Help with dating a Les Paul

[red7654]

GOLD TOP LES PAUL. NECK AND HEADSTOCK PAINTED SERIAL NUMBER IS 95111.

 

Can anyone help me with when this was made?

[AXE®]

Well you have her number.

 

Next buy her flowers and ask her to dinner.

[AXE®]

Six digit serials are usually indicative of the Classic series.

 

Pictures would be helpful.

 

Or we could wait for DAS or dem00n to chime in.

[dponzi]

GOLD TOP LES PAUL. NECK AND HEADSTOCK PAINTED SERIAL NUMBER IS 95111.

 

Can anyone help me with when this was made?

 

Red, Gibson didn't keep good serial number records in the early 70's. This is what Gibson has to say about it:

 

1970, 1971, and 1972 - 100000s, 600000s, 700000s, 900000s

1973 000001s, 100000s, 200000s, 800000s and a few “A” + 6 digit numbers

1974 and 1975 100000s, 200000s, 300000s, 400000s,500000s, 600000s, 800000s

and a few A-B-C-D-E-F + 6 digit numbers

 

Yours appears to be a 70, 71 or 72. If you take rear cover off from over the pots, the pots sometimes has the date the pot was made, MMYY (I think it's MMYY). Sometimes its real hard to see the numbers. Some times there's solder over the numbers too.

 

I have a 73 Les Paul that I dated this way.

 

Hope this helps.

[Big Bill]

Isn't dating your own Les Paul illegal in most states?

[BigKahune]

I thought that had something to do with taking her over state lines with intentions to play long and hard.

[cwness]

Six digit serials are usually indicative of the Classic series.

 

Pictures would be helpful.

 

Or we could wait for DAS or dem00n to chime in.

 

I know my eyes are getting bad but I only count 5 numbers and that

would make it a 1959. Is it spaced like 9 5111 if so then it is a 59.

If it is not spaced 95111 then it could be a 1999 Classic. I would say

it's the latter.

 

CW

[NeoConMan]

GOLD TOP LES PAUL. NECK AND HEADSTOCK PAINTED SERIAL NUMBER IS 95111.

 

Can anyone help me with when this was made?

Just got off the phone with my guy at Gibson.

 

He tells me your guitar is a 1995 or 2005 59 Les Paul Reissue - with a cherry sunburst finish.

Says your number doesn't jive as a Goldtop in their database.

And yes, 6 digits on a Classic.

 

Got a better number - or more info?

[AXE®]

I was pretty sure it wasn't a 59 "Goldtop"

[Big Bill]

Not down south' date=' but will get you a guest shot on Springer

[/quote']

 

 

Perhaps this could be another way of making a Les Paul Jr.?

[Mr. Natural]

I think Mary Ford probably has some insight on dating a Les Paul.

[El_Jeffe_Solid]

I cheated on my Strat with a Les Paul, and now I am married to the Les Paul.

[yoda]

GOLD TOP LES PAUL. NECK AND HEADSTOCK PAINTED SERIAL NUMBER IS 95111.

 

Can anyone help me with when this was made?

 

 

For future reference DON'T TYPE IN ALL CAPS!!!!!! It is the equivalent of SHOUTING!!!!!!

 

Welcome to the forums.

[tazzboy]

Do you have any pictures for us?

[NeoConMan]

For future reference DON'T TYPE IN ALL CAPS!!!!!! It is the equivalent of SHOUTING!!!!!!

Yeah!

Where's yer f-ing manners?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to the forums.

 

[red7654]

I don't know how to post photos on here. Is there a secret handshake I need to learn?

The guitar has a serial number of 95111. It is stamped into the back of the headstock. The

neck is painted all gold as well as the back of the headstock.

The pots say cts500 0702 two of the pots say rsg1 0628.

The truss rod cover says Deluxe. I have no doubt that it is not a 59 Les Paul.

 

Hope this is of some help. Sorry for SHOUTING.....

[NeoConMan]

Call Gibson Customer Service.

Seriously, they're open 24/7 and somebody there can talk about this with you.

 

800-444-2766 - select Option 1.

 

They'll probably ask for the number you're calling from, and your name.

Give them the serial number, and describe the guitar as well as you can.

 

 

Don't be discouraged, nobody has a more confusing serial number protocol than Gibson.

[RRIDER]

I don't know how to post photos on here. Is there a secret handshake I need to learn?

 

This tells how to post pics.

 

http://forums.gibson.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=11276

[dem00n]

Six digit serials are usually indicative of the Classic series.

 

Pictures would be helpful.

 

Or we could wait for DAS or dem00n to chime in.

Ahhh **** a da you.

[NeoConMan]

Six digit serials are usually indicative of the Classic series.

Just found out - it's 5 digits on the 90's Classics.

6 digits beginning in 2000.

 

That 9 5111 serial does indeed fit the bill for a 1999 Les Paul Classic if it's inked on the headstock.

 

Whether it's a good number or not, I dunno.

 

I say call Gibson again.

[cwness]

Just found out - it's 5 digits on the 90's Classics.

6 digits beginning in 2000.

 

That 9 5111 serial does indeed fit the bill for a 1999 Les Paul Classic if it's inked on the headstock.

 

Whether it's a good number or not' date=' I dunno.

 

I say call Gibson again.

[/quote']

 

and it's 4 digit for 89.

 

I could have swore it was a 59 gold top. Darn wrong again.

 

CW

[NeoConMan]

1990 was the first production year for the LP Classic.

 

You know something I don't?

 

 

 

(Hey, it could happen!)

 

:-)

[cwness]

1990 was the first production year for the LP Classic.

 

You know something I don't?

 

 

 

(Hey' date=' it could happen!)[/b']

 

:-)

 

There were some early Classics it seems. This is c/p.

 

Les Paul Classic: This model features an ink stamped serial number with no "MADE IN USA" (just as we used on the original 1952-1960 Les Pauls). Most will be 5 to 6 digits in length, but the earliest examples feature 4 digit serial numbers. There should be a space after the 1st digit with the 4 and 5 digit serial numbers, and no space with the 6 digit numbers.

 

The 1st digit indicates the year of manufacture for the 4 & 5 digit serial numbers, these were used from 1989-1999. The 1st and 2nd indicate the year of manufacture for the 6 digit serial numbers which we've been using since 2000.

 

Glad to teach you young fellows a thing or 2. LOL

 

CW

[tazzboy]

I don't know how to post photos on here. Is there a secret handshake I need to learn?

The guitar has a serial number of 95111. It is stamped into the back of the headstock. The

neck is painted all gold as well as the back of the headstock.

The pots say cts500 0702 two of the pots say rsg1 0628.

The truss rod cover says Deluxe. I have no doubt that it is not a 59 Les Paul.

 

Hope this is of some help. Sorry for SHOUTING.....

 

You need to get a photobucket account.

[klarson]

I have enclosed a picture of my SG Gibson that I bought for $325.00 around 1967. The serial number is 500328. I would never part with my Gibson but would like to know when it was made and it value to insure the guitar. I was told that Gibson can no longer use the imported cherry wood after 1969 since it is considered a endangered tree. Thank you for the advise.