How do I know if a MC is genuine?

[gear collector]

Well, I plan to buy a JEM Multicolor. How do I know if itīs genuine or repainted by ATD or Fede? As far as I know, the serial number doesnīt mean anything. I like the work of ATD and Fede, but I donīt want to be framed by a seller saying that it is genuine when it is not. Thanx for your help!

[Kremlin]

If it's an ATD swirl, it IS authentic.

[gear collector]

Kremlin on 6:35 pm on Dec. 26, 2001
If it's an ATD swirl, it IS authentic.

Thanks for your reply, but are there some external attributes on which I can see that I get an original JEM?

[butch]

ATD swirls are the ones utilized by Ibanez. The only way to tell if either Darren or Herc did the swirl is to check the neck pocket. Darren has a stamp that he puts on his, and Herc signs the swirls that he does.

I'm pretty sure that there is a scan of the type of stamp Darren uses (he had a similar but special stamp for the DNA) located somewhere on this site.

Also, there is the obvious heel joint. With the exception of the DNA swirls, the original heel joint was used. Also, there will be a stamp on the heel of the neck with the model number and color designation.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Butch

[jemsite]

good question. (it appears Butch added alot of info while i'm previewing my post!)

first off the PMC is very easy to determine by the color inlays, knobs, pickups and PMC swirl. See the spec sheet and photo gallery. It's hard to dupe the PMC neck since no other guitar had that fretboard inlays. Use the info above to rule out fakes rather easily.

the GMCs are trickier, since it is more plausible to take a JEM777VBK and turn it into a "GMC" by getting a replacement body, two-color pickups (or leaving them green and calling it a "prototype" ) and a new ATD (or even a Herc swirl).

You could inspect the neck heel joint for the ATD stamp (not always there) and again examine the guitar's attributes, history and signs of part replacement (ie. new pickups are a dead giveaway). Re-soldered switches, etc.

The neck plate serial numbers are not trackable and essentially worthless. They could point out obvious problems (ie 88 neck plate in a GMC) but could be easily changed/swapped to match the expected date/serial# for the guitar.

Darren/ATD's swirls are "authentic" only on the original GMC, PMC, MC pieces. Use common sense and post photos here before buying if the authenticity is a concern. Good luck... glen

[iain]

jemsite on 11:18 am on Dec. 26, 2001
the GMCs are trickier, since it is more plausible to take a JEM777VBK and turn it into a "GMC" by getting a replacement body, two-color pickups (or leaving them green and calling it a "prototype" ) and a new ATD (or even a Herc swirl).

Except the VBK & FP vines have a red 'stalk,' while the GMC's is greenish.

[Rich]

Of course all the details need to match up, but the only *proof* is in the neck pocket and on the heel. A skilled luthier could easily remove the yellow triangles out of any neon neck and replace it with purple to make a PMC neck. Add a purple Jem silkscreen on the head and you've got a pseudo PMC neck. Only the undisturbed factory model designation under the clear is *proof* of what the neck is. With the proliferation of shops making ready to swirl rear route bodies and a general interest in doing custom/copy swirls, you do have to be careful today. With all that said, I've never run into one that was a "fake" that didn't give itself away somehow.

[Rich]

A GMC vine is actually natural wood

[jemsite]

With all that said, I've never run into one that was a "fake" that didn't give itself away somehow.

Yup ... glen

[gear collector]

That helped a lot, thank you very much!

[trouble311]

He must have been scoping that JEM77PMC on ****....:biggrin:....I think we ALL were, though, regardless of whether we could buy it or not....I had my doubts about that one at first myself....

[gear collector]

trouble311 on 4:08 am on Dec. 29, 2001
He must have been scoping that JEM77PMC on ****....:biggrin:....I think we ALL were, though, regardless of whether we could buy it or not....I had my doubts about that one at first myself....

To be exact, Iīm desperatly searching for a JEM77GMC. I donīt like PMCīs much, but that one on **** is quite nice.

[phlame]

just keep an eye on the pickups