Gibson Serial Numbers 1975-Present This Article is designed to assist in dating and/or identifying instruments manufactured or distributed by Gibson Guitar Corp. Please note that most of this information relates to serial numbers used from 1975 to present. For more details on Gibson Serialization prior to 1975 and historical product specs, use your Gruhn’s Guide or view the following PDF files:. If you do not have the Adobe Acrobat reader,. Corrections and additions to this section will be made as necessary. Gibson USA, Gibson Acoustic, Gibson Memphis From 1975-1977 the number is typically found on a decal on the back of the headstock. This should be an 8 digit number that can be dated by the 1st and 2nd digits as follows: 99 = 1975 00= 1976 06 = 1977 In 1977, Gibson introduced the serialization method that we primarily use to this day at Gibson USA, Gibson Acoustic, and the Gibson Custom facility in Memphis, TN.
The serial number will be an 8 digit number impressed into the back of the headstock with “MADE IN USA” below. The pattern is as follows. YDDDYRRR. YY is the production year. DDD is the day of the year.
RRR is the factory ranking/plant designation number. Prior to 1984 when the Kalamazoo, MI factory was closed, the numbers 001-499 indicated Kalamazoo production. Ranking numbers 500-999 continued to indicate Nashville production through 1989. Since 1989, all Gibson acoustics are built in Bozeman, MT and all Gibson electrics are built in Nashville or Memphis.
Aluminum Guitars. American Series. Signature Models. Kramer Registry. Serial Number Identification. Hi everyone, first-time poster here. Right, I've only been playing for about 3/4 months. I was bought my guitar a few years ago but being the foolish.
Ranking numbers for Bozeman start each day at 001 and the electrics may start as low as the 300s. Examples:. 70108276 means the instrument was produced on Jan.
10, 1978, in Kalamazoo and was the 276th instrument stamped that day. 82765501 means the instrument was produced on Oct. 3, 1985, in Nashville and was the 1st instrument stamped that day. NOTE – Gibson USA goes to a 9 digit serial number in early July 2005. The sixth number is now a batch number- batch 0 starts at the beginning of the day, and once we stamp 699, the batch number will change to 1. The first 5 numbers remain the same, the last 3 numbers will remain the same.
The only difference is the addition of this batch indicator. There are always exceptions to these rules, the two listed below are worth noting: Les Paul Classic: This model features an ink stamped serial number with no “MADE IN USA” (just as we used on the original 1952-1960 Les Pauls). Most will be 5 to 6 digits in length, but the earliest examples feature 4 digit serial numbers.
There should be a space after the 1st digit with the 4 and 5 digit serial numbers, and no space with the 6 digit numbers. The 1st digit indicates the year of manufacture for the 4 & 5 digit serial numbers, these were used from 1989-1999. The 1st and 2nd indicate the year of manufacture for the 6 digit serial numbers which we’ve been using since 2000. Examples:. 9 xxx = 1989 (4 digit number beginning with “9” used only in 1989). 0 xxxx = 1990. 9 xxxx = 1999.
00xxxx = 2000. 05xxxx = 2005 Those beginning with “94”: In 1994, Gibson’s Centennial year, many instruments have a serial number that begins with “94” for the year, with the remaining 6 digits indicating the ranking number.
Gibson Custom 1952-1960 Les Paul, Explorer, Flying V, and Futura reissues (since late 1992):. M YRRR or MYRRRR. M is the model year being reissued.
Y is the production year. RRR(R) indicates the guitar’s place production for that year.
NOTE: This number includes all models for a particular reissue year – so, for example, a 1958 Reissue serial number may include ’58 Reissue LP Standard and ’58 Explorer production. Example:. 7 5123 is the 123rd 1957 reissue model produced in 2005. 1961-1969 Firebird, Les Paul, and SG reissues (since 1997):.
YYRRRM. Y is the production year. RRR(R) indicates the guitar’s place in production for that year.
M is the model being reissued. Reissue model codes:. 1= SG Custom and Special. 2= SG Standard.
3= 1963 Firebird 1. 4= 1964 Firebird III. 5= 1965 Firebird V & VII.
8= 1968 Les Paul Custom Examples:. 050102 is the 10th SG Standard reissue produced in 2005. 030084 is the 8th 1964 Firebird III reissue produced in 2003.
Historic ES MODELS (since 1995):. (A or B)-MYRRR. M is the model year being reissued. Y is the production year. RRR indicates the guitar’s place in the sequence of Historic ES production for that year.
Reissue model codes:. 2= ES-295. 3= 1963 ES-335 (block inlays). 4= ES-330. 5= ES-345. 9 with an “A” prefix = 1959 ES-335 (dot inlays).
