How to date a Gibson ES-335 Guitar
Posted on May 20 2021

Finding out how old your Gibson ES-335 is should be the first step in evaluating a vintage Gibson guitar. Knowing how to date a Gibson ES-335 isn't as easy as checking the serial number! Gibson serial numbers are only one part of the puzzle that is Gibson guitar dating. This is my check list on how to date a Gibson ES-335 guitar. This checklist will also help with how to date Gibson ES-345 guitars and how to date Gibson ES-355 guitars.
Need help? I'd be happy to take a look at your guitar. Click the red Contact Me button in the lower right corner of your screen to send me information about your guitar. I'm looking forward to checking it out!
If you're looking for help with how old is my Gibson Les Paul guitar, check out How to date Gibson Les Paul guitars.
The serial number is one of the first places to start for how to date a Gibson ES-335 guitar. It should be on the inside of the bass side F hole on the paper label. If there's no serial number there, look on the back of the neck at the very top just above and between the tuners. Take a look- if the serial number is 6 digits or less then your guitar is older than 1976. You can contact me here if you would like to sell a Gibson guitar with six digit or less serial number: sell a Gibson guitar.
6 digit serial number or less with no "Made in USA" stamp:
Is your serial number 6 digits or less and doesn't have a Made in USA stamp? This could indicate that your guitar was made between 1958 and 1970 as long as it's not a reissue. Gibson guitars made 1970 and later will have a "MADE IN USA" stamp underneath the serial number. The next place to look would be on the serial number chart further down this page.
Do you have a Gibson ES-335, ES-345, or ES-355 with six digits or less serial number and no made in USA stamp? I am looking to buy Gibson ES guitars with these features. Click the Contact Me button in the corner of your browser or click here to sell a Gibson guitar.
6 digit serial number or less with MADE IN USA stamp:
Gibson guitars with "MADE IN USA" impressed below the serial were made from 1969 and on. If your guitar has 6 digits impressed on the headstock and a "MADE IN USA" underneath then it was likely made between 1969 and 1975. Gibson reused serial numbers during this time period so that's as close as we can narrow these guitars down without reading the potentiometer codes.
I'm also looking to buy Gibson guitars with impressed serial numbers and "MADE IN USA" stamp. You can contact me here to sell a Gibson guitar.
More than 6 digit serial numbers:
Gibson ES-335 guitars with serial numbers containing more than six digits were made after 1975. You can use the serial number chart below to help determine what year your Gibson ES-335 was made. Remember that Gibson often reused serial number ranges in later years so you'll need to check what year the features of the guitar support.
Need help? Click the red Contact Me button in the lower right corner of your screen to send me information about your guitar. I'll do my best to help determine how old you Gibson guitar is.
Gibson serial number chart:
A Prefix serial numbers (on paper label inside, not on back of the neck). Please contact me if you have a guitar with this serial number style:
A_26820 - A_28880 1958
A_28881 - A_32284 1959
A_32285 - A_35645 1960
A_35646 - A_36147 1961
No "A" prefix style (both on interior label and back of the neck). Please contact me if you have a guitar with a serial number like this:
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
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
2 comments
Your identifying numbers was a great help thanks
Danny Z
VERY informative, may I print this entire piece for reference?