SERIAL-NUMBER-DECODER.CO.UK
Date a Gibson guitar by serial number
From 1977 to 2013 Gibson have used an eight or nine digit serial number on all of their guitars that can be easily decoded to show the exact day that the guitar was manufactured along with the location of the Gibson factory. From 2014 onwards Gibson changed the serial number format to a simplified nine digit number which can still be used to find the year of manufacture. For earlier guitars or if this tool fails you can use the pot decoder to get a date of manufacture for the pots.
Enter your Gibson guitar’s 8 or 9 digit serial number in the box below to find the date of manufacture. This decoder currently supports Gibson guitars from 1977 to date (older guitars coming soon).
The serial number can be found on the back of the guitar’s headstock.
Gibson Serial Number:-
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Проверка серийного номера гитары gibson
DATING GIBSON GUITARS AND MANDOLINS
BY REFERENCE OF SERIAL NUMBERS
Regarding duplications of serial numbers, Gibson does take the lead. Gibson has used various numbering methods since 1900, making it difficult to determine the production year based on the serial number.
From 1902 to 1976, Gibson instruments have a serial number or a FON (Factory Order Number) or both. However, in the beginning this was not done consistently, so that there are also be instruments without identification.
Where to find the serial number
The serial number can be found stamped or punched on the back of the headstock or acoustic in the sound hole. The acoustic models have been manufactured in Bozeman, Montana since the end of 1989.
If you want to know the production year of your Gibson guitar or mandolin, you can decipher it with the serial number decoder, or find it in the tables below.
| Factory Order Numbers (FON) with a letter from 1935 to 1941 The FON consists a batch number of usually four digits, followed by a one letter (sometimes prefixed by a space) followed by one or two digits (ranking).
| Factory Order numbers with a letter from 1952 to 1961 The letter preceding the batch number in the FON, and indicates the year of production. This was used from 1952 to 1961 on archtop models and is stamped on the inside of the F-hole.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st digit | PRODUCTION YEAR |
| None | 1952 |
| 3 | 1953 |
| 4 | 1954 |
| 5 | 1955 |
| 6 | 1956 |
| 7 | 1957 |
| 8 At the end of 1958, a number of LP Juniors/Specials had a four-digit serial number without a prior annual digit | 1958 |
| 9 | 1959 |
| 0 | 1960 |
| 1 (rare) | 1961 |
Gibson serial numbers, from February 1961 until 1970
Gibson started in 1961 with a new series numbering system.
They wanted to apply a more structured series of sequences, but in practice the opposite happened. Numbers were reused during this period, and in many cases the numbers were not strictly applied for successive years.
For all models, the serial number is stamped on the back of the headstock. A number of serial numbers were duplicated from 1963
to 1969.
From this period the 5-digit and 6-digit numbers are easy to confuse and give an incorrect year.
| 0100 — 42440 | 1961 |
| 42441 — 61180 | 1962 |
| 61450 — 64222 | 1963 |
| 64240 — 71040 | 1964 |
| 71041 — 96600 | 1962 (some 1963 and 1964) |
| 96601 — 99999 | 1963 |
| 000001 — 099999 | 1967 (all 6-digit numbers starting with 0. are 1967) |
| 100000 — 106099 | 1963 or 1967 |
| 106100 — 106899 | 1963 |
| 109000 — 109999 | 1963 or 1967 |
| 110000 — 111549 | 1963 |
| 111550 — 115799 | 1963 or 1967 |
| 115800 — 118299 | 1963 |
| 118300 — 120999 | 1963 or 1967 |
| 121000 — 139999 | 1963 |
| 140000 — 140100 | 1963 or 1967 |
| 140101 — 144304 | 1963 |
| 144305 — 144380 | 1964 |
| 144381 — 149864 | 1963 |
| 149865 — 149891 | 1964 |
| 149892 — 152989 | 1963 |
| 152990 — 174222 | 1964 |
| 174223 — 176643 | 1964 or 1965 |
| 176644 — 250335 | 1964 |
| 250336 — 305983 | 1965 |
| 306000 — 310999 | 1965 or 1967 |
| 311000 — 320149 | 1965 |
| 320150 — 320699 | 1967 |
| 320700 — 329179 | 1965 |
| 329180 — 330199 | 1965 or 1967 |
| 330200 — 332240 | 1965, 1967 or 1968 |
| 332241 — 348092 | 1965 |
| 348093 — 349100 | 1966 |
| 349121 — 368638 | 1965 |
| 368640 — 369890 | 1966 |
| 370000 — 370999 | 1967 |
| 380000 — 385309 | 1966 |
| 390000 — 390998 | 1967 |
| 400001 — 406666 | 1966 |
| 406667 — 409670 | 1966 — 1968 |
| 409671 — 410900 | 1966 |
| 410901 — 419999 | (niet bekend) |
| 420000 — 429193 | 1966 |
| 500000 — 500999 | 1965, 1966, 1968 or 1969 |
| 501009 — 501600 | 1965 |
| 501601 — 501702 | 1968 |
| 501703 — 502706 | 1965 or 1968 |
| 503010 — 503109 | 1968 |
| 503405 — 520955 | 1965 or 1968 |
| 520956 — 530056 | 1968 |
| 530061 — 530850 | 1966, 1968 or 1969 |
| 530851 — 530993 | 1968 or 1969 |
| 530994 — 539999 | 1969 |
| 540000 — 540795 | 1966 or 1969 |
| 540796 — 545009 | 1969 |
| 555000 — 557999 | 1966 |
| 558000 — 567400 | 1969 |
| 570087 — 570643 | 1966 |
| 570645 — 570755 | 1966 or 1967 |
| 570857 — 570964 | 1966 |
| 580000 — 580080 | 1969 |
| 580086 — 580999 | 1966, 1967 or 1969 |
| 600000 — 600998 | 1966, 1967, or 1968 (low end models) |
| 600000 — 606090 | 1969 (high end models) |
| 700000 — 700799 | 1966, 1967 or 1969 |
| 750000 — 750999 | 1966, 1967 or 1969 |
| 800000 — 800999 | 1966, 1967, 1968 or 1969 |
| 801000 — 812838 | 1966 or 1969 |
| 812900 — 819999 | 1969 |
| 820000 — 820087 | 1966 or 1969 |
| 820088 — 823830 | 1966 |
| 824000 — 824999 | 1969 |
| 828002 — 847488 | 1966 or 1969 |
| 847499 — 858999 | 1966 or 1969 |
| 859001 — 891999 | 1967 |
| 892000 — 896999 | 1968 |
| 897000 — 898999 | 1967 or 1969 |
| 899000 — 899999 | 1968 |
| 900000 — 909999 | 1970 |
| 910000 — 999999 | 1968 |
Gibson serial numbers, early to mid seventies
From 1970 to 1975 the 6 digit serial numbers were randomly created.
