- Gibson Guitars Serial Number Check
- Vintage Gibson Lap Steel Guitar
- Gibson Lap Steel Guitar For Sale
Go to content
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. Travel back in time with this vintage Gibson Skylark EH-500 lap steel guitar. As Gibson serial numbers in that era are a bit sketchy. It is either a 1963 or a 1967. It is all original and complete, including the sweet velvet-lined Gibson hard case. Comes with a Nick Manoloff bakelite slide. It is in very good, if not fine condition, except the. Offered for sale; Used 1951 Rickenbacker Model B 8-String Lap Steel guitar serial number 2089171. This lap steel is in very good condition. There are various nicks and marks about the body. There is some bakelite repair on the back of the headstock at the 1st tuning gear. Jun 05, 2019 Understanding how to read Gibson serial numbers is a little confusing at first, but it doesn’t take long to identify when your guitar was made. 1935-1942 This is one of the easiest eras to identify.
Gibson Serial Numbers
some data are taken from the 11th Edition of 'Blue Book of Electric Guitars', By Zachary R. Fjestad
When Gibson start the production of solidbody guitars in 1952, a new serial number system was developed.
5 or 6 DIGITS number ink stamped on the headstock back:
Y NNN(N)
Y= last digit of the year (2=1952, 3=1953, 4=1954, 5=1955, 6=1956, 7=1957, 8=1958, 9=1959, 0=1960)
NNN(N)= production numbers in a consecutive order
4 2205 = 1954
0 9865 = 1960
NOTES: not used on the earliest instruments produced (those done in 1952), a few of these instruments have three digits stamped on the headstock top.
In 1961, Gibson started a new serial number system. It consisted of numbers that were impressed into the wood. This is generally considered to be the most confusing out of all Gibson’s serial number systems used. There are several instances where batches of numbers are switched in order and duplicated, not just once, but up to four times, and seem to be randomly assigned throughout the decade.
Note: If 'MADE IN USA' is stamped in the back of the headstock near the serial number, the guitar is not from the 1960s, but the 1970s.
100-42440 ---> 1961
42441-61180 ---> 1962
61450-64222 ---> 1963
64240-71040 ---> 1964
71041-96600 ---> 1962, 1963, 1964
96601-99999 ---> 1963
000001-099999 ---> 1967
100000-106099 ---> 1963, 1967
106100-108999 ---> 1963
109000-109999 ---> 1963, 1967
110000-111549 ---> 1963
111550-115799 ---> 1963, 1967
115800-118299 ---> 1963
118300-120999 ---> 1963, 1967
121000-139999 ---> 1963
140000-140100 ---> 1963, 1967
140101-144304 ---> 1963
144305-144380 ---> 1963, 1964
144381-149864 ---> 1963
149865-149891 ---> 1964
149892-152989 ---> 1963
152990-174222 ---> 1964
174223-176643 ---> 1964, 1965
176644-250335 ---> 1964
250336-305983 ---> 1965
306000-310999 ---> 1965, 1967
311000-320149 ---> 1965
320150-320699 ---> 1967
320700-329179 ---> 1965
329180-330199 ---> 1965, 1967
330200-332240 ---> 1965, 1967, 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, 1967, 1968
409671-410900 ---> 1966
410901-419999 ---> No Entries
420000-429193 ---> 1966
500000-500999 ---> 1965, 1966,1968, 1969
501009-501600 ---> 1965
501601-501702 ---> 1968
501703-502706 ---> 1965, 1968
503010-503109 ---> 1968
503405-520955 ---> 1965, 1968
520956-530056 ---> 1968
530061-530850 ---> 1966, 1968, 1969
530851-530993 ---> 1968, 1969
530994-539999 ---> 1969
540000-540795 ---> 1966, 1969
540796-545009 ---> 1969
555000-556909 ---> 1966
558012-567400 ---> 1969
570087-570643 ---> 1966
570645-570755 ---> 1966, 1967
570857-570964 ---> 1966
580000-580080 ---> 1969
580086-580999 ---> 1966, 1967, 1969
600000-600998 ---> 1966, 1967, 1968 (LOW END)
600000-606090 ---> 1969 (HIGH END)
700000-700799 ---> 1966, 1967
750000-750999 ---> 1968, 1969
800000-800999 ---> 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969
801000-812838 ---> 1966, 1969
812900-819999 ---> 1969
820000-820087 ---> 1966, 1969
820088-823830 ---> 1966*
824000-824999 ---> 1969
828002-847488 ---> 1966, 1969
847499-858999 ---> 1966, 1969
859001-895038 ---> 1967
895039-896999 ---> 1968
897000-898999 ---> 1967, 1969
899000-899999 ---> 1968
900000-901999 ---> 1970
910000-999999 ---> 1968
From 1970 to 1975 the method of serializing instruments at Gibson became even more random. All numbers were impressed into the wood and a six-digit number was assigned, though no particular order was given and some instruments had a letter prefix. In 1970, the words MADE IN USA were impressed into the back of instrument headstocks (though a few instruments from the 1950s also had this).
