Gibson serial numbers are usually on the back of the guitars headstock; either stamped, inked or as a decal. Instruments with f-holes often have the serial number repeated on a label inside the guitar body. A lack of a serial number usually implies an instrument has. For instance, guitars numbered up to 42440 are from 1961, but a guitar numbered 042400 would be from 1967. The best advice if you have a Gibson Les Paul with a stamped-in six-digit serial number is to consult a reference book such as 'The Blue Book of Electric Guitars' or the 'Gibson Les Paul Book.'
Vintage 1961 Gibson EB-3 Solidbody SG Electric Bass Guitar Natural Original Case
Plays and sounds killer. Neck is straight and plays with a good low action. Nice wide nut with a nice fat neck. A very versatile bass. Guitar is exactly as pictured. Check out Rivington Guitars.Brand: Gibson$140.05 shippingDexterity: Right-HandedCustoms services and international tracking providedVintage 1973 Gibson EB-0 Electric Solid Body Bass Cherry Red With Original Case
Bass is exactly as pictured. Tone is out of this world. Nice and fat and big low end. Original pickup sounds just incredible. The neck is real good on this one and it plays well with a good action.Brand: Gibson$122.40 shippingDexterity: Right-HandedCustoms services and international tracking provided1974 Gibson EB-0 Bass Stunning Excellent Condition Rare Maple Neck OHSC
The EB-0 was first marketed in 1959 in response to the declining sales of EB1 The body was styled after the Les Paul but retained the mahogany neck and body and 30.5' scale length of the EB1. It was available only in cherry red.Brand: Gibson$113.80 shipping1968 Gibson EB-3 Cherry Red SG BASS (#GIB0200)
International Sales are available by request!Brand: Gibson$295.00 shipping1967 Gibson EB-3 Bass
Brand: Gibson$295.00 shippingDexterity: Right-HandedVintage 1966 Gibson EB-0 Electric Bass Guitar
Up for sale used Original Gibson. Original big fat Gibson EB-0 pickup is super warm and sounds amazing. Tons of tone!Brand: Gibson$125.83 shippingDexterity: Right-HandedCustoms services and international tracking provided1957 Gibson EB-1 Bass (GIB0224)
Brand: Gibson$295.00 shippingDexterity: Right-Handed1956 Gibson EB-1 Electric Bass, Rare Violin Body (GIB0227)
1956 Gibson EB-1 Electric Bass, Rare Violin shaped body, Banjo tuners, Powerful Alnico pickup with Brown Royalite cover, Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard, Great full feeling neck, Very cool model, VG , Original hard shell case with pink lining.Brand: Gibson$295.00 shippingDexterity: Right-Handed1967 Gibson EB-3 Minty (GIB0007)
Brand: Gibson$295.00 shippingDexterity: Right-Handed1960 Gibson EB-2 (#GIB0218)
1960 Gibson EB-2, Chunky 59’ neck profile!Brand: Gibson$295.00 shippingDexterity: Right-Handed1961 Gibson EB-3 Cherry Red, First year of production (#GIB0006)
Brand: Gibson$295.00 shippingDexterity: Right-Handed1969 Gibson EB-2 N, Very Rare Blonde finish (GIB0226)
Brand: Gibson$295.00 shippingDexterity: Right-Handed1960 Gibson EB-O (#GIB0220)
Brand: Gibson$295.00 shippingDexterity: Right-HandedVINTAGE 1971 USA GIBSON EB BASS GUITAR WIRING HARNESS POTS JACK ORIGINAL 1970
VINTAGE 1971 USA GIBSON EB BASS GUITAR WIRING HARNESS POTS JACK ORIGINAL 1970. Shipped with USPS Priority Mail Small Flat Rate Box.Brand: Gibson$36.70 shippingDexterity: Right-HandedVINTAGE 1970 USA GIBSON EB BASS GUITAR WIRING HARNESS POTS JACK ORIGINAL 1971
Brand: Gibson$36.70 shippingDexterity: Right-HandedVINTAGE 1967 USA GIBSON EB BASS GUITAR WIRING HARNESS POTS JACK ORIGINAL
Brand: Gibson$23.36 shippingDexterity: Right-HandedCustoms services and international tracking providedGibson Vintage EB-3 E.Guitar Free Shipping Vintage 3.20kg 1966
We have results that I sold of tens of thousands of by Internet sale.From JapanFree shippingBrand: GibsonDexterity: Right-Handed1978 Gibson EB-3 Bass Dealer Sheet
