Dove, fake or legit?

streethawk · November 2022

Looking at this Dove on ebay. Seller bought it in Dubai from a chap who claimed to have bought it at GuitarVillage.
2014 Dove Classic, LE to 50 pieces.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/354360056858

Straight away I saw the very light shade of rosewood bridge and thought it looked suspicious.
The historic decal on the back of the neck is correct for the previous year's model, but for 2014 they transitioned to a different decal.
The label is white, whereas other LE Doves from the same year seem to use the orange custom label.
Ivory pins and saddle do seem to appear on some Doves from the same era.

The other appointments seem kosher. Not my area of expertise.

All pics here: https://postimg.cc/gallery/J1q3Ddy

Image: https://i.postimg.cc/3J3Dd6Yq/dove-1.jpg

bertie · November 2022

um - also isnt the compensation on an acoustic saddle meant to be for the B string ?

Image: https://cdn.fuelrocks.com/1664605426648.jpg

drofluf · November 2022

bertie said:

um - also isnt the compensation on an acoustic saddle meant to be for the B string ?

That could be simply because the bridge fell out and the owner, not knowing any better, put it back the wrong way.

Not that I would do anything like that...

ElectricXII · November 2022

I notice that the seller has 0 feedback on eBay. That would be a major red flag for me on a high value purchase like this.

streethawk · November 2022

ElectricXII said:

I notice that the seller has 0 feedback on eBay. That would be a major red flag for me on a high value purchase like this.

Yeah he's new to Reverb too, where it's also listed. What can you say? Everyone has to start somewhere.

I didn't notice the saddle btw.

stickyfiddle · November 2022

I think this is my old guitar! I bought it in Guitar Village and brought it to Abu Dhabi, where I sold it to a guy who lived in Dubai -

I don't have a record of the serial number but I thought it looked familiar from a quick flick through the pictures before I read the OP properly. The rosewood was always at the lighter end when I had it, but it darkens up ok with a bit of appropriate oil.

Assuming I'm right it's a bloody good guitar. I'm tempted to have it back!

EDIT - I found a couple of old pics. Check the grain on the bridge and lighter flecks in the pickguard - particularly the light spots in front of the bird's belly and on the edge by the lower-left point of the guard, but also right next to the bud behind the bird's head, and another being point to by the lowest bud on the upper group of flowers.

I'm 99% sure it's mine, but either way the label and headstock logo are correct

Kittyfrisk · November 2022

stickyfiddle said:

I think this is my old guitar! I bought it in Guitar Village and brought it to Abu Dhabi, where I sold it to a guy who lived in Dubai -

I don't have a record of the serial number but I thought it looked familiar from a quick flick through the pictures before I read the OP properly. The rosewood was always at the lighter end when I had it, but it darkens up ok with a bit of appropriate oil.

Assuming I'm right it's a bloody good guitar. I'm tempted to have it back!

EDIT - I found an old pic. Check the grain on the bridge - I'm 99% sure it's mine, but either way the label and headstock logo are correct

You are right about the label & bridge. Not sure, but the fretboard on your old one seems to have different markings, with more of a broader dark stripe under the G string. Also the lower flower near the rosette seems to have worn off on the ebay one.
Difficult to say either way

BillDL · November 2022

The darker grain lines on the bridge of the guitars in both photos look so similar in placement and size that I would tend to believe they are the same guitar.

stickyfiddle · November 2022

BillDL said:

The darker grain lines on the bridge of the guitars in both photos look so similar in placement and size that I would tend to believe they are the same guitar.

Yep. I just had a feeling as soon as I saw it. Given the seller's story lines up completely I'm very sure. Even the faded beige of the saddle is exactly how mine was when I last saw it - no doubt due to seeing the UAE sunshine from our living room window!

And to the OP - The only reason I don't still own it is the neck profile. If it felt like my HD28 I'd have kept it. If you buy and don't get on with it I'd be very tempted to have it back as my "UK guitar"

bertie · November 2022

@stickyfiddle ; - at least you had the saddle in the right way around

(TBH I did think of you when I first read the OP)

streethawk · November 2022

@stickyfiddle ;

Wow. Is this the most successful fake or legit thread in the history of the internet? Hahaha.

Now please stay out of this - I saw it first!
Oh wait...

stickyfiddle · November 2022

Haha! Glad to be able to help

and I’m definitely not buying today - I’ve spent wayyyy too much lately!

streethawk · November 2022

I won the auction with some last second bid shenanigans. Not sure I would have bid for it without your help. Thanks!

ElectricXII · November 2022

Congratulations! HNGD when it comes.

Mellish · November 2022

Congrats to @streethawk and well done @stickyfiddle.

stickyfiddle · November 2022

Nice one!

Mellish · November 2022

@streethawk ; when you take delivery of the Dove, let us know what you think

Cranky · November 2022

I would appreciate if the current seller could furnish a sketch of the previous owner. Just for a surer confirmation.

