Serial number help

[barrett]

Hello, I'm looking at a 2008 Les Paul Traditional. The serial number is 034081449. It's a honeyburst. I've found the page on the Gibson site where it talks about serial numbers, but I still can't figure out what all the numbers mean. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[barrett]

Alright. I think I figured it out. But is there a way to determine what the 449 means? It's the factory number, but is there a way to figure out what that is?

[kevoT]

Your guitar was made at the

Nashville Plant, TN, USA

December 6th, 2008

Production Number: 149

[kevoT]

449? its the production number of the guitar

[1267jason]

Hey kevot I'm having issues as well concerning serial #'s G0-5061 that's the # on my Les Paul, I've read the serial # info on the Gibson web page and its not making sense to me, please help!

[Tim Plains]

Jason, G0 5061 should be 61st Guitar Center 1960 plain top made in 2005.

 

barret, that's actually the first one I've heard of with a 1 for the batch number.

 

The pattern is as follows:

YDDDYBRRR

YY is the production year

DDD is the day of the year

RRR is the factory ranking/plant designation number.

B is the batch number

 

I guess that's the 1,148 made on that particular day. Can that be right? Man, that's a lot of guitars for one day's work!

[Guest BentonC]

Hi guys, regarding batch# 1:

 

Gibson USA went to a 9 digit serial number in early July 2005...

 

The sixth number is now a batch number- batch 0 starts at the beginning of the day, and once we stamp 699, the batch number will change to 1.

 

The first 5 numbers remain the same, the last 3 numbers will remain the same. The only difference is the addition of this batch indicator.

[JFLuvly]

I am looking at a Les Paul with the serial number 03430410. The number does not show up in any searches. It is stamped in the back with the made in USA stamp under it. I am guessing it's a 1990, but can't find any info.

[Black13]

My "RRR" number is: "713"

 

I understand that is the factory ranking/plant designation number, but does anybody know what 713 specifically means?

 

One site said the Nashville Plant is "Gibson-USA" and pumps out about 220 guitars per day, while the Memphis Shop builds 40/day. Does 713 mean it was the 13th guitar built that day? Any help appreciated, thanks.

[BigKahune]

.

What's the model and year of the guitar, or the whole serial? . There are some other exceptions to the standard serial formula, and that's why the model and year are important.

 

Beginning 1989, acoustic guitars built at Bozeman (acoustics) were ranked from 001-300. Electric Guitars built at the Gibson USA plant in Nashville were ranked from 300-999. Prior to 1984, the numbers 001-499 show Kalamazoo production, 500-999 show Nashville production. In July 2005 Gibson USA (Nashville) went to a 9 digit serial number and Bozeman (acoustics) kept the 8 digit serial number.

 

If your guitar was made in a recent year - Gibson USA (Nashville) went to a 9 digit serial number in July 2005 to accommodate their increased production. The sixth number is a the batch number that starts at 0 at the beginning of the day, and when 699 is reached, the batch number changes to 1 and the rank count starts over, allowing the batching to rank/count over 1000 guitars per day. I'm not sure what the 713 would be - other than you might have an exception: For example, in 1994, the centennial year, the serial numbers begin with "94" for the year, and the remaining 6 digits indicate the ranking number in the entire year (YYRRRRRR) - so for example 94000713 would be the 713th guitar built in the centennial year (1994).

 

 

.

[Black13]

.

What's the model and year of the guitar, or the whole serial? . In July 2005 Gibson USA (Nashville) went to a 9 digit serial number and Bozeman (acoustics) kept the 8 digit serial number.

 

.

 

It's a 2013 model year, and only 8 digits: 12193713

[cjsinla]

I am looking at a Les Paul with the serial number 03430410. The number does not show up in any searches. It is stamped in the back with the made in USA stamp under it. I am guessing it's a 1990, but can't find any info.

 

I'm guessing it's a 2000 if you take the first and fifth digits. I. Also guessing that the 1990's start with a 9.

[BigKahune]

It's a 2013 model year, and only 8 digits: 12193713

 

A 2013 Gibson USA Les Paul should have a 9 digit number. . Is the guitar a Les Paul? . Which model?

 

 

.

[Black13]

A 2013 Gibson USA Les Paul should have a 9 digit number. . Is the guitar a Les Paul? . Which model?

 

 

.

 

Oh sorry, it's an ES-339. I guess I'm in the wrong forum, but this was all I found for serial numbers and I figured you would know more than anyone. Thanks.

[BigKahune]

.

