Since 1989, all Gibson acoustics are built in Bozeman, MT and all Gibson electrics are built in Nashville or Memphis. Ranking numbers 500-999 continued to indicate Nashville production through 1989. Prior to 1984 when the Kalamazoo, MI factory was closed, the numbers 001-499 indicated Kalamazoo production. RRR is the factory ranking/plant designation number. The serial number will be an 8 digit number impressed into the back of the headstock with "MADE IN USA" below. 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. This should be an 8 digit number that can be dated by the 1st and 2nd digits as follows:
Gibson USA, Gibson Acoustic, Gibson Memphisįrom 1975-1977 the number is typically found on a decal on the back of the headstock.
Gibson guitar serial number dating serial numbers#
Please note that most of this information relates to serial numbers used from 1975 to present.
Most instruments can be dated to within 1-2 years without a serial number.This section is designed to assist in dating and/or identifying instruments manufactured or distributed by Gibson Guitar Corp. Also, with a little knowledge of potentiometer codes, another approximate date can be read. There are subtle changes in most Gibson guitars over the course of their production runs, and, you can usually date a guitar by physical features. Seeing as the Gibson serial numbers can be ambiguous, and that guitar serial numbers are sometimes removed, how can you be sure of a Gibson guitars vintage?. Dating Gibson guitars without serial numbers It is often not the sellers fault, as they will have looked through the numbers, found it was 1963, and would see no reason to look further in the document. Not an ideal situation, but many of the Guitars we see listed for sale as 1960s instruments, are actually newer. If you read through the charts for a hypothetical number, say 123456 - we see that it was shipped in 1963, 1970-72, and again in 74-75. The reason being that Gibsons 6 digit serial number system reached 999999 several times each time they continued from 000001. The serial numbers Gibson used, particularly from 1969-1979 are often very difficult to interpret. BEFORE you read the Gibson serial number charts, please read the rest of this page! 50s and early 1960s details are fairly straightforward, but later serial numbers (particularly around 65-75) can cause more confusion than clarity. Gibson used various systems of numbering their instruments, and some records exist that can give a clue to a shipping date. So for example, 8 092 1 089 tells us that this bass was stamped on the 2nd April 19 81 (day 092), at the Gibson Kalamazoo plant, and was the 089th instrument stamped that day Vintage Gibson serial numbers Numbers below 500 signify a Kalamazoo productio, above signifies Nashville. Where YY is the year, DDD is the day of the year, and it was the XXXth instrument stamped that day. These details are encoded unambiguosly into the serial number as follows. Not only can it tell the date, but also the place of production. There is no Gibson serial number decoder that can automatically date your pre-1977 Gibson, although after this time, the currently used eight digit system ha been used.
A lack of a serial number usually implies an instrument has been refinished. Instruments with f-holes often have the serial number repeated on a label inside the guitar body. Gibson serial numbers are usually on the back of the guitars headstock either stamped, inked or as a decal. 1981 Victory Standard (Candy Apple Red).
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