J160-E Serial no... help dating this build

[SparkyEOT]

I'm helping the owner pin down the manufacture date. He is two states away and has sent pics and serial... so far I can only determine it is post 1955 (20 frets vs 19) but I'm finding little else to go on.

The serial he has found is reported as "R2833-12"

Thanks!

 

[Dave F]

R is 1960

http://www.guitarhq.com/gibson.html#serial

 

• • Factory Order Numbers with a Letter, 1952 to 1961.
    This letter preceeds the batch number within the Factory Order Number (FON), and denotes the year of manufacturer. Remember, the batch number is the first 4 digits of the FON, followed by a 1 or 2 digit sequence number (within the batch). This letter should be before the FON batch number. This was used on archtop models (ink stamped inside treble F-hole) and on flat top models (ink stamped on the neck block), from 1952 to 1961:

• Year    Letter
  ----    ------
  1952    Z
  1953    Y
  1954    X
  1955    W
  1956    V
  1957    U
  1958    T
  1959    S
  1960    R
  1961    Q
  

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Edited May 4, 2021 by Dave F

[slimt]

As Dave says.   I own a 56 J50e.mine is a solid top.  Same guitar. Just a different stamping. 
 

Now with the 160e. Some of those were laminated tops. If not all.   
 

there a decent guitar.  

 

 

[SparkyEOT]

Dave F, slimt, thanks a ton! Yeah, my buddy has a VERY nice guitar!