U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Los Angeles/Long Beach Seaport, working with U.S. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD), and Gibson officials, have seized more than 3,000 counterfeit Gibson guitars. The fake instruments, if genuine, would have had a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $18,742,820.
The counterfeit guitars were discovered in ocean containers arriving from Asia. CBP’s Consumer Products and Mass Merchandising Center of Excellence (CPMM) helped determine the estimated MSRP of the shipment, and Gibson confirmed the instruments were fraudulent. The company emphasized that authentic Gibson guitars are exclusively handcrafted in the U.S. at their facilities in Nashville, Tennessee, and Bozeman, Montana.
“These fraudulent guitars may look and feel legitimate for unsuspecting consumers buying them from third party online sources, street markets, unauthorized retailers, and person-to-person transactions,” said Cheryl M. Davies, CBP Director of Field Operations in Los Angeles. “As we approach the busy Holiday shopping season, consumers should pay attention to where they are buying these goods and how much they are paying, and if is too good to be true it probably is.”
“We are grateful for the hard work that our U.S. CBP officers, HSI special agents, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department investigators are doing to stop counterfeiting,” adds Cesar Gueikian, CEO of Gibson. “Our partnership is designed to help every agency work together to protect consumers and our fans from being misled into counterfeits. Today’s announcement gives us hope that we are on the right track, working together as partners. To our music lovers and customers, no matter which American brand you decide buy, always buy direct from the source, or from authorized dealers. Our pledge is to protect the consumer and give them the tools to make the journey of playing guitar and making music the most amazing experience.”
“This is really emotional and personal for us not only because of the protection of our players, but because of our Gibson team at large, including the artisans at our craftories in Nashville, TN and Bozeman, MT, who are generations of American families that have dedicated their entire lives to handcrafting Gibson instruments,” adds Beth Heidt, Chief Marketing Officer at Gibson. “As Gibson celebrates its 130th anniversary this year, we are proud of our legacy of quality and craftsmanship, legendary music partnerships with our artists, and our efforts to promote and create more musicians that continue to shape the sounds of generations of musicians and music lovers across every genre.”
With a legacy spanning over 130 years, Gibson is renowned for its dedication to producing high-quality instruments. The company underscored the importance of protecting its brand to ensure musicians worldwide continue to receive instruments known for their authenticity, craftsmanship, and iconic sound. Counterfeit guitars, Gibson warned, fail to meet their quality and safety standards and are not eligible for warranty protections.
To avoid scams, Gibson advises customers to purchase their guitars only from Gibson.com or authorized dealers. This latest seizure highlights the brand’s ongoing efforts to combat counterfeiting and protect its reputation, ensuring that musicians receive genuine instruments backed by Gibson’s storied heritage.
