Damon Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 Hello all! I found this forum trying to find out what year this lap steel is. I found this forum here in this vintage lap steel thread: http://forums.gibson.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=11907 after searching for 30's Gibson Lap Steel. I wonder if mine is from the 30's. The serial # is 7316-18 which is seen in the last pic I will upload here. One thing that I am curious about is the crown emblem. In the thread mentioned above, the headstock has the four diamond emblem but mine has the crown like in the head stock on the guitar in the 'Nick Lucas on Ebay' thread. Is there a name for each emblem and do they help identify the year made? I got this from an old man in my neighborhood. It's covered with tiny dings and general wear but for me it just adds character. He is also selling a Dobro that he thinks is from 1970 but I think it's a '73 (serial # D 1022 7) Anyway, here are the pics of the lap steel my daughter took last night with her iphone so they aren't professional quality pics. Thanks for looking..... Here is the serial number on the back of the headstock: He also has something he said is called a mandolo. It's a mandolin with a banjo body. It's VERY old and has no identifying brands or serial numbers on it and I can't find the term mandolo anywhere except about some hybrid fruit. When I search mandolin banjo I see pics of newer versions though. Thanks again for looking at this post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Hollyer Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 Looks like an EH-125. That model was only made from 1940-42. Identifying ifo is the single binding and fleur-de-lis peghead inlay. It is missing some fancier features of the EH-150. The fleur-de-lis peghead inlay was only used for those years on those two models. Is there something preceding the 7316? I can't tell from the pic. Because that is actually a 1943 number, but everything else I know says they didn't make the EH-125 after 42. But there are lots of anomalies in Gibson's history. Best bet is a 1943 EH-125. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 The Dobro was made in '77. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damon Posted June 30, 2010 Author Share Posted June 30, 2010 Looks like an EH-125. That model was only made from 1940-42. Identifying ifo is the single binding and fleur-de-lis peghead inlay. It is missing some fancier features of the EH-150. The fleur-de-lis peghead inlay was only used for those years on those two models. Is there something preceding the 7316? I can't tell from the pic. Because that is actually a 1943 number' date=' but everything else I know says they didn't make the EH-125 after 42. But there are lots of anomalies in Gibson's history. Best bet is a 1943 EH-125. [/quote'] Yes, the number is F7316-18. I wondered what that in-lay design was called. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KilgoreTrout Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Ahh...the factory order number is from 1940. It is indeed an EH-125. - Kilgore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damon Posted June 30, 2010 Author Share Posted June 30, 2010 Ahh...the factory order number is from 1940. It is indeed an EH-125. - Kilgore Thanks for the help in determining the model and year. I wonder how you were able to determine that the factory order number is from 1940? I wonder if it would increase or decrease in value if I had the dings on the finish worked on. It plays and sounds great. Amazing sound, especially considering the electronics are 70 years old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damon Posted June 30, 2010 Author Share Posted June 30, 2010 The Dobro was made in '77. Thanks ksdaddy! Now that I am looking up 1977 Dobros I see they all have a 7 at the end. If memory serves me correctly he wanted $1000. It was in fantastic condition. On the web I am seeing them from between $1200 to $2200. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KilgoreTrout Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Thanks for the help in determining the model and year. I wonder how you were able to determine that the factory order number is from 1940? I wonder if it would increase or decrease in value if I had the dings on the finish worked on. It plays and sounds great. Amazing sound' date=' especially considering the electronics are 70 years old. [/quote'] During that era the first letter of Gibson factory order numbers designated the year. "F" (or "FA") is the code for 1940. Don't touch the finish. The general rule with vintage instruments is to keep them as original as possible. It has earned those dings. Refinished instruments are generally worth considerably less. - Kilgore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damon Posted June 30, 2010 Author Share Posted June 30, 2010 During that era the first letter of Gibson factory order numbers designated the year. "F" (or "FA") is the code for 1940. Don't touch the finish. The general rule with vintage instruments is to keep them as original as possible. It has earned those dings. Refinished instruments are generally worth considerably less. - Kilgore Thanks again. If F stand for forty then how would it be different if it was made in forty-one or forty-two? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KilgoreTrout Posted June 30, 2010 Share Posted June 30, 2010 Thanks again. If F stand for forty then how would it be different if it was made in forty-one or forty-two? It's a sequence rather than an abbreviation. 1941 is G and 1942 is H. Regards, - Kilgore Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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