Gibson Marauder

[Ramme]

Hi all

 

I´ve got an old Gibson Marauder (Blonde I think it´s called) and I tried to find out what year it was made but it just does´nt seem to add up =/

When I entered the serial number (926806) stamped on the back of the head on this site http://www.guitardaterproject.org/gibson.aspx

I got no results.

Then I entered the serial number plus checking boxes under Vintage Panel saying " Impressed into back of headstock "

and MADE IN USA' stamped on headstock i got this result :

Your guitar was made at the

Kalamazoo or Nashville Plant , USA

approximately in: 1970, 1971 or 1972

 

However I believe the Marauder was first made in 1975.

 

I´m sad to say yhat I don´t know any of the history of the guitar other than I bougth it in the late -80´s in Sweden.

Anyone out there who can help me to identify my guitar or direct me to a site where I can get the correct info ??

 

Thanks

 

Raymond

[sparquelito]

The first Marauder was indeed shipped in early 1975, though the model was introduced in 1974.

 

It was a difficult time for sales at Gibson, believe it or not.

There's a very good chance that your neck was originally produced in 1972, (ostensibly destined to be mounted on a Flying V), but sales were down, so the neck may have sat in bench stock for a couple of years.

 

I love the Marauder, personally.

I remember that KISS endorsed them, and I was a big KISS fan in those days.

 

During the Destroyer tour (1976 or so) Paul Stanley used to play a black Marauder on one particular song, and then would destroy it on stage, a la Pete Townsend.

Gibson shipped dozens of Marauders to KISS, for just that purpose.

:)

[sparquelito]

Oh yeah, your finish was called 'Natural Satin' back then.

 

I'm sure it's aged nicely.

 

B)

[Ramme]

Thanks for that info :)

[TheBarn]

I have a Marauder I purchased in 1974  serial number 403118 any info on that neck ?. thank you

[Simon Reekie]

Hi I have a Gibson Marauder stamped 560371 Made in the USA.  If Marauders were first produced in 1975 (?) then what does that serial number mean? 

Thanks
Simon

[Grog]

If it is stamped, it could be a 1974. Gibson went to an oval decal in 1975 that lasted until they changed to a stamped 8 digit number in 1977.

[Bluman]

I have a Gibson Marauder with a 7 digit serial number, 2779647.  Does anyone know  when and where this was made?

[ksdaddy]

Look closer. I bet there’s a ‘7’ at the beginning. 

[Bluman]

Just thinking, the serial number has 7 digits  (I ONLY find 6 digits used for Marauders) .  And this serial number begins with a 2 (both of these two facts  make NO sense to me)    If I ignored this 2, and used the 1-5 digit rule, this guitar would be a 1974, and that sounds about right.   Could the first digit 2, have been added by mistake?    Any thoughts?   Also I read the Marauders were made  in Kalamazoo,  AND in Nashville.  So could one of them, used a different numbering system?   Here is a photo. 

[Bluman]

ksdaddy, ---An observation,  If you look close at the 7 digit number in the above photo, you'll see the "2"  looks thinner, as if,  it was added afterward by a different stamp.  How would you account for this?   Once you see this photo, lets please DELETE it.   I want to protect Gibson serial numbers.    

[Bluman]

On 5/18/2021 at 2:16 AM, Simon Reekie said:

Hi I have a Gibson Marauder stamped 560371 Made in the USA.  If Marauders were first produced in 1975 (?) then what does that serial number mean? 

Thanks
Simon

I have the same problem, a serial number that makes no sense to me,  including that mine is 7 digits! 

[Bluman]

I have the same problem, a serial number that makes no sense to me,  beginning with a "2",  including that mine is 7 digits!

[WaDeL]

Add me to the list of confused Marauder owners.   Mine is stamped 967843  Made In USA . the only thing that makes any sense to me, in the searches that I have done,  is that number being related to a flying V ( as someone mentioned above)