Gibson Custom Shop Serial Number 6 Digit
Knowing how to date Gibson Les Paul serial numbers is a study of its own. Gibson's serial number scheme changed in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, so a simple Les Paul serial number lookup isn't often very helpful. Never fear! This page is intended to clear up some some of the inconsistencies of dating Gibson guitars. If you're looking for "How old is my Gibson Les Paul guitar?" then you've come to the right place.
Gibson Custom Shop Serial Number 6 Digit
The serial number is one of the first places to start for how to date a Gibson Les Paul guitar. It should be on the back of the neck at the top just between and above the tuning machines. If the Gibson Les Paul serial number is six digits or less then your guitar may be older than 1975. Gibson reused this serial number scheme for reissue guitars starting in the 1990s, so check the picture below to compare vintage versus reissue serial numbers.
Is your Gibson Les Paul serial number ink stamped like the 1959 Gibson Les Paul on the left? Gibson used 5 or 6 digit ink stamped serial numbers on Les Paul guitars from 1952 until 1960. The first digit of this style serial number indicates the last digit of the year it was manufactured. For example, this Les Paul's serial number is "7_6227" so it was made in 1957. This is how to date a Gibson Les Paul serial number from the 1950s. Gibson reused this serial number scheme for reissue guitars in the past 20 years as well, so check to see that the style matches. 1950s era Gibson Les Paul serial number stamps will have a thinner and sharper font than the larger font of the 1990s to now.
Do you have a Gibson Les Paul with an ink stamped serial number? I am looking to buy Gibson Les Pauls with ink stamped serial numbers like this from the 1950s. Click the Contact Me button in the corner of your browser or click here to sell a Gibson Les Paul.
Ink stamped serial numbers (Guitars with "Classic" on the front of the neck are reissues): (No ink stamp serial in 1952. Les Pauls with "2" prefix are reissues.) 3 XXXX 1953 4 XXXX 1954 5 XXXX 1955 6 XXXX 1956 some with 6 digits until 1961 7(x)XXXX 1957 8(x)XXXX 1958 Contact me if you think you have 9(x)XXXX 1959 a 1950s Gibson with ink stamp serial 0(x)XXXX 1960 I would be happy to take a look. 1(x)XXXX 1961 Sell a Gibson
Gibson used the 6 digits or less dye stamped serial number style from 1961 until 1975. Gibson guitars with "MADE IN USA" impressed below the serial were made from 1969 and on. If your guitar has 6 digits impressed on the headstock and a "MADE IN USA" underneath then it was likely made between 1969 and 1975. Gibson reused serial numbers during this time period so that's as close as we can narrow these guitars down without reading the potentiometer codes. The serial number is only one way for how to date a Gibson Les Paul from the 1960s. Often the features and potentiometer codes are a better way.
Your Gibson Les Paul guitar, if vintage, was made between 1961 and 1963 or 1968 to 1969. Gibson Les Paul Serial number ranges here can be tricky since Gibson reused the serial range multiple times through out the 1960s. You would probably benefit from having a professional take a look at your guitar. I would love to take a look. Click the Contact Me Button (lower right of your browser) to send me a message about your guitar. Gibson didn't make the Les Paul line from 1964 until 1968, but these serial number ranges will work for the SG guitars made in the 1960s as well. Here's how to date a Gibson Les Paul with six digits or less serial number impressed like the guitar on the right with no Made In USA stamp.
