Paulinmuskoka Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 I purchased my Les Paul in 1971 and love it even more today than then. I'm trying to research my serial number to determine as much manufacturing info as I can. Also, for insurance purposes I have to place a value on it although for me it's ABSOLUTELY priceless and I would never part with it. My baby has a 6 digit serial number, not 8. Can anyone offer me some advise? Oh ya....she's a Les Paul Deluxe, gold top of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibson CS Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Paul... Whats the number buddy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Plains Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Maybe this will help? http://www.gibson.com/en%2Dus/Support/SerialNumberSearch/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raptor Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Open the control cavity and read the pot codes. The numbers on the volume and tone controls, assuming that they are original. You can post those numbers here and we can decode them for you and get a rough idea of the year. The serial number will probably be useless as there was too much duplication and poor record keeping back then. You will probably learn more by the construction methods of the guitar, is it a pancake body etc. For a value, a lot will depend on how original it is and what shape it is in. $1000-2500 max is probably a fair range. Despite what a lot of people think, and what a lot of uninformed buyers/unscrupulous sellers are doing, they will never reach the values of the original 50's guitars. The exceptions will probably be, one offs, limited runs, and the 68s and early to mid 69s, but there is nothing really special about 1970s Deluxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 ...wow you guys DO know a lot about this marvelous pieces of wood... i learn something everytime i log in to the forum... and Raptor, reading your signature i can say you are a very lucky individual... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulinmuskoka Posted July 3, 2008 Author Share Posted July 3, 2008 Sorry it took so long.....I've been kinda busy and totally forgot about posting here.....the number on my Les Paul is 171558, posted on the back of the head...under that it of course says, Made in USA. Â Please email me at paulinmuskoka@hotmail.com if you have any ideas. Â Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChanMan Posted July 3, 2008 Share Posted July 3, 2008 Guitar Dater Project  Your guitar was made at the Kalamazoo or Nashville Plant , USA approximately in: 1970, 1971 or 1972   /chuckle Glad I could nail that down for ya  I'd insure it for a bazillion dollars... it's irreplaceable.  Hope this helps! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Cross-referencing my books comes up with 1974 for that serial number. The pot codes will tell the tale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulinmuskoka Posted July 4, 2008 Author Share Posted July 4, 2008 Thanks...I'll look at the pot codes to see if we can nail it a bit closer. Since I bought it in 1971 I don't think it could be a 74 date code but who the heck knows. In any case I love that guitar and there are far too many memories in it. I just want to make sure I have it insured for the proper value. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matiac Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Wow, Raptor's back, long time no type! I thought it was unusual (admin thought so too) that my 2007 U.S.A. Classic I had has a 6 digit serial number. I still gotta say that guitar in your avatar's a bigtime sweety! But I'm kinda partial to blue guitars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChanMan Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Wow' date=' Raptor's back, long time no type! I thought it was unusual (admin thought so too) that my 2007 U.S.A. Classic I had has a 6 digit serial number. I still gotta say that guitar in your avatar's a bigtime sweety! But I'm kinda partial to blue guitars.[/quote']Â Â Sorry GnF... look at Raptor's post date... this thread was months old. Not sure if Raptor is back or not... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matiac Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Â Â Sorry GnF... look at Raptor's post date... this thread was months old. Not sure if Raptor is back or not... Â Oops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jorgen Posted March 19, 2011 Share Posted March 19, 2011 Hi New here, I come from sweden and i have an old SG with 6 number (172704) that i will restore and i looked at the pot and the number is 1377412. I wonder if anyone can help me to tell what year it is made and what model? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pippy Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 Hi New here, I come from sweden and i have an old SG with 6 number (172704) that i will restore and i looked at the pot and the number is 1377412. I wonder if anyone can help me to tell what year it is made and what model? Â Hi and welcome. Â This is the info from the pot code reader database; Â "This potentiometer was made by CTS Corporation (Chicago Telephone Supply) in the 12nd week of 1974 Â This means that (given this is an original part) this is the earliest possible date your guitar was made. " Â Hope this helps. Â P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David NC Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Open the control cavity and read the pot codes. The numbers on the volume and tone controls, assuming that they are original. You can post those numbers here and we can decode them for you and get a rough idea of the year. The serial number will probably be useless as there was too much duplication and poor record keeping back then. You will probably learn more by the construction methods of the guitar, is it a pancake body etc. For a value, a lot will depend on how original it is and what shape it is in. $1000-2500 max is probably a fair range. Despite what a lot of people think, and what a lot of uninformed buyers/unscrupulous sellers are doing, they will never reach the values of the original 50's guitars. The exceptions will probably be, one offs, limited runs, and the 68s and early to mid 69s, but there is nothing really special about 1970s Deluxes. Â A friend of mine called today asking me to search the internet for information on his Gibson - he is not a computer person. I know little or nothing about guitars. He says the serial number is 6 digit : 623933 and here are the numbers on the pots: Vol Control:13772 Tone Control:1377215 Vol Control:13772 70-024 Tone Control:13377215 Input jack: SWTCHCRAST Â Thanks in advance for any help you can offer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAltavilla Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 from your pot codes it looks like 1972 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 3, 2021 Share Posted June 3, 2021 Yes another 13 year old thread dredged up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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