Reading gibson custom shop serial numbers

#READING GIBSON CUSTOM SHOP SERIAL NUMBERS SERIAL NUMBERS#
#READING GIBSON CUSTOM SHOP SERIAL NUMBERS SERIAL NUMBER#

For example, the serial number 90237XXX corresponds to a production date of 1/23/97. The first number of the sequence indicates the decade of production, followed by the three digit day of the year, and finally the year. 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 YearД©07, 910, 923, 2004, 2005, 7000s (all with banner logo)ДЎ100s to 3700s (move from script to block logo)ДЇrom 1952 to 1961, a consistent letter code resumed, with the letter appearing before the batch number. Starting in 1977, Gibson adopted the current date-based serial system which codes for the year and day of production. The year is indicated by the first letter in any series of letters for these years. 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 consistency around this stopped during WWII and resumed in the early 1950s. 1902 to 1945 FON Overview YearДЎ to 7900 (some with letter, some without)ДЇrom 1935 to 1942, the FON included a letter suffix. A FON usually consisted of a 3-, 4-, or 5-digit batch number followed by one or two other numbers in most cases. Some earlier lower-end models had no serial number at all, making the FON the sole numerical identifier in those cases. These will generally date an instrument earlier than the serial number, as they were typically applied in the early stages of assembly. 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.ДЇONs were GibsonвЂ™s way of internally tracking batches of instruments throughout production.

#READING GIBSON CUSTOM SHOP SERIAL NUMBERS SERIAL NUMBERS#

Gibson has historically used two different alpha-numerical formats to catalog its instruments: serial numbers and FONs (Factory Order Numbers). Dating a Gibson by Factory Order Number (FON)

After 1950, headstocks had uniform thickness. Before mid-1950, most Gibson headstocks were thinner at the top when looked at from a side profile. The thickness of the headstock, however, is not as vulnerable to modification or replacement. This makes relying entirely on the physical features of a guitar potentially misleading. Many older instruments may have reproduction or other non-original parts, including a non-original finish. 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.

Reading gibson custom shop serial numbers