1978 case candy dealer brochure from Gibson. Full description with photo, specs and options. Apprx 4x8.5 Color, double sided #vintage #vintageguitar #1978 #gibson #eb3 #sg #bass #casecandy #dealer #ephemeraBrand: Gibson$15.84 shippingCustoms services and international tracking providedVINTAGE 1973 USA GIBSON EB BASS GUITAR TUNER BUSHING FERRULE SET EB-O 1970's
Brand: Gibson$35.65 shippingVintage Gibson Bass Bridge Parts EB-0 EB-3 EB-4L Thunderbird Ripper RD
Bridge shows normal signs of age, is slightly oxidized and will look right on your vintage Gibson Bass be sure to check the posted measurements to make sure this fits your bass only what is pictured is included We offer vintage, collectible and rare musical instruments as well as original parts to help restore them. As players/collectors ourselves we do our best to preserve great music by providing the instruments and parts for the instruments that make that happen! Let us know what you are currently playing, looking to play or restore! http://stores.ebay.com/gearosphereBrand: GibsonWas: Previous Price$79.00or Best OfferVINTAGE 1966 USA GIBSON EB BASS GUITAR PICKUP MOUNTING SCREWS + SPRINGS 1967
Brand: Gibson$36.70 shippingNew Listing1968 Gibson EB-0 Bass Guitar Cherry Vintage With Hardshell
1968 Gibson EB-0 Bass Guitar Cherry Vintage With Hardshell Case. Shipped with USPS Parcel Select Ground. In addition to shipping I’m willing to hand deliver for free to reasonably distanced cities from Cleveland, Oh or cities of interest for me to visit. Message me. Overall good condition, please zoom in on pictures to see the many dings and scratches. Structurally sound, no breaks or repairs. Super low action with some buzz, you may want to set it up but it plays like butter. Has the famous low lows you are looking for. Comes with original hard shell case and an old copy of Hit Parader magazine found inside! Very cool piece. Message me with any questions. Thanks!Brand: Gibsonor Best OfferVintage 1971 Gibson EB-0 Bass Slotted Headstock!
0 bidsor Best OfferEnding Saturday at 8:02AM PDT5d 20hBrand: GibsonDexterity: Right-Handed1974 Gibson EB0 Bass Guitar Short Scale Bass closet case wine red EBO Original
Check out this closet case Gibson Short Scale Bass from the 70s! Has the original case too. Set up with flat wounds and plays SMOOOOOTH!Brand: Gibsonor Best OfferVintage Gibson EB-0 bass from the late 60's.
Original finish. Serial number: 559588. Action is low and confortable. The bass plays great. Original pickup sounds deep and loud! The tuners are originals too, but the bridge have been changed. There is a hairline crack at the heel of the neck that have been professionaly glued many years ago, very solid(check the pictures).From CanadaBrand: GibsonGibson EB-0 bass 1959 ex Jack Bruce with provenance
Brand: Gibsonor Best Offer1969 Gibson EB-3
Draw your own conclusions.Brand: Gibsonor Best OfferDexterity: Right-Handed1964 GIBSON EB 2 BASS PICKGUARD USA
Sollten einzelne dieser Bestimmungen - gleich aus welchem Grund - nicht zur Anwendung gelangen, so wird dadurch die Wirksamkeit der übrigen Bestimmungen nicht berührt. § 9 Schlussbestimmung. Es gilt ausschließlich deutsches Recht unter Ausschluß des UN-Kaufrechts.From GermanyBrand: Gibson1969 GIBSON EB 1 VIOLIN BASS TRUSS ROD COVER USA
In einem solchen Fall erhält der Kunde unverzüglich Nachricht. Eventuell bereits erbrachte Gegenleistungen des Kunden werden unverzüglich erstattet. has wear. Bei nur geringfügigen Mängeln steht dem Kunden jedoch kein Rücktrittsrecht zu.From GermanyBrand: Gibson1968 GIBSON EB 2 BASS BRIDGE BASE - made in USA
Bei nur geringfügigen Mängeln steht dem Kunden jedoch kein Rücktrittsrecht zu. Abweichende Geschäftsbedingungen des Kunden gelten nicht. In einem solchen Fall erhält der Kunde unverzüglich Nachricht.From GermanyBrand: Gibson1964 GIBSON EB 2 BASS TUNER - E STRING
1964 GIBSON EB 2 BASS TUNER - made in USA fits ONLY E or A STRING. nickel plating. Es gilt ausschließlich deutsches Recht unter Ausschluß des UN-Kaufrechts. § 8 Erfüllungsort und Gerichtsstand.From GermanyBrand: Gibson1965 GIBSON EB 2 PICKGUARD
