idiot mate, you are human. I personally am grateful for mistakes because from each mistake comes learning. Both about the world and the human condition. The axe sounds great to me!
I bought some D'addario strings, via Amazon (from an Amazon seller, not Amazon themselves) that turned out to be fake..and visually, you just could not tell!!! I had ordered two packs but I received one, initially so while I was waiting for the other pack to arrive I read the QR code with my phone and it said they were fake. When the second pack arrived, they had exactly the same code as the first one which, ofcourse, it shouldn't be. I contacted D'addario in the UK and they asked me to send the strings to them, which I did. They supplied me with a few packs of genuine strings and a couple of tee shirts for my trouble...and they issued a cease and desist order, via Amazon, to the seller. The thing is that unlike fake Epiphone guitars that have lots of clues (if you know what to look for,) these strings and their packaging looked absolutely perfect! The code was the ONLY way to tell! The sad fact is that China can, and will, counterfeit ANYTHING, if they can find a way to do it!!!
Dave I am a guitar player who struggles with mental health issues, I greatly appreciate your video and honesty about everything. You took a bad situation and had a chance to learn, teach others and also got a guitar you enjoy out of it, you won.
I remember Gary Moore replying to an interviewer..."a good guitar is a good guitar regardless of the name on the headstock"
Exactly.
@Dave@Try to think this way: 1. the neck perfectly "sits" in your arms and hands; 2. three humbacker magnets (pickups) give you a huge variety of tonal setups; 3. the tuners hold nicely; the complete build of the instrument is virtually flawless... Simply, WHOEVER produced that guitar, they did an excellent, top of the tops kind of job - isn't it what all the biggest "labels" are after? And atop of all that, you bought it for peanuts... Who could've asked for more?! And still, you were on the verge of a nervous breakdown, just because you felt "cheated", felt being made a fool of! I hope this will be a good lesson to you not only as far as buying a guitar goes, but more in terms of your perception of yourself and the life in general...
And also the name is no guarantee... in the video I watched he was holding an old Gibson Les Paul as he made the point - if its dead, its dead. It needs to ring and resonate un-amped before you plug it in. Both Fender and Gibson have had periods of inadequacy, poor QC, parts and cost cutting, at the same time as brands like PRS (with their the cheaper Asian SE promoted by Carlos Santana) and Vintage (Trevor Wilkinson designed) have stepped up and taken advantage. At a third of the price.
Totally agree mate,,i saved up waiting for a seventies strat ,jumped in,,Natural finish,,looked beautiful but the body was heavy as a bitch and as resonant as a rubber mat,,,,swiftly traded in !
@@gw2031 And that is a great point for vintage guitars also. They may be great for investors but for players, a decent Asian built guitar like a Gretsch Pro Jet (solid) or a Vintage VSA500 (ES hollow) might well beat it up for playability... and tone. The Vintage is close to a Gibson ES335 with Trevor Wilkinson voicing his pickups on the PAF - modern build, great finish, durable parts, easy neck. This is a reality. £370 in the UK.
It's like a vintage car in some ways. I always wanted an old Triumph TR but the reality is they are expensive, unreliable, smelly, noisey, take a lot of maintenance, parts can be difficult and to top it all a modern Fiat 500 Abarth can out pace and handle it. With ease. I know, but its not a TR6 - point is it gives you a much better experience for less money and trouble. So do you really want that old guitar to play... or to hang on a wall.
@@Spartanm333 Thanks mate ! Ive been trawling for a 335 style for weeks and since ive got Vintage brand les paul i,ll take your tip for the 335 aswell !!
Ok Dave, you are not allowed to bully Dave! Express your feelings to yourself and practice empathy instead, however nasty comments and physical assault will not be tolerated, ever! Know I love you and rock on!
“No mistakes, only happy accidents.”
Nicely said Dean ✊🏻
Agreed, Bob.
I now say this to my daughter. A Bob Ross classic.
There are mistakes
Max Lethe oh god, there absolutely are haha. Just seemed like this one worked out.
Quick Tip, regarding Self Harm, if I guessed that correctly:
If you get the urge, and you can't fight it down, or release it otherwise, chew on a dryed Chili Pepper. I use birds eye chili, it's hot, but still safe.
After you chewed a while on it, you will think about anything but that. But the upside is: It's not dangerous, it just doesn't feel good. Got that tip in a psychiatric clinic, helped me a lot. Helped me not ruin my hands any more than they already are (I used to punch walls, myself, knock my head on stuff, press keys into my skin and rake it, the usual. Let's say, my right won't make a good fretting hand anymore...).
