#GIBSON SERIAL NUMBER SERIAL NUMBERS#
#GIBSON SERIAL NUMBER SERIAL NUMBER#
#GIBSON SERIAL NUMBER CODE#
#GIBSON SERIAL NUMBER SERIES#

Zig-zag tailpiece (more prevalent from 1957 to 1967) Gibson ES-175 Pickups P-90 Pickups (1949-1956) To achieve its characteristic clarity of tone, the ES-175 is generally played with the volume and tone dialed down a bit to allow it to ring through with its usual warmth. It can be said that the Gibson ES-175 anticipated a new era in jazz history, constantly stretching the boundaries of music into new territories. Its tone is warm and round but also clear and articulate, chiming with a quality that is spacious and airy while also being distinct and bell-like. Though the Gibson ES-175 is associated with jazz greats like Jim Hall, Pat Metheny, and Joe Pass, its versatile tone and ability to take distortion has made it a favorite of fusion and rock guitarists like Steve Howe (Yes) and Buck Dharma who played an ES-175 on Blue Oyster Cult’s classic Don’t Fear the Reaper. In its nearly 70-year history, the ES-175 has become synonymous with the greats of jazz guitar. The Gibson ES-175 has a recognizable sound that has been imitated by many guitar makers but seldom duplicated.

#GIBSON SERIAL NUMBER CODE#

Throughout the war and even for some time after, each year had its own quirks around FON batch numbers and letters 1942 to 1951 FON Info Yearĩ07, 910, 923, 2004, 2005, 7000s (all with banner logo)ġ100s to 3700s (move from script to block logo)įrom 1952 to 1961, a consistent letter code resumed, with the letter appearing before the batch number.Known as the workhorse of jazz guitar, the Gibson ES-175 is an iconic hollow body electric guitar loved by many legendary guitarists in the worlds of jazz, blues, rock, and fusion.

#GIBSON SERIAL NUMBER SERIES#

The year is indicated by the first letter in any series of letters for these years. To complicate matters further, there was sometimes a second letter from 1938 to 1941 indicating the brand (G for Gibson, K for Kalamazoo, W for Recording King) and sometimes even a third letter indicating 'Electric' (the letter E). The consistency around this stopped during WWII and resumed in the early 1950s. 1902 to 1945 FON Overview Yearġ to 7900 (some with letter, some without)įrom 1935 to 1942, the FON included a letter suffix. A FON usually consisted of a 3-, 4-, or 5-digit batch number followed by one or two other numbers in most cases.

#GIBSON SERIAL NUMBER SERIAL NUMBER#

Some earlier lower-end models had no serial number at all, making the FON the sole numerical identifier in those cases. These will generally date an instrument earlier than the serial number, as they were typically applied in the early stages of assembly. Instruments will generally have one or both of these numbers stamped or written either inside the body (generally the case on earlier models) or on the back of the headstock.įONs were Gibson’s way of internally tracking batches of instruments throughout production.

#GIBSON SERIAL NUMBER SERIAL NUMBERS#

Gibson has historically used two different alpha-numerical formats to catalog its instruments: serial numbers and FONs (Factory Order Numbers). Dating a Gibson by Factory Order Number (FON)

After 1950, headstocks had uniform thickness. Before mid-1950, most Gibson headstocks were thinner at the top when looked at from a side profile.

The thickness of the headstock, however, is not as vulnerable to modification or replacement. This makes relying entirely on the physical features of a guitar potentially misleading. Many older instruments may have reproduction or other non-original parts, including a non-original finish.

Aside from the logos, each era of manufacturing included certain identifying traits such as the hardware (tuners, knobs, plates, etc.), the pickups, the type of finish, and the electronics inside that can give clues as to when an instrument was made.

Gibson serial number