Gibson serial numbers 1952 to 1961, solidbody model

A number stamped with ink on the back of the headstock.
Gibson's solid bodys were released in 1952. Gibson did not use serial numbers at that time but started in 1953.
The first digit of the series number is the last digit of the year. If the stamped number consists of 5 digits, there is a space between the first and second digit (a separation between the last digit of the year and the actual serial number).
If it concerns a 6-digit serial number, there is no space, because the highest 4-digit number (9999) has been exceeded and the space therefore fills up. This was the case in the years 1955, 1956, 1959 and 1960.
In 1955, Gibson forgot to reset the series of serial numbers to 0001.
So they had only set the year from 4 to 5. For this reason the series of 4 digit serial numbers was exceeded after 9999.
Hence 5 digits and no space between the year (5) and the serial number. (after 5 9999 came 510 000)
Apparently the production was high in 1956 because 6 9999 is exceeded. Also in 1959 and 1960 there was a high production, 9 9999 is exceeded to 932 000 or higher.
Thus, from the production in 1959, a 1, 2 or 3 may be the second digit.
Gibson stopped the stamped serial numbers at the end of 1960, although a few instruments were made in 1961 with a 1 as a prefix. Some lap steels and Les Paul's from 1961 have such a serial number.
Another exception to the above rules is in the fall of 1958, where some Les Paul Juniors and Specials had a four-digit serial number.

The Gibson Serial Number Decoder currently supports 6 formats from 4 Factories. For guitars made prior to 1977 use the extended search function. This new function will try to match the serial number against older formats, details required for an exact match are listed in yellow. Guitar by Gibson, Inc., Kalamazoo, 1939. Recording King Jumbo Guitar (551 C 1027) model (16″). Serial number EW-1683. Barmeyer Collection, 2007. Note: Click on any image below to see a larger image. The Recording King brand was applied to the stencil-line guitars made by several American manufacturers to be sold.

Gibson Serial Numbers 1975-Present This section is designed to assist in dating and/or identifying instruments manufactured or distributed by Gibson Guitar Corp. Please note that most of this information relates to serial numbers used from 1975 to present. MI factory was closed, the numbers 001-499 indicated Kalamazoo production. In 1970, Gibson started stamping “Made In U.S.A” on the back of headstock, below the six digit serial number. This is a quick way to tell if you have a post 69 Gibson. If so, the above dating chart does not apply. For Gibson’s made after 1977, the first and fifth digit is the year made. For example, 80920334 would be made in 1980.

Gibson Kalamazoo Guitar Serial Numbers For Sale

Gibson Kalamazoo Guitar Serial Numbers History

Gibson serial numbers, from February 1961 until 1970
Gibson started in 1961 with a new series numbering system.
They wanted to apply a more structured series of sequences, but in practice the opposite happened. Numbers were reused during this period, and in many cases the numbers were not strictly applied for successive years.
For all models, the serial number is stamped on the back of the headstock. A number of serial numbers were duplicated from 1963
to 1969.
From this period the 5-digit and 6-digit numbers are easy to confuse and give an incorrect year.

Gibson Kalamazoo Guitar Serial Numbers Lookup

Gibson Kalamazoo Guitar Serial Numbers Search