Gibson Serial Numbers >> FlyGuitars

General Gibson serial number information

Gibson serial numbers are usually on the back of the guitars headstock; either stamped, inked or as a decal. Instruments with f-holes often have the serial number repeated on a label inside the guitar body. A lack of a serial number usually implies an instrument has been refinished.

The current Gibson serial number system

There is no Gibson serial number decoder that can automatically date your pre-1977 Gibson, although after this time, the currently used eight digit system ha been used. Not only can it tell the date, but also the place of production. These details are encoded unambiguosly into the serial number as follows.

YDDDYXXX
where YY is the year, DDD is the day of the year, and it was the XXXth instrument stamped that day. Numbers below 500 signify a Kalamazoo productio, above signifies Nashville.

So for example, 80921089 tells us that this bass was stamped on the 2nd April 1981 (day 092), at the Gibson Kalamazoo plant, and was the 089th instrument stamped that day

Vintage Gibson serial numbers

Gibson used various systems of numbering their instruments, and some records exist that can give a clue to a shipping date. 50s and early 1960s details are fairly straightforward, but later serial numbers (particularly around 65-75) can cause more confusion than clarity. BEFORE you read the Gibson serial number charts, please read the rest of this page!

The serial numbers Gibson used, particularly from 1969-1979 are often very difficult to interpret. The reason being that Gibsons 6 digit serial number system reached 999999 several times; each time they continued from 000001.

So Gibson re-used serial numbers. If you read through the charts for a hypothetical number, say 123456 - we see that it was shipped in 1963, 1970-72, and again in 74-75. Not an ideal situation, but many of the Guitars we see listed for sale as 1960s instruments, are actually newer. It is often not the sellers fault, as they will have looked through the numbers, found it was 1963, and would see no reason to look further in the document.

Dating Gibson guitars without serial numbers

Seeing as the Gibson serial numbers can be ambiguous, and that guitar serial numbers are sometimes removed, how can you be sure of a Gibson guitars vintage?. There are subtle changes in most Gibson guitars over the course of their production runs, and, you can usually date a guitar by physical features. Also, with a little knowledge of potentiometer codes, another approximate date can be read. Most instruments can be dated to within 1-2 years without a serial number.

See the list of serial numbers on the Gibson website

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1959 1960 GIBSON EB-0 Slab Body BASS PICKGUARD USA

Houston, Texas, 770**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$250

Early slab body pick guard . Cut a little to fit replace pickup. Just a shave off it
... more

Vintage Gibson EB2 Bass pots Wiring Harness

Asheboro, North Carolina, 272**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$350

6 pots and 2 jacks
... more

1967 / 68 / 69 Gibson USA EB Bass Husk - Routed

Garland, Texas, 750**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$795

1967 / 68 or 69 GIBSON USA EB bass husk. No parts included. Routed and extra holes for pots and switches as you can see in the pictures. Truss rod turns both ways. Could make a cool project bass. No case. Please review pictures carefully.
Buyer pays $60 shipping and insurance.
Thanks for looking.
... more

1969 Gibson EB-3 Husk Repaired Headstock

Spring Hill, Florida, 346**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$800

1969 Gibson EB-3 Husk Repaired Headstock very old strong headstock repair. Please look at all pictures. Bare husk. Willship FedEx ground fully insured with tracking shipping to the lower 48th Daytona No Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam or PO boxes international shipping provided by eBay global
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1969 Gibson EB-O Bass Guitar

Bloomfield, New Jersey, 070**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1000

I had a bunch of pictures of the pick ups and wiring and my PC crapped out and I lost all my pictures. It is a confirmed 1969 Gibson and plays like a dream. Comes with gig bag only... more

Vintage 1970 Gibson EB-0L Bass Natural

Stockton, California, 952**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1200

Vintage 1970 Gibson EB-0L Bass Natural
Awesome storage unit find Bass has been modified to a fretless, it is also missing the bridge cover as well as the small model plaque. I acquired it as shown. "GIBSON" is missing the S Local guitar shop owner inspected and said it was in good shape for its age Bass shows some scratches as should be expected. IThe case it came with has some cracks, its in rough shape I have added many images, please be sure to look through all and ask any questions you ... more

Gibson 70s EB-3 WALNUT Used Electric Bass

Union, New Hampshire, 038**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1275

The Gibson 70s EB-3 WALNUT Used Electric Bass is a classic right-handed solid wood electric bass guitar with a 4-string configuration. This vintage model, known as the Les Paul, was made in the United States and features a solid brown body color, making it both visually appealing and high-quality in terms of sound and playability. With its durable construction and iconic design, this guitar is a popular choice among bass players looking for a reliable and timeless instrument.... more

1969 Gibson EB-0 Bass WALNUT with slotted headstock

Carbondale, Illinois, 629**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1390

Add Me to Your Favorite Sellers
Olivia's Vintage would like to present this 1969 Gibson EB-0 bass in its original Walnut finish. It has a great playing neck with good frets. All of the electronics have been replaced as the pickup is an aftermarket sidewinder pickup. The pickup cavity was modified to house this pickup. The truss rod cover has been replaced and a shim has been placed underneath the nut. The pictured hardshell case is included. This slotted headstock EB-0 looks good with ... more