What Year is My Gibson Guitar?

Gibson Guitar Serial Number Look-Up

So you have a vintage Gibson guitar in your possession? Wonderful news: Gibson guitars from the 1920s through the 1970s are not only national treasures, they can sell for large sums of money due to high-demand by musicians and collectors alike. Here at Carter Vintage Guitars in Nashville, TN, Music City U.S.A., we have established a reputation for transparency and ultimately helping vintage Gibson guitar owners sell their instruments for their maximum value; our consignment program is the most competitive in the industry! 

Your first question is probably: What year is my Gibson guitar? Gibson guitar serial numbersare either found stamped on the wooden neck block that is visible inside the soundhole (we call this the FON – factory order number), on an orange label inside, or on the back of the headstock.  We here at Carter Vintage Guitars are experts in vintage Gibson guitar authentication and offer hands-on and online vintage guitar appraisal packages. 

FON a.k.a. Factory Order Numbers

These numbers are found ink stamped to the neck block (when on acoustic guitars) or within the soundhole; it is not uncommon that they are near illegible due to faded ink.

FONs found on instruments made between 1902-1945:

  • 1902 – 1916: 1 to 3650
  • 1917 – 1923: 11000 to 12000
  • 1924 – 1925: 11000A to 11250A (a suffix is not always present)
  • 1925 – 1931: 8000 to 9999
  • 1931 – 1933: 1 to 890
  • 1934: 1 to 1500
  • 1935: 1A to 1520A
  • 1936: 1B to 1100B
  • 1937: 1C to 1400C
  • 1938: 1D to 1000D
  • 1939: 1E to 980E
  • 1940 – 1945: 1 to 7900 (Letters can be present in FONs from this period.)

Letter suffixes found on instruments made between 1935-1942:

  • 1935: A
  • 1936: B
  • 1937: C
  • 1938: D
  • 1939: E
  • 1940: F
  • 1941: E
  • 1941: G
  • 1942: H

FONS found on instruments made between 1942-1951:

  • 1942: 907, 910, 923, 2004, 2005, 7000s
  • 1943: 900-2200
  • 1944: 2200-2900
  • 1945: 100-1000
  • 1947: 700-1000 (FONs are not very reliable from 45′-47′)
  • 1948: 1100-3700
  • 1949: 2000-2999
  • 1950: 3000-5999
  • 1951: 6000-9999

FON found on instruments made between 1952-1961:

  • 1952: Z
  • 1953: Y
  • 1954: X
  • 1955: W
  • 1956: V
  • 1957: U
  • 1958: T
  • 1959: S
  • 1960: R
  • 1961: Q

If you own a Gibson guitar with one an ink stamp like described above, we would be interested in buying it or consigning it for you!

Gibson Serial Numbers

Not all Gibsons have serial numbers, some only have FONs like mentioned above, but if it does have a serial number, you will find it on the back of the headstock, or on an orange or white label inside the guitar. 

The following serial numbers are pertain to the last instruments made for each year. For instance, in 1903, the last instrument made was # 1150 and the first instrument made in 1904 was # 1151.

  • 1903: 1150
  • 1904: 1850
  • 1905: 2550
  • 1906: 3350
  • 1907: 4250
  • 1908: 5450
  • 1909: 6950
  • 1910: 8750
  • 1911: 10850
  • 1912: 13350
  • 1913: 16100
  • 1914: 20150
  • 1915: 25150
  • 1916: 32000
  • 1917: 39500
  • 1918: 47900
  • 1919: 53800
  • 1920: 62200
  • 1921: 69300
  • 1922: 71400
  • 1923: 74900
  • 1924: 80300
  • 1925: 82700
  • 1926: 83600
  • 1927: 85400
  • 1928: 87300
  • 1929: 89750
  • 1930: 90200
  • 1931: 90450
  • 1932: 90700
  • 1933: 91400
  • 1934: 92300
  • 1935: 92800
  • 1936: 94100
  • 1937: 95200
  • 1938: 96050
  • 1940: 96600
  • 1941: 97400
  • 1942: 97700
  • 1943: 97850
  • 1944: 98250
  • 1945: 98650
  • 1946: 99300
  • 1947: 999999

