Information on Country and Western Guitar

[jfriesen]

I have a Gibson guitar I purchased used in 1965. It is a Country and Western model and I'm trying to find out some more information on it. The serial number is 2749 29. It may have a letter in front of the number (and may have another at the end - the marks are unclear). If it does have a number in front of it, it would be a U or a D (it could be a 0)and the last mark may be a 1.

 

Any help you can give me on this would be appreciated.

 

[cornflake]

I have a Gibson guitar I purchased used in 1965. It is a Country and Western model and I'm trying to find out some more information on it. The serial number is 2749 29. It may have a letter in front of the number (and may have another at the end - the marks are unclear). If it does have a number in front of it, it would be a U or a D (it could be a 0)and the last mark may be a 1.

 

Any help you can give me on this would be appreciated.

 

Its hadd to tell in the pic but it looks like either a Songwriter Deluxe, or a Hummingbird Artist

[jfriesen]

Thanks.

 

After looking at the serial number, I was able to determine that it was made in 1957. The serial number does start with a U.

 

It's kind of odd, because it doesn't have the hummingbird design on the pickguard, but it does have the split paralellagram pearl inlays.

[cornflake]

Thanks.

 

After looking at the serial number, I was able to determine that it was made in 1957. The serial number does start with a U.

 

It's kind of odd, because it doesn't have the hummingbird design on the pickguard, but it does have the split paralellagram pearl inlays.

The Hummingbird Artist dosent have the disign on the pickguard but the consrtuction is the same.

[cornflake]

Thanks.

 

After looking at the serial number, I was able to determine that it was made in 1957. The serial number does start with a U.

 

It's kind of odd, because it doesn't have the hummingbird design on the pickguard, but it does have the split paralellagram pearl inlays.

I would look more at the Songwriter Deluxe or some of the J series

[gregsguitardotnet]

Rumor has it Gibson made this model for their sales reps below the Mason-Dixon line. Basically the SJ was a replacement for the J-55. The Southern Jumbo is a great model, basically a fancier version of the J-45. An excellent model,1956 Southern Jumbo specs:

pearl "Gibson" peghead logo replaces gold silkscreen, and pearl crown peghead design added, natural finish now called the "Country Western".

1960 Country Western specs:

Country Western renamed "SJN".

1961 Southern Jumbo, SJN specs:

Adjustable saddle bridge, cherry sunburst also offered.

1962 SJN specs:

SJN renamed "SJN Country Western".

1963 Southern Jumbo and SJN Country Western specs:

Square shoulder dreadnought body shape, 3 point pickguard, plastic bridge.

1964 SJ and SJN specs:

rosewood bridge with adjustable saddle.

Southern Jumbo and SJN Country Western discontinued 1977, and then reintroduced in 1991 (with round shoulders). Model still available today.

 

Factory Order Numbers with a Letter, 1952 to 1961.

This letter preceeds the batch number within the Factory Order Number (FON), and denotes the year of manufacturer. Remember, the batch number is the first 4 digits of the FON, followed by a 1 or 2 digit sequence number (within the batch). This letter should be before the FON batch number. This was used on archtop models (ink stamped inside treble F-hole) and on flat top models (ink stamped on the neck block), from 1952 to 1961:

 

Year Letter

---- ------

1952 Z

1953 Y

1954 X

1955 W

1956 V

1957 U

1958 T

1959 S

1960 R

1961 Q

[TommyK]

Nope, neither a Hummingbird nor a Songwriter. They are square shoulder dreads.

 

This is what it is, a Country Western. If it is a variation of something, it is a variation of the Jumbo series. (round shouldered).

 

If you purchased in 1965, it is older than the poorly built Norlin era of Gibsons.