0100 to 42440 1961 42441 to 61180 1962 I am looking for all 4 and 5 digit serial Gibsons61450 to 64222 1963 64240 to 71040 1964 71041 to 96600 1962, 1963, 1964 96601 to 99999 1963 000001 to 099999 1967 100000 to 106099 1963 (wide neck) or 1967 106100 to 106899 1963 109000 to 109999 1963 (wide neck) or 1967 110000 to 111549 1963 111550 to 115799 1963 (wide neck) or 1967 115800 to 118299 1963 118300 to 120999 1963 (wide neck) or 1967 121000 to 139999 1963 140000 to 140100 1963 (wide neck) or 1967 140101 to 144304 1963 144305 to 144380 1964 144381 to 149864 1963 149865 to 149891 1964 149892 to 152989 1963 152990 to 174222 1964 174223 to 176643 1964 or 1965 176644 to 250335 1964 250336 to 305983 1965 306000 to 310999 1965 (wide neck) 1967 311000 to 320149 1965 320150 to 320699 1967 320700 to 329179 1965 329180 to 330199 1965 (wide neck), 1967 330200 to 332240 1965 (wide neck) 1967 or 1968 332241 to 348092 1965 348093 to 349100 1966 349121 to 368638 1965 368640 to 369890 1966 370000 to 370999 1967 380000 to 385309 1966 390000 to 390998 1967 400001 to 406666 1966 406667 to 409670 1966, 1967, or 1968 409671 to 410900 1966 410901 to 419999 Not Found 420000 to 429193 1966 500000 to 500999 1965, 1966, 1968, or 1969 501009 to 501600 1965 501601 to 501702 1968 501703 to 502706 1965 (wide neck), 1968 503010 to 503109 1968 503405 to 520955 1965 (wide neck), 1968 520956 to 530056 1968 530061 to 530850 1966, 1968, 1969 (knobs) 530851 to 530993 1968 or 1969 530994 to 539999 1969 540000 to 540795 1966 or 1969 (knobs) 540796 to 545009 1969 555000 to 557999 1966 558000 to 567400 1969 570087 to 570643 1966 570645 to 570755 1966 or 1967 570857 to 570964 1966 580000 to 580080 1969 580086 to 580999 1966, 1967, 1969 knobs 600000 to 600998 1966, 1967, or 1968 600000 to 606090 1969 700000 to 700799 1966, 1967 or 1969 750000 to 750999 1968 or 1969 800000 to 800999 1966, 1967, 1968 or 1969 801000 to 812838 1966 or 1969 knobs 812900 to 819999 1969 820000 to 820087 1966 or 1969 knobs 820088 to 823830 1966 824000 to 824999 1969 828002 to 847488 1966 or 1969 knobs 847499 to 858999 1966 or 1969 859001 to 895038 1967 895039 to 896999 1968 897000 to 898999 1967 or 1969 899000 to 899999 1968 900000 to 909999 1970 910000 to 999999 sometimes 1968 but this range is not consistent
Just done some research, My guitar was made (as far as I can tell by the documents I've got ) 10/13/11, that would tie up with year = 1 ,being 2001, that would make my serial production number 4260, if we say production is 300 days a year, that would be 60 production weeks. ( assuming 5 day weeks) My date 10/13/11, would mean we had about 10 weeks production still to go, so my serial 4260 would have been 50 production weeks, this works out at 85.2 guitars a week. add the other 10 production weeks, 10x 85.2, we get 852 + 4260 = 5112 LP Customs a year, 17 LP Customs a day . Is that a feasible number for LP Customs ? I'd guess probably. If you know the production numbers, (anyone from Gibson) could you share them ? if not against company rules.
I don't know if Memphis changed their serial system, but from your number I'll guess it looks like two characters "ME" to identify Memphis followed by a single digit year and a five digit production rank which rolls for the whole year -
I have a question about the new 6 digit CS serial numbers. All of the serial number de-coders I have read about state that CS production serial numbers will always be CS followed by 5 digits, where the first digit is the year.
Anyway, It's pretty clear to me that "5" is Memphis and probably "0" is Nashville, but the wording of the response is slightly vague if this is the case. I don't really understand why Gibson doesn't either make their serial numbers completely obscure and stop publishing them, if it's counterfeits they are worried about, or explain fully and update descriptions of the method, which is clearly a new one.
No argument here. I don't think the cause is worry about counterfeits. Gibson's history with serial numbers is a nightmare. They've tried to clean it up since the mid-70s, but they keep sticking in changes for limited/special runs/editions, reissues, commemorative editions, signature editions and Custom Shop pieces. And to make matters worse, the documentation of these 'out of normal format' numbers is lacking to say the least. Unfortunately the community and customers are the last to know what's going on - sometimes by years.
Gibson USA serial numbers are pretty straightforward. It's the Custom Shop numbering that is so very weird. Both Nashville and Memphis have their own numbering systems and styles. Some are printed or embossed on the back of the headstock and others are only on the label inside the body. All the limited runs are truly one off serials.
I don't really follow the ES line much, but as I understand it, all ES models are made in Memphis. Bodies for historic ES guitars ('59 & '63 reissues) begin life in Memphis and are then sent to Nashville for completion. These do not have serial numbers on the back of the headstock.
Yes I already knew where my guitar was made, and I already knew what year it was made, but it's nice to have an explanation of what the serial number means isn't it? We now know (more or less) that since about 2010 Memphis numbering starts from 50000, there is Gibson precident for this sort of numbering scheme I think.
Hi! I just purchased Gibson ES339 Custom Shop, the serial number is CS050323 - I cannot find any clear information about this model... My guitar has diamond inlay on the headstock and I can't really find any pictures or information about this guitar... Can anyone help me out with this one?