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A little help?

jannusguy

By jannusguy
in Gibson Acoustic

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jannusguy

jannusguy

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i should prolly post this in the lounge but folks are nicer here. anyway, i'm trying to date this ES 175 i came into today. i think it's a 1950. can someone verify that the pup is a dog ear P90 and not a PAF? that will help me. this has been under a bed for 25 years. nice.

 

MyPicture-1.jpg

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ksdaddy

ksdaddy

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It's a P-90 (single coil). Humbuckers weren't used until 1957. Those humbuckers had the Patent Applied For (PAF) sticker. I'm not sure when they went to the patent number, early 60s I think. Some say they changed, some think it's just cork-sniffer mentality.

 

So yeah, it very well could be a 1950.

 

P-90 in an LP Junior. Dogear or soapbar, they're the same guts:

les-paul-junior2.jpg

 

Typical humbucker (with chrome cover intact):

a4.jpg

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jannusguy

jannusguy

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It's a P-90 (single coil). Humbuckers weren't used until 1957. Those humbuckers had the Patent Applied For (PAF) sticker. I'm not sure when they went to the patent number' date=' early 60s I think. Some say they changed, some think it's just cork-sniffer mentality.

 

So yeah, it very wel could be a 1950. [/quote']

 

cool, thanks. that's how i am leaning. i think they used the single P90 from '49 until '52. not sure how i'll narrow it down from there.

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Red 333

Red 333

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At some point they offered the 175D with two pickups but they continued to offer a single pickup model. It looks like it has 19 frets unless my eyes deceive me. That could make it as late as '55.

 

I think I see 20 frets. If so, it would be a '55 or '56, the only years a 20 fret model had a P90 (until reissues).

 

The edges of the P90 cover itself looks rounded. They were rounded though 1954, and got squarer after that. If your guitar does have a rounded p90 cover, and it is a 20 fret model, that might mean you have an early '55 transitional model, as Gibson was using up the old stock of rounded covers.

 

If you can take some more pictures of the P90, and count the frets, that might help.

 

What color is the soundole label? These changed from white to orange in late 1954. That's another clue.

 

She looks like beauty, by the way!

 

Red 333

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Red 333

Red 333

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affirmative on the 20 frets. white label. serial starting with A. cooking dinner' date=' will take a couple more pics later. thanks guys.[/quote']

 

Probably a late '54/early '55 transitional model. Cool.

 

The "A" serial number system began in April, 1947, by the way. I think it ran through through February of 1961.

 

Red 333

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L5Larry

L5Larry

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You say it has an "A" series serial number? The "A" series numbers are fully documented, either post the serial number here, or PM me, I can tell you the year, and probably within a couple of months of that year.

 

The potentiometer codes will also tell part of the tale.

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jannusguy

jannusguy

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i called gruhn's this morning and they pegged it as a 1954 via the serial number and specs i gave them. thanks everyone. now i have to decide if i'm gonna keep it or sell it. i cleaned it all up this afternoon and put a fresh set of strings on it. it's in amazing condition.

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