Dilemma re buying a JB signature Goldtop

the goodies etc can be ought / sold anywhere.. the problem with all Les pauls is people like to copy them and sell them as originals. you need to check it over carefully and even try gibson regarding the serial numbers etc Good luck and I hope its genuine..

Gibson are usually very helpful regarding frauds etc, Things too look at are headstock shape / logo types.. sorry I cant beof much more help

And regarding stolen goods, It would be very unfortunate but there isnt a great deal you can do if its been stolen no doubt it will have been reported but depening on where could mean that it isnt reported in your area / on the internet...

If you post some pics, it would be very easy to authenticate.

The fact that is went to the UK probably isn't that big a deal. I'm in Canada and some time ago won a guitar in the US for a friend's family member in Romania who wasn't able to bid. He had the instrument two weeks later so things can move quickly.
You mentioned you're under kind of a time frame so why not be honest and just mention your concern to the seller as nicely as possible. An honest seller will understand your concern or at least have a little more detailed explanation. If you're able to actually see the guitar and it's not coming through the mail or anything like that then the seller also shouldn't have a problem with taking a small deposit to hold the instrument for a couple of days until it's been cleared.
I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for a US based guitar center to get back to you.
A quick call to the authorities in whatever US city it was sold to (you could possibly have a forum member make the call to save long distance issues) would tell you withing minutes whether it's stolen or not.

Phil you explained that well, i too would have reservations about that bit of activity as in the Atlantic crossing and then so soon to sell, yeah all these photo's can be copy and pasted on
e bay by any seller, check their selling ID and sales and some of the other guy's are right you'd be calling all over America to track down the source, the seller should give you the exact point of purchase, tell the seller your serious but want proof, but be careful
Everything should come with the JBLP, The original Gibson box and Black Gibson Joe Bonamassa guitar case and all the paperwork and authentic booklet with No # and 1 guitar lead/cable

Phil contact me if you're not sure

Good Luck

................... Michael

There has to be a reason why someone would be selling this so soon after purchasing it. Could be buyers remorse or they got their credit card bill and then realized that it would take to long to pay off or, etc etc. If it's the very same guitar as the fleabay auction then your getting a good deal. Grab it.

Thanks everyone for your help and advice, I really appreciate it. I’ve more or less decided to walk away from this deal as the smell of fish is too much for me.

The facts are:

Gibson Les Paul Goldtop Joe Bonamassa Signature serial no. 100

3rd July 2009 sold on ebay.com for US$ 3,383.77 (see above link). The seller stated on ebay that he bought it from his friend who was the original owner and he bought it from the Guitar Center. His friend “was starting a guitar collection & had to sell it due to economy crunch” and that it “has never been gigged or even rehearsed with. It has spent most of it's time in case since new & only pulled out a few times to show off”. Apparently Joe signed the back at a show in Atlanta.

I contacted the seller in the US who said he couldn’t help.

8th July 2009 an ad for this guitar using the same photo of the LP on a stand appears on a lesser known for sale and wanted website for GBP 1,500 stating “The guitar was purchased new from Guitar Center shortly after they came out. It has never been gigged or even rehearsed with. It has spent most of it's time in case since new & only pulled out a few times to show off. I bought it from a friend of mine that is the original owner.” Sound familiar?

When I contacted the seller, who lives in North London, she said that she bought it from her uncle. When does a friend become an uncle?  As she didn’t quote the serial no. in her ad I asked her for the number and she sent me a copy of the pic from the ebay.com auction showing the #100 on the back of the headstock. She doesn’t have the original receipt and claims that her friend/uncle doesn’t either. This, despite the ebay seller in the US quoting in his ad “All Papers”, although maybe he was referring to the papers evidencing authenticity. If he’d had the receipt wouldn’t you think he’d pass it on? Whenever I buy second hand goods I always ask for the original receipt to prove ownership.

At this price I wonder why it hasn’t sold during the three weeks it’s been for sale? Credit crunch or something else? It certainly sounds like a bargain. However, I have been unable to bridge the gap between the seller in the US and the person apparently selling the same guitar in the UK. Is the seller in the US the UK seller’s friend/uncle? I doubt it.

Needless to say, the Guitar Center in the US has said they can’t help.

Maybe I’m being too careful, cautious or even paranoid but it just doesn’t feel right to me. £1,500 (currently around $2,500) does sound ridiculously cheap so why hasn’t it sold? If anyone else wants to take this up and attempt to buy this guitar, please mail me. I could mail the seller along the lines “my friend has pointed out that this guitar appears to have been sold on ebay recently” to see what response I get.

Thanks again.

Phil

Phil, - where are you located? - I assume not in the UK or you would get round and check it out, - if it were South London I would offer to help but not going north of the river any time soon....And I could n't promise that if it were genuine I would n't buy it!

It does sound like somebody has cloned a  recent e-bay sale and advertised something that they don't own. Perhaps ask to see an up-to-date photo, ideally with today's newspaper next to it?

it's my age, - long term stuff is fine, short term forget it!

Think you are probably right to moveon from it, - sure if it was a genuine JB thing the person concerned would be more accommodating.