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GG serial prefix mystery


Emetry

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Posted

Hey y'all. In working on cracking the code on the GG serial number prefix on Epiphones, I've run into a bit of an issue. While the one example I do have on hand (the '05 Dot) turned up a guitar in the registry, the Gibson rep had no record of a GG prefix ever being used or a factory ever using it.

 

Here's my request. Tomorrow, I'm speaking with a product specialist from Epiphone about this, and I wanted to have as much to go on as possible.

Is anyone aware of any other GG prefixed Epis? If so, what style, where were they purchased, and do you have the full serial?

Please let me know, because if that rep is right, and nobody's used those prefixes, but the guitars are in their systems, and the specialist corraborates, there could be some potentially pissed off (incredibly well made, in house) fake owners. That or owners of some REALLY rare guitars. Who knows?

Posted

"Nicovantonder" (an EJ-200CE serial# GG05090611) and 1 other from either the Gibson forum or the Les Paul forum (I don't recall the model or forum) were the two I had mentioned. Neither were confirmed authentic and I am not aware of any follow-up being done.

 

Back in the '60s with the Coronet, Epi had an agreement with an outlet whereby that outlet's own serial number designation was used. There is an UK outlet known as GigGear ( www.giggear.co.uk ) that is an authorized Epi dealer.

In-house they use a GG ____ numbering system. A long shot but could they be the source of the GG designation?

 

Hit every BLUE NOTE baaaby..., I'm going to play on:-"

Posted
"Nicovantonder" (an EJ-200CE serial# GG05090611) and 1 other from either the Gibson forum or the Les Paul forum (I don't recall the model or forum) were the two I had mentioned. Neither were confirmed authentic and I am not aware of any follow-up being done.

 

Back in the '60s with the Coronet' date=' Epi had an agreement with an outlet whereby that outlet's own serial number designation was used. There is an UK outlet known as GigGear ( www.giggear.co.uk ) that is an authorized Epi dealer.

In-house they use a GG ____ numbering system. A long shot but could they be the source of the GG designation?

 

Hit every BLUE NOTE baaaby..., I'm going to play on:-"

 

Actually, the guy I'd spoken with brought that up, but couldn't find anything to confirm it. Maybe the Epi Specialist will be able to.

It's a start.

Posted

All right guys, here's the skinny on those pesky GG serials.

 

I spoke with a Product Specialist from Epiphone, then a supervisor after that, and here's the deal.

There are no records, even in the archives, of a factory ever being given the prefix denotation "GG".

HOWEVER!

The Natural finish Dot turned up in the system as produced in July of 2005 (no word on the EJ, that one didn't appear in their records).

 

According to the gentlemen at Gibson, this means one of 2 things, it is a guitar that was produced in house at Gibson, registered, and then sold "black market" style to a distributor or individual, or that in 2005, they started using GG as a prefix for serial numbers then rapidly swapped it out for another denotation (either EA or EE, both China made).

If you have a "made in" sticker on the guitar, and don't want to think your guitar is a possible "rogue" instrument, then i would say your best bet is either Chine or Korea. He said there's an OUNCE of possibility of them being made in Japan.

 

That said, he did remind me that via serial number alone, they cannot authenticate a guitar. The best bet for anyone wondering is to take high-res photos and e-mail them to support@gibson.com

A reminder though, there's no record (even archival) of a GG ever being used.

 

 

So while I may have generated more questions than I've answered, that's the best I could do without actually HAVING a guitar with a GG serial code.

Posted

Well then, that is the word from on-high..., until further notice.

And for your efforts Emetry, you sir receive an honorable mention as helpful forum member of the day

-- and an ice cold one!

 

 

img_tremblay.jpg

 

 

 

Hit every BLUE NOTE baaaby..., I'm going to play on:-"

Posted

Hey Steven Lister...What was my surprise when I saw your TREMBLAY beer...I'm drinking one while I read you...It's not a very well known Beer out of Quebec...but taste very good....I'll have my next one for you...Cheers !!!!

  • 5 years later...
Posted

Bump-

 

Any further success sourcing the mfg of these GG serial numbers? I (too) have an Epi Dot with "Inspected by Gabor" and "Made in China" stickers; serial GG05090715.

 

All Jon Sutherland at Gibson Customer Service will tell me is that it's "consistent with an Epiphone Dot model in Cherry finish, made in China in September of 2005. We do not release specific factory information, as they are considered our vendors."

 

Sure would like to know more.

Posted

I like to follow paths of logic most times.

 

And what logic is indicating after the response from Epiphone is more than likely, they were supposed to have the EE prefix, but something happened and the GG was used initially.

 

Once the mistake was pointed out, the correct prefix was returned to.

 

That's why no history of the prefix. An overseas mistake that got corrected with no record of the serial number.

 

Just my takemsp_wink.gif

Posted

Makes sense. But further research seems to point to the DW prefix as more likely. I've read Daewon was transitioning to a new China factory about this time.

 

Also, since those that report the GG prefix in their serial numbers seem to also report the "Inspected by Gabor" sticker, maybe the GG, at least temporarily, indicated GibsonGabor?

 

Sure would like to find out what the mfg plant's quality reputation was. Mine seems quite nice with only a very few minor flaws: loose wiring mounts, small points where the red finish over the piping wasn't completely polished out and slightly crooked tuning gears.

 

Wonder how many guitars carry the GG serial number.

  • 7 months later...
Posted

Hey guys, i was looking for answers about that mistery, i bought an epiphone EJ200-CE Black and guess what? GG serial - GG06110834.

I bought two years ago, i live in Brazil.

When i got this guitar i was worried, then i sent an e-mail to Gibson Support and they said thats a genuine epiphone guitar. That's fine, but i wanna know

where my guitar was made, that's a joke, a bad one. Shame on you Gibson, shame on you.

Posted

Hey guys, i was looking for answers about that mistery, i bought an epiphone EJ200-CE Black and guess what? GG serial - GG06110834.

I bought two years ago, i live in Brazil.

When i got this guitar i was worried, then i sent an e-mail to Gibson Support and they said thats a genuine epiphone guitar. That's fine, but i wanna know

where my guitar was made, that's a joke, a bad one. Shame on you Gibson, shame on you.

 

it was probably made in China or Indonesia. why is this a "Shame on you Gibson" situation? Gibson/Epiphone doesn't reveal factories because they don't want one being thought inferior or better than the next. enjoy your guitar. it's not like it's a vintage instrument with a story.

  • 3 weeks later...
  • 6 months later...
Posted

Hi guys,

 

I have an Epiphone Dot with a GG serial number.

 

It is a Dot VS (vintage Sunburst) with a full serial of GG05080972 which translates as August 2005 build number 0972.

Strange that other GGs seem to be around 2005...significant perhaps?

 

Two stickers on the back of the headstock -

1. FretMusic (a Southampton UK music store)

2. 100% Inspected and Set up in the USA by "5" plus the Epi "E"

That's it.

 

I got the guitar off eBay 3 years ago and paid what appeared to be the going rate.

 

The only odd thing was that the tuners on one side were gold and on the other side were silver (They are now all 6 silver)

This makes me suspect that it may have been a factory second passed on to a refurbisher maybe.

 

It terms of fit and finish it is clean as a whistle and

I have put Seymour Duncan pups on it and it sings.

 

Any info on GG would be welcome.

 

Cheers

 

John In UK

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