000000S--->1973
200000S --->1973-1975
400000S --->1974-1975
600000S --->1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975
800000S --->1973, 1974, 1975
6 DIGITS + A --->1970
B + 6 DIGITS --->1974, 1975
D + 6 DIGITS --->1974, 1975
F + 6 DIGITS --->1974, 1975
NOTES: When the Nashville Gibson plant was opened in 1974, it was decided that the bulk of the production of products would be run in the South; the Kalamazoo plant would produce the higher end (fancier) models in the North. Of course, many of the older guitar builders and craftsmen were still in Kalamazoo, and if they weren’t ready to change how they built guitars, then they may not have been ready to change how they numbered them! Certain guitar models built in the late 1970s can be used to demonstrate the old-style, six-digit serial numbers. It is estimated that Gibson’s Kalamazoo plant continued to use the six-digit serial numbers through 1978 and 1979. So double check the serial numbers on those 1970s L-5s, Super 400s, and Super 5 BJBs!
YY= year (99=1975, 00=1976 and 06=1977)
NNNNNN= production number from 100000 to 200000 range.
MADE IN USA was also included on the transfer and some models had LIMITED EDITION also applied.
99XXXXXX 1975
06XXXXXX 1977
NOTES: A few bolt-on neck instruments had a date ink stamped on the heel area.
Between 1997 and late June or early July 2005, Gibson used the same serialization system on all standard-built guitars. This updated system utilizes an impressed, 8 digit numbering scheme that covers both serializing and dating functions.
YY = last two digits of the production year
PPP = plant designation and/or instrument rank:
001-499 --> Kalamazoo production from 1977 to 1984 when the factory closed.
500-999 --> Nashville production from 1977 to 1989.
All currently manufactured Gibsons (non-custom shop) are stamped with a hand arbor, and start at 300 or 500, and continue until production is finished that day. This hand stamp used to be reset daily at #300 or #500
for all the LP style headstocks. The other shapes (Flying V, T-Bird, Explorer, etc.) were started at 700. When acoustic production began at the plant in Bozeman, Montana (in 1989), the series’ numbers were reorganized. Bozeman instruments began using 001-299 designations and, in 1990, Nashville instruments began using 300-999 designations. It should also be noted that the Nashville plant has not reached the 900s since 1977, so these numbers have been
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.
03202652 means the instrument was produced on November 16, 2002 and was the 152nd instrument stamped that day (assuming they started at 500).
NOTES: The Custom/Historic/Art divisions do not use this system. Certain models in the Standard series also do not follow this, either.
YDDDGibson Guitars Serial Number Check
YBPPP
Vintage Gibson Lap Steel Guitar
B = batch number was implemeted to better keep track of production and allow for more than five hundred instruments to be produced in a day. At the beginning of each day, the sixth digit is reset to 0. Once the last three numbers reach
699, the batch number moves on to 1, and the last three digits are reset to 500.
028360612 stamped on the 283rd day (October 10th) in 2006 and was the 112th guitar stamped that day.
001071520 stamped on the 10th day (January 10th) of 2007 and was the 220th guitar stamped on that day (it was part of the second batch and the 20th guitar of the second batch - first batch was of 200 guitars).
PLEASE CONTRIBUTE TO MY RESEARCH WITH A CLICK ON THE BANNERS BELOW
Back to contentserial number Year(s)
------------------ ----------
Gibson Lap Steel Guitar For Sale
410901 to 419999 unknown
420000 to 429193 1966
500000 to 500999 1965, 1966, 1968, or 1969
501009 to 501600 1965
501601 to 501702 1968
501703 to 502706 1965 or 1968
503010 to 503109 1968
503405 to 520955 1965 or 1968
520956 to 530056 1968
530061 to 530850 1966, 1968, or 1969
530851 to 530993 1968 or 1969
530994 to 539999 1969
540000 to 540795 1966 or 1969
540796 to 545009 1969
555000 to 557999 1966
558000 to 567400 1969
570087 to 570643 1966
570645 to 570755 1966 or 1967
570857 to 570964 1966
580000 to 580080 1969
580086 to 580999 1966, 1967 or 1969
600000 to 600998 low end models, 1966, 1967, or 1968
600000 to 606090 high end models, 1969
700000 to 700799 1966, 1967 or 1969
750000 to 750999 1968 or 1969
800000 to 800999 1966, 1967, 1968 or 1969
801000 to 812838 1966 or 1969
812900 to 819999 1969
820000 to 820087 1966 or 1969
820088 to 823830 1966
824000 to 824999 1969
828002 to 847488 1966 or 1969
847499 to 858999 1966 or 1969
859001 to 895038 1967
895039 to 896999 1968
897000 to 898999 1967 or 1969
899000 to 899999 1968
900000 to 901999 1970
910000 to 999999 1968