Gibson Serial Numbers

Gibson Guitars-
Gibson USA, Gibson Acoustic, Gibson Memphis

1975-1977

8-digit number typically found on a decal on the back of the
headstock that can be dated by the 1st and 2nd digits as follows:

99 = 1975
00 = 1976
06 = 1977

1977-Present

8-digit number impressed into the back of the headstock with "MADE IN USA" impressed below the number. The format is as follows:

YDDDYRRR

YY indicates the last two digits of the production year

DDD indicates the day of the year

RRR is the factory ranking/plant designation number.

Prior to 1984 when the Kalamazoo, MI factory closed, the numbers 001-499
indicated Kalamazoo production. Ranking numbers 500-999 continued to indicate Nashville production through 1989.

Beginning in 1989, all Gibson
acoustics are built in Bozeman, MT, marking the start of a new ranking system. Ranking numbers for Bozeman start each day at 001 and the electrics may start as low as
the 300s.

2005-2014 Gibson USA

Beginning in July 2005, Gibson USA moves to a 9-digit number,
with the 6th digit now being a batch number. Batch 0 starts at the
beginning of the day, and once we stamp 699, the batch number changes to 1. The new format is as follows:

YDDDYBRRR

YY indicates the last two digits of the
production year

DDD indicates the day of the year

B is the batch number

RRR is the factory ranking for that day
beginning with 001   

2014 - Mid 2019 Gibson USA

These serial numbers do not
indicate a specific day of production.

The new model year typically
launches in the fall as the current model year winds down. It is not uncommon
for a new model year model to be produced during the previous model year (example – a 2015 model may have been built in late 2014).

The format is as follows:

YYRRRRRRR

YY indicates the last two digits of the production year

RRRRRRR is the production number for the model year

Mid 2019-present Gibson USA

In 2019, Gibson USA reverts back
to its previous post-2005 scheme, which follows this pattern:

YDDDYBRRR

YY indicates the last two digits
of the production year

DDD indicates the day of the year

B is the batch number

RRR is the factory ranking for
that day beginning with 001

Two notable exceptions
to these rules are as follows:

Les Paul Classic 1989-2014:

This model features a
reissue-style ink-stamped serial number with no "Made In USA" stamp.
Most will be 5 or 6 digits in length, but the earliest examples feature 4-digit
serial numbers. There should be a space after the 1st digit with the 4- and
5-digit serial numbers, and no space with the 6-digit numbers. The format is as follows:

1989-1999
          
RRRR (Y RRR on earliest examples)
Y is the last digit of the production year

RRR(R) indicates the guitar's place in production for that year

2000-2014
YYRRRR
YY is the last 2 digits of the production year

RRRR indicates the guitar's place in production for that year

(Note- beginning in 2007, the
“Made in USA” stamp was added to the back of the headstock on LP Classics)

Serial numbers beginning with
"94":

In 1994, Gibson's Centennial year,
many instruments have a serial number that begins with "94" for the
year, with the remaining 6 digits indicating the ranking number. These numbers, despite being 8 digits long, do not indicate the day of production. The format is as follows:

94RRRRRR

94 indicates 1994

RRRRRR indicates the production number

Gibson
Custom

Ink stamped on back of
peghead:

Modern models
CSYRRRR            
CS indicates Custom Shop
Y is the last digit of the production year
RRR(R) indicates the guitar's place in
production for that year.

Reissue models
M YRRR or MYRRRR
M is the model year being reissued
Y is the last digit of the production year
RRR(R) indicates the guitar's place in production for that year.