If I have bad days, I carry them around with me in a little pill box.
Now I just need to think about a "Red Hot Chili Pepper"-Joke, but none comes to mind....
Also, what I want to add: Be kind to yourself. Everyone makes that kind of mistake. And if you don't know how, don't ask me, I don't know either, I'm just relaying the message my Therapist is trying to hammer into my head for a year now.
We can all get bent out of shape and irrational at times, but I'm savvy about fakes - or so I thought - and I wouldn't have suspected a thing. either. I hope you don't beat yourself up over it.
"His gob is red hot..."
How can you tell how heavy a red hot chillie pepper is? .....give it a weigh, give it a weigh, give it a weigh now.
@@fishgutt242 🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
it gives you pain but it also gives you good health benefits, lots of vitamin c for immune boost. you can do it by chewing raw garlic too gives you burning pain but you gain lots of the good benefits of it.
They fake them because you don’t look at them as closely as you would a Gibson because as you said, who would fake an Epiphone?
Exactly I have no idea what the hell this guy is on about he’s reason why people fake them is naïve. People fake them because there’s money in them he’s getting the counterfeiters The benefit of the doubt
@@dasdaro your picture is the little girl Joe Biden tried to molest on C-SPAN !?
aunt jenifer yes I’m trying to spread awareness to what he did to those children
They fake them, because they're already building them for Gibson - so why not cut the license cost and sell it directly.
@@dasdaro The great awakening is happening everywhere I look right now. Even on unrelated channels such as this...
Dave, you are a gemstone in the rough. It is sooo refreshing to see someone being authentic rather than trying to ladle on the BS. This experience has cut another facet onto the gem and Dave shines a little brighter...
I can only say if feels good and sounds good then it has to come home to be loved that simple. Great vids Dave and that jem jr sounds off the charts brother!
That Middle and Neck tone is so Gary Moore or Peter Green, so bluesy beautiful mate.
That’s what I thought too.
as ever, my good brother, your decency and humanity shine through - going to andertons and basically saying 'if it plays well it's good' was my guitar highlight of the year - I'm playing an old columbus strat I bought as parts from a charity shop for 8 quid - love it
I’ve had a few dealings with both China and Chinese products in the past, so I’d like to add a second opinion on why fake an Epiphone or anything else by referring to a true story.
Years ago I was an audio engineer and designed speakers and systems. We grew to a point where we couldn’t keep up with production and our owner decided to go the Chinese to begin mass production of our speakers while we focused mainly on systems and designs.
The long and the short is that the company in China gave us options to choose from ranging from a complete product from scratch that was our design (which was the most expensive) to a rebranding of an existing product with our name, logo, packaging, etc. The owner chose to rebrand existing JBL speakers which were made there into our “new” speakers.
How was that possible? China does not honor any patent, registered trademark, etc. period! That is the point of the story. They do not, have not and will not honor any intellectual property, patented products or any other legally reserved protections. It’s all about the money to them and that’s the bottom line.
So why fake an Epiphone? Because it’s profitable and it’s also a popular item. I saw shoes for 1/5 the cost of what they are here and all they did was alter the logo. So yes, I agree that to them certain things are priced too much, but they also don’t have to pay the same price as we do in the Western world. I can buy $150 Nikes at the mall or the same thing for $30 in China. I can pay $600 for an Epiphone at Sweetwater or $125 for an Epiphoney in China.
In the US (where I’m at) the ports at Houston Texas are full of fake Fender, Gibson, pro audio, home audio, Coach purses, etc. Many get caught and turned away. A lot slip through and circulate the country deceiving unsuspecting people who have no idea how to spot a fake, or even know that they should be assuming the item is a fake.
Finally, I understand your frustration with being deceived. The seller you bought the guitar from was also deceived. The store that sold it was probably deceived also by the original seller who may possibly have been deceived. Welcome to the earth my friend. Lies and deception are normal. However, in order to change this, great gifts like yourself can rise above and focus on your amazing talent, honesty and integrity. From there, myself and everyone of your subscribers can do two things - find our own talent and use it as a platform for change.
Your openness and honesty, and what I heard you talk about on the Andertons interview, all point to a great guy with a gift who has the talent and integrity to make music a unifying experience from the ear to the soul for anyone who is willing to listen.
So don’t beat yourself up. You’re better than that. Be the change my friend. You are an incredible talent and gift to humanity. Continue to inspire and make the world a better place. Take care and be safe, and may you forever be blessed. Thanks again for your channel sir.
