Use the serial number or range in the left column to find the corresponding production year in the right column. Gibson reused many numbers, especially during the 1960s, so serial numbers should be compared with construction details, hardware and electronics whenever possible.
Sequential Serial Numbers: 1904–1947
These are the approximate highest serial numbers recorded for each production year.
| Last Serial Number | Year Made |
|---|---|
| 1850 | 1904 |
| 2550 | 1905 |
| 3350 | 1906 |
| 4250 | 1907 |
| 5450 | 1908 |
| 6950 | 1909 |
| 8750 | 1910 |
| 10850 | 1911 |
| 13350 | 1912 |
| 16100 | 1913 |
| 20150 | 1914 |
| 25150 | 1915 |
| 32000 | 1916 |
| 39500 | 1917 |
| 47900 | 1918 |
| 53800 | 1919 |
| 62200 | 1920 |
| 69300 | 1921 |
| 71400 | 1922 |
| 74900 | 1923 |
| 80300 | 1924 |
| 82700 | 1925 |
| 83600 | 1926 |
| 85400 | 1927 |
| 87300 | 1928 |
| 89750 | 1929 |
| 90200 | 1930 |
| 90450 | 1931 |
| 90700 | 1932 |
| 91400 | 1933 |
| 92300 | 1934 |
| 92800 | 1935 |
| 94100 | 1936 |
| 95200 | 1937 |
| 95750 | 1938 |
| 96050 | 1939 |
| 96600 | 1940 |
| 97400 | 1941 |
| 97700 | 1942 |
| 97850 | 1943 |
| 98250 | 1944 |
| 98650 | 1945 |
| 99300 | 1946 |
| 99999 | 1947 |
A-Prefix Serial Numbers: 1947–1961
After the original sequence ended, Gibson began a new serial-number series using an A prefix.
| Last Serial Number | Year Made |
|---|---|
| A 1305 | 1947 |
| A 2665 | 1948 |
| A 4410 | 1949 |
| A 6595 | 1950 |
| A 9420 | 1951 |
| A 12460 | 1952 |
| A 17435 | 1953 |
| A 18665 | 1954 |
| A 21910 | 1955 |
| A 24755 | 1956 |
| A 26820 | 1957 |
| A 28880 | 1958 |
| A 32285 | 1959 |
| A 35645 | 1960 |
| A 36150 | 1961 |
Impressed Serial Number Ranges: 1961–1969
Gibson reused and duplicated many serial numbers during this period. A single range may therefore correspond to more than one possible year.
| Serial Number Range | Possible Year(s) |
|---|---|
| 100–42440 | 1961 |
| 42441–61180 | 1962 |
| 61450–64220 | 1963 |
| 64240–70500 | 1964 |
| 71180–96600 | 1962 |
| 96601–99999 | 1963 |
| 000001–008010 | 1967 |
| 010000–042900 | 1967 |
| 044000–044100 | 1967 |
| 050000–054400 | 1967 |
| 055000–063999 | 1967 |
| 064000–066010 | 1967 |
| 067000–070910 | 1967 |
| 090000–099999 | 1967 |
| 100000–106099 | 1963, 1967 |
| 106100–108900 | 1963 |
| 109000–109999 | 1963, 1967 |
| 110000–111549 | 1963 |
| 111550–115799 | 1963, 1967 |
| 115800–118299 | 1963 |
| 118300–120999 | 1963, 1967 |
| 121000–139999 | 1963 |
| 140000–140100 | 1963, 1967 |
| 140101–144304 | 1963 |
| 144305–144380 | 1964 |
| 144381–145000 | 1963 |
| 147009–149864 | 1963 |
| 149865–149891 | 1964 |
| 149892–152989 | 1963 |
| 152990–174222 | 1964 |
| 174223–176643 | 1964, 1965 |
| 176644–199999 | 1964 |
| 200000–250335 | 1964 |
| 250336–291000 | 1965 |
| 301755–302100 | 1965 |
| 302754–305983 | 1965 |
| 306000–306100 | 1965, 1967 |
| 307000–307985 | 1965, 1967 |
| 309848–310999 | 1965, 1967 |
| 311000–320149 | 1965 |
