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Age of my Gibson Les Paul Custom


Zign

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Hi there you all!

 

I'm new to this forum. I'm from Holland (the Netherlands) and I am the singer of a progressive and symphonic rock band called Mental Nudity. I also play guitar, but not like our lead guitarist is doing... wish I could. [biggrin]

We're in the mids of composing our own songs and record them to turn it inot an album.

 

Now my question...

 

Could someone help me on determine the age of my Gibson Les Paul Custom?

As far as I can find out it's from '74, but not sure.

 

The serial number is 0012 0746

 

Hope you can help me, people!

Let me know...

 

Johnnie...

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Here you go :- I got the info from :

 

http://www.guitardaterproject.org/gibson.aspx

 

 

Guitar Info

Your guitar was made at the

Nashville Plant, TN, USA

January 12nd, 2000

Production Number: 446

 

 

Gibson: Nashville

Gibson’s Nashville plant was opened in Tennessee 1974. All electric models and some acoustic models currently made at this factory. This facility has an average production rate of 220 guitars a day. Each guitar is built by hand and takes about 4 to 6 weeks to complete. Note: Most hollow and semi-hallow body guitars are made at a separate plant in Memphis Tennessee. This facility has an average production rate of 40 guitars a day.

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Swleary, you're way off... [blush]

I purchased the guitar in 1990 secondhand. Hehehe... would have been strange if it was made in 2000.

And this guitar is not as they make it nowadays... this is the REALLY HEAVY stuff... the back breaker!

No screws to hold the neck to the body. And even when my low E string breaks, every other string will stay in tune.

 

I thought '74 myself, but it can also be '76?

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Well, as usual, the guitar dater project wasn't even close, only missed by 24 years.

 

Here's the facts: Gibson changed to a 8 digit numbering system in 1975. The first two digits were a code for the year, the last six numbers were just a regular sequential SN. They used this system from 1975 through 1977.

 

Year codes '75-'77:

99 = 1975

00 = 1976

06 = 1977

 

Therefore, your guitar, SN 00120746, was made in 1976.

 

This can also be confirmed by the potentiometer codes. Usually a 7 digit number where the first three digits denote the manufacturer (generally "137" for CTS), the fourth and fifth numbers are the year the pots were made (in your case will probably be "75" or "76"), and the last two digits are the week of that year they were made.

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@ L5Larry,

 

Thanks you so much for the information. The other code can not be found any where on the guitar.

Maybe it has been there, but this is a really old boy and heavily used before I purchased it.

 

The finish is completely wasted, whatever you do to polish it, it remains matte. But that is also the charm of the guitar.

The white band... white? It's almost dark yellow now. [laugh]

 

The pick-ups have already been replaced by EMG's, because the original ones worked as microphones. Even on volume 1 the guitar started to feedback. And when I talk near to the pick-ups you could hear my voice loudly through the amp. [biggrin]

 

Like I said before, it's a back breaker. I use it only with a elastic strap, because even me being a constructor during my daytime job, it wears you out when you have it around your neck for a longer period.

 

I love the damn thing... and now that I know its age precisely I'll put it on the birthday calendar. Hahaha...

 

Thanks again!

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I purchased the guitar in 1990 secondhand. Hehehe... would have been strange if it was made in 2000.

And this guitar is not as they make it nowadays... this is the REALLY HEAVY stuff... the back breaker!

No screws to hold the neck to the body. And even when my low E string breaks, every other string will stay in tune.

 

 

Maybe it was really made in 2000 but you went back to 1990, you have a time machine don`t you lol.

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God, I can't fool you guys! I'm really from 2055, came back to 1976, bought the guitar, played it for some years and sold it to myself in 1990 and ripped myself off. [biggrin]

 

[biggrin]

 

I will take some pictures soon and upload them. I'm more into slim ladies, but this heavy maiden is something... although I consider the guitar more of a guy somehow. Weird... must be all the time travelling that mushed up my brain!

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Swleary' date=' you're way off... :)

I purchased the guitar in 1990 secondhand. Hehehe... would have been strange if it was made in 2000.

And this guitar is not as they make it nowadays... this is the REALLY HEAVY stuff... the back breaker!

No screws to hold the neck to the body. And even when my low E string breaks, every other string will stay in tune.

 

I thought '74 myself, but it can also be '76?[/quote']

 

OK, not that we've determined the age, please tell us how you break a low E string [biggrin]

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Hahah Saturn, I understand your surprise. It didn't break during playing the guitar, but it fell (when my kids were much younger they bumped into it) and it fell sideways and the string got stuck to a cabinet. And because the guitar itself is so heavy (and the strings were worn out also [biggrin] ) the string broke.

I picked it up and imagined everything was out of tune, but all was just fine.

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