I was , and then WE were, good luck for I
i move corrected by me intelligence, Jason Lewis, if youre not aye robot, youre a good man
i hope the Chinese don't start counterfeiting Porsche cars can you imagine paying $3,000 for a $60,000 Boxster ? well, that's what I paid for mine , it's a 1999 'S' model and in excellent condition only driven to church on Sunday by a little old lady from Szechuan
@@carmineredd1198 1. - 1/5 of 60.000 is 12.000, but i think you knew that.
2. This was a weird way and place to brag about your car purchase.
3. Hope you drive it like a madman.
@@gastank43 it get me through
It's still an original somehow. In 50 years it will hang in a Hard Rock Cafe somewhere with a sign next to it saying: "This is the original fake Black Beauty of famous guitarist Dave Simpson etc."
I like the idea of that.
What a lovely perspective!
Erwo Coolis, I wholeheartedly agree. The biggest point would be that Dave Simpson has played this guitar and really enjoyed playing it, that would be plenty enough for me and many of us! Many of my guitars don't have any name on the headstock because they are mainly Partscasters and just happen to be great guitars too.. A good guitar is a good guitar regardless.
You are definitely a gifted guitarist, I watch you play all the time, I never played a guitar before, and I'm 61 years old, but you have inspired me to buy a guitar and start learning, I do play a little drums, but I'm definitely interested in learning how to play the guitar !!!!
Dave just keep in mind, your life is much more valuable than any guitar and you don’t have to get real mad and do bad things because of a guitar, just stand for a minute and think and learn the lesson but you don’t have to call yourself stupid or any of that because at the end of the day we’re all humans and we all make mistakes. Love you man.
Don't worry Dave, my dad used to tell me '' We reach success by going from one mistake to another''. If this was a video game it would be '' Guitar knowledge, Level up''.
But look at it... it's gorgeous and plays amazingly. Who cares if it's fake? You paid peanuts for it anyway, I'd feel blessed to own a guitar that cool regardless if it's "legit" or not! Rock it Dave. 🙃
Zappa played a fake SG with 23 frets for a time.
Exactly this. Who cares as long as it plays great and sounds great. If the "fake" status is such a big issue for you, it's be cool to get someone to remove the Epiphone logo and replace it with Simpson 😂😂. Or something that would clearly lable it as a fake. You could then legitimately sell it too for whatever someone would be prepared to pay for it. Sorted.
mee twoo, nothing payed, plays fine, WHY this vid , why..., I have Yamaha Pacifica 112Vs many, arent they copy of some superstrat ........., copying: say that to a guitar builder/designer...
Evets Nitram Slash’s Appetite Les Paul is a fake that Gibson now makes!
Who’d have thought!
I honestly don’t think I’ve ever had a bad experience with Dave Simpson. This dudes awesome
Tbh, if it plays well, sounds decent and you enjoy it then I wouldn't get too hung up on it - takes a lot to admit to and talk about it publicly on here too Dave!
I've had an Epiphone black beauty for over 15 years as it was my first 'proper' electric when I was a young teenager - Literally saved up for months and bought it new using Xmas and birthday money, along with a relatives staff discount from one of my local stores (and a good number of times trying it out in the shop) so that style of guitar will always have a special place for me.
Also, on the topic of fakes - the other reason might be it's easier to 'sneak by' with an epiphone too. Ie lower price point, so people will overlook small imperfections or flaws, and unlikely to be dealing with 'serious' players doing the same due diligence as someone might do on a Gibson.
Bloody hell mate, you are super talented and clearly you are a great bloke. Don't beat yourself up!
Heck Dave, we can all make a mistake, that looks like a real Epiphone from this distance, it sounds fantastic, looks like a dream to play! So glad you resolve this.
I’m sorry you went through that dark place over this, but I really appreciate your vulnerability and honesty. On a positive note, its a great guitar, and without endorsing fakes, its still going to inspire you as a player.
Dave, it's OK to make mistakes. We all do. I've shopped-for, played and owned a number of Les Pauls and the workmanship has varied from good to downright awful. My current Vintage V100 out-performs all of the Gibsons I've owned, and at the fraction of the price. Dave, you have it right, as consumers we need to forget about brand and being seen to play the 'right' guitar, andn trust our hands and ears ad select an instrument on the basis of how it plays and sounds - not on price and the logo on the headstock.
