Vintage Gibson Guitar Identification Explained

Vintage Gibson guitar identification is easy if you know what to look for. Serial numbers are not always the complete answer. Better to look for a combo of serial numbers, factory order numbers and any design features specific to the time.

Factory Order Numbers (FON?s) were used by Gibson to track batches of instruments in the early days when they made guitars normally in batches of forty. Therefore early Gibson Vintage Guitars may have both a FON and a serial number. The FON will even give you what number in the batch of forty guitars your instrument was!

There are three groups of numbers which are used for their accuracy. The numbers are often stamped or written on the back of the instrument and seen through the lower f-hole or round soundhole. They may also be impressed on the back of the headstock.

Code Letter FONs were stopped after 1941 and any instruments made during or right after WW2 do not bear any FON codes. In1949, a four digit FON was used, but not in conjunction with any code letter.

From 1952-61, the FON?s scheme followed the pattern of a letter, batch number, and instrument ranking number. The FON is the only identification number on Gibson?s lower grade models like the ES-125, ES-140 etc.) which do not feature a paper label. High grade models (such as the Super 400, L-5 etc.) have both a serial number and a FON. When both numbers are present on a high grade model, please remember that the FON was assigned at the beginning of the production run, while the serial number was recorded later (before shipping). The serial number would be the best indication of the actual date of the guitar.

For detailed information plus a list of serial numbers you may want to visit my website as there is too much information to share in a single article.

Lyndon is a collector of Gibson vintage guitars. His website is where you will find articles, information and useful links about vintage Gibson Guitars

Related Articles:

Contemporary Country Band The Rustlers Sign With Hardrush Music in Australia
Australia's progressive country music band "The Rustlers" have signed with Hardrush Music. The Adelaide-based four-piece group's critically acclaimed "Sad Dark Lies" album is set for full commercial release on the Hardrush label in September and the boys are celebrating. With a style that has some feel for The Mavericks as well as touching on some of the best rhythm and melody patterns of the 1960s when progressive country dominated much of the Top 40.

Wayman Tisdale Decisions Smooth Jazz Music CD Review
I can describe the latest release from Smooth Jazz sensation Wayman Tisdale for you with just one word? Outstanding!

New Music Download Site Offers a One-Stop Solution for Music Needs
Download legal music from the top music download sites.Learn how to download music legally and discover the best music download sites online.

New Classical Guitar CD - Stephen Robinson - Felicidade
Clear Note Releases Guitarist Stephen Robinson's CD Felicidade

Important Techniques For Mastering Lead Guitar - Hammer Ons, Pull Offs & Tapping
Some of the greatest guitar compositions have made it to the hall of fame thanks to their lead guitarists Lead guitar refers to a the use of a guitar to perform melody lines, instrumental fill passages, and guitar solos within a song structure

Symphony for 1000 Drums Makes Colorado Debut, World Renown Composer Halim El-Dabh to Lead Massive Piece
The Colorado premiere of the Symphony for 1000 Drums will be conducted on August 22 in Fort Collins under the direction of world-renown composer Halim El-Dabh. Drummers of all styles, skill levels and ages are invited to join the sound of one thousand drums of this massive drum piece. The Symphony for 1000 Drums is on the opening day of festivities celebrating the Peace Corps and its volunteers. A Peace Corps Celebration, August 22-24, is hosted by local Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and by Beet Street, the Fort Collins Downtown Development Authority's arts and humanities initiative.

Tucson Band, Inamorato, Lands Spot in International Music Festival Finals
Inamorato proves their talent against Phoenix area bands in the prestigious Emergenza International Music Festival.

Music World On The Wall
The Music World of The 21 Century Will Be Immortalized on The Great Music Wall.

BFM Digital Renews Partnership with APM Music and Expands Access to World's Largest Production Music Library
BFM Digital announces an expanded and renewed, strategic distribution agreement with APM Music.

McCoury Music and High Sierra Music Present the First Annual Delfest
Bluegrass master Del McCoury offered up a holiday gift to music fans today with the announcement that he'll be hosting a world-class music festival over Memorial Day weekend in 2008. Delfest 2008 Initial Line-Up Del McCoury Band ? Vince Gill ? Dierks Bentley ? Keller Williams and The Keels David Grisman Bluegrass Experience ? Abigail Washburn & The Sparrow Quartet feat. Bela Fleck Sam Bush ? Punch Brothers feat. Chris Thile ? Railroad Earth plus many more to be announced!

The Benefits of Music Education
Despite serious reductions in funding for arts programs in public schools, there is a great need for studying music.  Band, orchestra, and choir all offer students a chance to work together in a social and intellectual group setting and excel at complex tasks.

Kunduru Music, Tracy Young and The New York Road Runners Team Up for New York City Marathon 2007
The New York Road Runners Endorses 'New York City' by Living Theater featuring FuMan Freak from Kunduru Music's 'Living Theater Act Two' and 'Tracy Young Remixes Living Theater' for the New York City Marathon 2007. A First in Marathon History, a Specially Packaged CD Single will be Included in All Gift Bags for the 42,000 Marathon Participants.

Guitar Warehouse Introduces Two New Sites for Gibson Les Paul Guitars and Drum Sets
Guitar Warehouse is proud to announce the introduction of two new websites. One dedicated to providing product information and sales of Gibson Les Paul guitars and other Gibson products, and a second dedicate to drum sets and accessories.

Learn To Play The Piano Better By Learning To Arrange Chords & Chord Progressions
Piano arranging is the process by which you take a written piece of music and rework it with chords, adding new bass accompaniment, fills, or even slightly altering the song's structure. And while it's a process that takes years to truly master, anyone with a basic education in piano and a working knowledge of a few key techniques can create an inventive, satisfying arrangement.

Unsigned Indie Quartet The Soldier Thread Advances to Spin/Music Nation's Hot Pursuit Quarterfinals, Receives Accolade from Perry Farrell
"Texas reigns supreme" declares the front-page Spin.com feature on The Soldier Thread. The exciting, unsigned act hailing from Austin, TX , has advanced to the quarterfinals in the Spin Magazine/Music Nation hosted Hot Pursuit contest, making them one of only 16 acts chosen to continue.