Okay. Despite popular belief, and the useless Guitar Dater site, the the serial doesn't always reflect the number of guitars finished during a particular day, it's actually the number of necks. The ES guitars are made in Memphis which issues Custom Shop serial numbers, historical RI serials, artist serials, and the standard 8 digit serials (YDDDYRRR) like you have. So, AFAIK, your guitar has the 713th neck stamped that day - with a number that high, probably one of the last ones that day. The necks are completed and stamped before being joined to the bodies, and it might take some days for a particular neck to join a body.

 

BTW, Bozeman (acoustics) still use the 8 digit serials. Memphis/Custom (ES guitars) also still uses the 8 digit serials, as well as various other serial formats. Nashville USA (solid, weight relieved and chambered electrics) uses 9 digit serials, while the Nashville Custom Shop (custom solid bodies, historic reissues, carved top archtops, and finishing historic RI semihollows) issues various serial formats.

 

 

.

[Black13]

.

Okay. Despite popular belief, and the useless Guitar Dater site, the the serial doesn't always reflect the number of guitars finished during a particular day, it's actually the number of necks. The ES guitars are made in Memphis which issues Custom Shop serial numbers, historical RI serials, artist serials, and the standard 8 digit serials (YDDDYRRR) like you have. So, AFAIK, your guitar has the 713th neck stamped that day - with a number that high, probably one of the last ones that day. The necks are completed and stamped before being joined to the bodies, and it might take some days for a particular neck to join a body.

 

BTW, Bozeman (acoustics) still use the 8 digit serials. Memphis/Custom (ES guitars) also still uses the 8 digit serials, as well as various other serial formats. Nashville USA (solid, weight relieved and chambered electrics) uses 9 digit serials, while the Nashville Custom Shop (custom solid bodies, historic reissues, carved top archtops, and finishing historic RI semihollows) issues various serial formats.

 

 

.

 

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. Good stuff. 713 necks in a day sounds like a lot, that guitar-dater site says Memphis does about 40 guitars a day, but maybe they just do necks for awhile and let them wait for bodies later, as you said. I was hoping it would be the 13th, or maybe the 113th, like Memphis started at the 600's, but 113 is still a lot more than 40. Makes sense that the necks are a different thing than the bodies. Really interesting though.

[BigKahune]

... I was hoping it would be the 13th, or maybe the 113th, like Memphis started at the 600's, but 113 is still a lot more than 40. ...

 

Well, Memphis and Bozeman are both using 8 digit numbers. I'm not sure how they share them, but it's probably something like you've guessed. Starting in 1989 when the Bozeman acoustic plant opened, Bozeman and Nashville shared 8 digit numbers as I mentioned above: Bozeman (acoustic) guitars were ranked from 001-300 and Nashville (electric) guitars were ranked from 300-999. Then Memphis opened in 2000 adding another layer to the sharing of 8 digit serial numbers. In 2005, when the production from the three plants out paced the available serial numbers, Nashville went to 9 digit serials, causing only Bozeman and Memphis to share the 8 digit numbers. I would think that they are shared in a similar fashion as previously done by Bozeman and Nashville - in which case Memphis would have the higher rank numbers. So that 713 rank came from a starting point of 300 or higher (again, I'm not sure of exactly how the rank numbers are currently being shared between Bozeman and Memphis, and Gibson has been slow to share this info on their serial number web page - the 9 digit info just went up in the last couple years).

 

 

.

[Stevi]

Hi All,

im looking at a Lp , supposedly a 2019 

serial no is 113390358, but all web sites are saying , after a certain year the  first  2 numbers should be the year date , not the first and  fifth no. 

The model no saying LPS600ITNH1

Ive got , Les Paul Standard , Iced Tea , Nichol Hardware , no 1 Quality , not sure what the 600 is for , I thought the year date was in the model number  as well 

Any help greatly appreciated

 

rock on 

 

Steve.

[Filbert]

Gibson have recently (as in for this year's serial numbers) changed their numbering pattern so if you are trying to date a 2019 guitar then the online serial checkers may not work. I have 2 2019 Gibsons - my Les Paul serial begins 19 so follows the 'old' pattern of first two digits being year whereas my Firebird, which is newer by a couple of months, serial begins 10. I know full well it wasn't made in 2010 but all the online checkers came back with 'not recognised'. In the end, I emailed Gibson support the full serial with photographic evidence and they were able to confirm the serial and indeed told me their numbering system has changed, hence why the online tools don't work.