The more I watch of your videos dave .. the more down to earth and humble you become. Your a legend mate and I've nothing but full respect for you. You're living proof that you can be talented and not a brand snob. Forget about names on guitars.. if it sings well it sings well.
I recently had a Chibson Les Paul, admittedly i knew exactly what it was when i purchased it, Beautiful lemon drop finish. Out of the box, initially looked superb. after a quick play i was initially unimpressed. as a resolve i took it to my local guitar shop for a pro set up. Wow it came back a different guitar. with a new set of strings and an intensive set up it really made a huge difference.
Admittedly it would never pass for a Gibson in a month of Sundays, but after a bit of TLC from my local guitar shop it didn't half play well. Amazingly low action. neck perfect. Pickups were also great, no idea what they were but even the guitar shop said no need to change them as in their opinion they were superb.
kept the guitar for 5 years, gave me hours of pleasure. I recently passed the guitar on to a friend as part of a part exchange for a Gretsch.
Was a great deal on the whole but i do admittedly miss my Chibson. Just putting my 10p into the discussion as many state the chinese copies are poor quality on the whole. My personal experience differs from this opinion as my Chibson was easily as good if not better than a large number of renowned branded Guitars i have played over the years.
was it as good as a Gibson.... Ha Ha was it heck!!!
It's an "Epiphoney"! I can't be the first person to come up with that. :D
It's like my wife (of pure heart and soul) says: "Would you speak to others the way you speak to yourself"?
Which sent me into a rage and then I went on Facebook and started talking smack.
This Epiphoney has such a nice tone though. As it plays and sounds so great, I wouldn’t be bothered that it was not a real brand guitar.
@@jimmycampbell78 yep. Wouldn't bother me. I used to be a snob but Dave has schooled me. :)
Epiphony. Love it!
Yes, should add a y to the inlay on the headstock, run with the fake theme.
I posted the same thing when this came out....didn't see yours when I did but like minds!
Dave there is a bigger reason for the fake Epiphones - you may or may not have come across this in the forums - if you try to fake a Gibson that’s worth £3000
Will come under heavy scrutiny from the buyer
No one would ever expect a £500 every phone to be fake
So it doesn’t come under such scrutiny and is easily passed as the real thing
great lad Dave, and brilliant guitar player , just like one of your best honest mates.keep doing what you do.
No one is an idiot ! Never be ashamed of making a mistake . Be ashamed of not learning from it. Thanks to you Dave i have learned many things. I am very glad that you are so open about everything for it has helped me!
Some of them are getting really good. I've covered the similarities between Epiphone and Chibson a while back. I'd be really interested to chat with you about this.
Did you guys have that chat?
Could one of you link to the video if so, please? 😊
I enjoy both channels
@@Williamwerenberg not as yet but I'm very happy to have it anytime. I enjoy both channels too 😉🤪
Mistakes only lead to success... you can quote me on that! Sounds freakin' awesome! 😎🎸🎹🤘🐦
Hey Dave! I just wanted to shoot some encouragement your way and basically some props in general. I'm a drummer, been playing over 30 years, and I watch your channel religiously. There is no pretense ever in any of your videos and especially not in your personality. I always appreciate your honesty and humble manner. What hooked me on your channel was your video in which you explained your history of depression, troubles in school and feeling "not part of" and how discovering the guitar basically changed your life in the best of ways and and (my words) likely gave you confidence in your ability to come out of your shell. You're an excellent example of the power of music and how it can improve so many different aspects of one's life. Cheers my dude!!
This turned out to be a pretty deep philisophical post, touching on economics, morality, what is real, complexity of emotions we feel and why. The best of the best of this type of post.
Dave, first good on you for talking about this., secondly.. don’t fret too much on it as you could probably find a 1000 young people out there that would cry to have that and seriously appreciate it. You could donate it and write it off. Maybe include a lesson or two for some aspiring person, and possibly inspire the next great musician. That said.. thievery in the counterfeit world is rampant.
Dave, if the guy selling it was trying to rip you off, he would have painted the word Gibson on it. The guy dropped the price to nothing-ish ? ? ? If it plays nice, sounds nice, looks nice, and stays in tune. IT IS, WHAT IT IS.
You should play it for a while, think about what it feels like to you. ,...... Then pay the guy what you think it's worth, that's only fair and honest. You seem like a fair and honest person.,... That's how the world should be.
i think it sounds great man,,,,its pretty too...glad you came around to it....the sound is outstanding!
As a musician who struggles with self-harm, I appreciate this video so much. I'm also glad you're not letting the harsh lesson jade your view of this guitar. Fake or not, it's still a beautiful piece.
