Good information on How old is my Gibson guitar? can sometimes be tough to find! I'm here to help you date a Gibson SG guitar. Gibson guitar dating is more than just researching the serial number! Knowing how to date a Gibson guitar is a set of skills that involves tracing Gibson guitar features through time. 

Let me help you date your Gibson guitar, and if it falls within a certain age range, I may also able to help if you would like to sell it. You can contact me here to sell a Gibson guitar

If you think your guitar might be a Gibson Les Paul then check out How to date Gibson Les Paul guitars

Serial Numbers

Gibson SG Guitar serial numbers

 Gibson serial numbers are just the starting place to find out how old is my Gibson guitar? Gibson's serial numbers weren't intended to be helpful to date Gibson guitars since they didn't know they would become so collectible. Gibson serial numbers mean different things depending on the style of stamp or font, the range, and the presence of other stamps on the guitar. Here's a quick reference serial number list to help you date your Gibson SG guitar. 

3 to 6 digit serial number impressed with no "Made In USA" underneath. Contact me if you have a Gibson SG in this serial number range: sell a Gibson guitar.

100  ------ 42440   1961

42441---- 61180    1962

61450 --- 64222    1963

64240 --- 71040    1964

71041 --- 96600    1962, 1963, or 1964

96601 --- 99999    1963

000001 - 099999   1967  

100000 - 106099   1963 or 1967

106100 - 106899   1963

109000 - 109999   1963 or 1967

110000 - 111549   1963

111550 - 115799   1963 or 1967

115800 - 118299   1963

118300 - 120999   1963 or 1967

121000 - 139999   1963

140000 - 140100   1963 or 1967

140101 - 144304   1963

144305 - 144380   1964

144381 - 149864   1963

149865 - 149891   1964

149892 - 152989   1963

152990 - 174222   1964

174223 - 176643   1964 or 1965

176644 - 250335   1964

250336 - 305983   1965

306000 - 310999   1965 or 1967

311000 - 320149   1965

320150 - 320699   1967

320700 - 329179   1965

329180 - 330199   1965 or 1967

330200 - 332240   1965, 1967 or 1968

332241 - 348092   1965

348093 - 349100   1966

349121 - 368638   1965

368640 - 369890   1966

370000 - 370999   1967

380000 - 385309   1966

390000 - 390998   1967

400001 - 406666   1966

406667 - 409670   1966 to 1968

409671 - 410900   1966

410901 - 419999   unknown

420000 - 429193   1966

500000 - 500999   1965, 1966, 1968, or 1969

501009 - 501600   1965

501601 - 501702   1968

501703 - 502706   1965 or 1968

503010 - 503109   1968

503405 - 520955   1965 or 1968

520956 - 530056   1968

530061 - 530850   1966, 1968, or 1969

530851 - 530993   1968 or 1969

530994 - 539999   1969

540000 - 540795   1966 or 1969

540796 - 545009   1969

555000 - 557999   1966

558000 - 567400   1969

570087 - 570643   1966

570645 - 570755   1966 or 1967

570857 - 570964   1966

580000 - 580080   1969

580086 - 580999   1966, 1967 or 1969

600000 - 600998   low end models, 1966, 1967, or 1968

600000 - 606090   high end models, 1969

700000 - 700799   1966, 1967 or 1969

750000 - 750999   1968 or 1969

800000 - 800999   1966, 1967, 1968 or 1969

801000 - 812838   1966 or 1969

812900 - 819999   1969

820000 - 820087   1966 or 1969

820088 - 823830   1966

824000 - 824999   1969

828002 - 847488   1966 or 1969

847499 - 858999   1966 or 1969

859001 - 895038   1967

895039 - 896999   1968

897000 - 898999   1967 or 1969

899000 - 899999   1968

900000 - 909999   1970

910000 - 999999   1968

Six digit serial numbers with "MADE IN USA" stamp underneath. please contact me if you have a Gibson Les Paul in this serial number range:

000000        1973                                                MADE IN USA stamp

100000        1970-1975                                       MADE IN USA stamp

200000        1973-1975                                       MADE IN USA stamp

300000        1974-1975                                       MADE IN USA stamp

400000        1974-1975                                       MADE IN USA stamp

500000        1974-1975                                       MADE IN USA stamp

600000        1970-1972, 1974-1975                    MADE IN USA stamp

700000        1970-1972                                       MADE IN USA stamp

800000        1973-1975                                       MADE IN USA stamp

900000        1970-1972                                       MADE IN USA stamp

How to date gibson SG guitar

Sticker on back of the neck with two digit prefix, 8 digit total serial number:

99xxxxxx     1975              

00xxxxxx     1976

06xxxxxx     1977

8 digit serial number impressed on the headstock: these guitars were made after 1977. The first and fifth digit will indicated the last two digits of the year it was made. 

Example:    8xxx2xxx  =  1982

Gibson Guitar Dating By Features

We can't know how old is my Gibson SG guitar by looking at the serial numbers alone since Gibson reused serial number ranges multiple times throughout the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. Gibson guitar experts can date a Gibson guitar by looking at its features alone since Gibson slowly updated different parts throughout time. Here are a few ways to date a Gibson SG guitar by its features. 

Knob Styles

You can get a basic idea of how old is my Gibson SG guitar by looking at the style of knobs it uses. The initial style of the knob is what Gibson collectors call reflector knobs. Reflector knobs were in use from 1960 until 1967 when Gibson updated them to the skinnier witch hat style knobs. 

Reflector knob (1960-1967) vs witch hat (1967-1970s)

 Gibson guitar dating

Gibson guitar dating 1950s 1960s 1970s

 

 

John Shults

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