What Year is My Gibson Guitar?
Gibson Guitar Serial Number Look-Up
So you have a vintage Gibson guitar in your possession? Wonderful news: Gibson guitars from the 1920s through the 1970s are not only national treasures, they can sell for large sums of money due to high-demand by musicians and collectors alike. Here at Carter Vintage Guitars in Nashville, TN, Music City U.S.A., we have established a reputation for transparency and ultimately helping vintage Gibson guitar owners sell their instruments for their maximum value; our consignment program is the most competitive in the industry!
Your first question is probably: What year is my Gibson guitar? Gibson guitar serial numbersare either found stamped on the wooden neck block that is visible inside the soundhole (we call this the FON – factory order number), on an orange label inside, or on the back of the headstock. We here at Carter Vintage Guitars are experts in vintage Gibson guitar authentication and offer hands-on and online vintage guitar appraisal packages.
FON a.k.a. Factory Order Numbers
These numbers are found ink stamped to the neck block (when on acoustic guitars) or within the soundhole; it is not uncommon that they are near illegible due to faded ink.
FONs found on instruments made between 1902-1945:
- 1902 – 1916: 1 to 3650
- 1917 – 1923: 11000 to 12000
- 1924 – 1925: 11000A to 11250A (a suffix is not always present)
- 1925 – 1931: 8000 to 9999
- 1931 – 1933: 1 to 890
- 1934: 1 to 1500
- 1935: 1A to 1520A
- 1936: 1B to 1100B
- 1937: 1C to 1400C
- 1938: 1D to 1000D
- 1939: 1E to 980E
- 1940 – 1945: 1 to 7900 (Letters can be present in FONs from this period.)
Letter suffixes found on instruments made between 1935-1942:
- 1935: A
- 1936: B
- 1937: C
- 1938: D
- 1939: E
- 1940: F
- 1941: E
- 1941: G
- 1942: H
FONS found on instruments made between 1942-1951:
- 1942: 907, 910, 923, 2004, 2005, 7000s
- 1943: 900-2200
- 1944: 2200-2900
- 1945: 100-1000
- 1947: 700-1000 (FONs are not very reliable from 45′-47′)
- 1948: 1100-3700
- 1949: 2000-2999
- 1950: 3000-5999
- 1951: 6000-9999
FON found on instruments made between 1952-1961:
- 1952: Z
- 1953: Y
- 1954: X
- 1955: W
- 1956: V
- 1957: U
- 1958: T
- 1959: S
- 1960: R
- 1961: Q
If you own a Gibson guitar with one an ink stamp like described above, we would be interested in buying it or consigning it for you!
Gibson Serial Numbers
Not all Gibsons have serial numbers, some only have FONs like mentioned above, but if it does have a serial number, you will find it on the back of the headstock, or on an orange or white label inside the guitar.
The following serial numbers are pertain to the last instruments made for each year. For instance, in 1903, the last instrument made was # 1150 and the first instrument made in 1904 was # 1151.
- 1903: 1150
- 1904: 1850
- 1905: 2550
- 1906: 3350
- 1907: 4250
- 1908: 5450
- 1909: 6950
- 1910: 8750
- 1911: 10850
- 1912: 13350
- 1913: 16100
- 1914: 20150
- 1915: 25150
- 1916: 32000
- 1917: 39500
- 1918: 47900
- 1919: 53800
- 1920: 62200
- 1921: 69300
- 1922: 71400
- 1923: 74900
- 1924: 80300
- 1925: 82700
- 1926: 83600
- 1927: 85400
- 1928: 87300
- 1929: 89750
- 1930: 90200
- 1931: 90450
- 1932: 90700
- 1933: 91400
- 1934: 92300
- 1935: 92800
- 1936: 94100
- 1937: 95200
- 1938: 96050
- 1940: 96600
- 1941: 97400
- 1942: 97700
- 1943: 97850
- 1944: 98250
- 1945: 98650
- 1946: 99300
- 1947: 999999
A-Prefix Serial numbers on Gibson guitars from 1947-1960:
- 1947: A 1305
- 1948: A 2665
- 1949: A 4410
- 1950: A 6596
- 1951: A 9420
- 1952: A 12460
- 1953: A 17435
- 1954: A 18665
- 1955: A 21910
- 1956: A 24755
- 1957: A 26820
- 1958: A 28880
- 1959: A 32285
- 1960: A 34645
Ink Stamps on Solid Body Electric Gibson Guitars
Gibson solid body electric guitars (like Les Pauls) made between 1952 and 1961 had ink stamped. These are some of the easiest to read, as the first number indicates the last digit of the year. For instance, if it starts with a “6”, it was made in 1956. Gibsons with ink stamped serial numbers are some of the most valuable guitars! Contact us if you have one!
