1976 Explorer. 6 Digit Serial Number?

Hi all,

So I discovered an old Explorer in a relative's basement. I'm having some difficulty trying to date it and was hoping to get some help. The serial number on the back of the headstock is 963640, which doesn't jive with the 00 serial number format of the '76s, and it's also stamped rather than inked or a decal.

For a moment I got excited thinking it could be a long lost '59 based on the first digit of the serial, but some further research proves that's not the case. The volume pot codes date them to 1975, is it possible that there was a preliminary run of '76 Explorers that were stamped and assembled in 1975? If so, does anyone have any idea how many or how that may affect their worth?

This reverb listing contends that there were only ever two '75 Explorers, but I don't know how accurate that info is: https://reverb.com/item/11085822-vi...ibson-hard-case-mega-rare-wow#description-tab

I think you are spot on. 1975-76. prog will chime in when he sees this,
but I`m sure some customs left out of the factory with this # scheme in
1975. maybe into a bit of 1976. Is Made in USA there?
Worth ,would `nt matter much. Condition.

guitplayer said:

I think you are spot on. 1975-76. prog will chime in when he sees this,
but I`m sure some customs left out of the factory with this # scheme in
1975. maybe into a bit of 1976. Is Made in USA there?
Worth ,would `nt matter much. Condition.

Click to expand...

No Made in USA stamp, just the serial number on the back of the headstock.

One other question, the frets on this guy are extremely low. Is that a matter of play wear (this would be surprising since from what I understand play has been minimal) or were these shipped with very flat frets?

There's a few of those listed here: https://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/...-76-explorer&p=2101025&viewfull=1#post2101025

In view of the pot codes most of these white ones were shipped in late '76, though construction may very well have started in 1975, before the LE run. That only two white Explorers shipped in 1975 is possible - 7548 is the earliest recorded pot code I've seen on those. Gibson shipping data in this period is hardly reliable though.

Arch D. Bunker said:

There's a few of those listed here: https://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/...-76-explorer&p=2101025&viewfull=1#post2101025

In view of the pot codes most of these white ones were shipped in late '76, though construction may very well have started in 1975, before the LE run. That only two white Explorers shipped in 1975 is possible - 7548 is the earliest recorded pot code I've seen on those. Gibson shipping data in this period is hardly reliable though.

Click to expand...

Interesting, the pot codes on mine are 1377542, and mine seems to break the 937 pattern of the known serial numbers, along with being natural finished instead of white. Suppose emailing Gibson directly might net any more info, or is the knowledge base here deeper than theirs?

Re the frets - I’ve had Firebirds from this period along with Les Paul Customs and all the frets were low and flat.