Sollten einzelne dieser Bestimmungen - gleich aus welchem Grund - nicht zur Anwendung gelangen, so wird dadurch die Wirksamkeit der übrigen Bestimmungen nicht berührt. § 9 Schlussbestimmung. Es gilt ausschließlich deutsches Recht unter Ausschluß des UN-Kaufrechts.From GermanyBrand: Gibson1964 GIBSON EB 2 BASS TUNER - G STRING
1964 GIBSON EB 2 BASS TUNER - made in USA fits ONLY D or G STRING. Die Gewährleistungsfrist für neue Waren beträgt bei Verbrauchern 24 Monate. Die Frist beginnt mit Gefahrübergang zu laufen. Die Gewährleistungsfrist für gebrauchte Waren beträgt bei Verbrauchern 12 Monate.From GermanyBrand: Gibson1972 GIBSON EB 0 BASS PICKGUARD USA
Sollten einzelne dieser Bestimmungen - gleich aus welchem Grund - nicht zur Anwendung gelangen, so wird dadurch die Wirksamkeit der übrigen Bestimmungen nicht berührt. § 9 Schlussbestimmung. Es gilt ausschließlich deutsches Recht unter Ausschluß des UN-Kaufrechts.From GermanyBrand: Gibson1968 GIBSON EB 3 BASS BRIDGE PICKUP COVER - made in USA
In einem solchen Fall erhält der Kunde unverzüglich Nachricht. Eventuell bereits erbrachte Gegenleistungen des Kunden werden unverzüglich erstattet. Bei nur geringfügigen Mängeln steht dem Kunden jedoch kein Rücktrittsrecht zu.From GermanyBrand: Gibson1960 GIBSON EB 0 BASS TUNER - KLUSON USA
1960 GIBSON EB 0 BASS TUNER - made in USA by KLUSON Sollten einzelne dieser Bestimmungen - gleich aus welchem Grund - nicht zur Anwendung gelangen, so wird dadurch die Wirksamkeit der übrigen Bestimmungen nicht berührt.From GermanyVintage Gibson Bass Guitar 1968 EB-0
1968 EB-0 in great condition! Strap and case included. Local pick up only.Local PickupBrand: Gibson
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- Vintage 1961 Gibson EB-3 Solidbody SG Electric Bass Guitar Natural Original Case+$140.05 shippingMake Offer - Vintage 1961 Gibson EB-3 Solidbody SG Electric Bass Guitar Natural Original Case
- Vintage 1973 Gibson EB-0 Electric Solid Body Bass Cherry Red With Original Case+$122.40 shippingMake Offer - Vintage 1973 Gibson EB-0 Electric Solid Body Bass Cherry Red With Original Case
- 1974 Gibson EB-0 Bass Stunning Excellent Condition Rare Maple Neck OHSC+$113.80 shippingMake Offer - 1974 Gibson EB-0 Bass Stunning Excellent Condition Rare Maple Neck OHSC
- $1,850.00Make Offer - Vintage 1966 Gibson EB-0 Electric Bass Guitar
- $30.00Make Offer - 1978 Gibson EB-3 Bass Dealer Sheet
- Vintage Gibson Bass Bridge Parts EB-0 EB-3 EB-4L Thunderbird Ripper RD+$24.00 shippingMake Offer - Vintage Gibson Bass Bridge Parts EB-0 EB-3 EB-4L Thunderbird Ripper RD
- $1,200.005d 20hMake Offer - Vintage 1971 Gibson EB-0 Bass Slotted Headstock!
- $2,660.00
As one of the oldest and most widely recognized brands in music, Gibson has crafted some of the most cherished and valuable instruments of all time. Determining exactly when your Gibson specimen was made can have high stakes attached to it. A difference of only one year - sometimes even several months - can mean a four-figure difference in value.
Our hope is to make the dating process and, in turn, the valuation as easy, accurate and transparent as possible. You should be able to use this guide to determine the year of your instrument and then consult the Reverb Price Guide to find its value, all for free.
For many vintage instruments, determining the date of manufacture involves little more than running the serial number through a reference guide.
Whereas Martin guitars have been using a single, consistent numbering system since the 19th century, Gibson has used several different serial number formats since its inception in 1902, meaning that some formats and numbers overlap across decades. This makes it especially important to first identify the general era during which your instrument was made before pinning down the exact date of manufacture with a serial number.