Wish my mistakes sounded as good as yours....sigh......🙂
Won't be long til someone makes a fake Harley Benton lol.
LightningDogg I already have
@@aliengrey6052 I heard that Gibson are thinking of making copies of Chibsons... at least the QA will be better!
Brother Dave, aka "Guitarzan"!
You are hands and feet down the very best pure emotion axe man on the RUclips!!!
Please allow me to indulge as I look back, waaaaay, waaaaay back to the very first time your channel came up in my feed even though I had no clue who you were. I assume someone...perhaps one of the band members had sent me the link, WHO KNOWS! WHO CARES!?
I clicked the link and to my tremendous shock and awe, I saw/heard you having your filthy way with whatever axe you were taking entire forests down with and for the first time in many years I heard an axe master throwing every last ounce of passion and pride into the blistering solo you were unleashing on the world!!
That solo had all the classic earmarks of greatness from the axe's internal organs to the inner sanctum, the very Nucleai ~ the holy of holies!!
I watched with amazement as you poured out every last grain of intensity and every last drop of your very spirit which you somehow managed to summon up from the great depths of the axe-master's eternal majesty up from your own inner sanctum which you then channelled into your heart and down along your shoulders, arms, wrists, hands and finally, your fingers!!
You somehow managed to unleash the sacred axe-master in this most simple of explanations which translated to the strings and by the time you had completed this once in a billion lifetimes you kept those peepers closed and listened intently to the last note, off the last chord which hung on nothing in the same manner as the Earth also hangs on "nothing"!
If I closed my eyes and simply listened there would have been no way for me to discern whether I was deep inside the Amazonian rain-forest sitting (Indian style) beside deadly venomous serpents, spiders, poison frogs, and the king of all nightmares, the giant king serpent, the Anaconda grooving along with David Gilmore as he flawlessly executed some of Pink Floyd's absolute monster tripping on Ayahuasca, OR...whether I was a victim (a willing victim) of your RUclips channel listening to you unleash a spiritual coup d'état having actually experienced you create sentient life out of guitar strings and series of
I had front row seats, and was witness to a genuine axe-master smothered in the gravy of his very own altered reality, and I LOVED every last second of it!!
So, if you do ever go out on the lamb, I want you to know there's a ready made band, a "Band In A Box" with an open slot for guitar genius!!
God Bless you brother Dave aka Guitarzan!!
Jack ~'()'~
Hey, Dave. I've been following your channel for a while. This is one of the best, you know? You're awesome, man. It's OK to feel bad when we make mistakes. Sometimes we just beat ourselves up too much for fucking up... But you didn't just stay there. You moved on to the next stage which was accepting you failed, learning from the experience and moving on. There's no pain, no self-deprecation anymore, but newfound wisdom. It's like after all the sadness and anger, you gave yourself a warm hug and said "it's all right, man. We did what we thought best with what we knew at that moment. We fucked up. People make mistakes sometimes. It's fine. You're still great".
So, you rose above all the darkness as a greater human being. And thank you for being genuine, open and humble enough to share this experience with us. It's not always easy.
Warm regards from Peru and rock on!!!
I knew about Chibsons, I had no idea there were Chipiphones!
Repliphones
From experience Dave personally? I've been playing for 35 years. Arthritis has slowed me down some but I can still play. I have good days and bad days. Point is:"the headstock name on any guitar does not matter what type of guitar.if that guitar feels good plays and sounds good to you? And is worth the amount of money that they are asking? Don't get hung up on name brands. It was a mistake I made for years. I have a guitar collection of well over 20 guitars & about 10 of them are really really expensive.The rest of them which is a little bit more than 20 +?because I know how to set up a guitar and I can basically could go on tour as a tech,I can take a Squire,hang a washcloth over top of the headstock and I'll bet you can't tell the difference if you played it. Number one rule: never disrespect a budding musician who's not as good as you. Number two rule: ignore name brands and concentrate on quality,playability, and one of the most important things is durability to last for years and years and still be a good playing guitar no matter what the name brand is Chinese made fakes sometimes are great guitars. I've been duped.I did so much work it plays better than the Gibsons they're putting out of the factory with their QC control these days...
Gotta give you props for being the better man and being honest about a mistake, better than most would do. The silver lining is that you do like it and we're all more educated now. By the way I just discovered your channel... BRILLIANT guitarist, you are inspiring!