For example:
- 44356 – 1953
- 82743 -1958
- 01985 – 1960
1961-1970 Gibson Serial Numbers
The 1960s were a strange time for Gibson serial numbers: namely, they repeat/ are reused a certain points. Therefore, for complete accuracy, we recommend you contact us if you need help determining the year and value!
- 0100 to 42440 1961
42441 to 61180 1962
61450 to 64222 1963
64240 to 71040 1964
71041 to 96600 1962, 1963, or 1964
96601 to 99999 1963
000001 to 099999 1967
100000 to 106099 1963 or 1967
106100 to 106899 1963
109000 to 109999 1963 or 1967
110000 to 111549 1963
111550 to 115799 1963 or 1967
115800 to 118299 1963
118300 to 120999 1963 or 1967
121000 to 139999 1963
140000 to 140100 1963 or 1967
140101 to 144304 1963
144305 to 144380 1964
144381 to 149864 1963
149865 to 149891 1964
149892 to 152989 1963
152990 to 174222 1964
174223 to 176643 1964 or 1965
176644 to 250335 1964
250336 to 305983 1965
306000 to 310999 1965 or 1967
311000 to 320149 1965
320150 to 320699 1967
320700 to 329179 1965
329180 to 330199 1965 or 1967
330200 to 332240 1965 1967 or 1968
332241 to 348092 1965
348093 to 349100 1966
349121 to 368638 1965
368640 to 369890 1966
370000 to 370999 1967
380000 to 385309 1966
390000 to 390998 1967
400001 to 406666 1966
406667 to 409670 1966, 1967, or 1968
409671 to 410900 1966
410901 to 419999 1966
420000 to 429193 1966
500000 to 500999 1965, 1966, 1968, or 1969
501009 to 501600 1965
501601 to 501702 1968
501703 to 502706 1965 , 1968
503010 to 503109 1968
503405 to 520955 1965 , 1968
520956 to 530056 1968
530061 to 530850 1966, 1968, 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, 1969
600000 to 600998 1966, 1967, or 1968
600000 to 606090 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 909999 1970
910000 to 999999 1968
1970-1975 Gibson Serial Numbers
If you see a “Made in the USA” stamp below your serial number, then you can be assured that it was made between 1970 and 1975 (even if your serial number seems to also fall in the range for guitars in the 1960s). As we mentioned before, Gibson serial numbers can be a bit tricky!
| Number | Year |
| 000000-100000 | 1973 |
| 100000-200000 | 1970-1975 |
| 200000-300000 | 1973-1975 |
| 300000-400000 | 1974-1975 |
| 400000-500000 | 1974-1975 |
| 500000-600000 | 1974-1975 |
| 600000-700000 | 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975 |
| 700000-800000 | 1970, 1971, 1972 |
| 800000-900000 | 1973, 1974, 1975 |
| 900000-999999 | 1970, 1971, 1972 |
1975-1977 Gibson Serial Numbers
| Number | Year |
| 99XXXXXX | 1975 |
| 00XXXXXX | 1976 |
| 06XXXXXX | 1977 |
1977 to Present Day Gibson Serial Numbers
Thankfully, Gibson serial numbers became much easier to read starting in 1977. The First and Fifth are used to determine the serial number. For example:
- 81117379 – 1987
- 93251072 – 1991
- 07316242 – 2006
We love vintage Gibson Guitars and regularly sell them for record prices. Our consignment program is the fairest in the industry and is truly a win-win for both parties. Here in Nashville., old guitars find loving homes with talented songwriters. Contact Carter Vintage Guitars if you have a vintage Gibson guitar you would like to sell!