[AlaskaBat]

Alright Jemsiters, I have just finished the Chibanez spotting guide. There are so many folks that get burned by these, and other that just want to know how to tell the difference. I have to break this guide into two parts to make sure I get all the photos in. Here's a picture guide to light the way...
All of the following pictures show the real Ibanez jem on the left, and the Chibanez on the right.
Here's a side-by-side comparison of the two:

Take a good look the pickguard alignment on the lower horn:

Notice the location of this pickguard screw:

On to the back...
The neck heel is a dead giveaway! The Chibanez heel is longer than the pocket:

Next, look at the output jack access cover. It's routed in the wrong direction:

Now, look at the neck screws. First, they're not usually recessed like a real Jem, and the placement is off:

Finally, look at the trem cover. The slots are too big, and the bottom, horizontal slot is too high up on the plate:

 

[AlaskaBat]

Here's part 2.
Now let's examine the headstock. While they're getting better, the Chibanez logos are still off. The Jem logo is still too low on the headstock:

Now look at the truss rod cover. These have also been getting more accurate, but they are still too short:

The Ibanez logo has gotten better too, but it's still not place properly:

Finally, look at the font weight of the Jem logo--the Chibanez is still too dark and heavy:

Now, here's the scariest part--usually the first dead giveaway on the fakes--the trem. While these are a massive improvement over the older LoTrs knock-offs, they still have the screw on trem arm, unlike the pop in arm on a real Jem:

What's the scary part? Talke a look at the newest Edge knock-off! It has the pop in arm:

Take a look at the writing by the fine tuners. The real Edge reads, "Licensed under Floyd Rose Patents." The good-looking fake reads, "Tremolo Licensed Under Patents."

Well, there you go Jemsiters. I hope this little guide helps a avoid a catastophe or two...

 

[IbanezFreak777]

Great guide... but you've just given a tip to the chibanez makers on how to improve their copies

 

[AlaskaBat]

Great guide... but you've just given a tip to the chibanez makers on how to improve their copies

I thought the same thing, but if they haven't got it right by now with the plethora of pics and specs on the Internet--they never will. Plus, there's the little issue of serial numbers--I'm currently creating a database of all known fake serial numbers for all to check legitimacy of their contemplated purchase

 

[AlaskaBat]

Also, if you look closely at the vine patterns side-by-side--the differences are obvious.

 

[PaiLien]

Holy ****, that's the first time I've ever actually seen a fake Lo-Pro tremolo......good call dude. Sneaky little ****ers are getting creative, lol.

 

[AlaskaBat]

Holy ****, that's the first time I've ever actually seen a fake Lo-Pro tremolo......good call dude. Sneaky little ****ers are getting creative, lol.

All of the newer ones have a Lo-Pro knock off, but this is the first one I've seen with the correct pop-in trem arm.

 

[Rich]

I haven't even seen one with this new trem.

Don't be mistaken for a second, they will keep trying to improve them to the point even I won't be able to tell from pictures.

 

[NSR]

I agree with what you're saying that with all the correct pictures and specifications available. However, I can envisage this guide being printed off, rolled up and and whacked across the head of the designers of the counterfeits in order to improve them..."not like that one, like this one". It was on this basis why I suggested a sticky in this area of the forum for dealing specifically with a fake JEM or Universe, rather than show the counterfeiters how they should be done.

While your heart is in the right place and this guide will be helpful to some, you have essentially created plans in a nutshell that can be used to improve upon the current counterfeits and I fear that this may ultimately do more harm than good.

 

[AlaskaBat]

I agree with what you're saying that with all the correct pictures and specifications available. However, I can envisage this guide being printed off, rolled up and and whacked across the head of the designers of the counterfeits in order to improve them..."not like that one, like this one". It was on this basis why I suggested a sticky in this area of the forum for dealing specifically with a fake JEM or Universe, rather than show the counterfeiters how they should be done.

While your heart is in the right place and this guide will be helpful to some, you have essentially created plans in a nutshell that can be used to improve upon the current counterfeits and I fear that this may ultimately do more harm than good.

I seriously doubt it. If those boneheads haven't figured it out yet through the vast info on the web and the many threads here dealing with these--this guide is not going to make a difference to them. The one thing that you guys are forgetting, and it's mentioned above--the serial numbers are the other tell-tale indicator.

 

[NSR]

I seriously doubt it. If those boneheads haven't figured it out yet through the vast info on the web and the many threads here dealing with these--this guide is not going to make a difference to them. The one thing that you guys are forgetting, and it's mentioned above--the serial numbers are the other tell-tale indicator.

I'll respond to that with a quote:

Don't be mistaken for a second, they will keep trying to improve them to the point even I won't be able to tell from pictures.

 

[theapprentice]

I find it hard to imagine how hard it is for these Chibanez makers to simply buy a stock JEM, reverse-engineer it, and then make plausible fakes based on it. I'm pretty sure they're spending real money for their manufacturing as well, so why not save some and invest on a good reference axe to replicate?

 

[jonnyboy mills]

I find it hard to imagine how hard it is for these Chibanez makers to simply buy a stock JEM, reverse-engineer it, and then make plausible fakes based on it. I'm pretty sure their spending real money for their manufacturing as well, so why not save some and invest on a good reference axe to replicate?

I was about to say the same thing.

 

[sixx_ gunner]

Awesome! Lots of good info.
Thanks for putting that together.

 

[AlaskaBat]

I was about to say the same thing.

Not to mention the blueprints that are available online for free! These blueprints details a complete Jem right down to the last mm.

 

[fwd0120]

this needs sticky'd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[AlaskaBat]

this needs sticky'd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think so too.

 

[SonicProvocateur]

Great job alaska!! Btw, I saw meestursparkle selling a JEM yesterday that didn't have a Team J-Craft logo, only the recycle bit. Removed for 2010/11 I suppose?

 

[AlaskaBat]

I've been really nervous of 1993penny! Some of his stuff seems too good to be true--plus based in S. Korea. When I was there in 1997, you could have anything made that you could imagine. Some of their guitars looked as good as the originals--scary! I wonder if he's doing the 'ol bait-and-switch?

 

[SonicProvocateur]

That post was an edit lol, it was our friendly overseas J-Custom dealer other than Rich!