4 YRRR              
1954 LP Standard, LP Custom

5 YRRR              
1955 LP Standard

6 YRRR              
1956 LP Standard

7 YRRR              
1957 LP Standard, LP Custom, LP Jr
Single Cut, LP Special Single Cut

8 YRRR              
1958 LP Standard, LP Jr Double
Cut, Korina Flying V, Korina Explorer

9 YRRR              
1959 LP Standard

0 YRRR              
1960 LP Standard, LP Special Double Cut

Impressed on back of Peg
Head:

YRRRRM
Y is the last digit of the production year
RRRR indicates the guitar's place in
production for that year.
M is the model year being reissued

YRRRR1               
1961 SG Standard

YRRRR2               
1962 SG Standard, SG Custom

YRRRR3               
1963 SG Custom, SG Special, SG Junior, Firebird

YRRRR4               
1964 SG Standard

YRRRR5               
1965 Non-Reverse
Firebird               

YRRRR7               
1967 Flying V

YRRRR8               
1968 LP Custom and LP Standard  

Impressed on back of Peg Head and ink stamped on label in F-Hole:

1YRRRR              
1961 and 1964 ES Models

Ink Stamped on label in F-Hole (no headstock stamp):       

ES Models:
A8YRRRR            
1958 ES-335

A9YRRRR           
1959 ES Models

Carved-top models:

YDDDYRRR
YY indicates the production year
DDD indicates the day of the year
RRR indicates the guitar's place
in production for that year

(NOTE - as of 2000, 1st digit will be a
"2")

Artist Signature Models:

Signature models have been
produced by Gibson USA, Gibson Custom, Gibson Memphis, Gibson Acoustic and Epiphone. These models often deviate from the standard serial number format, and since many artists have multiple signature models across different brands, there are many different serial number configurations and variants. Please contact us at service@gibson.com should you have any questions.

Gibson Banjos 1988 to present:

Earl Scruggs Models

Standard:
Sequential production number, starting at 001

'49 Classic:
YY-RR
YY = Year of manufacture
RR = ranking number (starts at 01)

Golden Deluxe:
YY-RR
YY = Year of manufacture
RR = ranking number (starts at 01)

Flint Hill Special:
FH-YY-RR
YY = Year of manufacture
RR = ranking number (starts at 01)

Special:
ES-YY-RR
YY = Year of manufacture
RR = ranking number (starts at 01)

Non-Earl Scruggs
Models

Style 250:
250-YY-RR
YY = Year of manufacture
RR = ranking number (starts at 01)

Granada:
YY-MM-RR
YY = Year
MM = Month
RR = ranking number (starts at 01)

RB:
RB### = sequential production number

All other models
S(S)-YYMM-RR
S(S) = style (excluding style 250 - see above)
YY = Year
MM = Month
RR = ranking number 

Epiphone
Guitars

ca. 1993- ca. 2008

Most regular production models since ca. 1993. Many '80s and early '90s serial numbers may follow a similar scheme, but may not include a factory ID code. The format is as follows:

FYYMMRRRR
F= Factory code (this can be 2 letters as well)
YY= year of manufacture (this can also be just 1 digit for '90s models)
MM= month of manufacture
R= ranking number (may be more or less digits, not necessarily indicative of
total units produced)

Another code used on some Epiphone models in the same time
period:

FYYMRRRR
F= Factory code
YY=Year of manufacture
M= This will be a letter code corresponding to the month (A=January,
B=February, etc...)
RRRR= ranking number

Epiphone Elite/Elitist models:
FYSSSS
F= Factory Code (this code will be an "F" or "T")
Y= Year of manufacture (2 = 2002, 3 = 2003, etc.)
SSSS= Sequential Serial Number

ca. 2008 - Present

Around 2008, Epiphone moves to a serial number consisting of all numbers with no letter code. The format is as follows:

YYMMRRRRRR
YY= year of manufacture
MM= month of manufacture
R= ranking number (may be more or less digits, not
necessarily indicative of total units produced)

Dobro (1995-present)

1995-1997
A(A) (#)###YY
A(A) = model code
(#) ### = ranking number
YY = last 2 digits of year

1997-Current
YMMDDRRY
Y = last digit of year
MM = Month
DD = day of month
RR = ranking number
Y (last digit) = decade

As always, please feel free to contact
us at 1-800-4GIBSON or service@gibson.com should you have any questions.