Chris45 Posted October 27, 2016 Share Posted October 27, 2016 Howdy all. First post here. My wifes uncle past away and left her aunt with a 70's Hummingbird. Haven't taken any pictures but given the information im about to pass on I may not need to. Ill start with the serial #. 2...thats it just 2...no other digits, no zeros or not preceeded by an "A". Just the number "2" stamped at the top of the back of the Headstock. Above the very lightly stamped "Made in USA" Very suspicious. and some of the finish work doesnt look like something Gibson would let go. The MOP "S" in the Gibson Logo has very rough edges, coming up higher than the MOP itself. The bridge had started to let go and she just took it and had it repaired. And you can physically see and feel the seam in the middle of the 2-piece top. It has the rectangle Kalamazoo logo. Grover tuners. Just lots of things that have me wondering. Now all this said, If it turns out to be a fake, Ill never disclose it to my aunt-in-law. Shes proud of it and worth more to her in sentimental value alone. More for my curiosity than anything. And if, for some reason she decides to sell it, I can keep her from trying to pass it off as genuine. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted October 27, 2016 Share Posted October 27, 2016 Factory 2nd with defects that never got serial'd. Employee probably took it. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris45 Posted October 27, 2016 Author Share Posted October 27, 2016 Factory 2nd with defects that never got serial'd. Employee probably took it. rct Ill be dang - I never even thought of that. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldCowboy Posted October 27, 2016 Share Posted October 27, 2016 Happened rather frequently in the 1970's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usernameinvalid Posted October 27, 2016 Share Posted October 27, 2016 If I'm not mistaken the Made In USA stamped into the wood on the back of the head stock started in 1977. So the guitar would be a 77 or newer. Be nice to see some picture of it if you have any. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted October 27, 2016 Share Posted October 27, 2016 If I'm not mistaken the Made In USA stamped into the wood on the back of the head stock started in 1977. Nope, the "modern" version of the "Made in USA" headstock stamp started in 1970, by most sources. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 Howdy all. First post here. My wifes uncle past away and left her aunt with a 70's Hummingbird. Haven't taken any pictures but given the information im about to pass on I may not need to. Ill start with the serial #. 2...thats it just 2...no other digits, no zeros or not preceeded by an "A". Just the number "2" stamped at the top of the back of the Headstock. Above the very lightly stamped "Made in USA" Very suspicious. and some of the finish work doesnt look like something Gibson would let go. The MOP "S" in the Gibson Logo has very rough edges, coming up higher than the MOP itself. The bridge had started to let go and she just took it and had it repaired. And you can physically see and feel the seam in the middle of the 2-piece top. It has the rectangle Kalamazoo logo. Grover tuners. Just lots of things that have me wondering. Now all this said, If it turns out to be a fake, Ill never disclose it to my aunt-in-law. Shes proud of it and worth more to her in sentimental value alone. More for my curiosity than anything. And if, for some reason she decides to sell it, I can keep her from trying to pass it off as genuine. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks Gibson was famous for selling seconds in the 70s.. and 80s.. It would of been the slightest flaw , but would still pass as ---good enough-- ( The gibson Phrase ) so they would not lose that dollar.. electrics as well.. Ive had many go through here at home.. They seem to be quite common up here in Canada.. Btw the late 60s were like that too.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldCowboy Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 The 1970's was also the era of BGN stamps on the back of headstocks. Now THOSE bad lads had issues with issues.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fullmental Alpinist Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 Check this out: Gibson Factory Seconds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris45 Posted October 28, 2016 Author Share Posted October 28, 2016 Guys thank you so much!! that really answered a lot of questions for me. Really glad to know its actually a Gibson - even as a factory second - it beats having to hold a secret from my aunt that its actually some Chinese lookalike. Next time Im at her house ill get a couple pictures and post here. Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 Guys thank you so much!! that really answered a lot of questions for me. Really glad to know its actually a Gibson - even as a factory second - it beats having to hold a secret from my aunt that its actually some Chinese lookalike. Next time Im at her house ill get a couple pictures and post here. Thanks again Chinese guitars are easy to spot as fakes.. they build the crappiest guitars out there.. besides the number 2 is just a Gibson thing.. any other guitar maker would of sawed the headstock off.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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