How fake is my Setzer ?

[Pitibecks]

Hello everyone, sorry if this is yet another "did I get a fake Gretsch?" post but I need your expertise and help.

I got what was sold to me as a Gretsch Setzer on a auction house specialised in music instruments, they were selling the personal collection of a "famous" French guitar collector.

The only indication they could give me at that time, was that this was a Gretsch made in Asia.

A lot of details caught my attention since it doesn't look like a typical Setzer.

Now that I have it, I'm very suspicious. To be honest, it has good points : the weight is heavy, the touch is great, the neck is smooth, it's well varnished and the sound is pretty good BUT :

- 2 dice pots, one master volume and only one switch? I don't know what model would have that.
- the mics look awfully neutral. Fake TV Jones?
- b700 on a Setzer?
- the back strap pin?
- the black switch knob?
- the inside is pretty empty and simple, and have what appears to be Asian lettering written in it.
- no serial or label (obviously)

LOTS of red flags, I know. But anyway, I trusted the auction house, their expertise was supposed to be enough but now I really doubt I have a real Gretsch. What do you think?

Thanks for your help and your time, I really appreciate your support. Cheers, Thibault

 

[G5422T]

Sorry, but it's a FAKE.

Really fake, not even a Gretsch.

 

[Wozob]

I'm sorry, but it's indeed a fake. I hope you can get your money back if you bought it from a renowned auction house.

 

[ZackyDog]

• The headstock inscription
• The body shape
• The pickups
• The fake bigsby
• The construction
• The f holes
  
• Etc

Sorry, it is 100% fake.

 

[TSims1]

Incredibly fake. A SUPER BAD fake. Nothing about this is authentic and I’m sorry you got taken advantage of.

 

[Pitibecks]

Thanks guys, that's what I thought too. I already texted the auction house, I'll do everything I can to get my money back, they sold a fake at an auction, legally it's their responsibility. I'll keep you updated about the result! Thanks again for the support!

 

[ZackyDog]

Thanks guys, that's what I thought too. I already texted the auction house, I'll do everything I can to get my money back, they sold a fake at an auction, legally it's their responsibility. I'll keep you updated about the result! Thanks again for the support!

De nada. I hope it goes well.

 

[Stefan87]

Very sorry to see what's happened. am interested to hear how you go so best of luck getting it sorted with the Auction house.

In saying that if that has come from an auction house that specializes in musical instruments and with the amount of information that is a click away these days I'm surprised that has slipped through, someone mustn't have done their research before hand.

 

[wildeman]

That auction house should be very interested in making this right, their reputation would be ruined if it got around that they sold blatant counterfeits.

 

[mbkri]

It’s a lovely carpet though.

 

[audept]

Welcome to the forum, @Pitibecks ! So sorry you got caught with a fake, I hope the auction company sorts this out for you, best of luck!

 

[Jelly Roll Horton]

That is unfortunate. Please let us know how you fare with the auction house. It might help others too if you revealed the name of the house (if this forum allows that). Good luck.

 

[Jeremiah_S]

yeah if they try to burn you at ALL, hell, even if they don't, please let us know which one it is. At the very LEAST, they don't know guitars. At the worst, they're scam artists.

 

[Gretschzilla]

yeah if they try to burn you at ALL, hell, even if they don't, please let us know which one it is. At the very LEAST, they don't know guitars. At the worst, they're scam artists.

This. Please identify them now. If they were taken in this easily, they need to get out of the business of auctioning guitars. I have a real Setzer Smoke. This is way off.

 

[thunder58]

So sorry my friend . But welcome to the forum , we're all friends here

 

[Desirsar]

I'm not familiar with the features of vintage or high end models, so I was passing over a few "looks bad, but I don't know for sure", until it got to the licensed Bigsby. Pretty sure the only signature model with a licensed Bigsby is the Nick13 Electromatic.

 

[Archtops]

Love the rug! Best of luck on the return!

 

[TV the Wired Turtle]

Hello everyone, sorry if this is yet another "did I get a fake Gretsch?" post but I need your expertise and help.

I got what was sold to me as a Gretsch Setzer on a auction house specialised in music instruments, they were selling the personal collection of a "famous" French guitar collector.

The only indication they could give me at that time, was that this was a Gretsch made in Asia.

A lot of details caught my attention since it doesn't look like a typical Setzer.

Now that I have it, I'm very suspicious. To be honest, it has good points : the weight is heavy, the touch is great, the neck is smooth, it's well varnished and the sound is pretty good BUT :

- 2 dice pots, one master volume and only one switch? I don't know what model would have that.
- the mics look awfully neutral. Fake TV Jones?
- b700 on a Setzer?
- the back strap pin?
- the black switch knob?
- the inside is pretty empty and simple, and have what appears to be Asian lettering written in it.
- no serial or label (obviously)

LOTS of red flags, I know. But anyway, I trusted the auction house, their expertise was supposed to be enough but now I really doubt I have a real Gretsch. What do you think?

Thanks for your help and your time, I really appreciate your support. Cheers, Thibault

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ohh dang! That is not only a fake but a bad ripoff of an electromatic, the bottom line of gretsch guitars.

 

[radd]

Thanks guys, that's what I thought too. I already texted the auction house, I'll do everything I can to get my money back, they sold a fake at an auction, legally it's their responsibility. I'll keep you updated about the result! Thanks again for the support!

Good luck, please let us know what response you get from the auction house.

Was it a CC purchase? If yes, look for help there is you need it.

 

[Jelly Roll Horton]

I'm not familiar with the features of vintage or high end models, so I was passing over a few "looks bad, but I don't know for sure", until it got to the licensed Bigsby. Pretty sure the only signature model with a licensed Bigsby is the Nick13 Electromatic.

I’m the same. Except for me it was the poor rendering of the logo. Look at that E.