This guitar was built in the Kalamazoo factory and it was the 45 th instrument stamped that day.This guitar was built on the 35 th day of the year, so this would have been February 4 th – 8 0351045.8035 1045 – remember in the format that the year is the 1 st and 5 th
So, for example, let’s take the serial number 80351045.
GIBSON BANJO SERIAL NUMBER LIST SERIAL NUMBERS
These serial numbers started with either 96, 00 or 06 with the 96 representing 1975., the 00 representing 1976. Some serial numbers also used a letter (just because?) NUMBER that started with a 1 and something from 1972. To make matters even more confusing, there wasn’t really an order for these serial numbers, so you could have something from 1975. The biggest telling factors for guitars from this period, as opposed to the guitars from 1961 to 1969 is the “Made in U.S.A” that can be found on guitars from 1970 onwards.Ħ Digit Serial numbers were still used so a lot of the same numbers were also used on 1960s models. It didn’t get any less confusing during this time, either. This was pretty poorly done though (IMO) and meant that some serial numbers were reused so a certain serial number could be from a guitar from different years. YearĪ new system, introduced in 1961., was made to cover all of the instruments in Gibson’s line (not just acoustic guitars). The first guitar in this new system was A 100 which was in April of 1947. The new system used a letter to prefix the numbers. Once the serial numbers hit 99999, Gibson decided to change to a new system, rather than go into 6 digits. The first serial number for acoustic guitars was 100.
The serial numbers shown represent the approximate last serial number for that year. The chart below shows the year that relates to the serial number. Guitars were just given the next available number. The following serial numbers apply just to Gibson acoustic guitars.ĭuring this period, the system was actually relatively simple. Let’s take a look at the different time periods of serial numbers from Gibson Guitars. So, you may not be able to accurately determine anything about your guitar using the serial number alone. Good question! And the answer is simple – serial number system, used up until 1977., wasn’t the easiest or most reliable system.
So, why discuss all these other aspects when this post is supposed to be about Gibson serial numbers? Though, remember that an older instrument could have had these items replaced, so it’s not a definite clue.