Gibson Serial Number Lookup
Use this Gibson dating guide to decode serial numbers, Factory Order Numbers, A prefix labels, Les Paul Classic numbers, Custom Shop formats, Historic Reissues, and modern Gibson serial numbers.
Gibson Serial Number Decoder
Enter your Gibson serial number or Factory Order Number below. This tool gives a best estimate based on known Gibson dating patterns.
Where To Find A Gibson Serial Number
Interior Label
Common on acoustic and hollow body guitars. Look through the soundhole or f holes for a paper label.
Back Of Headstock
Common on solid body and semi hollow guitars. Numbers may be ink stamped, impressed, decaled, or stamped into the wood.
Factory Order Number
Often found inside vintage acoustics and hollow bodies, stamped directly on bare interior wood.
Gibson Factory Order Numbers
Factory Order Numbers, also called FONs, were production batch numbers used before Gibson's modern serial systems.
Early FON Ranges
| Year Range | FON Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1902 to 1916 | 1 to 3,650 | Early sequential era |
| 1917 to 1923 | 11,000 to 12,000 | Higher batch range |
| 1924 to 1925 | 11,000A to 11,250A | A suffix may appear |
| 1925 to 1931 | 8,000 to 9,999 | Range reset |
| 1931 to 1933 | 1 to 890 | Low number reuse |
| 1934 | 1 to 1,500 | Pre suffix transition |
| 1940 to 1945 | 1 to 7,900 | Letters may be present |
1935 to 1942 FON Suffix Letters
| Suffix | Year | Note |
|---|---|---|
| A | 1935 | First suffix year |
| B | 1936 | |
| C | 1937 | |
| D | 1938 | |
| E | 1939 or 1941 | Cross check physical specs |
| F | 1940 | |
| G | 1941 | |
| H | 1942 | Banner era begins |
1952 to 1961 FON Prefix Letters
| Prefix | Year | Notable Context |
|---|---|---|
| Z | 1952 | Early Les Paul Goldtop |
| Y | 1953 | Goldtop era |
| X | 1954 | Les Paul Custom introduced |
| W | 1955 | Les Paul Special and Junior |
| V | 1956 | P90 Goldtop era |
| U | 1957 | PAF humbuckers introduced |
| T | 1958 | Burst and ES 335 era |
| S | 1959 | Peak Burst year |
| R | 1960 | Last original Les Paul Standard year |
| Q | 1961 | SG era begins |
White Label Serial Numbers
Early Gibson instruments often used a white oval paper label inside the body. Genuine examples usually show natural aging, faded ink, and paper discoloration.
| Year | Serial Number Range |
|---|
Gibson A Prefix Serial Numbers
A prefix serial numbers were used across many postwar Gibson labels and are among the more useful dating tools for 1947 to 1961 instruments.
| Year | A Prefix Range | Notes |
|---|
1952 to 1960 Ink Stamp Solid Body Numbers
Many 1950s Gibson solid body guitars used an ink stamped number on the back of the headstock. The first digit is usually the last digit of the year.
| First Digit | Year | Common Context |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1952 | Les Paul Goldtop introduced |
| 3 | 1953 | Early Goldtop era |
| 4 | 1954 | Les Paul Custom introduced |
| 5 | 1955 | Special and TV models appear |
| 6 | 1956 | Late P90 Goldtop era |
| 7 | 1957 | PAF humbuckers introduced |
| 8 | 1958 | Burst era begins |
| 9 | 1959 | Peak Burst year |
| 0 | 1960 | Last original Les Paul Standard year |
1961 to 1970 Reused Number Era
Gibson reused many serial number ranges during the 1960s. A number from this era may point to several possible years.
| Serial Range | Possible Year | Reliability |
|---|
The Norlin Era
The Norlin period is usually associated with 1969 to 1984. Common features include Made in USA stamps, volutes, three piece necks, Nashville bridges, and heavier construction on many models.
1970 to 1975 Six Digit System
| Year | Serial Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 000001 to 099999 | Transitional |
| 1970 to 1971 | 100000 to 199999 | Made in USA stamp introduced |
| 1972 | 200000 to 299999 | Volute common |
| 1973 | 300000 to 399999 | Norlin construction features common |
| 1974 | 400000 to 499999 | Six digit stamp |
| 1975 | 500000 to 599999 | Transition toward decal format |
1975 to 1977 Decal Prefix System
| Year | Prefix | Format |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 99 | 99XXXXXX |
| 1976 | 00 | 00XXXXXX |
| 1977 | 06 | 06XXXXXX |
Modern Gibson Serial Numbers
From 1977 onward, most Gibson USA instruments use an 8 or 9 digit serial format. The first and fifth digits create the year. Digits two, three, and four give the day of the year.
9 and 8 create 98, meaning 1998.
031 means the 31st day of the year, or January 31.
Digits 1 and 5
Last two digits of the production year.
Digits 2, 3, and 4
Day of the year. 001 is January 1.
Remaining Digits
Factory and production sequence. Usually not needed for dating.
Les Paul Classic Serial Numbers
The Les Paul Classic used a unique ink stamped system from 1989 through 2014.
| Era | Format | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 to 1999 | Single year digit, space, production rank | 9 1234 = 1999 |
| 2000 to 2014 | Two year digits plus four production digits | 071234 = 2007 |
| 2007 onward | Made in USA stamp often appears | Cross check format |
Gibson Custom Shop And Historic Reissue Numbers
CS Prefix
CS91234 usually means Custom Shop, build year ending in 9, production rank 1234.
Historic Les Paul
First digit is the reissue year. 9 means 1959 reissue. Second digit is the build year digit.
SG And Other Reissues
Some use impressed headstock numbers with a model code at the end.
Historic Les Paul Reissue First Digit
| First Digit | Reissue Model |
|---|---|
| 4 | 1954 Les Paul Standard or Custom |
| 5 | 1955 Les Paul Standard |
| 6 | 1956 Les Paul Standard |
| 7 | 1957 Les Paul Standard, Custom, Junior, Special |
| 8 | 1958 Les Paul Standard, Junior Double Cut, Korina models |
| 9 | 1959 Les Paul Standard |
| 0 | 1960 Les Paul Standard or Special Double Cut |
Physical Dating Features
Serial numbers are helpful, but physical features often tell the real story.
Logo Style
Script, banner, block, dot over the i, and open or closed letters can narrow the era.
Pot Codes
Potentiometer codes can establish the earliest possible build date.
Hardware
Bridge style, tuners, pickups, knobs, and plating should match the claimed year.
Volute
A volute behind the headstock is a strong Norlin era clue on many models.
Made In USA Stamp
Usually points to 1970 or later on standard Gibson production.
Construction
Neck type, bracing, body construction, and finish all help confirm a date.