Some of my favorite vintage guitars are the Gibson Flying V, Gibson Explorer, and Gibson Firebird guitars made in the late 1950s and early 1960s. These are rare vintage guitars that are difficult to gather information on, especially how to date them and what features do they have that are unique to the Flying V, Explorer and Firebird. One of the places I found more information on these guitars is in a book by Tony Bacon: Flying V, Explorer, Firebird: An Odd Shaped History Of Gibson's Weird Electric guitars.
The Gibson Flying V and Explorer were designed in 1957 during so many amazing advancements in guitar history including the Gibson ES-335, Gibson Les Paul Standard Burst, and the Gibson EDS-1275 Doubleneck guitars. I was amazed to read in Tony's book about how influential Leo Fender's success with the Stratocaster and Telecaster were on Gibson's solid body electric guitar designs in the 1950s. One of Gibson President Ted McCarty's goals was to design guitars that were too difficult for Fender to copy since they were unable or unwilling to design guitars with a carved top. He also wanted to buck the false presumption that Gibson was old, frumpy, and overly traditional by designing radically shaped guitars that would make a splash and get people talking. I think he achieved that goal!
Another fascinating part of this book about the Gibson Flying V and Explorer is the mention of a 1958 Gibson Flying V hanging in the window of Art's Music in Montgomery, Alabama. Page 32 discusses the photo of the Flying V in Art's Music Montgomery found in the January-February 1961 issue of the Gibson Gazette. The whereabouts of the Art's Music Gibson Flying V guitar are unknown to the author, so if you think you've found this guitar then you can contact me here: Gibson Flying V Guitar Expert.
How to date a Gibson Flying V, Explorer, Firebird
Knowing how to date a Gibson Flying V, Explorer, or Firebird guitar starts with determining whether or not the guitar is an original or reissue. Gibson made very few example of the Flying V and Explorer in the late 1950s and 1960s so it's highly unlikely that your guitar is an original. If you'd like an expert opinion on your guitar then you can contact me here: Gibson guitar expert.
The following information is for how to date Gibson Flying V, Explorer, and Firebird guitars made in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. One place to begin is with the Gibson serial numbers. Remember that Gibson has reissued guitars in the past 30 years that have serial numbers that mimic 1950s and 1960s serial numbers, so you may need a Gibson guitar expert to look at your guitar.
Ink stamped on the back of the neck with no "Made in USA": Gibson used an ink stamp under the finish to apply serial numbers in the 1950s.
8_5xxx 1958
9_xxxx 1959
Impressed in the back of the headstock with no "Made In USA" stamp: You will be able to feel the serial number when you rub your finger across it. These serial numbers are only correct if no Made In USA underneath the serial number.
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:
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
Sticker on back of the neck with two digit prefix, 8 digit total serial number:
99xxxxxx 1975
00xxxxxx 1976
06xxxxxx 1977