Takes a class act to do what you have done.Not many people would humble themselves as you did Dave.Humility isn’t thinking less of myself..It’s thinking of myself less.Your the best Dave.
here's a theory: A counterfeiter might fake an Epiphone instead of a Gibson because they know people will look at the Epiphone with less scrutiny. Or in other works, have a better chance to actually sell it and make a profit
People counterfeit $100 Nike shoes, why wouldn’t they counterfeit a $500 guitar?
@@wilson4180 That's like comparing apples to pumpkins. If you have the capability of counterfeiting a $100 bill, why would you waste time and resources counterfeiting $10 bills?
@@joybuzzer because stores and shops will look closely at the $100 bill, but not so much with $10 note.
The brand is supposed to be a mark/proof of quality; every experienced guitar player knows it isn't. If it plays good, sounds good and looks good: who cares about the brand? Only investors, not players.
Hows the old saying go... "If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck... it is a duck!"
Thanks for that lesson Dave, absolutely love watching your journey in this crazy world...love from Cleethorpes.
You're too good for this world mate. Don't be hard on yourself for making a mistake. There are at least 72.3K people out here (at time of posting) that love you because of your innocence and vulnerability and humilty and honesty and all the other good things about you. I don't know about anyone else, but I can relate to you because you aren't some super confident RUclips dude with an alpha++ personality. You're just an ordinary(ish) person who plays and loves guitars, and the world's better because you're in it.
When I make a mistake, the fire department shows up..
Just think of it as Lister from Red Dwarf said "Its a genuine Les Paul Copy".
Also, its quite likely the pickups in there are real Epiphone pups at least. A ton of fake "Chibsons" as they are known come shipped with Epiphone stamped pickups, they really is a chance they can pick those up for pennies in bulk in the East.
The Grover tuners are fake ass well as the Epiphone stamped pickups.
My brother who is a professional musician for many years moved to Indonesia thinking he would have his guitars and amps shipped to him after he was settled. He primarily played Fender and G&L.
After living there a while he found that local woodworkers who built his furniture also built guitars.
He decided to have them make a stratocaster custom from scratch and add all the best Fender hardware even logo on headstock and the price was incredible.
After taking delivery he felt that the build quality was exquisite perhaps alot better than his custom shops in the USA. He was delighted and had several more made to order. He ended up not shipping his gear from the USA. He is still living there and loves his fake Fenders because as you said "they sing to him"
I've got a fake Les Paul that was given to me a few years ago. All the components were substandard, but the solid mahogany body and neck were fantastic. So, I replaced everything. Leveled and dressed the frets. Installed Seymore Duncan Seth Lover pickups. Re-wired with high quality pots and cap. New Grovers, bridge, nut, etc. So, for about $800 I have a really decent guitar. It was more of a challenge than anything to see if I could do it. Learned a lot in the process.
Fretboard looks like pau ferro, a rosewood alternative.
More like baked maple to me
My question is, why did the guy who sold it to you sell it for, as you say, such a low price, because even Epiphone's can fetch a good penny when resold? that is suspicious to me Dave. And also, people probably do this because it is much less suspicious to fake an Epiphone than a Gibson..nobody would suspect it.
I would agree . Buyers are much more likely to scrutinize a Gibson because of value and they are more likely to be bought by a more experienced buyer. Epiphones are far more likely to end up in the hands of a buyer with much less knowledge (a beginner or a gift for a beginner) and it'll be relatively cheap too. Much easier to pull off the scam IMO.
That was my thought exactly. Why was it selling so cheaply, "peanuts" as was stated, if the guy didnt know ...
This was a better lesson than any guitar lesson. Cheers to you Dave!
Dam I saw that for sale near me, you beat me to it Dave! 🤣 Enjoy!
One reason they'd fake Epiphones is because nobody would believe they'd fake Epiphones ;-) .... also it might be easier to sell 10 faked ones at $200 each than one fake Gibson at $2000 each
Three of my heros now use black beauty style guitars. The Levellers shared one, John Frusciante and now Dave Simpson
Dave, you are such a lovely human being. And I can confirm your position, here in Serbia for many young musicians and working people Squier Classic Vibe or Fender Mexican is like a Fender American Deluxe or Custom Shop model. But I have never encountered fake 'budget zone' guitars, only fake Fenders and Gibsons
I recently picked up a custom. I feel, I'm pretty clued up. Though I have to admit, I checked mine over as you were showing the differences.
Yes there are fake Epiphone's out there. One of the most common on'es were the Ace Frehley model they did back in the day.