Amazing thing to see here.

streethawk · November 2022

Cranky said:

I would appreciate if the current seller could furnish a sketch of the previous owner. Just for a surer confirmation.

Amazing thing to see here.

Best I can do is provide a sketch of the new owner:

streethawk · November 2022

.

streethawk · November 2022

The dove has landed!

Obligatory circa 2015 fancy rug shot:

Image: https://i.postimg.cc/3RHhyBH2/dove1.jpg

Seller, despite being new to ebay, packed the box well and was an absolute gent to deal with. He even threw in a new Dove strap, which was a lovely surprise.

Image: https://i.postimg.cc/Dy51Bjjy/dove2.jpg

Initial impressions: bear in mind I've been playing an all hog Martin of late.
Despite the strings needing changing, this thing rings beautifully. The maple/spruce and Gibson neck profile reminiscent of my L5.
Plenty of well defined bass, perhaps lacking mids compared to the hogathon Martin (to be expected).

There's so much character to be wrung out of it, loads of pick variation from saddle to neck. Will see where we are after a restring and setup!

Delighted.

MikeS · November 2022

Lovely guitar, and what a nice surprise with the strap, I'd have been delighted seeing that. You likely know already, but just in case, I recommend you rub some music nomad F-one oil into that Rosewood. It looks like it really needs a drink, and it'll thank you for it too. Really darkens the Rosewood nicely. Sorry for the quick nasty pic, but heres mine after the oil.

Hope you enjoy your new guitar.

stickyfiddle · November 2022

Excellent! You actually had me confused for second as that even looks like a rug we have here…!!

Mellish · November 2022

@streethawk ; mine loves D'Addario (XT, XS, EJ11, EJ16, all that).

They're great guitars and I'm sure you'll love yours.

streethawk · November 2022

stickyfiddle said:

Excellent! You actually had me confused for second as that even looks like a rug we have here…!!

You shop at B&M home bargains too??

The rosewood is getting its first treatment tomorrow, and I'll swap that saddle round while I'm a it. I forgot that it comes with electrics, and as I won't be using them I might remove, just to eliminate any sympathetic vibrations. We'll see.

Might ditch the grovers for some klusons that I have lying around.

ICBM · November 2022

I really think the Dove is one of the most underrated guitar models there is.

Mellish · November 2022

@streethawk ; if you remove the electronics, you may well need a new saddle.

I'm sure you're aware of that but won't hurt to point it out.

streethawk · November 2022

Mellish said:

@streethawk ; if you remove the electronics, you may well need a new saddle.

I'm sure you're aware of that but won't hurt to point it out.

Oh blimey. I’ll likely leave the gubbins in and double check everything’s tied down.

@ICBM Well we were told they were horrendously bright all those years because - maple. Utter guff.

First treatment on the bridge and board last night, significant change already. Won’t get much darker but looks like rosewood again.

stickyfiddle · November 2022

I compeltely agree with IC as usual. I'd describe it as "strident" but not bright as such. Just loud and really well balanced.

It's a really lovely "hifi dreadnought" sound that contrasts really nicely with the hog Martin vibe.

guitarjack66 · November 2022

stickyfiddle said:

I compeltely agree with IC as usual. I'd describe it as "strident" but not bright as such. Just loud and really well balanced.

It's a really lovely "hifi dreadnought" sound that contrasts really nicely with the hog Martin vibe.

'The sound of a hog' is probably a polite way to describe my playing.

ICBM · November 2022

streethawk said:

Mellish said:

@streethawk ; if you remove the electronics, you may well need a new saddle.

Oh blimey. I’ll likely leave the gubbins in and double check everything’s tied down.

Or you can put a plain shim the same thickness as the pickup in. Contrary to popular belief it won't kill the tone, since the saddle is not resting on the floor of the slot now anyway!

I removed the electronics from mine - I just don't like onboard preamps and battery pouches - but fitted a plain undersaddle piezo pickup (Fishman)... and it sounded *better*.

streethawk said:

@ICBM Well we were told they were horrendously bright all those years because - maple. Utter guff.

And that the thick bridge killed the tone, and the big headstock and heavy tuners killed the tone, and the big pickguard killed the tone... all bollocks.

streethawk said:

First treatment on the bridge and board last night, significant change already. Won’t get much darker but looks like rosewood again.

You really should have turned the bridge saddle round the right way while you were at it

.

Forgot to mention, you won't be able to fit Klusons without conversion bushings - the headstock is bored to 10mm. I didn't like the big D-key nickel Grovers, so I replaced mine with the proper *chrome* keystone ones that are the closest to what was fitted on the original models in 1962 (Gibson switched from nickel to chrome plating for most parts in 1961).

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

Dove, fake or legit?

Comments