These guitars are a bit easier to identify, since they are the only Gretsch specimens with a hyphen after the first one or two digits. Appreciate your help in identifying details on this guitars origin. › After The Beatles, McCartney began to adopt a number of electric guitars, and frequently uses a Gibson Les Paul during his modern-day live performances. › Most people point the decline of Gibson as having started around 2006 and this seems roughly correct to me. › As we’ve already established, Epiphone is a subsidiary that produces affordable and officially-licensed versions of Gibson’s guitar designs.
For many vintage instruments, determining the date of manufacture involves little more than running the serial number through a reference guide. They are detailed reference resources with a wealth of information on determining the production years of various instruments and on Fender history in general. Indeed, we use these same books here at Fender when researching historical and date-related issues. You can order these titles through your local Authorized Fender Dealer. Here is the link TS for the page of neck plate Identification at the Vintage Kramer Forum. Atleast from that you should be able to tell what era it came from.
Ace Frehley Signature Les Pauls are sold without serial numbers, which are eight digits in length. Les Paul is printed on a standard 8-digit serial number. Pilot Run models feature a number on the back that has been hand written. The production version is numbered in a chronological sequence, beginning with BONE xxx and ending with Y. The production year in YY represents a specific manufacturing year. A month is the amount of time it takes to manufacture something.
Please contact us at should you have any questions. Higher grade models (such as the Super 400, L-5, J-200, etc.) feature both a serial number and a F O N. Back with 5 or 6 digit numbers, the first indicating the year, the following numbers are production numbers.
The Dickey Betts ’57 Red Top Les Paul guitars are numbered in sequence as “DBR xxx”. In the Andy Summers ES-335 limited edition of 50, the numbering is sequenced as “AS xxxx”. This section will assist you in dating or identifying the instruments manufactured or distributed by the Gibson Guitar Corp. Most of this information will relate to serial numbers that were used from 1975 to the current date. Gibson has produced many iconic guitar models over the years, including the Les Paul, SG, ES-335, and J-45. These and other models have been played by some of the most influential musicians in history, and they remain popular today among players of all genres.
Identifying Gibson instruments by serial number is tricky at best and downright impossible in some cases. During the 1960s, Gibson’s serial numbers were especially noticeable. These numbers can be a little difficult to decipher, but they are also a very accurate way to date your instrument. In the 1990’s he made a few TV appearances in London and supported a few big bands at festivals. He’s recently sung on radio and worked as a full-time guitarist/singer.
I’m also looking to buy Gibson guitars with impressed serial numbers and no “MADE IN USA” stamp. Ged is editor-in-chief and founder of Zing Instruments. He’s a multi-instrumentalist and loves researching, writing, and geeking out about music. He’s also got an unhealthy obsession with vintage VW Campervans. The block logo debuted after WWII and remains the face of the company.
Our experts will use the guitar’s images and description to analyze the guitar’s serial number and send you a report with the implied production date. Gibson ES-335 guitars with serial numbers containing more than six digits were made after 1975. You can use the serial number chart below to help determine what year your Gibson ES-335 was made. Remember that Gibson often reused serial number ranges in later years so you’ll need to check what year the features of the guitar support. There are two different ways to decode a Gibson guitar serial number.
Real-time database crawlers are software programs that continuously scan a database and index its contents in real-time, as the data is being added or updated. This allows the indexed data to be searched or accessed almost immediately after it is entered into the database. To verify the year of manufacture, neck type and finish, contact Gibson at and provide them with the serial number and a good photo or two of the guitar . Since 1989, all Gibson acoustics are built in Bozeman, MT and all Gibson electrics are built in Nashville or Memphis.
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. The serial number should serve as one piece of evidence in dating a guitar, even though it is usually the most powerful piece. Examine the checking on the finish, the age of the wiring, the tuners, the bridge and the knobs to corroborate the age of the guitar you’re looking at.
But, I’m a member on a blog where the guys are very helpful. Get yourself a free account, post the pics of your guitar and the experts will def help you. tagged Ive spoken to them a while back, theyre really helpful. You’d have to check the guitar has the correct measurements, which can be found on Gibson.com.
The Slash Les Paul 1997 limited edition model features cranberry finish the numbered in sequence as “SL xxx”. Regular production model came out in 2004, while numbering in sequence as SL xxx”. The discontinued Epiphone Slash Les Paul came with a standard Epihphone serial number. For at least a few decades, Asian guitars have been counterfeiters’ playground. Guitar counterfeiting is not restricted to Gibsons; it is common, and it is easier to detect than Fenders. There are many Internet merchants that provide counterfeits in addition to custom-built builds.