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  #1  
Old 12-23-2007, 12:57 PM
35' Sunburst 35' Sunburst is offline
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Default 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?
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Old 12-23-2007, 01:13 PM
djeffcoat djeffcoat is offline
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[/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
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Old 12-23-2007, 01:19 PM
Frank Roberts Frank Roberts is offline
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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
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  #4  
Old 12-23-2007, 01:22 PM
cal814
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Talking 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.
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Old 12-23-2007, 02:09 PM
Kabookie Kabookie is offline
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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
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Gibson Custom Shop Non-Reverse Firebird ~ Gretsch G6120 TM Chet Atkins + G6128 TSP Duo Jet ~ G&L ASAT Special Semi-Hollow ~ Yamaha SSC-500 ~ Rickenbacker 360/6 + 370/6 + 330/12 ~ Yamaha P-200 Digital Piano
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Old 12-23-2007, 02:29 PM
JohnZ JohnZ is offline
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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.
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  #7  
Old 12-23-2007, 06:21 PM
AndrewG AndrewG is offline
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The first and fifth numeral indicate the year of manufacture; in your case '01.
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  #8  
Old 12-23-2007, 07:43 PM
3rd_harmonic 3rd_harmonic is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 35' Sunburst View Post
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
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  #9  
Old 12-23-2007, 09:42 PM
35' Sunburst 35' Sunburst is offline
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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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