Gibson guitar serial number decoder

[marc61]

I just picked up historic 59 Les Paul reissue, and I'm trying to figure out what year it was produced.

the model is LPR-9, and the serial number is 9-7xxx

* edit*Think i figured it out. It's a 1997 ,

[sloop_john_b]

I think 9 is the month and 7 is the year, meaning either 1997 or 2007.

[marc61]

I think 9 is the month and 7 is the year, meaning either 1997 or 2007.

9 would be the reissue year as in
1959. Don't think it's a 2007, as it's in excellent shape, but worn.

[sloop_john_b]

D'OH! I was looking at "Historic ES Reissues". Sorry Marc!

[marc61]

That's ok. Nice guitar either way. It's what they call VOS - got it off Ebay, for like $1000-1500 less than others of the same model. Guess cuz it's old lol

[peewee]

If it's a VOS then your guitar is a 2007 R9.

The way to interpret the SN is like this:

First digit designates the reissue model year, so in this case "9" stands for '59

The second digit indicates the year of issue, so "7" designates that it was made in 2007

The third, fourth and fifth digits ( and in some cases sixth digit ) is the production number. So, lets say that your serial number reads 9 7123. That would translate to a 2007 '59 reissue that was the 123rd made in the year. Cool?

This only works for the Historic Series Les Pauls. The ES Historics would begin with the letter A if it were a '59 reissue and with the aformentioned sequence following but without the space between the first 2 digits and the SN would appear handwritten on the orange label inside the bass side F hole. The Historic ES-335 is being discontinued in the very near future.

The VOS finish was introduced in 2006. Gibson had an upcharge of $300 for a high gloss finish but I don't think that they're offering that option after 2007.

Got any pics??

[marc61]

Here's the bod

[marc61]

The back

[marc61]

In the case, with the candy

[marc61]

Another shot in the case

[peewee]

Nice top! I've always loved the tobacco sunburst finish on these guitars. Sounds like you got a great deal on this one. Do yourself a favor Mark and get another case for it, like a TKL, if you're going to be taking it out to gig. The Lifton reissues look really hip, but they aren't that great when it comes to protecting the guitar due to the lack of thick padding. The latches are also prone to stop functioning, as one of mine has. The TKL is the same case as the black Gibson Custom case without the stenciled "Steal Me" logo on the top.

Here's a couple of pics of my '04 Historic :





By far and away the best Les Paul I've ever owned, including an original 1954 goldtop that I owned back in the '80s.

[marc61]

Yours is pretty cool too. Not taking it to gigs but, I might get the other case anyway for storage purposes.

So, based on what you see, you think mine's an 07? I'd like to know for sure, as from what you're saying, if it's not an 07, it's not VOS, thus a different guitar.

[peewee]

Most definitely a VOS finished R9 from 2007; I'd bet my house on it. The VOS was developed to give the instrument the look of a vintage guitar without the huge upcharge of the Murphy-aged versions which are enormously popular and about twice the cost. My pictured guitar is a Murphy that was made specifically for export to the Japanese market and differs from the usual versions found here in the US in that it is extremely realistic looking and plays & sounds as good as a couple of '59-'60 'bursts I've played.

The VOS is very similar to a line that came out in 2001 called the "Custom Authentic" line which had many of the same appointments but was limited to just a few Les Paul models; I have a '56 reissue that was offered that year. The VOS finish is availble on practically every make of Historic with the exceptions of the ES and "Futuristic" models.

Go to http://www.gibson.com and you'll be able to confirm just exactly what you have if there's any doubt.

[marc61]

Mike...we lost...you bet the house, and someone is coming for the deed!!!!...ha ha ha

Seriously...thanks for all your help. I was looking for the closest thing to a real 59 I could get. Couldn't figure out why the darn thing looked like it aged so nicely.

[peewee]

Mike...we lost...you bet the house, and someone is coming for the deed!!!!...ha ha ha

Marc, the jokes on them! They'd be doing me a huge favor if they came and took this place Remember the film "The Money Pit"?? That's my house!

Glad that I could be of help and enjoy that Lester; it looks like a really good one.