The Archives columns are written as close to "real-time" as possible. In browsing through Gibson's archives, I usually do come across something interesting or exciting every few pages. Consequently, I've been able to chronicle these searches without feeling a need to compress or edit the browsing process. It is in that spirit of reality -- and at the risk of considerable boredom -- that the following column is presented.

The plan was to go through the mid to late 1940s books and compile a list of FONs (Factory Order Numbers) from that period. Only the high-end Gibsons received labels with sequential serial numbers (ending with 99999 in 1947 and then beginning the "A-series" with A-100). The majority of Gibsons sold during that period were not expensive models, however, but the low-end stuff -- J-45s, ES-125s, LG models, etc. If they were stamped with a number (some were not), it was a factory order number, consisting of four or five digits, followed by a hyphen and then one or two additional digits. The first set of digits constituted a "batch" number. The batch numbers seem to be sequential, but an accurate list has yet to be compiled.

The first book I pulled begins with Dec. 10, 1941, just three days after Pearl Harbor. The first page has its share of interesting items, included a J-35 notated as a "Cull." I've seen this on a handful of Gibson instruments from that period. This entry shows that the designation came from the factory, but whether it's really a factory second is unclear.

No names of stars appear on the page--at least no names that might be familiar today. A handful of instruments, including an ES-125 electric and some Kalamazoo models, were shipped to Wm. Place Mus. Co. That would be William Place Jr., who had in fact been a star mandolinist in the first quarter of the century. Gibson's Catalog K of 1918 devoted an entire page to "The Country's Idol of Mandolin Virtuosity."

Near the bottom of the page is a shipment to the Texas Prison System. Interesting, yes, but not the reason we're here.

Unfortunately, we may have to find another reason to be here. No serial numbers are listed with most of the low-end acoustic models. This particular book goes through 1945, and a quick look ahead gives little hope of finding an easy answer to the question of 1940s numbers. On the other hand, you never know what you might find until you look.

Several TB-00 banjos are listed. These may have been made in earlier years, but there are several with batch number 3796--possibly an indication that the batch is. Here's a KEH, a Kalamazoo Electric Hawaiian, with FON 3210; and a KRB, a Kalamazoo five-string banjo with FON 3015, but with an E prefix, meaning 1939. A few pages later, a TB-18 with number E3794-3 seems to confirm that the 3700s probably were in fact made back in 1939. That would be a two-year backlog of inventory -- not a healthy situation for Gibson.

A couple of EH-125s on Dec. 15 have FON 4652, but there's also an EH-150 with FON 3381. Unfortunately, around Dec. 22, whoever was making these entries quit entering serial numbers on ES-125s, too.

Here's one of the EA-prefix numbers, EA-5122, on an L-4. You find these on archtops of the period. Maybe they correspond to the FON series. A few days later, there's a returned L-5, #EA-5377, which is a higher number than the one that was just shipped, so it's not safe to draw any conclusions about EA-prefix dates.

Here's a B-135 with serial number 12-17-41. That's an acoustic bass model, and in this case the serial number corresponds to the exact day it was shipped. But on Feb. 2, 1942, there's another B-135 with #541, so there's no consistency there.

On Dec. 22, the entry of "Electro Harp" #5051-3 sparks a personal interest. The Electraharp is a pedal steel developed around 1939 by recording artist Alvino Rey and machinist John Moore. These were truly magnificent instruments, with a large maple and walnut "console" case and modern, raise-and-lower pitch-changing capability. Unfortunately, the pitch changers infringed on a patent by the Harlin Bros. of Indianapolis, so Gibson changed to an inferior design. The late Julius Bellson, who worked for Gibson from 1935 to 1973, once told me he thought there were only about a dozen Electraharps made. From the number, 5051-3, this one appears to be the third of its batch.

The next Electraharp shows up seven days later, but the batch number is slightly different: 5091-4. I'm guessing someone misread the batch number on one or the other. I keep an eye out for more Electraharps, and in the interest of order, here's what I found: Number 5091-12 on on Apr. 14, 1942; "Experimental Electraharp," shipped to Dean Mokina on Apr. 23, 1942; #5091-15 on May 23, 1942; #5091-17 on June 2, 1942; #5091-24 on Mar. 17, 1943; and #5091-28 on May 19, 1943. The last two digits of this last entry suggest that at least 28 Electraharps were produced.

Long before I get to 1943, I'm getting frustrated and bored by the lack of FONs. By the time I reach mid-January, 1942, I've already begun to keep an eye out for two other things. One is the first J-45 and Southerner Jumbo. The other is the cutback of shipments (especially of electric guitars) caused by America's entry into World War II and Gibson's consequent retooling to make war products. I haven't seen any sign yet of either.

I did find one intriguing item on Jan. 27, 1942. On that day, Gibson sent 108 cello necks and 500 violin necks to S.E. Overton Co. The production totals that I have, compiled by hand by Julius Bellson, show only about 120 cellos made by Gibson from 1939 through 1941. So what is Gibson sending out 108 cello necks? Either Gibson is jobbing out these instruments (which goes against what I've been told by John Huis, who worked there at the time) or else Gibson is unloading parts and saying bye-bye to violin production.

Already, I've filled up a column and spent a couple of hours of Gibson time. And for what? I hit an immediate dead end on the quest for a dating list of factory order numbers. And I found evidence of more Electraharps and cello necks than I thought existed. Not exactly earthshaking. But that's reality.

Continuing with the tradition of teasers for next month's column, I did continue looking for the first J-45, the first SJ, the first LG models and evidence of war production. And I found them all, with more than a few surprises along the way.