It's not just the Gibson mandos that are fake on ebay!

[f5loar]

Since many mando pickers are also guitar pickers and many play and collect Martin guitars I thought I would pass this little gem onto you by way of ebay on what to look for when a Martin is not quite a Martin even if the seller swears to it. I told the seller first day it was listed that I was 100% sure this was a fake D28. He said he would check into it and confirmed later it was indeed a real D28 made by Martin. Although he does not say it was made in the USA by Martin he does say it's the real authentic D28 model made by Martin. While this one just screams fake all over it I can see how someone not in the know think otherwise mainly because of the logo at the top.
But look at the "F" in CF Martin. Someone got bit real hard on this one. You Martin pickers be the judge on this one:http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150376202678&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123

[Bluegrass Picker 1958]

I would def... say FAKE.. Not a True Martin D28

[Hans]

How bout that plush case!

[barney 59]

1995? Is that "Vintage"? My new stuff is older than that! How do you get that close on a logo and then completely blow it on one letter?

[RichM]

The good news on this one is, based on the seller's feedback, he accepted a return from the buyer and provided a refund.

"Martin D-28 Vintage guitar 1995, this seller gave a full refund for return."

[f5loar]

The buyer had to cough up the return shipping fees.
Had the seller been honest up front there would not have been a refund. Might not have been a sale either.

[allenhopkins]

Any pawnshop owner who deals at all in instruments, knows that Martins don't come with paper labels visible through the soundhole. I've seen those labels on Sigmas (Martin Asian import line), and the Sigma model numbers vaguely followed the Martin numbering system. I believe there was a DR-28 -- "D" for dreadnaught, "R" for (laminated) rosewood back & sides, "28" for the binding and inlay pattern -- and this might be one, with the label altered or copied. The Sigma labels did have the Martin logo on them, but the headstock would have a "Sigma" logo in close-to-Martin script.

For an experienced pawnbroker to plead ignorance about how Martin guitars are labeled, well, that strains the boundaries of credulity. At least the seller took the instrument back.

[Darryl Wolfe]

Any pawnshop owner who deals at all in instruments, knows that Martins don't come with paper labels visible through the soundhole. .

But maybe it's a $10,000 D-28GE (those have labels) :grin::))

[f5loar]

Right Darryl, many Martins these days come with paper labels visable through the sound hole but not like that one. The seller claimed this had the CFMartin stamped on the neck block but never showed a photo. He didn't say the serial no. was stamped there either. It was on the paper label. The GE models don't have the serial no. on the paper label,it is stamped on the neck block. What gets me is you tell a man you are 100% it's a fake and they ignore you. The Sigmas you speak had better quality workmanship then this model. This is a "cheap" import, not a "good" import.

[JeffD]

For an experienced pawnbroker to plead ignorance about how Martin guitars are labeled, well, that strains the boundaries of credulity. At least the seller took the instrument back.

Amen. A pawnbroker ignorant of diathermy machines, perhaps, but not guitars. :grin: