JimR56 Posted April 1, 2023 Share Posted April 1, 2023 Hi Louis, your factory order number is puzzling, I agree. Looking at the guitar makes me think it's pretty early, though, based on the vol/tone knobs and the general appearance. Your knobs are pre-1956, and if they have no numbers on them (I can't tell for sure from your photo), then that would suggest 1948-1949. If there are numbers on them, then you can check the details below (also from the guitarhq page you have the link for). This will at least narrow things down a bit, even if you won't know the exact year. Hope this helps. JR Barrel knob. 5/8" tall, straight sides, barrel shaped, clear with no numbers: 1946-1949 Barrel knob. 5/8" tall, straight sides, barrel shaped, back painted gold, clear with numbers 1 to 10 visible thru knob: 1949-1952 Speed knob. 1/2" tall, straight sides, barrel shaped, back painted gold or black, clear with numbers 1 to 10 visible thru knob: 1953-1955 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxxx Posted April 3, 2023 Share Posted April 3, 2023 Hello everybody, I am going to purchase an es 125. There is no serial number at all written in the guitar. The seller claims that some early es 125 were not stamped with a serial number. Is it possible ? Thanks for your future replies. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted April 3, 2023 Share Posted April 3, 2023 Yes it is possible. More likely prior to 1952. If we see pics, we might be able to narrow it down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxxx Posted April 4, 2023 Share Posted April 4, 2023 Thanks for your reply, here are some pictures. Regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxxx Posted April 4, 2023 Share Posted April 4, 2023 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxxx Posted April 4, 2023 Share Posted April 4, 2023 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted April 4, 2023 Share Posted April 4, 2023 It's definitely 1955 or older, as that's when they went from 19 frets to 20 (not sure of the exact date). I would look inside the guitar, as that's where a number can often be found. If you're lucky, you will see a number with a letter prefix. possibly a w,x,y or z. if not, there are other ways to narrow it down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxxx Posted April 5, 2023 Share Posted April 5, 2023 Thank you very much for your reply ! Unfortunately, we did not find any number or letters inside... What could be the other ways to narrow it down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted April 5, 2023 Share Posted April 5, 2023 Notice how the headstock is thinner at the top? Gibson stopped doing this in 1952, based on what I’ve read. I’ve not heard this applied specifically to the ES models so there’s a bit of assumption there. Another way would be to look at any numbers stamped on the volume and tone potentiometers. Pots made in 1947 and later have a code on them. Having said that, those pots could be older than 1947 (old stock) or they could have been replaced. I definitely won’t suggest you take them out just to look for a number, as they’re not particularly fun to put back in. Looking at the control knobs in your pic, they look like the taller (5/8”) style as opposed to the 1/2” tall ones. They went from 5/8” to 1/2” in 1953. This is assuming they’re original. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louis1112 Posted April 18, 2023 Share Posted April 18, 2023 On 4/1/2023 at 2:27 PM, JimR56 said: Hi Louis, your factory order number is puzzling, I agree. Looking at the guitar makes me think it's pretty early, though, based on the vol/tone knobs and the general appearance. Your knobs are pre-1956, and if they have no numbers on them (I can't tell for sure from your photo), then that would suggest 1948-1949. If there are numbers on them, then you can check the details below (also from the guitarhq page you have the link for). This will at least narrow things down a bit, even if you won't know the exact year. Hope this helps. JR Barrel knob. 5/8" tall, straight sides, barrel shaped, clear with no numbers: 1946-1949 Barrel knob. 5/8" tall, straight sides, barrel shaped, back painted gold, clear with numbers 1 to 10 visible thru knob: 1949-1952 Speed knob. 1/2" tall, straight sides, barrel shaped, back painted gold or black, clear with numbers 1 to 10 visible thru knob: 1953-1955 Thanks so much for your help with this. The knobs don't have numbers on them and do measure 5/8" tall. It has the 19 frets and the headstock has a taper in thickness. I've uploaded some more photos my luthier took of the insides, including the kerfed tonebars and electronics. BTW, what are the strips of black fabric glued to the insides of the sides? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Louis1112 Posted April 18, 2023 Share Posted April 18, 2023 3 more that the luthier took. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted April 18, 2023 Share Posted April 18, 2023 The strips of black fabric were to keep a potential crack from spreading, or so I was once told. I was also told (can’t quote the source) that they stopped doing that in 1952. Your knobs look like the 1946-49 style. The old open backed Klusons are old as well, can’t say what year but they match the rest of the guitar. I can see some numbers on the pots but I can’t tell much. In 1947 the manufacturers of many electronic components (pots, speakers,transformers) began using numeric codes that represented the manufacturer and date. From 1947 to 1959 this would have been six digits. Three for the manufacturer (typically) followed by one digit for the year (7 for 1947, 8 for 1948) followed by two digits for the week. In 1960 they went to two digits for the year. If your numbers don’t follow that convention, the parts were made before 1947 or the parts were left over and used on a later guitar. So far, this guitar looks no newer than 1949. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff1938 Posted April 23, 2023 Share Posted April 23, 2023 I have a Gibson with what looks to show ES 125 T inside the f hole. Then on the back of the neck it shows 36417. It was my dad's and all family said he got it when he was a teenager. He was born in 1938. From the info in this thread it could be a 1958 or 1961. So confused on the info, neither makes him a teenager. I also have the Gibson Amp that was bought at the same time. I haven't found a built date on it yet but haven't really opened it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BStar Posted July 19, 2023 Share Posted July 19, 2023 I’m trying to get a date on an es-125 that was handed down to me recently. Only numbers that I see are 2287 a space and then the number 3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted July 20, 2023 Share Posted July 20, 2023 7 hours ago, BStar said: I’m trying to get a date on an es-125 that was handed down to me recently. Only numbers that I see are 2287 a space and then the number 3. Between 1949-50 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frode HK Posted September 11, 2023 Share Posted September 11, 2023 Hi. Can someone help me date this ES 125 TDC It has model number ES 125 TDC and a serial number at the back of the head 065731 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimR56 Posted September 14, 2023 Share Posted September 14, 2023 On 9/11/2023 at 8:05 AM, Frode HK said: Hi. Can someone help me date this ES 125 TDC It has model number ES 125 TDC and a serial number at the back of the head 065731 1967. I always recommend saving/bookmarking this webpage and the associated pages of Gibson (and other brands) information: http://www.guitarhq.com/gibson.html#serial Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathanes125 Posted October 1, 2023 Share Posted October 1, 2023 Hi! I have an es-125 with s/n 6934 8. Any idea what the date is on this thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimR56 Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 On 10/1/2023 at 4:23 PM, Nathanes125 said: Hi! I have an es-125 with s/n 6934 8. Any idea what the date is on this thing? Looks like a factory order number (four digit batch number followed by a space, and then a sequence number, which is normally two digits). Anyway, the 6000 series of factory order numbers dates to 1951. http://www.guitarhq.com/gibson.html#serial Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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