If you know the backstory around when the instrument was purchased, this can provide some rough clues about its era. The most general physical piece of evidence on the instrument, however, is going to be the logo on the headstock.
1902 to Late-1920s
The original logo featured the words 'The Gibson' inlaid in pearl at a slant, with an almost hand-written cursive font. This is sometimes referred to as the slanted script logo.
Some earlier specimens from 1903 to 1907 did not slant the logo, or went without a logo entirely. Specimens built before 1902 had a star inlay or crescent in place of a logo.
Late-1920s to 1933
The script logo continues without the slant. Some flattop guitars of this era started to omit the word 'The' from the inlay.
1933 to 1947
By 1933 Gibson had dropped the 'The' from all of their logos while retaining the script 'Gibson.' The original thin script was replaced with a thicker font on higher-end models in the mid-’30s, and across the entire lineup by the end of the decade.
From 1943 to 1947, the logo was a thick golden script, known as the banner logo. Some models (LG-2, J-45, SJ, select L-50s) included an actual banner reading 'Only a Gibson Is Good Enough' in the middle of the headstock.
1947 to Present
The block logo debuted after WWII and remains the face of the company. There were minute changes to which letters were connected in the font between 1961 to 1981, but the main logo had the same look.
1968 to 1972
![Numbers Numbers](http://www.flyguitars.com/graphics/1981-RD-ARTIST-10.jpg)
Gibson stopped dotting the i in their logo on some of their instruments. Most models get a dotted i again in 1972, with the rest following suit from 1981 onward.
Aside from the logos, each era of manufacturing included certain identifying traits such as the hardware (tuners, knobs, plates, etc.), the pickups, the type of finish, and the electronics inside that can give clues as to when an instrument was made. But not a final verdict.
Many older instruments may have reproduction or other non-original parts, including a non-original finish. This makes relying entirely on the physical features of a guitar potentially misleading.
The thickness of the headstock, however, is not as vulnerable to modification or replacement. Before mid-1950, most Gibson headstocks were thinner at the top when looked at from a side profile. After 1950, headstocks had uniform thickness.
Dating a Gibson by Factory Order Number (FON)
Gibson has historically used two different alpha-numerical formats to catalog its instruments: serial numbers and FONs (Factory Order Numbers). Instruments will generally have one or both of these numbers stamped or written either inside the body (generally the case on earlier models) or on the back of the headstock.
FONs were Gibson’s way of internally tracking batches of instruments throughout production. These will generally date an instrument earlier than the serial number, as they were typically applied in the early stages of assembly.
Some earlier lower-end models had no serial number at all, making the FON the sole numerical identifier in those cases. A FON usually consisted of a 3-, 4-, or 5-digit batch number followed by one or two other numbers in most cases.
1902 to 1945 FON Overview
Year | FON Batch # Range |
1902 - 1916 | 1 to 3650 |
1917 - 1923 | 11000 to 12000 |
1924 - 1925 | 11000A to 11250A (suffix included) |
1925 - 1931 | 8000 to 9999 |
1931 - 1933 | 1 to 890 |
1934 | 1 to 1500 |
1935 | 1A to 1520A |
1936 | 1B to 1100B |
1937 | 1C to 1400C |
1938 | 1D to 1000D |
1939 | 1E to 980E |
1940 - 1945 | 1 to 7900 (some with letter, some without) |
From 1935 to 1942, the FON included a letter suffix. The consistency around this stopped during WWII and resumed in the early 1950s.
To complicate matters further, there was sometimes a second letter from 1938 to 1941 indicating the brand (G for Gibson, K for Kalamazoo, W for Recording King) and sometimes even a third letter indicating 'Electric' (the letter E). The year is indicated by the first letter in any series of letters for these years.
1935 to 1942 FON Letter Suffixes
Year | FON Letter Suffix |
1935 | A |
1936 | B |
1937 | C |
1938 | D, DA |
1939 | Ex (x being any other letter) |
1940 | F, FA |
1941 | E (with no other letters) |
1941 | G |
1942 | H |
Throughout the war and even for some time after, each year had its own quirks around FON batch numbers and letters
1942 to 1951 FON Info
Year | FON or Letter Code |
1942 | 907, 910, 923, 2004, 2005, 7000s (all with banner logo) |
1943 | 9xx to 22xx |
1944 | 22xx to 29xx (some without FONs) |
1945 | 1xx to 10xx (many without FONS) |
1947 | 700s to 1000s |
1948 | 1100s to 3700s (move from script to block logo) |
1949 | 2000s |
1950 | 3000s to 5000s |
1951 | 6000s to 9000s |
From 1952 to 1961, a consistent letter code resumed, with the letter appearing before the batch number.
