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Help dating and ID'ing this Epiphone (Olympic?)


Oliade677

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Picked up a damaged Epiphone guitar for $90 tonight. The guitar appears to be pretty old and in reasonable shape. The neck has separated from the body and there is small chunk of the neck that has cracked off, but everything else is there. Researching briefly, it appears the guitar is an Epiphone Olympic. However, there is no additional information on the guitar. I don't know where it was manufactured, when it was crafted, or the exact model type. If anyone has any info, I would greatly appreciate it!

 

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Serial # 138286? Yes, that would seem to correspond to 1963.

 

See: http://home.provide.net/~cfh/epiphone.html#serial and scroll down to: Gibson-made Serial Number, 1961 to 1969, all instruments (non "A" series).

 

http://home.provide.net/~cfh/epiphone.html

Number Range Year

------------ ----

0100 to 42440 1961

42441 to 61180 1962

61450 to 64222 1963

64240 to 71040 1964

71041 to 96600 1962, a few from 1963/1964

96601 to 99999 1963

000001 to 099999 1967 (all 6 digit numbers

starting with "0" are 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

 

For model information, see: http://home.provide.net/~cfh/epiphon2.html and scroll down to Solidbody (Gibson-made) Electric Models.

 

I am not qualified to speak the absolute veracity of this resource, but it appears to have been put together by a vintage guitar collector who definitely knows his onions.

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Thank you all for the information. I appreciate the offers, but I'm going to pass! Sorry to disappoint, but the guitar is not in playable condition. Here are some additional images. I had a local luthier repair a Fender Strat for me last year. I'm going to talk to him and see what he thinks. If it's repairable at a reasonable cost, I'll fix her up.

 

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It made in Kalamazoo Michigan by Gibson.

Fix it well and you should get about $750+ for it (a mint one might get double that).

check Gbase for some idea of prices.

 

Nice one - I have a modified '69 and it's a great guitar! [thumbup]

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I think your idea of taking it to your luthier is the right approach, but then I'm one who outsources even simple jobs when it comes to old guitars. Looks like a pretty clean break/ungluing so hopefully it might not be too dear - it'll come down to hours worked rather than parts I'd expect so best to ask luthier and how the bill is arrived at.

 

No doubt there are others here with the skills to have a far more qualified response on that.

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