A-Prefix Serial numbers on Gibson guitars from 1947-1960:

  • 1947: A 1305
  • 1948: A 2665
  • 1949: A 4410
  • 1950: A 6596
  • 1951: A 9420
  • 1952: A 12460
  • 1953: A 17435
  • 1954: A 18665
  • 1955: A 21910
  • 1956: A 24755
  • 1957: A 26820
  • 1958: A 28880
  • 1959: A 32285
  • 1960: A 34645

Ink Stamps on Solid Body Electric Gibson Guitars

Gibson solid body electric guitars (like Les Pauls) made between 1952 and 1961 had ink stamped. These are some of the easiest to read, as the first number indicates the last digit of the year. For instance, if it starts with a “6”, it was made in 1956. Gibsons with ink stamped serial numbers are some of the most valuable guitars! Contact us if you have one! 

For example:

  • 44356 – 1953
  • 82743 -1958
  • 01985 – 1960

1961-1970 Gibson Serial Numbers 

The 1960s were a strange time for Gibson serial numbers: namely, they repeat/ are reused a certain points. Therefore, for complete accuracy, we recommend you contact us if you need help determining the year and value!

  • 0100   to  42440      1961
    42441  to 61180      1962
    61450  to 64222      1963
    64240  to 71040      1964
    71041  to 96600      1962, 1963, or 1964
    96601  to 99999      1963


    000001 to 099999   1967
    100000 to 106099   1963  or 1967
    106100 to 106899   1963
    109000 to 109999   1963  or 1967
    110000 to 111549   1963
    111550 to 115799   1963  or 1967
    115800 to 118299   1963
    118300 to 120999   1963  or 1967
    121000 to 139999   1963
    140000 to 140100   1963 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  or 1967
    311000 to 320149   1965
    320150 to 320699   1967
    320700 to 329179   1965
    329180 to 330199   1965  or 1967
    330200 to 332240   1965  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   1966
    420000 to 429193   1966
    500000 to 500999   1965, 1966, 1968, or 1969
    501009 to 501600   1965
    501601 to 501702   1968
    501703 to 502706   1965 , 1968
    503010 to 503109   1968
    503405 to 520955   1965 , 1968
    520956 to 530056   1968
    530061 to 530850   1966, 1968, 1969
    530851 to 530993   1968 or 1969
    530994 to 539999   1969
    540000 to 540795   1966 or 1969 
    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 
    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 
    812900 to 819999   1969
    820000 to 820087   1966 or 1969 
    820088 to 823830   1966
    824000 to 824999   1969
    828002 to 847488   1966 or 1969 
    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   1968

1970-1975 Gibson Serial Numbers

If you see a “Made in the USA” stamp below your serial number, then you can be assured that it was made between 1970 and 1975 (even if your serial number seems to also fall in the range for guitars in the 1960s). As we mentioned before, Gibson serial numbers can be a bit tricky!

Number  Year
000000-100000  1973
100000-200000  1970-1975
200000-300000  1973-1975
300000-400000  1974-1975
400000-500000  1974-1975
500000-600000  1974-1975
600000-700000  1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975
700000-800000  1970, 1971, 1972
800000-900000  1973, 1974, 1975
900000-999999  1970, 1971, 1972

1975-1977 Gibson Serial Numbers

NumberYear
99XXXXXX1975
00XXXXXX1976
06XXXXXX1977

1977 to Present Day Gibson Serial Numbers

Thankfully, Gibson serial numbers became much easier to read starting in 1977. The First and Fifth are used to determine the serial number. For example:

  • 81117379 – 1987 
  • 93251072 – 1991
  • 07316242 – 2006

We love vintage Gibson Guitars and regularly sell them for record prices. Our consignment program is the fairest in the industry and is truly a win-win for both parties. Here in Nashville., old guitars find loving homes with talented songwriters. Contact Carter Vintage Guitars if you have a vintage Gibson guitar you would like to sell!


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