Gibson serial numbers

[Soapbox]

I have an SJ that was reconditioned in the 1990s. I got the guitar in 1964 from a buddy in the Army. It had a cracked body - wrap around under the pick guard, where the guitar rests on the leg. The work was done by Gibson at their Tennessee facility south of Nashville. Luthier could not find a serial number. I think the guitar was made about 1954. It has 14 frets which I understand is important for dating. I know a picture would be helpful but it will have to wait until I can reconfigure my recently acquired technical devices. Need a suggestion on dating.

[j45nick]

Sorry, but without a picture, there's little we can do to help. The 14 frets to the body (neck joins the body at the 14th fret) you are referring to is standard on 90% of Gibsons for the last 80 or more years.

 

Count the total number of frets. It should be either 19 or 20. For an SJ--and without a photo we can't even be sure that's the model--19 frets normally indicates 1954 or earlier. But we need a picture to offer meaningful input.

[62burst]

I have decided to have a mental block about counting frets. Maybe you can figure out what you have by checking out this site: http://www.guitarhq.com/sj.html.

 

The pickguards changed from '54 to '55; does yours look like

 

this:

 

 

or this?

 

[Soapbox]

Thanks 62burst;

The '54 - '55 is the one. 14 frets from nut to body.

Did the earlier models have fewer frets?

Wish it sounded as good as my D18 and I wish my D18 was as easy to play as the Gibson. Really like the Gibson. It has shared a modest but memorable music history with this old man.

Also have a clasical Yama and a Suzuki copy of a Hummingbird. Can't do classical and my middle daughter has the "H"

Again, thanks for your interest.

Ernie

[j45nick]

Thanks 62burst;

The '54 - '55 is the one. 14 frets from nut to body.

Did the earlier models have fewer frets?

Wish it sounded as good as my D18 and I wish my D18 was as easy to play as the Gibson. Really like the Gibson. It has shared a modest but memorable music history with this old man.

Also have a clasical Yama and a Suzuki copy of a Hummingbird. Can't do classical and my middle daughter has the "H"

Again, thanks for your interest.

Ernie

 

Ernie,

Do you mean the pickguard looks like the one in the upper picture (small teardrop), or the one in the lower picture (larger batwing)?

 

All of these have 14 frets to the neck/body joint. That is not an identifying characteristic. During 1955, the neck went from a total of 19 frets (as in the upper picture) to 20 frets (lower picture). Does the fretboard have white binding on the side (as in the lower picture) or no binding (as in the upper picture)? That is a partial identifier, but some with the small pickguard have the fretboard binding as well.

 

A picture is really the only way we can nail it down for you. It's uncommon for an SJ to have no identifying number ink-stamped on the neck block, visible inside the soundhole by looking towards the neck. These numbers can be very faded. A small flashlight can help see this.

 

With a single picture of the front, showing the whole guitar, including the headstock, we can probably date it to within a couple of years.

[62burst]

True, Nick, only the '46's were pretty solidly no f.o.n. (factory order number) stamped anywhere.

 

Ernie, if no photo (yet), then do give a look at the guitar hq site linked to in reply #3; maybe you can suss out the year.

 

Does your guitar have the script or the block logo?

[j45nick]

Does your guitar have the script or the block logo?

 

 

You might want to post pictures so he knows exactly what the difference is.

[62burst]

You might want to post pictures so he knows exactly what the difference is.

 

Script logo, left. Block logo, to the right:

 

[Soapbox]

A teardrop pick guard was on the guitar when I acquired it in 64. I removed the original. The Luthier put one back when he rebuilt the guitar. It also has the white trim along the side of the neck. The Luthier was unable to find a serial number and I think he said that some Gibsons did not have a number. The only markings were some hand lettering on the inside label. Looks like the number 85.

My plan is to take pictures with the IPad I am using for this post. I hope to add the resulting photos to a furture post. Maybe later tomorrow.

This is getting interesting.

Ernie

 

 

[Soapbox]

Photos. I hope