How to Date a Gibson Guitar by Serial Number: The Complete Guide

Dating your Gibson accurately is essential for value, authenticity, and historical significance. Gibson’s serial number systems have changed many times; this guide helps you decode your instrument’s production date.

Quick summary: look on the back of the headstock or the soundhole label. For 1977-2013, the 1st and 5th digits of the 8-digit serial are the year. From 2014, the first two digits are the year. Pre-1977 systems were inconsistent, so use Factory Order Numbers (FON) or pot codes.

Pre-war sequential ranges:

• 100-999: 1902-1908

• 1000-9999: 1908-1923

• 10000-99999: 1923-1947

Pre-war FON letter-prefix chart: A=1935, B=1936, C=1937, D=1938, E=1939, F=1940, G=1941, H=1942. Post-war numbers were inconsistent until about 1961.

Transition years 1961-1969: 6 digits starting with 0 (1961-1963), 6 digits without a leading zero (1963-1964), and various 1965-1969 formats (numbers with spaces, or an A suffix). Use pot codes and physical features for these.

Made in USA era: from 1970 the first digit is the last digit of the year (e.g., 025976 = 1970). The modern 8-digit system (YDDDYPPP) puts the year in the 1st and 5th digits, the day of the year in digits 2-4, and a plant/production rank in the last 3. Distinguish repeated decades by features: neck volute (1977-79), purple label (1980s), centered vs right-justified Made in USA stamp (1990s vs 2000s). From 2014 the first two digits are the year.

Secondary dating: pot codes (137-YYWW), PAF pickup stamps (pre-1965), tuner and hardware changes, neck profile, and headstock/logo style. Kalamazoo-made Epiphones (1957-1970) used a separate series.

Still uncertain about your Gibson’s age or authenticity? The experts at Edgewater Guitars offer free dating and appraisals. Use our Gibson serial number lookup tool for instant results, or contact us for a professional evaluation.

Ready to date your Gibson now? Use our Gibson serial number lookup tool for an instant year estimate, or send the serial number and photos for a free offer.

From Our Bench

Gibson reused serial numbers, so a guide may date a number to 1966 or 1967 when the guitar is really a 1963 or 1964 because of the overlap. We confirm the year against the features: nut width, pot codes, and nickel versus chrome parts.

Knobs are a great tell, since Gibson switched from reflector knobs to witch-hat knobs in 1967. The trickiest serial years are 1965 through 1969 and 1970, so for those we read the knobs, the pickguard, and the headstock inlay. A flowerpot inlay sitting lower on the headstock means post-1967, and a Made in U.S.A. stamp means post-1970, which is a strong tell on many Gibsons.

We regularly meet owners who are sure they have a 1967 based on the serial, when the features show a 1963.

This reflects the firsthand experience of the Edgewater Guitars buying team, who buy and authenticate vintage guitars from sellers nationwide and hold a 5.0 star rating across 137 Google reviews.