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. ---------- 1961 - 1970 ---------. In 1961, Gibson started a new serial number system. It consisted of numbers that were impressed into the wood. This is generally considered.

Menu • • • • • Dating Gibson Guitars from 1902 - 1947 The Early Years In the first 45 years of production the number system was pretty cut and dry. Unfortunately not all instruments were numbered and not all followed the number pattern so all dates are approximate. It's best when trying to evalute a collectible to contact Gibson for further information that is not as easily available.

As one of the oldest and most widely recognized brands in music, has crafted some of the most cherished and valuable instruments of all time. Determining exactly when your Gibson specimen was made can have high stakes attached to it. A difference of only one year - sometimes even several months - can mean a four-figure difference in value. Our hope is to make the dating process and, in turn, the valuation as easy, accurate and transparent as possible.

You should be able to use this guide to determine the year of your instrument and then consult the to find its value, all for free. Methods For Dating a Gibson Instrument For many vintage instruments, determining the date of manufacture involves little more than running the serial number through a reference guide. Whereas Martin guitars have been using a single, consistent numbering system since the 19th century, Gibson has used several different serial number formats since its inception in 1902, meaning that some formats and numbers overlap across decades.

This makes it especially important to first identify the general era during which your instrument was made before pinning down the exact date of manufacture with a serial number. If you know the backstory around when the instrument was purchased, this can provide some rough clues about its era.

The most general physical piece of evidence on the instrument, however, is going to be the logo on the headstock. Gibson Headstock Logos Through The Decades Here's a look at the different logos Gibson used during each major era of manufacturing. 1902 to Late 1920s. 1932 L-2 The script logo continues without the slant.

Some flattop guitars of this era started to omit the word 'The' from the inlay. 1933 - 1947 By 1933 Gibson had dropped the 'The' from all of their logos while retaining the script 'Gibson. Download Patch Fifa 2009 Liga 1 Transferuri 2012 Election there. ' The original thin script was replaced with a thicker font on higher-end models in the mid-’30s, and across the entire lineup by the end of the decade. From 1943 to 1947, the logo was a thick golden script, known as the banner logo. Some models (LG-2, J-45, SJ, select L-50s) included an actual banner reading 'Only a Gibson Is Good Enough' in the middle of the headstock. 1969 SG Custom Gibson stopped dotting the i in their logo on some of their instruments.