Be good to yourself mate. That's the reason there are fake epiphones: it's not an expensive mistake, so people are less likely to have researched all the details. It also means it's not such a big deal if you get fooled.
I'm guessing the fretboard might be mango wood.
I realy like your playing and teaching plus you are so funny i have subscribed to your channel keep up the magic rock on .
nobody can be harder on us than ourselves when we make a mistake,,,i totally understand that for sure,,,im a new subscriber and you are one hell of a Man...i always tell my sons when you can stand up admit you were wrong/made a mistake ..its a growing experience as a human and helps us accept we all make mistakes and thats ok..im a human and im going to make more through my life and thats ok and it humbles me and opens my mind to always remain teachable ,,i love your channel ! your such a good guy and one of the most down to earth ppl on youtube and one hell of an awesome guitarist for sure,,,i look forward to looking back on your other videos,,
The real question is, how do we know this is the real Dave Simpson and not just a clone replacing him?
That's funny bro..
@@zombywoof-0hNo that isnt funny bro
Slash’s Appetite Les Paul was a fake, though he did know.
Also the James Hetfield Flyng V on Kill'em All!!!
Marco Mottadelli Thanks, didn’t know that.👍🏻
Yep. The wood on the counterfeit Gibson was acquired about 45 minutes from where I live right now in New Hampshire.
Dave, Dave, Dave....I have followed your channel for years , your enthusiasm and honest grass roots approach to reviewing equipment is invaluable . I switched from Marshall to a Orange CR 120 head because of your demo , I ended up buying two of them !! ..in the big picture I have recently bought Gibson's which should of never left the factory..ever !! We all get shafted at some point... that's life brother. You like the guitar it sounds great it has a back story..it is what it is . Many people support you Dave and want you to stay safe , be kinda to yourself my friend.
Great points here:
- There is a reason for people fake Epiphone and Squier. In Brazil, for example, you have to spend a considerable amount of money to buy the most basic Epiphone or Squier;
- If the guitar plays great, it's a great guitar;
- Everyone makes mistakes;
- Dave is a wise man;
- The guitar is lucky to find an owner like Dave.
Thank you, Dave, for sharing this, for the lessons and for your music !
It’s an honour to have such a magnificent fake,....better than having an epiphone
That guitar does sound really good though!
Hey Dave, EVERYONE makes mistakes. Nobody died.. i can totally relate to your moods. I’ve struggled with severe depression and anxiety for decades and absolutely “get” why you would be hard on yourself. You’re a good guy, a phenomenal musician and your channel is really cool, informative and helpful. Don’t beat yourself up over feeling bad for making a mistake. Be kind to yourself, you’re trying your best and thats ALL you can do. Sorry about the long message. 🙏☘️☘️☘️
Empathic gifted man now more then before deeper dove down the rabbit hole .....🐰🐇🎼🎵🎶🎸🎼🎵🎶🎸
7:58 keeps tune? There’s your first clue it’s a fake 😂
What’s in a name, tradition and treachery. They pirate strings ... Strings like what’s the profit margin on that ? Hell man lots of people even fake having a personality! Just be who you are and be honest about it! 🤘🏽
..keeps in tune , that's the give away ...lol hilarious
Heck, Gibson stole the Les Paul design from O.W. Appleton - who presented to them in 1943. They said they couldn't see anyone playing or wanting a solid-body electric guitar. So, in the early 50's McCarty stole the design and made them. So much for 'authentic'.
I remember the DJ John Peel (RIP) once said... " I face the world as I am, the world does'nt like it much...but that's just too bad!" - BRAVO ^
What a humble and talented man you are dave ,keep amazing us ,your a beautiful human being
Man... the extreme ups and down...
Feel you.....
Great video Dave. In the end a learning experience
Ohh clean it up johnny! ...ah I mean Dave
A fake guitar will still sing for you but a fake girlfriend leaves when the money runs out 😳
Go easy on yourself, Dave ❤️
You have an awesome talent that will carry you through it all and you’re such a good guy 👍
Just play. We’ll listen and all will be bliss on earth☮️
Dave, I found this a very inspiring lesson that won't forget. Thankyou. And well done on accidently acquiring an awesome guitar man!
Well, at least your playing is real.
It’s funny how every single guitar he tries out he just LOVES! No matter what level of crap it is.....it sounds amazing, great, glorious etc.....
I think Dave has said in the past he doesn’t post if he doesn’t like something.
Very cool vid and it sounds like Dave has an awesome dad!
