20-04-2021

Gibson Mandolin Serial Number Guide



  1. Gibson Mandolin Serial Number Lookup
  2. Gibson Banjo Mandolin Serial Numbers

The Gibson F-5L is essentially the top of the standard (lacquer finish) line, not including their Artist models. This is what Gibson itself has to say about it: “The F-5L, introduced in 1978, marked the beginning of a return to the specifications of Lloyd Loar's original F-5 Master Model mandolins of 1922-24. Today's F-5 sets the standard by which all other mandolins are judged.” Not too. Could somone help me price a epiphone gibson serial number c5030763. For example the letter 'S' (if present) should not be confused with the number '5' or vise versa.



DATING GUITARS AND MANDOLINS
BY REFERENCE OF SERIAL NUMBERS

Serial numbers can be useful in determining the year of manufacture of a guitar or amp.
But due to incomplete registrations and illogical serial numbers, its history is often unclear.
With the help of the serial number decoder, tables and instructions are the year and location
Orcad downloads. of the largest well-known brands.



  • Gretsch serials

  • Jackson serials

  • Squier serials

  • Potentiometer codes
With no (or unreadable) serial numbers, the electronic parts of an electric guitar also give an indication. For example, the production code of the potentiometers can give an indication about the year of manufacture of the guitar.
Dating a guitar or amplifier(Fender) is based on the format of the serial number of that brand.
Each brand has its own coding method that has changed regularly over the years. As a result, certain brands have the same serial numbers, but with a different coding method, which creates overlaps.
There are also brands that repeat a serial number every decade.
Then the external characteristics of the guitar are important to place the dating in the correct decade. Connoisseurs and specialists, who can be found in the various guitar forums, can be of service in such a case.
Permalink Reply by Bob Krueger on August 20, 2009 at 2:04pm

Gibson Mandolin Serial Number Lookup

Years ago Pickin magazine ran an article on Gibson mandolin serial numbers. Don't know if it ever made it to the internet. I may have a copy of it - somewhere?? - if you can't find a more updated link. Mugwamps might be another source. On the A1, I think there was something about dating using the peghead shape.
Bob Krueger
Gibson mandolin serial number
Permalink Reply by Ed Taublieb on August 20, 2009 at 7:46pm
Thanks for the suggestions. I believe I have all the issues of Pickin'-- just have to find them and then get the right issue.
Ed
Permalink Reply by Frank Ford on August 22, 2009 at 5:23am
If you just want a quick list, here's one - approximate but close:
Year Last Number
---- -----------
1903 1500
1904 2500
1905 3500
1906 5500
1907 8300
1908 9700
1909 10100
1910 10600
1911 10850
1912 13350
1913 16100
1914 20150
1915 25150
1916 32000
1917 39500
1918 47900
1919 53800
1920 63650
1921 69300
Permalink Reply by Ed Taublieb on August 22, 2009 at 1:32pm
Thank You Frank.
I did check the mandolin archive website for my early fancy F model and was initially caught off guard to find that the serial number was listed. Then, when I looked at the photos I remembered I had this mandolin at Elderly for a while, in hope of trading it for something like a 00-42. Anyway, it was nice to learn that Elderly is contributing to the mandolin archive.
Permalink Reply by Ned Knepp on August 20, 2009 at 9:05pm
George Gruhn's price guide is usually the best place I've found to look these up since you can compare features to years as well as serial number ranges. You may find a mando in this site that is near your range and discription which will help you out too:
http://www.mandolinarchive.com/perl/list_mandolins.pl?teens
The blue hyper link on the left side is the serial number so you may be able to page through this to some numbers near yours to zero in on the date.
Ned
Permalink Reply by Ed Taublieb on August 21, 2009 at 11:57am

Gibson Banjo Mandolin Serial Numbers

Thanks Ned and Frank too. The mandolin archive website is fantastic. As Frank suggested I will take and send some good photos and serial #s and factory order numbers of the two mandolins.
I still plan to find my Pickin' Magazines and see if I can find the article on the Gibson Mandolins, which hopefully will have serial #/year information.
Ed
Permalink Reply by Paul Breen on August 21, 2009 at 8:07am
Check out this site.
http://www.provide.net/~cfh/gibson.html
Permalink Reply by Frank Ford on August 21, 2009 at 8:22am
You could do the entire mandolin community a small favor by sending some good pix and the numbers to our pal, Dan Beimborn at the Mandolin Archive. He posts the comprehensive list of vintage Gibson mandos, and makes all info available free.
Tell him (or us) the serials, and we can date them for you too, of course.
http://www.mandolinarchive.com/
Dan answers his e-mail promptly.