Check out the guide about fake Gibson Les Pauls being sold on Ebay out of China:  http://reviews.ebay.com/CHINA-GUITAR-SCAM_W0QQugidZ10000000001420916

I would like to add my personal story to this topic.  I bought one of these Chinese knock-off guitars, with the ridicuolous shipping costs, to conduct an investigation and maybe even strike gold.  The seller claimed that he was selling an authentic Gibson Standard USA Les Paul, with hardshell case.  The bid contained all of the tell tale signs identified by the author of the above-referenced Guide (although I had not read the Guide).  I specifically inquired with the seller whether the guitar was an authentic, made in the USA guitar, and explained to him that I had no interest in purchasing a fake.  My requirements and intentions were clear.  The seller responded that, indeed, the guitar was a real Gibson made in the USA.  I won the auction for approximately $50.  This obviously makes no sense because a real Gibson will go for at least $1200 and much, much more.  The shipping was approximately 180 Great Brittish Pounds or about $350 dollars.  I knew that Paypal and my credit card company would protect me if it was actually a fraudulent listing. 

The seller promptly mailed the package and provided me with a tracking number.  Surprisingly, I quickly received a package at my door.  When I opened the gig bag (no hardshell case as represented) I found an extremely cheap imitation.  The pickups were covered with a plastic sheet that said "Made by Epiphone".  The serial number could not be traced with Gibson.  The headstock appeared to have been altered with some sort of veneer and the words Les Paul were clearly smudged.  The tuners are all wrong too.  The toggle switch is exrtremely loose and there are dings on the guitar.  The guitar sounds ok, not great, when plugged in. 

I also noticed that the seller had listed a new guitar USING THE SAME EXACT DESCRIPTION AND PICTURES. This was indisputable proof that the auction was a sham.  I confronted the seller.  He then admitted that the guitar was made in China, not the USA as he represented several times.  However, the seller seemed to claim (his English was virtually incomprehensible), that Gibson permits the manufacturing of these items in China. 

I filed a claim with Paypal and again confronted the seller in a series of e-mails using Paypal's dispute resolution process.  To the seller's credit, however, he promptly apologized and refunded my money through Paypal, including the exhoribant shipping costs. I lost about $20 on the currency conversion.

I have offered to return the guitar several times, provided that he pay the shipping back to China.    In a previous email the seller, I suggested that a fair shipping rate would be what he charged me.  Not surprisingly, I have not heard from the seller in three weeks.  I wrote him again today and said that I would give him until the end of the month to pay for the shipping. I don't believe that under the circumstances I should have to bear that cost.  I also told him that if he didn't pay the shipping cost by the end of the month, I would sell the guitar.  I really don't want it at all.

The post-script to this story is that I bought an authentic Les Paul Classic on Ebay the next week.  I have the real and fake Les Pauls in my studio.  What a huge difference!!!  The funny thing is that I doubt the seller is going to want his piece of !@#$ back and I will have a free guitar.