buliwyf Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 I've had quite a few Les Paul's but mostly older ones and the serial numbers have mostly been easy to read and tell me year,month,factory.The one I got for Christmas is the first new LP I bought in many years.Usually you can get the year of most Les Pauls from the serial number,but my serial number has nothing to do with a 2014 date.On the back of the headstock is the serial number 140108612 reading the first and fifth number does not equal a 2014 guitar. Under the serial says "Made in USA" and under that says "2014 Model",am I reading the serial number wrong or is there a new way to read them.I was suprised I was able to choose my serial number and the weight of my Les Paul,BTW ten pounds seems heavier than it used to.So can anyone help me with my serial number question. http://www.americanmusical.com/Item--i-GIB-LPST2-LIST Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobF_ Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 My '14 Studio Pro's s/n starts with 14 also. They've obviously changed the scheme, but haven't shared it or updated their s/n decoder ring Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 14 was the 125th anniversary so they issued "special" serial numbers to convince the collectors to buy them. It all adds to the "specialness" of the 14 guitars. The serials all start with 14. To my knowledge there is no decoder that Gibson are affiliated with but they did publish this to death. Some of the decoders might catch up but the 125 12th fret marker would be the giveaway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobF_ Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Where did they publish the '14 serial scheme? The "decoder" I refer [in jest] to is this: http://www2.gibson.com/Support/Serial-Number-Search.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobF_ Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 Found some info I assume Farns was referring to: http://www2.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/New-Serial-Numbering.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigKahune Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 . Gibson announced the 2014 numbering a couple times, but as usual, the website was never updated. There are still some serial conventions that aren't on the website. Here's a copy and paste of some info I have. If there are inaccuracies, let me know - Where the guitars are made: -Nashville / Gibson USA - solid bodies, including chambered -Nashville Custom - custom solid bodies, historic reissues, carved top archtops, and finishing historic RI semihollows -Memphis / Memphis "Custom" - builds all laminate semihollows The eight digit formula from the mid 70s everyone knows - YDDDYRRR Gibson USA (Nashville guitars) went to 9 digit serials in July 2005 to accommodate their increased production. The sixth number is now a batch number- the batch number starts at 0 at the beginning of the day, and when 699 is reached, the batch number changes to 1 and the rank count starts over, allowing the batching to rank/count over 1000 guitars per day. The first 5 numbers and the last 3 numbers still represent the the same info. The only difference is the addition of the batch indicator - YDDDYBRRR Memphis and Bozeman are still using 8 digits - YDDDYRRR. Since 1989, acoustic guitars built at Bozeman are ranked from 001-300. During 1989 and the following years that Nashville and Bozeman used the same serial formula, electric guitars were ranked from 300-999. Prior to 1984, the numbers 001-499 show Kalamazoo production, 500-999 show Nashville production. The serial numbers from the Custom, Art, and Historic division vary depending on the line. Custom Shop: Originally CSYRRRR, now CSYXRRRR where CS is Custom Shop; Y is the year of manufacture; X is the location of the CS; and RRRR is the production rank. X=> 0=Nashville 5=Memphis 1994 is an exception - the centennial year. Take for example 94031369 with a DDD (403) that doesn't make sense. It's probably a 1994. Many people overlook this little paragraph on the Gibson Serials webpages - Those beginning with "94": In 1994, Gibson's Centennial year, many instruments have a serial number that begins with "94" for the year, with the remaining 6 digits indicating the ranking number - 94RRRRRR 2014 is another exception - the 125th anniversary year. The format is 14RRRRRRR where 14 is the year and RRRRRRR gives the production rank. For unknown reasons, some 2014 guitars use the more standard serial formulas. OTHER STAMPINGS ON THE BACK OF THE HEADSTOCK - "USED" - Sometimes stamped on guitars after they were in the Gibson Showcase Warehouse/store for a while and then price reduced. Sometimes "USED" is stamped on guitars that aren't regular production Gibson - a prototype of sorts, sometimes made with different spare parts. Epiphones marked "USED" have gone to a refurbishing center to correct factory flaws (see below). Also - Gibson does not "refurbish" their rejects, sell them to refurbishers, or sell them to the public. Epiphone has, among others . M.I.R.C guitars, standing for Musical Instrument Reclamation Corporation of Franklin Tennessee, ( MIRCWEB.com ) is an example of one of these refurbishers. The company purchases instruments from major manufacturers and wholesale distributors, with the majority of their inventory purchases being "less than first quality" guitars. MIRC has a good quality repair operation that reconditions the instruments, brings them back up to MIRC quality standards, and then in turn re-sells to dealers only as MIRC USED reconditioned guitars, they do not sell to the public. MIRC guitars are stamped "USED", and they've been the subject of complaints on fleaBay. "2" - usually seen centered above or below the serial number, designating a "second", which had a cosmetic flaw. Gibson no longer stamps seconds. "CULL" - which is another designation of a second - no longer used. "BGN" - designating that instrument as a "bargin" guitar. These were only sold to employees at substantial discounts - not acceptable to Gibson as sellable to the public.. This stamp is seen on the back of the peghead. Sometimes the "BGN" is stamped vertically with the "N" below the "G" which is below the "B". No longer used. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twang Gang Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 So we have determined that it's a 2014 model. I had another question about it though. It's a pretty sharp looking axe, and a good price, but the description says it has trapezoid inlays, and the photo doesn't show any fret markers at all?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buliwyf Posted January 7, 2015 Author Share Posted January 7, 2015 I've been lazy and only taken one picture so far,but no fret markers even though the AM website says so.There is also no 12th fret 125th anniv.logo on it.So far my only problem is the neck size. For my small hands the baseball sized neck is a real workout to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobF_ Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 That's a purdy guitar BTW, mine is really screwed up. It has 120th inlay instead of a 125th Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drog Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Yes, the LP studio hot rod was a 2014 model. Here is the Gibson page: http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/Les-Paul-Studio-Hot-Rod.aspx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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