1952 to 1961 FON Letter Prefixes
Year | FON Letter Prefix |
1952 | Z |
1953 | Y |
1954 | X |
1955 | W |
1956 | V |
1957 | U |
1958 | T |
1959 | S |
1960 | R |
1961 | Q |
Acoustics and Electric Archtops 1902-1961
1902-1947
Gibson’s earliest serialization system was more or less sequential, where each new instrument was assigned the next highest available number. Below is a table of the the highest known number for each production year.
Year | Last Numbers |
1903 | 1150 |
1904 | 1850 |
1905 | 2550 |
1906 | 3350 |
1907 | 4250 |
1908 | 5450 |
1909 | 6950 |
1910 | 8750 |
1911 | 10850 |
1912 | 13350 |
1913 | 16100 |
1914 | 20150 |
1915 | 25150 |
1916 | 32000 |
1917 | 39500 |
1918 | 47900 |
1919 | 53800 |
1920 | 62200 |
1921 | 69300 |
1922 | 71400 |
1923 | 74900 |
1924 | 80300 |
1925 | 82700 |
Year | Last Numbers |
1926 | 83600 |
1927 | 85400 |
1928 | 87300 |
1929 | 89750 |
1930 | 90200 |
1931 | 90450 |
1932 | 90700 |
1933 | 91400 |
1934 | 92300 |
1935 | 92800 |
1936 | 94100 |
1937 | 95200 |
1938 | 95750 |
1939 | 96050 |
1940 | 96600 |
1941 | 97400 |
1942 | 97700 |
1943 | 97850 |
1944 | 98250 |
1945 | 98650 |
1946 | 99300 |
1947 | 999999 |
1947-1961
When the original serial system reached 999,999 in 1947, Gibson started over with an ‘A’ prefix
Year | Last Numbers |
1947 | A 1305 |
1948 | A 2665 |
1949 | A 4410 |
1950 | A 6596 |
1951 | A 9420 |
1952 | A 12460 |
1953 | A 17435 |
Year | Last Numbers |
1954 | A 18665 |
1955 | A 21910 |
1956 | A 24755 |
1957 | A 26820 |
1958 | A 28880 |
1959 | A 32285 |
1960 | A 34645 |
Solid Body Electrics 1952-1961
Early Gibson solidbody electrics received a serial stamp on the back of the headstock, with the first number indicating the year of production. The serial number on this Les Paul Junior indicates that it was made in 1956.
1961-1969
Starting in 1961, Gibson implemented a new serialization system designed to cover its entire lineup. However, while the intent was to maintain a more organized catalog, this system in practice achieved the exact opposite.
Numbers from this era were flipped, reused, and in many cases can date an instrument to several non-sequential years. The general system was as follows, though with instruments from this era it’s important to consult key features to get a more accurate age approximation.
Fortunately, Gibson was making more changes to its instruments during the ‘60s and ‘70s than any other period, so dating these instruments by features alone is relatively clear-cut in most cases.