| 320150–320699 | 1967 |
| 320700–321100 | 1965 |
| 322000–326600 | 1965 |
| 328000–328500 | 1965 |
| 328700–329179 | 1965 |
| 329180–330199 | 1965, 1967 |
| 330200–332240 | 1965, 1967, 1968 |
| 332241–347090 | 1965 |
| 348000–348092 | 1965 |
| 348093–349100 | 1966 |
| 349121–368638 | 1965 |
| 368640–369890 | 1966 |
| 370000–370999 | 1967 |
| 380000–385309 | 1966 |
| 390000–390998 | 1967 |
| 400001–400999 | 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968 |
| 401000–407985 | 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968 |
| 408000–408690 | 1966 |
| 408800–409250 | 1966 |
| 420000–426090 | 1966 |
| 427000–429180 | 1966 |
| 430005–438530 | 1966 |
| 438800–438925 | 1966 |
| 500000–500999 | 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969 |
| 501010–501600 | 1965, 1968 |
| 501601–501702 | 1968 |
| 503010–503110 | 1965, 1968 |
| 503405–520955 | 1965, 1968 |
| 520956–530056 | 1965, 1968 |
| 530061–530850 | 1966, 1968, 1969 |
| 530851–530993 | 1968, 1969 |
| 530994–539999 | 1969 |
| 540000–540795 | 1966, 1969 |
| 540796–545009 | 1969 |
| 550000–556910 | 1966 |
| 558012–567400 | 1969 |
| 570099–570755 | 1966 |
| 580000–580999 | 1969 |
| 600000–600999 | 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969 |
| 601000–601090 | 1969 |
| 605901–606090 | 1969 |
| 700000–700799 | 1966, 1967 |
| 750000–750999 | 1968, 1969 |
| 800000–800999 | 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969 |
| 801000–812838 | 1966, 1969 |
| 812900–814999 | 1969 |
| 817000–819999 | 1969 |
| 820000–820087 | 1966, 1969 |
| 820088–823830 | 1966 |
| 824000–824999 | 1969 |
| 828002–847488 | 1966, 1969 |
| 847499–858999 | 1966 |
| 859001–880089 | 1967 |
| 893401–895038 | 1967 |
| 895039–896999 | 1968 |
| 897000–898999 | 1967 |
| 899000–899999 | 1968 |
| 900000–902250 | 1968 |
| 903000–920899 | 1968 |
| 940000–941009 | 1968 |
| 942001–943000 | 1968 |
| 945000–945450 | 1968 |
| 947415–956000 | 1968 |
| 959000–960909 | 1968 |
| 970000–972864 | 1968 |
Ink-Stamped Solidbody Serial Numbers: 1953–1961
Five- or six-digit ink-stamped serial numbers are commonly found on Gibson solidbody guitars from 1953 through early 1961, including Les Paul, Explorer and Flying V models. The first digit generally matches the last digit of the production year.
| Serial Number Prefix | Year Made |
|---|---|
| 3 XXXX | 1953 |
| 4 XXXX | 1954 |
| 5 XXXX | 1955 |
| 6 XXXX | 1956 |
| 7 XXXX | 1957 |
| 8 XXXX | 1958 |
| 9 XXXX | 1959 |
| 0 XXXX | 1960 |
| 1 XXXX | 1961 |
Later Gibson Serial Numbers
Beginning in 1970, Gibson generally stamped Made in USA on the back of the headstock below the six-digit serial number. This marking helps distinguish a post-1969 instrument from guitars carrying similar numbers from the 1960s.
Beginning in 1977, most Gibson USA eight-digit serial numbers use the first and fifth digits together to indicate the two-digit production year. For example, serial number 80920334 indicates 1980.