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-   -   Gibson Acoustic Serial number? What year? (https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=114422)

35' Sunburst 12-23-2007 12:57 PM

Gibson Acoustic Serial number? What year?
 
I just got an amazingly open voiced J 45 Rosewood Natural for myself and I'm trying to figure out what year it is. It was a floor model that just sounded so good even with dead strings, that I had to have it.
The bass notes are so sweet with great articulation of the high strings. A fabulous fingerstyle guitar. And this is before I got it home to tweak it and string her up with a new set of a strings. Now it's really alive. The store has a Humidity Controlled acoustic room and the guitar has been in there for a while. They always bring you up a fresh one but In this case the floor model was just so alive - it was the ticket. I a/b ed it with some Taylors, Martin's, and Guild's and it just really spoke to me. Quite surprizingly you can find some real gems out there. just goes to show - each guitar has to be judged on it's own merits.

The serial number starts with 02611031 - Does that mean that it is a 2002 production?

djeffcoat 12-23-2007 01:13 PM

[/QUOTE]The serial number starts with 02611031 - Does that mean that it is a 2002 production?[/QUOTE]

According to my sources, your guitar is a 2001, built on the 261st day of the year and was the 31st guitar stamped that day. I think that the date would be September 18, 2001.

Bozeman numbering is YXXXYDDD where:

Y = year
XXX = day of year
DDD = guitar stamped sequence for that day.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
DJ

Frank Roberts 12-23-2007 01:19 PM

Congratulations on finding a keeper. You said it "Each guitar has to be judged on its own merits."

Looks like djeffcoat beat me to the punch here. I also think it may be a 2001. Here's a link to Gibson's serial number ID info.

http://www.gibson.com/Files/download...IALNUMBERS.pdf

Frank

cal814 12-23-2007 01:22 PM

Gibson's Serial Numbers
 
Hello Sunburst. According to my edition(7th) of the Acoustic Blue Book, here is the scoop on your serial number. "In 1977, Gibson first introduced the serialization method that is in practice today. This updated system utilizes an impressed eight digit numbering scheme that covers both serializing and dating functions. The pattern is as follow: YDDDYPPP. YY is the production year; DDD is the day of the year; PPP is the plant designation and/or instrument rank." I assume the day of the year is the Julian calendar date which of course is 1 - 365/366. According to the Blue Book 001-499 show Kalamazoo production, 500-999 show Nashville production. The Kalamazoo numbers were discontinued in 1984. When acoustic production began in Bozeman (in 1989) the numbers were reorganized. Bozeman instruments began using 001-299 and 1990, Nashville began using 300-999.

Hope this helps and doesn't just confuse you. Enjoy your Gibson.

Kabookie 12-23-2007 02:09 PM

Quote:

Bozeman numbering is YXXXYDDD where:

Y = year
XXX = day of year
DDD = guitar stamped sequence for that day.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
DJ
Right on. It's what Djeffcoat wrote above. Regards....Kabookie :cool:

JohnZ 12-23-2007 02:29 PM

The serial number starts with 02611031 - Does that mean that it is a 2002 production?[/QUOTE]

According to my sources, your guitar is a 2001, built on the 261st day of the year and was the 31st guitar stamped that day. I think that the date would be September 18, 2001.

Bozeman numbering is YXXXYDDD where:

Y = year
XXX = day of year
DDD = guitar stamped sequence for that day.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,
DJ[/QUOTE]

I agree, that's the system as I understand it.

My J-45R was made on day 204 of 2001 and has amazing tone and playability as well, and I got it a few years ago under the exact same conditions.

AndrewG 12-23-2007 06:21 PM

The first and fifth numeral indicate the year of manufacture; in your case '01.

3rd_harmonic 12-23-2007 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 35' Sunburst (Post 1339585)
I just got an amazingly open voiced J 45 Rosewood Natural for myself and I'm trying to figure out what year it is. It was a floor model that just sounded so good even with dead strings, that I had to have it.
The bass notes are so sweet with great articulation of the high strings. A fabulous fingerstyle guitar. And this is before I got it home to tweak it and string her up with a new set of a strings. Now it's really alive. The store has a Humidity Controlled acoustic room and the guitar has been in there for a while. They always bring you up a fresh one but In this case the floor model was just so alive - it was the ticket. I a/b ed it with some Taylors, Martin's, and Guild's and it just really spoke to me. Quite surprizingly you can find some real gems out there. just goes to show - each guitar has to be judged on it's own merits.

The serial number starts with 02611031 - Does that mean that it is a 2002 production?

02651ddd here

and it's a wonderful J-45.... like you say, a fabulous fingerstyle guitar

it must have been a good year

35' Sunburst 12-23-2007 09:42 PM

Thanks everyone with the help on the guitar date of production.
I tried a brand new one the day I bought it and it was quite nice but just didn't breathe as well ~ So to speak. Anyway it's a keeper. I'll post some pics when I get my new camera software on my computer.


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