In a random order, numbers were stamped on the back of the headstock. With some instruments preceded by a letter.
In 1970 the orange labels inside the body of acoustic guitars were replaced by white with orange rectangular labels.
The electric models were provided with a rectangular with black and purple triangle.
From 1970 «MADE IN USA» was also stamped on the back of the headstock. Some instruments from the fifties also had such a stamp.
Gibson serial numbers, 1970-1975
After production continued by Gibson’s new company Norlin (1969-1986), the same confusing six-digit serial system from the 1960s continued until 1975. (see: Norlin)
This means that instruments with the same serial number were produced either in the 1960s or 1970s.
Guitars got six digits in random order, and in some cases they were preceded by a letter that did not seem to have meaning.
Note that the serial numbers between 1970 and 1975 may be a repeat of the serial numbers from 1964 and 1965. In 1970 some 6 digit serial numbers had the letter A as a suffix.
The table below shows the years to which the numbers can relate.
| Seral number range | PRODUCTION YEAR |
| 000000 — 099999 | 1973 |
| 100000 — 199999 | 1970 — 1975 |
| 200000 — 299999 | 1973 — 1975 |
| 300000 — 399999 | 1974 — 1975 |
| 400000 — 499999 | 1974 — 1975 |
| 500000 — 599999 | 1974 — 1975 |
| 600000 — 699999 | 1970 — 1972 and 1974 — 1975 |
Limited Editions
The limited editions from 1975 to 1977 have a gold colored serial number and imprint «Made in USA». These serial numbers are preceded by 2 digits. 99 = 1975, 00 = 1976 and 06 = 1977.
Serials 1977 — June 2005
Gibson’s most sustainable numbering system was launched in 1977, an eight-digit number. The first and fifth digits represented the year of manufacture. The three intervening digits, the day of that year.
The digits six to eight indicated the sequence number.
Example: 80923015
8 092 3 015 is: 19 83 , day 092 (day 92 of 1983 is 2 April ), production number 015 .
After the opening of the new factory in Nashville, production was also included in the serial numbers. 001 to 499 appeared on instruments built in Kalamazoo, 500 to 999 built in Nashville.
Even after the Kalamazoo plant closed in 1984, this process continued until 1989 in Nashville.
In July 2005 this 8 digit system was updated by adding 1 digit. The 6th digit is now the batch number, and the last 3 digits are the sequence number of the batch. The sequence number runs from 500 to 699.
Example:
1 131 4 2 030 is the 30th instrument from batch 4 of May 11 , 2014 .
When 699 is reached the batch number is incremented by 1, and the sequence number is reset to 500.
This coding system was used until 2014.
This system was changed again at the beginning of 2014.
The day and batch number were no longer included in the serial number. The serial number now consists of 9 digits, the first 2 of which indicate the year and the next 7 digits the sequence number.
16 0001234 is production year 2016 with sequence number 0001234 .
Serial number punch stamping machine, Gibson factory
Gibson closed the Memphis plant in April 2019.
The production of «USA made» solid body guitars is now only produced in Nashville.
If you can not find a serial number, you can approximate the age of a semi/electric guitar on the basis of the potentiometers.
The code on potentiometers gives information about the manufacturer and the year and week when it is made. See: Dating potentiometers
The Gibson logo can also give an indication of the year of construction. (approximately)
The first logo (1902-1920) on Gibson’s guitars was in italic typeface, inlaid with pearl. Some specimens from 1903 to 1907 were not oblique, or had no logo at all.
During the period from the end of the 1920s to 1933 the logo was no longer placed obliquely. From some flattop guitars from this era the word «The» was omitted from the logo. From the end of 1933 to 143, Gibson had omitted the «The» of all their logos. The original thin letters were replaced after 1933 by a thicker font.
From 1943 to 1947 the logo was printed in thick gold, also called the banner logo. Some models, such as the LG-2 and the L-50s, have a real banner in the middle of the headstock with the text «Only a Gibson Is Good Enough».
The block logo made its appearance after World War II and is till the face of Gibson to this day.
Between 1968 and 1981 the dot on the «i» was omitted on some guitars. Most models get a dot on the «i» again in 1972, the rest follows from 1981.
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