Fake Vintage Marshall Gear

[Bygone_Tones]

It seems a certain someone is back to his old tricks over on UK ebay. Please be careful if buying on there. I uploaded this blog post a couple of weeks ago if anyone is interested.

http://www.bygonetones.com/how-to-sp...hall-gear.html

A few pointers on identifying this stuff. Nothing too technical, Im not an amp techy type of guy, but covers most of the basics I think, at least regarding the pinstripe period stuff.

[Jazz P Bass]

I got a kick out of that pick of Jimi with a 'Hello Kitty' sticker on his 'one knob' Strat.

[Chuck H]

So... This is a fake then.?.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-196...4AAOSwo~1aqrQ6

The read lends suspicion any way and the grill isn't reported to have been replaced, and yet is not a match for the real deal according to the blog. Even if the grill had been replaced it seems doubtful that Marshall would have used the Chinese grill cloth (as this appears to be) and the guy who cherished this amp would have put a gash in it after troubling to have it serviced for cosmetics at the Marshall factory. A practice they surely haven't done for a very long time.

This is the very first Marshall that pops up on a "price highest" search too. Are ALL vintage Marshalls fakes? Opinions?

[Tom Phillips]

I don't know if this is a fake. But The sales text includes "...As this has been recovered, the tolex is near mint..."
One of my pet peeves regarding the use of the word "mint" by eBay sellers.
However, the gut shots sure look like the real deal.
Luckily, I am no longer tempted to collect such relics. I cannot become the curator of my own museum.

[Bygone_Tones]

So... This is a fake then.?.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-196...4AAOSwo~1aqrQ6

The read lends suspicion any way and the grill isn't reported to have been replaced, and yet is not a match for the real deal according to the blog. Even if the grill had been replaced it seems doubtful that Marshall would have used the Chinese grill cloth (as this appears to be) and the guy who cherished this amp would have put a gash in it after troubling to have it serviced for cosmetics at the Marshall factory. A practice they surely haven't done for a very long time.

This is the very first Marshall that pops up on a "price highest" search too. Are ALL vintage Marshalls fakes? Opinions?

Hi, 'music locker' are honest dealers. I have never seen anything fake sold by them, but do always read the small print for modifications etc.

With the pinstripe material you have to look really close, and I mean really close, eye right up against it, to see the print pattern. If you ask Jono at the music locker for a high res photo of the material up close Im sure he would be happy to provide it.

Not ALL vintage gear is fake, but you do need to be careful when buying it.

Usually the best way to buy is to avoid the dealers altogether. Buy it from private sellers who "don't know what they've got", and you will always get it for a much lower price and be assured of an honest piece that hasnt been messed with in order to make it look more valuable. This is how those dealers source their stock anyway. You just need to know your stuff to be able to find those bargains.

[nickb]

Nice article. I wish you could name names!!

[pdf64]

Nice article. I wish you could name names!!

Convicted crooks Justin and Richard Harrison of Music Ground infamy are likely contenders http://www.davidjpym.com/page459.html

[Chuck H]

Could the publishers possibly have picked photo's that make those two look more criminal

[Bygone_Tones]

OK this is the type of thing to be careful of:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Marshall-19...3UAAOSwksBbZ~7 2

This is a 1968 basketweave cab that has been modified, not a pinstripe. Notice the wide metal handles. He has edited the title and description since, but it was originally being sold as an all orignial 1966 cab! Asking price is ridiculous. A separate ebay account (londonvintagegts) with J Harrison named as the business owner, recently sold a spare 1968 basketweave grill, likely the original from this cab.

Then there is this one:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Marshall-19...t/183432954837

There's a reason it looks mint - it's because it has been retolexed. You don't find the corner triangles broken off the bottom of the baffle, and non original baffle screws in a mint & original cabinet. Also, a 4 digit serial in 69? I dont think so. Price again, just insane for what it is.

Those listings have all the hallmarks of justin, with the center aligned bullet list description. Just look at any 'denmark street guitar' or 'londonvintagegts' listings. All very similar in their description style and photography.

They do sell some legit stuff, such as that nice park cab recently sold (some plonker had it on reverb.com for just £700), but looks like a lot of cobbled together stuff too.