[Stevi]

9 hours ago, Filbert said:

Gibson have recently (as in for this year's serial numbers) changed their numbering pattern so if you are trying to date a 2019 guitar then the online serial checkers may not work. I have 2 2019 Gibsons - my Les Paul serial begins 19 so follows the 'old' pattern of first two digits being year whereas my Firebird, which is newer by a couple of months, serial begins 10. I know full well it wasn't made in 2010 but all the online checkers came back with 'not recognised'. In the end, I emailed Gibson support the full serial with photographic evidence and they were able to confirm the serial and indeed told me their numbering system has changed, hence why the online tools don't work.

Thanks Fil  , great help ,

you can’t be too sure these days ,

I’ll check it out Cheers

[Still Learning]

Hi All, I'm considering purchasing what appears to be a legit 2005 custom shop, CS 356 Q.  The question is that it only has a six digit serial number  "500819".   Every web page I've been to says all Gibson Serial numbers of this vintage are either eight digits or nine. What's up with that? The second part of my question is what does the Q signify?  Thanks for taking time to help. Great page.

[David915]

On 9/24/2019 at 12:51 AM, Stevi said:

Hi All,

im looking at a Lp , supposedly a 2019 

serial no is 113390358, but all web sites are saying , after a certain year the  first  2 numbers should be the year date , not the first and  fifth no. 

The model no saying LPS600ITNH1

Ive got , Les Paul Standard , Iced Tea , Nichol Hardware , no 1 Quality , not sure what the 600 is for , I thought the year date was in the model number  as well 

Any help greatly appreciated

 

rock on 

 

Steve.

Steve, isn't your LP Standard from the Original Collection that began in 2019? If so, it would have to be a 60s Standard (slim neck) because Iced Tea is offered with the 60s, but not the 50s Standard. So, the model # is probably LPS, then 60 or 600 for 60s Standard. The 2nd zero is unnecessary, unless it's supposed to be the letter O. This would make sense in the case of needed 3 letters for describing the color/finish. If that's the case, Iced Tea would have the letter O first (after 60) since only two letters are needed to describe it (OIT) and Heritage Cherry Sunburst needs 3 letters (HCS).  Looks like it's a zero though so maybe 600 represents the 60s Standard. Not certain on that, but at least you're closer now. Check and see if it's actually the letter O instead of zero. What's more important to go by though is the serial number.  The model # is just a code description. I'm in the process of trying to figure out the date Gibson changed their serial number pattern because some of the Les Paul Standards from this Original Collection start with 19 (YY) followed by a bunch of production numbers, so it only tells you the year made. Others are like yours. So, I think it changed shortly after this new line started about a year ago. Going by your serial # I can tell it was completed on May 13, 2019 (Happy birthday to your LPS next month in May, lol). But, this tells me the change was before the 5/13 date.  You probably have one of the earlier ones with the new serial number system. It's actually not a new system or pattern, they just went back to that way of doing it again, it's better and a good thing for you. I'm in the market right now for a Standard and want to understand this first. Will probably get the question in to Gibson tomorrow and hopefully get an answer soon. Maybe they were using both patterns at the same time in 2019, one in Memphis and one in Nashville and when Memphis plant relocated to Nashville they started using the same one. I would prefer one with the serial # like yours, to know the exact day. Reading your serial number, the 1st and 5th digits represent the year 2019. The 1 and 9 for 19. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th digits (133) stand for the 133rd day of the year 2019. The 6th number is the batch indicator and yours is a zero which means the 1st batch is in process, but not yet complete. Once a batch is complete that number changes to a 1. So, when you look at the last 4 digits (0358), the 358 indicates the number within the batch. Same number but second batch would be (1358) for the last four digits. Just starting to see the 2020s. The serial numbers are 2xxx0xxxx. Let me know if you've found out anything new since posting this last year.

Thanks

David

Edited April 17, 2020 by David915

[Marco Saurus]

I've got a LP '70s Vintage , red wine, no pickguard, chrome hardware (if that matters).  My serial number is 133920667 and its stamped 2013.  My question: The serial number indicates it was made on December 5th , 2012.  So would they stamp it "2013"? 

[Msafe88]

I have a SG 4 string bass serial number is 904902 and has made in the USA stamped on the headstock. 

[kidblast]

I have a SG 4 string bass serial number is 904902 and has made in the USA stamped on the headstock. 

if you use Guitar Dater Project, (https://www.guitardaterproject.org/default.aspx) and check the box for extended search this pops up from that #

Your guitar was made at the
Nashville Plant, TN, USA
in 1999 Or 2009
Production Number: 4902

To be 100% sure, your best bet would be to work with Gibson Customer service, the serial and photos would probably help them help you.

 

Edited July 21, 2020 by kidblast