| Vintage Gibson guitar identification is easy | | | | conjunction with any codeletter. |
| if you know what to look for. Serial numbers | | | | |
| are not always the complete answer. Better to | | | | From 1952-61, the FON's scheme followed the |
| look for a combination of serial numbers, | | | | pattern of a letter, batch number, and |
| factory order numbers and any design features | | | | instrument ranking number. The FON is the |
| specific to the time. | | | | only identification number on Gibson's lower |
| | | | grade models like the ES-125, ES-140 |
| Factory Order Numbers (FON's) were used by | | | | etc.)which do not feature a paper label. High |
| Gibson to track batches of instruments in the | | | | grade models (such as the Super 400, L-5 |
| early days when they made guitars normally in | | | | etc.) have both a serial number and a FON. |
| batches of forty. Therefore early Gibson | | | | |
| Vintage Guitars may have both a FON and a | | | | When both numbers are present on a high grade |
| serial number. The FON will even provide what | | | | model, please remember that the FON was |
| number in the batch of forty guitars your | | | | assigned at the beginning of the production |
| instrument was! | | | | run, while the serial number was recorded |
| | | | later (before shipping). The serial number |
| There are three groupings of numbers which | | | | would be the best indication of the actual |
| are used for their accuracy. The numbers are | | | | date of the guitar. |
| often stamped or written on the back of the | | | | |
| instrument and seen through the lower f-hole | | | | For detailed information plus a list of |
| or round soundhole. They may also be | | | | serial numbers you may want to visit my |
| impressed on the back of the headstock. | | | | website as there is too much information to |
| | | | share in a single article. |
| Code Letter FONs were stopped after 1941 and | | | | |
| any instruments made during or right after | | | | Lyndon is a collector of Gibson vintage |
| World War II do not bear any FON codes. | | | | guitars. |
| In1949, a four digit FON was used, but not in | | | | |