J. Frog Forgeries
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Be Aware and Informed

It has come to my attention that several people are counterfeiting the Original J. Frog again. Be extra careful, especially if you don't know the individual involved.

Remember,  the definition of counterfeit is, a fake that someone tries to pass off as an original.  If someone makes a copy of something, and sells it as a copy, it's not the same as selling it to someone as the real thing.

A Japanese company, by the name of Electric Sound Products, (ESP)  manufactured some copies in 1999. These copies were playable, but the carving job was not very accurate, to  Johnny Frog's original specifications.  Even though ESP paid J. Frog a $250.00 royalty per guitar for the right to do this they are not authenticated because the royalty had to be obtained through legal channels after ESP had already started making them without permission from  Johnny Frog.

Recently a customer tried to buy a J. Frog neck from me. He had already purchased a J Frog Glock 22.  It was his intention to put the J Frog neck on his ESP and therefore in effect create a J. Frog guitar. Of course I didn't sell him the neck but he did purchase another J Frog Glock 22.  Therein lies the potential for at least 2 counterfeits.

Over the years ESP has associated themselves with George Lynch and therefore associated themselves with the "Skull and Bones" guitar.  I want to make one thing perfectly clear. (ESP never built the Original J Frog Skull & Bones, and ESP never had the right to put their decal on any J. Frog Guitar).   If you see a picture of a J. Frog guitar with the ESP logo anywhere on the guitar, you can be absolutely positive it isn't real.

As of  February 2000 all the J. Frog Guitars will have a grooved neck joint for added stability and to make sure that no one can make as ESP into a fake J. Frog.

Sidebar

ESP also manufactures a Japanese incredibly accurate Fender relic style guitar. If someone changed the neck it would be hard for even an expert to be able to tell if it was real or not. If you are considering buying a used J. Frog Skull N' Bones, it's probably a good idea to check with me first.

Ed Roman

Fear Faked Frogs!

 ESP Fake J. Frog           |                                                     True J. Frog

Notice the fingers on the ESP on the left.          Now look at the real J Frog on the right

ESP J. Frog Forgery
If you look at this really quick it seems ok but if you put it next to a real J. Frog, the differences are incredible.
This guitar isn't even remotely close to the original.

  1. The real J. Frog guitars are carved from one piece of solid wood. This cheaply made copy is has lots of little pieces glued on the face of it. If you put the two next to each other the ESP is pure horseshit.
  2. The real J Frog guitar has about twice as much definition in the carving, for example the knucklebones are sharp and highly delineated, The teeth are much more accurate. The Bones are anatomically correct.  J. Frog insists that all the real ones have to anatomically correct just like the original one he made over 22 years ago for George.
  3. The output Jack is not only in the wrong place it is an impossibility to use. There is simply not enough room to plug the jack in because the strap pin gets in the way.
  4. The strap pin on the ESP is in the wrong place. It causes the guitar not to balance correctly and the strap bends uncomfortably because the angle is 90 degrees off center.
  5. The coloration is stained brown to cover up the poor carving and it attempts to camouflage the shoddy workmanship (Notice I said attempts) Even though the coloration is not unappealing it is totally incorrect, The Original Skull N' Bones  and the second one that was made for George are much whiter (Bone white to be exact).
  6. ESP is a Japanese company, They make 98% of their products in Korea and Japan.  I have noticed that they have inscribed made in USA on the guitar. I  don't think this is true. The bodies were carved in California by a former associate of one of our staff Luthiers,  I'm quite sure however that the necks are the usual ESP Japanese necks that come on all their guitars. So if this is true that would mean they are not made in the USA at all.

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