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The four numbers in the serial number...?

J

joeperry

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Jun 24, 2002
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1,058
Just a quick one here, tried to search but all I Got was what the first digit indicates when reading the serial number of 5digit vintage Lp’s.

Here goes:
What does the four digits tell exactly?
Example 7 3254 =7 being a 1957 but the 3254 means?????
On a historic reissue I think the same number would be read as 1957 reissue 2003 number 254 made that year? But Would that wouldn’t fit to the four digits on a vintage les Paul obviously that would tell something else right?

Best regards.
 
J

joeperry

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1,058
Thank you so much tw😁
So no way to tell what month or #in production I guess.

Best regards
Torben
 
Tom Wittrock

Tom Wittrock

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joeperry said:
Thank you so much tw��
So no way to tell what month or #in production I guess.

Best regards
Torben
Click to expand...

efpe said:
did they print them consecutively?
Click to expand...

The numbers were used in groups for different models. The only model people seem to track serial numbers for are the PAF Goldtops and Bursts. With some intense study it might be possible to guess the month within two months, but in general the best we can do is use serial number ranges for feature changes.
Within the groups it appears they are in a sequence.
But here are two examples that will show how confusing this might be:
Some left handed PAF Goldtops with cream plastic have lower serial numbers than right hand versions with the earlier black plastic features.
I have a 1959 [single cut] Les Paul Special 16 digits from a Burst. I think this means that serial numbers that are close but on different models can be out of order for when they were applied. Bursts in 1959 seem to stop numbers at near 2500 while there are Juniors and Specials below that and far above that.
 
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CastaMario

CastaMario

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Jul 25, 2019
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10
It's not just a simple number and could. Some studies show that the numbers are not a simple sequence. I believe that there is a secret meaning and even the four numbers from the vintage lp's have some meaning that could mean the different historical music periods. I have a vintage Lp’s that has 420 , I search on the internet and found general information about this number that could mean something from bible, more information about numbers you can find here https://www.sunsigns.org/angel-number-420-meaning/ .
 
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Tom Wittrock

Tom Wittrock

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Messages
42,567
CastaMario said:
It's not just a simple number and could. Some studies show that the numbers are not a simple sequence. I believe that there is a secret meaning and even the four numbers from the vintage lp's have some meaning that could mean the different historical music periods. I have a vintage Lp’s that has 420 , I search on the internet and found general information about this number that could mean something from bible, more information about numbers you can find here https://www.sunsigns.org/angel-number-420-meaning/ .
Click to expand...

Do you any evidence to support this claim!? :bigal
 
A

agogetr

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Joined
Jan 22, 2019
Messages
451
whoa thats deep.left handed cream earlier than right handed black? this demonstrates why you are the man tom. didnt some 60 les pauls just have only 4 digits? i thought i have seen a couple.
Tom Wittrock said:
The numbers were used in groups for different models. The only model people seem to track serial numbers for are the PAF Goldtops and Bursts. With some intense study it might be possible to guess the month within two months, but in general the best we can do is use serial number ranges for feature changes.
Within the groups it appears they are in a sequence.
But here are two examples that will show how confusing this might be:
Some left handed PAF Goldtops with cream plastic have lower serial numbers than right hand versions with the earlier black plastic features.
I have a 1959 [single cut] Les Paul Special 16 digits from a Burst. I think this means that serial numbers that are close but on different models can be out of order for when they were applied. Bursts in 1959 seem to stop numbers at near 2500 while there are Juniors and Specials below that and far above that.
Click to expand...
 
Tom Wittrock

Tom Wittrock

Les Paul Forum Co-Owner
Joined
Aug 2, 2001
Messages
42,567
agogetr said:
whoa thats deep.left handed cream earlier than right handed black? this demonstrates why you are the man tom. didnt some 60 les pauls just have only 4 digits? i thought i have seen a couple.
Click to expand...

I didn't say they were earlier, and I don't think they were. What I said was, they have lower serial numbers. The point being, the numbers aren't in a datable order.

The ones with only 4 digits were in 1958, and seem to be only Les Paul Juniors [mostly] and Les Paul Specials.

:salude
 
marshall1987

marshall1987

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Messages
3,278
What I suspect from looking at photos of old Gibson shipping ledgers, the serial numbers are ink-stamped in the columns first, then the assembly line ink-stamps the back of the headstock with serial numbers reserved for the particular batches, lastly, the hand-written guitar information is added to the ledgers when finished batches (or individual guitars) were ready for shipping.
 
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