9 with a “B” prefix= ES-355 Example:. A-38005 is the 5th ’63 ES-335 Reissue produced in 1998. Carved Top models (serial number on orange label). YDDDYRRR. YY is the production year. DDD is the day of the year. RRR indicate the guitar’s place in the sequence of carved tops made that day.
NOTE – as of 2000, 1st digit will be a “2” Examples:. 91418009 is the 9th carved top produced on the 141st day of 1998. 20045002 was the 2nd carved top stamped on the 4th day of 2005. Custom Shop regular production models.
CSYRRRR. CS stands for “Custom Shop”.
Y indicates the production year. RRRR indicates the guitar’s place in the sequence of production Example:. CS10845 is the 845th reg. Production CS model produced in 2001. 20 Responses to “When Was Your Gibson Made?”. I have a Gibson ES-175 with the serial number 02111628.
Is that 2001 or 2002? Thanks, Bob McCarthy said this on. Hey Bob.
Your guitar was made in 2001. Read this follow-up article we posted, which explains how the serial numbers work: but, in a nutshell: the first and fifth numbers show the year (0 and 1)and the second, third and fourth show the day it was made (211)in other words: your guitar was made on the 211th day of 2001) dolphinblog said this on. I have a Gibson Epiphone which was given to me around 1986 as a birthday gift in Italy. The serial number is a white label; however, it has nine digits: 880511387 Is this a fake, or could it be a European version? Thanks Heath Hazen Heath Hazen said this on.
Heath, Epiphone is an entirely different company. It belongs to Gibson (now) but the serial numbers listed here do not apply to Epiphone guitars. Dolphinblog said this on. I bought a Gibson Exporer in the 90’s with a serial number 00232694 I was told it was a 76 re-issue when I bought it but all research tells me that the 76 reissue did not have the gold pickups that mine has. Please help me identify the year of manufacture. On the back of the headstock in Gold is Limited Edition Made in USA 0023694 Roy Preece said this on.
Anyone help me with my epiphone sg400 les paul custom serial number. Im trying to find out which year made and where. Serial number: 199100309 dave said this on. Anyone help me with my epiphone sg400 serial number. Im trying to find out which year made and where. The serial number is the white label: 9060363 max said this on.
Here’s a couple of places that may help: The Guitar Dater Project – Gibson Serial Number Decoder When Was Your Gibson Made? « Guitar Player Gear Guide Success is fickle, but creativity is a gift.Tommy said this on. elo,i got a gibson les paul classic #008486,just wondering what year it wa made.twas a gift frm my grandad on my bday nov 1991,tnx zak said this on. I brought a Gibson flat top guitar back from Vietnam in 1969. The Serial # inside on the back is J46ADJ.
Could you tell me when it was made and if it has any collector value. It’s in excellant shape.
Tom Hamby said this on. i have a gibson, that belonged to paul Kossoff of Free,(it was given to my wife), i cant proove this, but thing is he burnt off the serial number, i think its around 1970. Can i get a new serial number or even trace the guitar to the orignal serial number nik said this on. Can you tell me when Gibson Hummingbird Guitar – Serial No. 58382 – made in Kalamazoo, Michigan was made. Bennie said this on. I have a Les Paul Gibson Custom Serial # 177885 I would like to know how much it’s worth Ray Boeke said this on.
Hey, I have an old Gibson SG that I’ve been playing for about 15 years or so. The serial # is 399537. Trying to date it.any ideas? JP said this on.
Hi, my hummingbird serial # is 80991056, so I assume it was made in 1981. What I feel is different about it, is the natural finish rather than sunburst. Any idea how many of these were made, and a guess at the value in excellent original condition?
Thanks, Ron Ron said this on. I am having the hardest time trying to find when my Gibson acoustic guitar was made. Inside the hole is stamped J45ADJ, stamped on back of top is 855148. I would appreciate any assistance. Thank you Dina said this on. I have Gibson Hummingbird #91183025.Is this a 1993 model?
Please help me with the data. It has a Montana Div. Said this on. I have a 1994 Epiphone Excellente with Ser. 90034020 is it real or fake? Ken Curtis said this on. My SJ45 has UD 745 26 inside on the base of the neck.
How do I tell when it was made? Russ said this on. I have an Epiphone Gibson Les Paul Limited Edition.
The serial number is 198050195. I cannot find any info on this, any help is appreciated. Lewis said this on.
Everything about making musical instruments Related Reddits. for all your guitar related needs. post videos of your talent! I have a question about an old guitar I recently bought. This concerns a Marlin guitar, a stratocaster model of the slammer type.
(Marlin Slammer) The strange thing about this guitar is the unusual paintjob, (i cant find it in any catalog. ) Bottom of the body is red, tops as yellow like a dip-dye. The unusually Low serial number 714225 on the neck plate and the strange thing that there is a number (8) stamped in the back of the headstock. Am I in posession of a prototype?
