Gibson Guitars Archives - All Good Vintage Guitars

Vintage Gibson Solid Body Guitars: A Nostalgic Journey into Timeless Tones With Photo Gallery

Vintage Gibson solid body guitars are cherished by musicians and collectors alike for their legendary craftsmanship, exceptional tonal characteristics, and historical significance. These instruments, crafted by the renowned Gibson company, have shaped the sound of popular music over several decades. In this blog, we will delve into the fascinating world of vintage Gibson solid body guitars, exploring iconic models and their unique specifications that continue to captivate enthusiasts to this day.

Gibson Les Paul Standard (1952-1960): The Gibson Les Paul Standard, introduced in 1952, is perhaps one of the most iconic vintage solid body guitars ever created. With its single-cutaway mahogany body and carved maple top, it offers a rich and warm tone. Key features of the Les Paul Standard include:

Body: Mahogany with a carved maple top
Neck: Mahogany with a rosewood fingerboard
Pickups: P-90 (1952-1957) or PAF humbuckers (1957-1960)
Bridge: Tune-o-matic
Controls: Two volume and two tone knobs, three-way pickup selector switch
Finish: Goldtop, Sunburst, or Custom colors

Gibson SG Standard (1961-present): Originally called the “Les Paul” when introduced in 1961, the Gibson SG Standard quickly became a favorite among rock guitarists due to its sleek design and aggressive tone. Key features of the SG Standard include:

Body: Mahogany
Neck: Mahogany with a rosewood fingerboard
Pickups: PAF humbuckers (early models), Patent Number humbuckers (mid-’60s onwards)
Bridge: Tune-o-matic
Controls: Two volume and two tone knobs, three-way pickup selector switch
Finish: Cherry, Heritage Cherry, Ebony, and more

Gibson Flying V (1958-present): The Gibson Flying V, with its distinctive V-shaped body, broke new ground in guitar design. Although it was not initially embraced by the mainstream, it gained popularity over the years, especially in heavy metal and hard rock genres. Key features of the Flying V include:

Body: Mahogany
Neck: Mahogany with a rosewood fingerboard
Pickups: PAF humbuckers (early models), Dirty Fingers humbuckers (1970s onwards)
Bridge: Tune-o-matic
Controls: Two volume and one tone knob, three-way pickup selector switch
Finish: Classic White, Cherry, Ebony, and more

Gibson Explorer (1958-present): Like the Flying V, the Gibson Explorer debuted in 1958 and boasted an unconventional body shape. Initially overlooked, it eventually gained recognition as a go-to instrument for rock and metal guitarists seeking a unique look and powerful sound. Key features of the Explorer include:

Body: Mahogany
Neck: Mahogany with a rosewood fingerboard
Pickups: PAF humbuckers (early models), Dirty Fingers humbuckers (1970s onwards)
Bridge: Tune-o-matic
Controls: Two volume and one tone knob, three-way pickup selector switch
Finish: Antique Natural, Cherry, Ebony, and more

Vintage Gibson solid body guitars are not just instruments; they are cultural artifacts that have played a significant role in shaping the sound of popular music. The Les Paul Standard, SG Standard, Flying V, and Explorer represent a small fraction of the remarkable models created by Gibson over the years. Each guitar exhibits unique tonal characteristics and has its place in music history. Whether you’re a musician, collector

Gibson Transition year of 1964

Around the middle of 1964 major changes occurred. The info below is very useful for dating a Gibson guitar in cases where serial numbers were repeated or unclear.

1. Neck width at the Nut was reduced from 1 11/16 inches to 1 9/16 inches (you will see cases of 1 10/16 inches during this transition year.

2. Most Hardware moved from Nickel plated to Chrome, this included bridges, tuners and tailpieces.

3. Most serial numbers moved from 5 digits to 6 digits.

4. Kluson Tuners were stamped with 2 lines down the back instead of one line down the center of the back with the words Kluson Deluxe.

5. By 1965 the Stud Tailpiece on the Gibson Es-335, Es-345 and ES-355 were removed and replaced with a Trapeze tailpiece.

There is more information here on the our Guitar identification Page.

Gibson Headstock Logos thru the years in Pictures

Very Helpful in Dating a Vintage Guitar when Serial number not present or unclear.

Late 1940’s “i” touches the “G” on “Modern” non cursive/script Gibson Logo

Late 1960’s Gibson Logo around 1969 with no dot over the “i”

Early 1970’s block shaped no dot over the “i” closed “b” and “o” gibson logo

Gibson Factory Order Numbers

Gibson used Factory Order Numbers (FON) on some of their guitars from about 1908 to 1961. Many times you will see both a factory order number and serial number. The FON was stamped for each batch in production and each instrument in the batch during the early stages of the build.

The FON can be very helpful dating the instrument as that might be the only marking. They can also be used together with the serial number to more precisely date the instrument.

Gibson used four different patterns of FON’s through out the years.

FON: 1908-1923
The first FON’s are usually ink-stamped on the neck block inside the body and have of a three to five digit number with no suffix

Alphabetical FON: 1935-1942
A for 1935
B for 1936, and so on
This method stopped around 1942 .

FON after WW II: 1949-1952
After WW II FON’s were hit or miss and not very good for dating or not present on the guitar. When present they were rubber stamped on neck block or on back of the headstock with numbers from 100 to 9999.

Alpha FON: 1952-1961
Around 1952 Gibson went back to the a first letter pattern
The first letter used in
1952 was Z
Y in 1953, etc.
Then lastly Q in 1961 which is very rare to see.

1968 – 1969 Red, Black and Brown Gibson J-45 and B-25 With Photo Gallery

1968 -69 were dark years for Gibson and the Norlin Corporation buy out began. Gibson needed revenue and to use up old parts. Less than perfect tops used to make the J-45 and B-25 were sprayed a solid color of red or black and a few brown . A white screwed down pickguard was used. Many of the instruments were 4 piece tops and marked seconds. Late in 1968 the bridge was reversed with the belly facing down , and the Gibson logo on the pickguard was removed. There is more Gibson Acoustic Flattop Model Information here.