56 Special Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 Hi. I just bought a ES 125, the number stamped inside the f-hole is Y5321. I found the 'Blue Book' info on dating Gibsons but it's still a bit hazy. The Y suggests it maybe a 1953 model but nothing really seems to correspond... Can anyone help me date this? Cheers, Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 It's a '53. The basic 125s didn't change a lot over the years. The earliest ones had some odd pickups, clear knobs, minor stuff, but from about 1950 onward they didn't really change. Typically Gibsons before 1955 had 19 frets, 20 thereafter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
56 Special Posted November 7, 2008 Author Share Posted November 7, 2008 Cool. I guess that was pretty easy after all... Thanks for that. So if Y indicates the year, just out of curiosity, does anyone know what the numbers signify? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 Likely the FON (Factory Order Number), which probably has no more significance numerically that a purchase order number. Most Gibsons of that era were made in batches or lots of 40 and the sequential number is often tagged onto the end. I have a 1958 Gibson C-6 classical with the number T4113-30. The T signifies 1958 (only applicable on 50s Gibsons and then not all of them!), 4113 was the FON, and it was #30 of 40. Sometimes that last 2 digits is missing and that makes me wonder if some models were considered "open ended" orders, in other words, just make them until we tell you otherwise. Also to be considered is that sometimes the last 2 digits were penciled or done in red ink and may have faded. I don't know if that was tied to any specific era but should be taken into account when looking at a stamped #. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
56 Special Posted November 7, 2008 Author Share Posted November 7, 2008 Wow... It seems you need to be Indiana Jones to really get to bottom of this. Once again thanks for your time and knowledge. It seems the best way to look at serial numbers is simply to ignore them and just enjoy your guitar... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 Oh, that was an easy one! Stick around, sometimes it's insane. Gibson numbers prior to 1977 are a mess so the number itself is usually only one piece of the puzzle; many other physical features need to be taken into account. I think it's fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckee Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Mine is an es295 with black pick guard. Has the 4 pickup control knobs and also a 5th knob for master volume. SN a11149. All serial number searches come up dead ends Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 That's a 1952 serial number. If it's a 295 then the black guard and master volume were changed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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