From all the information I could find online is that from the mid 1980s samic used to manufacture these guitars. Maybe you can help me to figure out the age and value of this guitar, becouse previously to samic building these guitars (according to the interwebs) they were build in east germany. No furter information.
No name of factory or luitier. Your help would be very mutch appreciated. Kind Regards, David from the Netherlands. HELLO, YOUR PHOTO, ONLY HAS 2/3 GUITAR ON DISPLAY. I HAVE PERHAPS AN IDENTICAL GUITAR.
IT WAS ORIGINALLY RED, FOUND TRACE OF THIS IN NECK/BODY SEAM. BUT IT CAME TO ME STRIPPED DOWN TO SOLID WOOD BODY,40M/M THICK. SANDED, IS BEAUTIFULLY SMOOTH. THE PICK-UPS APPEAR DIFFERENT TO THE ONES' WE HAVE. A BAR-MAGNET, RUSSIAN, APPARENTLY, THOUGH THE PICK-UP WAS MADE IN EAST GERMANY, ABOUT 1983, THE VINTAGE, PERHAPS, OF YOUR EXAMPLE. THIS IS NOT A PLYWOOD-BODY, OF THE TYPE IMPORTED THROUGH A WELSH DISTRIBUTOR, IN THE MID AND LATE '80'S. YOUR YELLOW 'DIP' MAY BE OVER THE ORIGINAL RED,THAT MINE WAS, TOO.
ON TRYING THE GUITAR, THE PICK-UPS SOUNDED 'WEAK,' FOR WANT OF A BETTER WORD. UNDERPOWERED, BUT MOVE-ON A YEAR, A MORE SOPHISTICATED AMP, AN AFTERNOON'S EXPERIMENTING WITH IT, AND WAS ASTONISHED BY HOW IT SOUNDS, PLAYED CLEAN! THE NECK IS THIN,PERFECT FOR MY FRETTING HAND, GUITAR IS LIGHTWEIGHT, BALANCES WELL, AND IS THE ONE I AM LEARNING TO PLAY GUITAR, ON!
BEFORE THIS AFTERNOON,I WAS GOING TO BIN THE PICKUPS, AND PUT CONTEMPORARY ONES' IN. IF IT IS THE EAST GERMAN MODEL, YOU HAVE A GEM! IT MAY BE TRUE, THAT THE WELSH-DISTRIBUTED, ORIGINATING IN THE FAR-EAST, LATER SLAMMERS OR THE SIDEWINDER, WERE THE BEST-SELLING GUITARS, IN '85 AND '86, BUT I THINK THAT THE GERMAN EXAMPLES, ARE THE BETTER EFFORT.
YOUR EXAMPLE'S FRETBOARD, IS EXACTLY THE SAME COLOUR AS MINE. THE BODY, STRIPPED-DOWN TO THE NATURAL WOOD, AND SANDED CAREFULLY, YOU WILL LOSE THE 'PERSONALISATION' PERHAPS AN ANTI-THEFT DEVICE, OF A FORMER OWNER. BUT YOU WILL HAVE A BEAUTIFUL INSTRUMENT, THAT PLAYS JUST AS BEAUTIFULLY, AS A GREAT-QUALITY SINGLE-COIL STRAT-CLONE, FOR A SONG! IT ISN'T THE PAINT-JOB, THAT'S THE VIRTUE, OF YOUR GUITAR, IT'S HOW IT CAN BE PLAYED, WITH A GOOD AMP, AND AU-NATURELLE! HOPE YOU ENJOY, UNCOVERING IT'S REAL BEAUTY! IN CONCLUSION, YOUR GUITAR WAS BUILT IN THE MUSIMA STRINGED-INSTRUMENT FACTORY, AT MARKNEUKIRCHEN IN FORMER EAST GERMANY.
THERE HAD BEEN LUTHIERS WORKING THERE FOR OVER 200 YEARS. WHEN THE EASTERN-BLOCK, FELL, 1991, I THINK.
THERE WAS A COLLAPSE IN EMPLOYMENT WHILE THE WEST-GERMANS' PAID TO ABSORB MANY OF THE SKILLED EAST-GERMAN WORKERS, INTO THEIR ECONOMY. MUSIMA'S PLANT, CLOSED, THEN. AS AN ASIDE, IT WAS THIS UNEMPLOYMENT, THAT SEEMS TO HAVE SEEDED A NEW HARD-RIGHT, NATIONALISTIC, FASCIST POLITICAL MOVEMENT, THAT GREW AMONG THOSE 'LEFT BEHIND' IN THE FORMERLY STABLE, BUT STERILE, EAST, AFTER RE-UNIFICATION. THAT PHENOMENA HAS NOT RECEDED, BUT IS SPREADING TO ITALY, POLAND, HUNGARY, AND TRUMP'S U.S.