LOS ANGELES (AP) — More than 3,000 counterfeit Gibson electric guitars, shipped from Asia, were intercepted by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents at the Los Angeles-Long Beach Seaport. The discovery was confirmed by Gibson, who verified the guitars as fraudulent, CBP officials announced.
If authentic, the seized instruments would have carried an estimated retail value of $18 million, the agency stated. Gibson, established in 1894 and headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, is a leading producer of premium electric guitars, renowned for its handcrafted instruments made in Nashville and Bozeman, Montana.
“These counterfeit guitars might appear genuine to unsuspecting buyers purchasing from third-party online platforms, street vendors, unauthorized sellers, or person-to-person transactions,” said Cheryl M. Davies, CBP director of field operations in Los Angeles. “As the holiday shopping season nears, consumers should exercise caution. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
Gibson’s iconic instruments hold a legendary place in music history. Chuck Berry, a pioneer of rock and roll, was famously buried with his Gibson guitar. Blues legend B.B. King affectionately referred to his as “Lucille,” and Eric Clapton borrowed George Harrison’s Gibson to record the iconic solo for The Beatles’ While My Guitar Gently Weeps.
Beth Heidt, Gibson’s chief marketing officer, expressed the company’s commitment to protecting their legacy and artisans. “This is deeply personal for us—not just for the protection of our players but also for our Gibson team. Many of our craftspeople, based in Nashville and Bozeman, are part of families who have devoted generations to perfecting the art of guitar-making,” Heidt said in a statement.
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Details about the country of origin, manufacturer, and exact timing of the seizure have not been disclosed. The ongoing investigation involves CBP, Homeland Security, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Counterfeiting is a serious offense under U.S. law, with penalties including up to $250,000 in fines and a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.
This significant seizure serves as a reminder of the risks consumers face when purchasing goods from unreliable sources, especially during the bustling holiday season.