thornev Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 (edited) I just purchased a blond ES335. The electronics date the instrument to 1959 (e.g. bumblebee caps), but the serial (A329xx) dates it to 1960. I've put a camera into the guitar and cannot for the life of me find a FON on the top nor bottom inside the guitar. Are there other places it might be? I figure the FON will settle whether it's a 59 or a 60. I figure the guitar build started in 1959 and ended in 1960 when the serial number sticker was applied. But since the value of this instrument differs greatly between 59 and 60, I'd like to get closure. Thanks for any help. PS - I've been a Gibson guy ever since I bought my first 335 in 1969. Edited September 26, 2019 by thornev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twang Gang Posted September 29, 2019 Share Posted September 29, 2019 Go to the Gibson Custom forum on this website, and look at the second post. It details what information you need to send to Gibson for them to figure out what year it would be. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j45nick Posted September 30, 2019 Share Posted September 30, 2019 The serial number on the label is going to drive the value. If it's a 1960 serial number--and it appears to be, probably from the first quarter of the year--that's the way the market will treat it. You might say it is a guitar with a 1960 serial number, but 1959 characteristics, but it's still a 1960, and will be priced accordingly. I assume it occurred to you that the FON, if it exists, might be under the interior label. It's common on both acoustic and electric Gibsons to find earlier components on guitars with later serial numbers. It's not like a new shipment of parts arrived on January 1, 1960, and they threw away any older ones still on hand. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaicho8888 Posted October 2, 2019 Share Posted October 2, 2019 (edited) Here's one location ... Edited October 2, 2019 by kaicho8888 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thornev Posted October 3, 2019 Author Share Posted October 3, 2019 I emailed Gibson customer service and they said it left the Kalamazoo factory on March 10, 1960 according to their ledgers. I agree the market will treat it as a 1960. I can always say it has 1959 characteristics...for what it's worth. Thanks for all the replies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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