cmiguel32 Posted February 3, 2022 Share Posted February 3, 2022 Wanted to see what everyone else thinks about this. Trying to decipher FON/Serial number system for post-war Gibson es-125. I just picked this one up, and I suspect it's between 1946-1949, but I'd like some opinions to help narrow it down further. The back of the headstock has the engraving 4G642 (followed by a rough gouge, not sure if it's supposed to be a 1, or if it was something else carved by a previous owner). The guitar has trapezoid inlays and raised diamond trapeze tailpiece. I haven't seen any photos online of other early es-125 guitars with engraved FON/serial numbers like this on the headstock. Appreciate any insight y'all might have. Thanks! Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted February 3, 2022 Share Posted February 3, 2022 Surely it originally had dot inlays? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted February 4, 2022 Share Posted February 4, 2022 There was an ES-135 that had trapezoids. Maybe that’s what this is? The barrel knobs and non adjustable pole pieces certainly place it early! Looks like a mahogany top? I always figured that was an L-48 feature but ya know Gibson….. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmiguel32 Posted February 4, 2022 Author Share Posted February 4, 2022 Based on my research, some early post-war ES-125 guitars did come with trapezoid inlays and were constructed completely of mahogany. My guess is that they initially used the same necks as the ES150 and subsequently downgraded to dot inlays. The weird FON/Serial engraving is throwing me off, though. The guitar has the gold block print Gibson silkscreen logo that transitioned from the script logo in '46/47 for these models, but the number from the engraving doesn't seem to make much sense. I don't see any serial # inside the f hole or heel of the neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted February 6, 2022 Share Posted February 6, 2022 The numbers on the back of the headstock were stamped by someone. Ive never seen those uneven on a Gibson. Even the direction stamped. it does look like a es 135 though. You got a picture of the face of the headstock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmiguel32 Posted February 7, 2022 Author Share Posted February 7, 2022 Yup, see attached. Has the updated block logo that started sometime in 47 or late 46. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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