We are an eBay affiliate and may be compensated for clicks on links that result in purchases.

Paul McCartney signed Hofner Guitars w/ JSA & PSA - BUYER BEWARE

Hi everyone - I know that this was a previous topic last week in regards to a Paul McCartney signed Hofner guitar with a JSA cert that was identical to a particular High In the Clouds book signature.

http://live.autographmagazine.com/forum/topics/macca-signed-hofner-...

Just wanted to let everyone know that there seems to be a serious scam going on as I have been given a picture to another 'signed' Hofner, equipped with a different High In the Clouds signature.

My questions for the AML group is:

1. Has anyone noticed any other artists with this copied signature issue on pick guards or any other item?

2. Do you believe this to be live ink? Doesn't look like an autopen to me.

To me, this is a huge issue because (1) the replicas are being certed (2) no one knows where these are coming from and (3) without matches, most would have accepted it as real.

Lets get to the bottom of this. A scam like this can ruin our hobby

3 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on March 29, 2017 at 4:03pm

Usually it looks something like that with cheap (not legit) guards with bad holes and/or the wrong screws but I see your point. Perhaps I was wrong about the different pick guard/plate screws on these basses - I am familiar with Fender and the guard screws are all the same, I mean they vary in length over decades and from slot to hex long ago, but they are and have been since the late 50's all round topped screws.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by BallroomDays67 on March 29, 2017 at 4:17pm

I noticed that as well. It looks like the signature could possibly be protected by clear mylar.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Richard J. Brzyski on August 10, 2018 at 1:26am

I can tell you this -- pickups are not original, neither are the pickguards.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on March 28, 2017 at 9:43pm

I remember once suggesting that an apparently unaltered comic book which was seriously altered and very well "restored" with an array of skills be weighed. Perhaps...? We use this with coins...I don't know. I am just trying to find something large/easy I might be overlooking. This has made me very angry, as it has many of you I'm a sure. It's not new, just a new variation, but still...Grrr. I also would like to see both under certain lights, and raking light, and I also wonder if the topcoat has altered the refractive index of the ink to an observable degree?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on March 29, 2017 at 4:22pm

I still think the laser heat transfer process is in the running.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on March 29, 2017 at 5:50pm

Would that fluoresce like Sharpie ink?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on March 29, 2017 at 5:26pm

Please take a look at these closeups of the same signature. Click to zoom full size, they're big. Now look at the peak in the ink that follows the shape of the writing. It's not a characteristic of the marker because it's there both in vertical and horizontal strokes.

See how uniform the ink flow is. And do you see movement? Natural skips?

I think that at least this one is ink heat transferred like the video I posted. Maybe they have done them more than one way.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on March 29, 2017 at 5:51pm

Good images. This is of the craziness I was seeing. It is very odd looking.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Steve Cyrkin, Admin on March 29, 2017 at 8:21pm

OK, this has a good chance of being the answer:

The book paper, at least for the US releases, is coated stock. I've heard for years that the coating has been lifted off of coated stock paper, like on a program, along with the autograph or autographs on it, and placed on albums to make band-signed sets. It's been done most with Beatles. So they're real autographs but fraudulent band-signed albums.

The owner of the piece I've been posting closeups of talked to someone who knows about these well, and says that's probably what's going on in this case.

That may explain what looks like bubbles in the one I posted.

That said, they could be doing any number of things. Creating them with laser transfer paper, whatever.

We might not know for sure until it's seen it in person.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Eric Keith Longo on March 29, 2017 at 9:31pm

This whole thread speaks to the value of this community and it's members, with their varied skill sets when brought to bear, and dare I say expertise, Steve and all. Humbled to be here.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by marc e on March 29, 2017 at 10:46pm

if they put the sigs under some type off laminations the black ink over time will yellow becuase off oxidations and age

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by marc e on March 29, 2017 at 10:49pm

about the film thing i know dust jackets some time have a light coating film over them but i would have too actualy touch the signed page too see what or if theres any on the stock from the mccartney book my guess is no but it doesnt look like the black ink has been absorbed into the page and could be becuase there is something there to stop it and it should be .