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Gbson's headstock logos....


onewilyfool

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What year did the headstocks logos go from "the Gibson" in script, to "Gibson" in script, to the modern Gibson logo that we so love today???? (Just Kidding....if I ever order a custom guitar from Gibson, I will order it with "the Gibson" in script) I also really like the "snakehead" headstock,( although I don't know if they are still doing that one)...since we are documenting history...which years did they do the "Only a Gibson is good enough" Headstocks???...I know SOMEONE in here has all these answers!!!

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I'm sure there are those more knowledgeable than I am on this, but I believe the chronology is as follows:

 

Switch from "The Gibson" to "Gibson" script logo: 1932-1933.

 

"Banner" headstock ("Only a Gibson is Good Enough"): 1942-1946.

 

Switch from script logo to modern "block" logo: 1948.

 

 

I believe the modern "block" logo has also evolved just a bit.

 

Note that these changes did not necessarily occur on a fixed date, so you may find some "outliers" that have FON or serial numbers indicating one year, but characteristics such as headstock logo or bridge design that suggest a year earlier or later. It's not like on January 1 of every year they sat down and said "from now on, this will be the headstock logo and bridge design".

 

We've all seen Gibsons with inconsistent combinations of features.

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What year did the headstocks logos go from "the Gibson" in script, to "Gibson" in script, to the modern Gibson logo that we so love today???? (Just Kidding....if I ever order a custom guitar from Gibson, I will order it with "the Gibson" in script) I also really like the "snakehead" headstock,( although I don't know if they are still doing that one)...since we are documenting history...which years did they do the "Only a Gibson is good enough" Headstocks???...I know SOMEONE in here has all these answers!!!

 

Found this using Google and seems to match generalizations stated in "Gibson's Fabulous Flat-Top Guitars", except that it doesn't note Banner used on flattops from 1942-1946.

 

Pre-war Script Gibson logo, Pearl or White.

"The Gibson" slanted or straight (depends on model): 1908-1929.

"The Gibson" straight: 1933-1934.

"Gibson" logo transition (without "The"), varies by model: 1928-1934.

Pearl inlaid, high-end models: 1933-1948

White silkscreen, low-end models: 1928-1943.

Thicker "Gibson" on Super 400 and other high-end models: mid 1930's.

Thicker "Gibson" all models: late 1930's.

Gold logo: silkscreened 1947-1954

Gold logo: decal 1954-present

Pearl logo: open "b" and "o": 1948-1969

Pearl logo: "pantograph" style, closed "b" and "o": 1969-1984

Pearl logo: open "b" and "o": 1984-present

Pearl logo: Dot on "i" connected to "G": 1948-1951

Pearl logo: Dot on "i" free from "G": 1951-present

Post-war block Gibson logo, Pearl or Gold.

"Post-war" Gibson block logo used 1948-present. The post-war logo has the "G" and the "N" with a tail that drops below the other letters.

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Found this using Google and seems to match generalizations stated in "Gibson's Fabulous Flat-Top Guitars", except that it doesn't note Banner used on flattops from 1942-1946.

 

Pre-war Script Gibson logo, Pearl or White.

"The Gibson" slanted or straight (depends on model): 1908-1929.

"The Gibson" straight: 1933-1934.

"Gibson" logo transition (without "The"), varies by model: 1928-1934.

Pearl inlaid, high-end models: 1933-1948

White silkscreen, low-end models: 1928-1943.

Thicker "Gibson" on Super 400 and other high-end models: mid 1930's.

Thicker "Gibson" all models: late 1930's.

Gold logo: silkscreened 1947-1954

Gold logo: decal 1954-present

Pearl logo: open "b" and "o": 1948-1969

Pearl logo: "pantograph" style, closed "b" and "o": 1969-1984

Pearl logo: open "b" and "o": 1984-present

Pearl logo: Dot on "i" connected to "G": 1948-1951

Pearl logo: Dot on "i" free from "G": 1951-present

Post-war block Gibson logo, Pearl or Gold.

"Post-war" Gibson block logo used 1948-present. The post-war logo has the "G" and the "N" with a tail that drops below the other letters.

 

 

SJ68Logo003.jpg

 

I think this is the 'pantograph' version. A block of pearl recessed into the headstock, then oversprayed via a positive template. We see an open B and O and no dot.

It's from my screwed on p-guard '68 SJ and as a Gibson novice, I sent the photo to an American expert last year to check it wasn't fake.

Didn't know about the panto-thing at the time.

He gave me thumbs up.

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  • 3 years later...

I went and bought a 2012 Gibson Southern Jumbo or simply SJ back in 2012 actually. It came with the "banner logo" "only a Gibson is good enough" on it. I believe they only used that from 1942 to 1946. My 1936 Gibson L00 has the white Gibson logo on the head stock. I'm sure if you google it, you can find an illustrated list including the dates of these logos on the headstock of Gibson musical instruments. I just friggin' love Gibson guitars, in fact I have a few of them right now, including the following:

1) 1957 Gibson J50

2) 2010 Gibson Les Paul Standard

3) 1936 Gibson L00

4) 2012 Gibson Les Paul Junior Special

5) 2012 Gibson SJ

6) 2003 Gibson SJ200

 

Out of these guitars, there are three different types of Gibson logos on the headstocks in total, but not all of the diffent types. I'm sure there is a nice book you can get with a list of all this information. Best of licks in your search my friend.

 

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Despite what the books and all say, if you spend enough time with Gibsons the one thing you learn is that citing any specific year never seems to work out when it comes to specs . Lots of overlapping features.

 

Not surprising then that the switch from the script to the block letter logo did not occur in any one year but starts showing up in 1947. Probably becomes standard in 1948 though.

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Despite what the books and all say, if you spend enough time with Gibsons the one thing you learn is that citing any specific year never seems to work out when it comes to specs . Lots of overlapping features.

 

Not surprising then that the switch from the script to the block letter logo did not occur in any one year but starts showing up in 1947. Probably becomes standard in 1948 though.

 

Seems to have been a logo change on some models in mid-1947. I have an L-7 definitively dated by an early A-prefix serial number to May or June of 1947. I've seen another A-prefix on the same model that was only a hundred or so numbers later, and it had the block logo.

 

The change probably wasn't across the board on a single day, however, so generalizations are pretty useless.

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Seems to have been a logo change on some models in mid-1947. I have an L-7 definitively dated by an early A-prefix serial number to May or June of 1947. I've seen another A-prefix on the same model that was only a hundred or so numbers later, and it had the block logo.

 

The change probably wasn't across the board on a single day, however, so generalizations are pretty useless.

 

 

I had a 1947 LG-2 visiting for a bit that had the block letter logo.

.

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