This guitar has a really beautiful tone, I have listened to Epiphone Les Paul's that don't sound as good as this, it makes me want to go out & get one
Maybe Epiphone seconds stuff that was rejected, parts that didnt pass QC, the workers dont like waste and sale them as copies
Nope,the whole thing is fake,not rejected parts.Look at the Epiphoney facebook group ,that will educate yourself.
Some say Fake, Some would say a hand crafted original!
However it started its journey in life it's made it's way into your hands for a reason and listen to the beauty of the music it gives.
Big Respect to you Dave. You are big big human being.
Hi Dave! my father always wanted to have a les paul gold top, he died wanting to have the guitar. A few years ago through the Chinese sales portals I bought a les Paul AFD in Corsican red, beautiful, with resonance on the body of an obvious mahogany, I changed the microphones for some iron gear (Tesla sharks) all this thanks to globalization and the ease of online shopping. Today I have 15 les pauls with different types of tone, and I love to play one by one and feel that unique vintage and modern sound at the same time. They are not "authentic play" but they brighten my life and every time I hear your songs I go and choose one that can give me a similar tone and let the feeling invade me. Thanks for sharing your art!
My first guitar was a Harmony Les Paul Standard,,.I still crave one to this day & I dig your vibe it made jesus put a little dirt in my eyes as I listened to youtell your story so thaks again.& you play very well ,,just the stuff you doing right now soundsgraceful & tender,,yet proud & elegant .I play by ear,,.So Ill have to send ya someof me playing.
It may be a fake guitar but there is nothing fake about the way that you play it. Playing that guitar the way that you do brings it to life and makes it real dude! Really real! You rock!!
my mate had a real gibson black beauty - looked ace - too heavy, wouldn't tune , not nice to play and sounded dark and murky
Just remember this saying any time you become self-critical about making a mistake.... "The man who never made a mistake, never made anything" :)
Can top that, Dave. An online dating service once matched me up with an inflatable doll. Our 25th anniversary is Thursday.
I think the best attitude, is to always think the best of people. And if they're liars or cheats, that's their problem, not mine. I know it's annoying if you think you've been ripped off, but again - you've acted in good faith, they haven't.
I got a Scottish Terrier puppy about five years ago.
As he grew up I realized he wasn't a thoroughbred, but I had got to love him so much ( which I still do )
Moral of this is, had I known at the time I probably wouldn't have taken him and now he's my best friend.
I love his soul, not his pedigree.
Best I can tell you , love the guitar if it loves you.
@@antoniocanales9922 dude. It's an analogy, not a comparison
Looks good,plays great ,got the wow factor,paid peanuts.
Sounds like a win win situation.
Hi Dave, it’s so easy to beat yourself up over a mistake many of us would make. I’ve now decided to avoid buying fakes it is easier to go for the less well known brands. I bought a Revelation thinline (RJT-60) after seeing you play one. It needed some fretwork (sharp ends), but otherwise absolutely awesome. I’ve got top of the line US Strats and a US Les Paul - they can now stay at home - because that Revelation is a revelation!
Honestly and openly admitting you are wrong and then using the lesson and making most out of it for the next time, is what makes you a brave and better person. Great job here Dave, beautifully done!
Also, if it looks like a guitar, if it plays and sounds like one (especially if it plays good), then most definitely it is a guitar no matter what the headstock reads. Personally I never cared about brands.
Keep up the good work man and most of all take care of yourself and your loved ones. Cheers from neighbouring Scotland :)
Dave, You remind me of Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull, not only in looks but also the fact of your amazing talent
You are certainly no idiot mate, you are human. I personally am grateful for mistakes because from each mistake comes learning. Both about the world and the human condition. The axe sounds great to me!
I bought some D'addario strings, via Amazon (from an Amazon seller, not Amazon themselves) that turned out to be fake..and visually, you just could not tell!!!
I had ordered two packs but I received one, initially so while I was waiting for the other pack to arrive I read the QR code with my phone and it said they were fake. When the second pack arrived, they had exactly the same code as the first one which, ofcourse, it shouldn't be.
I contacted D'addario in the UK and they asked me to send the strings to them, which I did. They supplied me with a few packs of genuine strings and a couple of tee shirts for my trouble...and they issued a cease and desist order, via Amazon, to the seller.
The thing is that unlike fake Epiphone guitars that have lots of clues (if you know what to look for,) these strings and their packaging looked absolutely perfect! The code was the ONLY way to tell! The sad fact is that China can, and will, counterfeit ANYTHING, if they can find a way to do it!!!