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i.d. your Epiphone here -- serial # key, guitardater link + factory codes... a worldwide guide >part 3


Steven Lister

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  • 1 month later...

It had a fault and got repaired, some had other pickups than stock

 

YOU like it - that's what counts

 

ok thank you for your reply and i love it and after further inspection of my EPI acoustic it seems it came from the same place oh well maybe i can afford a new one some day

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  • 1 month later...

Greetings from Mexico City!

 

First time at these forums (or Gibson.com for that matter... I guess I still can't afford one <_< ) as I'm in need of selling my '93 Epiphone Les Paul Custom (which I received back in January '94 courtesy of Aerosmith through a local radio station promotion) and this post seems to be the "authority" regarding serial numbers.

 

 

It says at the beginning that, and I quote,

 

To find the i.d. of your 1993 or most later models Epiphone either:

1. Use the "keys" and factory letter/number identifiers below -- note that for guitars made prior to 1993, the serial # assigned does not reveal the date or factory where made --

 

Now, the key words here are "prior to 1993" and those are the reason I decided to register and post this, because based on the serial of my Epi I think an update should be made clearly stating "Exceptions to different YEARS" or something along the lines of that, I dunno, maybe even just "PRIOR TO 1994", for there are serials that does not fit within the actual known identifiers and that does not reveal the month of manufacture... That is the case of my guitar serial number: S9318662 (see photos below); It doesn't include a MONTH "letter code" and it surely can't be a two-digit number code either (unless 1 = January but honestly, I doubt it).

 

 

'93 Epiphone Les Paul Custom

 

'93 Epiphone Les Paul Custom headstock (front)

 

'93 Epiphone Les Paul Custom headstock (back)

 

 

Who knows, maybe the answer lies in the fact that they just made some 18,662 guitars that year!

 

 

Also, the "model serial" will help Paruwi update the "Model number decoding" section over at EpiphoneWiki:

 

LP.CST.B

 

which obviously refers to a LES PAUL . CUSTOM . BLACK

 

 

Thanks in advance for any info you could provide on my serial besides being made by Samick (Korea) back in 1993.

 

 

P.D. By the way, let's suppose for some reason you're interested, How much would you pay for this already 20-year old Epiphone Les Paul Custom guitar?

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Hey man....Regarding the s/n on your EF500RVS....

I've got the exact same guitar.. my s/n is "G0402220926"

I've researched this in the past (back when I bought it) and was told that the "G" is not a factory Code at all....from what I was told this "G" (and the "GG") code refers to the fact that the components were created in China but the guitars (with these codes) were assembled in the U.S. This is not confirmed fact. Maybe midi man has better source for confirmation of this possibility?

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Never heard of this theory - and I highly doubt it

I doubt it to but it sure would explain the whole "we don't know what factory 'G' is"?????

These guitars were produced into the late 2000's right....yer telling me that they have no idea where a successful, "Premium" line of guitars was produced???

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi,

i bought this guitar assuming it was this one

Epiphone Les Paul Tribute Plus BC Black Cherry

but on the neck plate i says Les Paul STANDARD PRO

it looks exactly like the Tribute Plus BC Black Cherry

is this a factory error ?

 

S# F323184

 

post-63872-075415100 1394036863_thumb.jpg

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Probably someone changed the Trussrodcover

 

I would check if the preowner stripped other things like the Gibson pickups ???

 

The Serialnumber should be pressed in

 

then your guitar was made End of 2013

 

http://epiphonewiki.com/index.php/Epiphone_Serial_Number_Decoding#.22F.22-Serial_numbers_used_on_LP_Std.2759.2FStd.2760_models_and_.27Tribute.27.2F.27Tribute-Plus.27_models

 

Thanx for replying, I bought this guitar from a dealer no previous owner only the nameplate is different....

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  • 2 weeks later...

I feel completely messed up, so I'd like to ask for your help. My English is not very fluent.

 

I have an Epiphone Rock Bass and its serial number is 70111137.

 

Could you help me found out when and where it was built, please?

 

Thank your very much in advance and greetings from Spain.

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Hey man....Regarding the s/n on your EF500RVS....

I've got the exact same guitar.. my s/n is "G0402220926"

I've researched this in the past (back when I bought it) and was told that the "G" is not a factory Code at all....from what I was told this "G" (and the "GG") code refers to the fact that the components were created in China but the guitars (with these codes) were assembled in the U.S. This is not confirmed fact. Maybe midi man has better source for confirmation of this possibility?

 

 

A lot of early chinese Masterbilts had a G or GG letter code on them. I have a feeling this was another interim code used by Qingdao before EE & EA, much like QG (Qingdao Gibson) was.

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A lot of early chinese Masterbilts had a G or GG letter code on them. I have a feeling this was another interim code used by Qingdao before EE & EA, much like QG (Qingdao Gibson) was.

That seems to be the consensus ….and would explain why they don't have them "on record" as a Factory Code. If it was during a transitional period (factory to factory) they may have been using up pre-manufactured parts and assembling them at a "new" factory….thus no Factory Code.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Serialnumbers on Samick made guitars from 1993 should start with S3MM1234

 

the system works like F(F)Y(Y)MM1234

 

S307xxxx would be July 93

S408xxxx would be Aug 94

S509xxxx would be Sep 95

S9601xxxx would be Jan 96

 

they started using two digits for the year in 96, 'cause 6 would be 86, 7=87....

 

 

Should start??? Oh man, pleeease don't give that...

 

Thanx for your reply Midtowner but it seems not even legit serial pictures are proof enough to you that your "identifier system" is WRONG when it comes to guitars prior to 1994 at least.

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  • 1 month later...

Newbie here. I already posted this elsewhere but I think this is the correct place for this question so apologies for cross posting. I've been on the dater and serial # sites and can't identify my Epi p-90 Jr.

 

Number on neckplate: C197118785. What factory is indicated by the letter "C"? Other identifier: the TRC says "Gibson".

 

Thanks, help is much appreciated! Flotrain

post-65625-054519000 1401301065_thumb.jpg

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  • 1 month later...
  • 3 months later...

Thanks.

I've got two mystery ones. My LP (great guitar), has a factory code of 12, so that could be Unsung or DeaWon. Number says made in Sept. of 2010. My little Special II has a number that says it was made in November of 2005. It has a mystery factory code of SU. Wonder where that is.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 4 weeks later...

Hello.

 

Probably, my Epiphone is fake. Serial number indicates factory in Korea 2013 (U130758712). What think you on this theme?

Galery: http://www.galerieal...leria/4645558/1

Let's help to make sure me.

 

I thank and I salute.

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately you are correct. That is a fake Epi. They stopped using an alpha prefix to their serial numbers in mid 2008. The font is also wrong and you can see the headstock binding is double the thickness it should be and extends to the midpoint of the first fret. All signs of a certain counterfeit guitar. I would recommend that you send pictures and details on the purchase to Gibson/Epiphone Customer Support for their official confirmation before attempting to confront the seller to get your money back. Official confirmation is an absolute must if the guitar was purchased on line from EBay and paid for using PayPal.

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