Year | Approx Serial Range |
1961 | 100-42440 |
1962 | 42441-61180 |
1963 | 61450-64220 |
1964 | 64240-70500 |
1962 | 71180-96600 |
1963 | 96601-99999 |
1967 | 000001-008010 |
1967 | 010000-042900 |
1967 | 044000-044100 |
1967 | 050000-054400 |
1967 | 055000-063999 |
1967 | 064000-066010 |
1967 | 0670000-070910 |
1967 | 090000-099999 |
1963, 1967 | 100000-106099 |
1963 | 106100-108900 |
1963, 1967 | 1090000-109999 |
1963 | 110000-111549 |
1963, 1967 | 111550-115799 |
1963 | 115800-118299 |
1963, 1967 | 118300-120999 |
1963 | 121000-139999 |
1963, 1967 | 140000-140100 |
1963 | 140101-144304 |
1964 | 144305-144380 |
1963 | 144381-145000 |
1963 | 147009-149864 |
1964 | 149865-149891 |
1963 | 149892-152989 |
1964 | 152990-174222 |
1964, 1965 | 174223-176643 |
1964 | 176644-199999 |
1964 | 200000-250335 |
1965 | 250336-291000 |
1965 | 301755-302100 |
1965 | 302754-305983 |
1965, 1967 | 306000-306100 |
1965, 1967 | 307000-307985 |
1965, 1967 | 309848-310999 |
1965 | 311000-320149 |
1967 | 320150-320699 |
Year | Approx Serial Range |
1965 | 320700-321100 |
1965 | 322000-326600 |
1965 | 328000-328500 |
1965 | 328700-329179 |
1965, 1967 | 329180-330199 |
1965, 1967-68 | 330200-332240 |
1965 | 332241-327090 |
1965 | 348000-348092 |
1966 | 348093-349100 |
1965 | 349121-368638 |
1966 | 368640-369890 |
1967 | 370000-370999 |
1966 | 380000-385309 |
1967 | 390000-390998 |
1965-68 | 400001-400999 |
1966 | 401000-407985 |
1966 | 408000-408690 |
1966 | 408800-409250 |
1966 | 420000-426090 |
1966 | 427000-429180 |
1966 | 430005-438530 |
1966 | 438800-438925 |
1965-66, 1968-69 | 500000-500999 |
1965 | 501010-501600 |
1968 | 501601-501702 |
1965, 1968 | 501703-502706 |
1968 | 503010-503110 |
1965, 1968 | 503405-520955 |
1968 | 520956-530056 |
1966, 1968-69 | 530061-530850 |
1968-69 | 530851-530993 |
1969 | 530994-539999 |
1966, 1969 | 540000-540795 |
1969 | 540796-545009 |
1966 | 550000-556910 |
1969 | 558012-567400 |
1966 | 570099-570755 |
1969 | 580000-580999 |
1966-69 | 600000-600999 |
1969 | 601000-601090 |
1969 | 605901-606090 |
Year | Approximate Serial Range |
1966-67 | 700000-700799 |
1968-69 | 750000-750999 |
1966-69 | 800000-800999 |
1966, 1969 | 801000-812838 |
1969 | 812900-814999 |
1969 | 817000-819999 |
1966, 1969 | 820000-820087 |
1966 | 820088-823830 |
1969 | 824000-824999 |
1966, 1969 | 828002-847488 |
1966 | 847499-858999 |
1967 | 859001-880089 |
Year | Approximate Serial Range |
1967 | 893401-895038 |
1968 | 895039-896999 |
1967 | 897000-898999 |
1968 | 899000-899999 |
1968 | 900000-902250 |
1968 | 903000-920899 |
1968 | 940000-941009 |
1968 | 942001-943000 |
1968 | 945000-945450 |
1968 | 947415-956000 |
1968 | 959000-960909 |
1968 | 970000-972864 |
1970-1975
Despite being purchased by the Norlin corporation in 1970, Gibson maintained the same confusing 6-digit serial system through 1975, meaning instruments with the same serial number could be from either the ‘60s or the ‘70s.
Fortunately, there were two notable changes to the entire lineup that occurred during the transition that make differentiating ‘60s and ‘70s Gibsons straightforward.
The Volute: c. 1969-c.1981
In 1969 Gibson began carving volutes-- small bumps of additional wood where the neck transitions to the headstock-- to cut down on warranty repair work.
'Made in USA' Stamp: 1970-current
Starting in 1970, ‘Made in USA’ was stamped on the headstock below the serial number.
The serial numbers from this period are generally as follows:
Number | Year |
000000S | 1973 |
100000S | 1970-1975 |
200000S | 1973-1975 |
300000S | 1974-1975 |
400000S | 1974-1975 |
500000S | 1974-1975 |
600000S | 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975 |
700000S | 1970, 1971, 1972 |
800000S | 1973, 1974, 1975 |
900000S | 1970, 1971, 1972 |
1975-1977
Number | Year |
99XXXXXX | 1975 |
00XXXXXX | 1976 |
06XXXXXX | 1977 |
1977-Current
Starting in 1977, Gibson adopted the current date-based serial system which codes for the year and day of production. The first number of the sequence indicates the decade of production, followed by the three digit day of the year, and finally the year.
For example, the serial number 90237XXX corresponds to a production date of 1/23/97. The last three (or four as of 2005) digits signify the location of production and batch number, respectively, but this information isn’t necessary to accurately dating your instrument.
Working with a potentially very valuable old Gibson can be intimidating, particularly for someone who doesn’t have experience with vintage instruments.
If at any point you feel confused or just want a second set of eyes on your instrument, you can always chat live with a Reverb employee during normal business hours.
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