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Help With a 53 Serial Number

boogieongtr

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May 16, 2006
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937
I am looking at a 1953 Goldtop on Reverb but the serial number font has me questioning it's originality. I have seen a lot of 50's serial numbers but I have never seen one like this. The seller says it's original. I sent him 5 pics of 50's goldtop serial numbers for comparison but have not heard back. Any input would be appreciated. Here's the sellers pic of the S/N.
 
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sws1

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Dec 4, 2001
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2,846
Almost looks like there was another s/n right below that one that's faded. Could be my eyes seeing things though.
 

Wally

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the hyphen gives me pause, and the number seems to be placed high on the peghead. AND..I agree that here seems to be some remnants of a stamped number below what we see there
Looking at the finish on the neck, I might guess that there has been a refin here.
 

boogieongtr

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May 16, 2006
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the hyphen gives me pause, and the number seems to be placed high on the peghead. AND..I agree that here seems to be some remnants of a stamped number below what we see there
Looking at the finish on the neck, I might guess that there has been a refin here.

I agree on the hyphen and how high the placement is. What about the font? I have never seen any Gibson font that large.
 

boogieongtr

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My first thought is refin. :hmm

Thanks Tom, have you ever seen a Gibson S/N with that large of font? Compare it to my original:

IMG_20160106_105543915_HDR_zps2yvmjlsf.jpg
 

Tom Wittrock

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Thanks Tom, have you ever seen a Gibson S/N with that large of font?

I think there has been one or more similar to that shown here over the years, and I recall they were refinished guitars.
Your photo is how they should look. :)
 

pinefd

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Jan 22, 2004
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I think there has been one or more similar to that shown here over the years, and I recall they were refinished guitars.
Your photo is how they should look. :)

That is my recollection as well, Tom (and Jim). I've seen this font used on a few old factory refins.


Frank
 

boogieongtr

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May 16, 2006
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937
That is my recollection as well, Tom (and Jim). I've seen this font used on a few old factory refins.


Frank

Thanks guys, I just received an email from another forum member and he said it was probably a factory refin from the 60's.
 

goldtop72457

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Mar 24, 2005
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148
I have a 54-57 conversion and there's a "-" in the serial number. It also has a shaved 60's profile neck and I was told Gibson would put a "-" in the serial number when they refinished it
 

Tom Wittrock

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All the refin Les Pauls from the 60's [that I have seen] used the indented method of numbering. Maybe this was done in 1960 or earlier? :hmm
 

goldtop72457

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Mar 24, 2005
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148
All the refin Les Pauls from the 60's [that I have seen] used the indented method of numbering. Maybe this was done in 1960 or earlier? :hmm

I bought it from Spitzer's music in Hayward CA app 1978 and it was still a P90 guitar but the neck at that point had been shaved and the serial number at that time had the dash in it....I never gave it a second thought until I saw some all original 50's and then I started asking questions and I was told it was factory refin. They were a reputable dealer around here and told me the neck had been shaved and refinished and they had several other goldtops and a sunburst refinished 57.
 

Wally

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Feb 27, 2003
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Re: factory refin and headstock numbers. I once tracked down a ‘58 Flying V that had an odd serial number.....six digits dating to 1964. Everything else, except the upside down Gibson logo on the front of the headstock, was good for an original production run. I talked to Dan Erlewine’s about it and his opinion was that the headstock had been repaired at the factory and that the factory’s usual process was to pull a number out of the current production and use that new number on the repair. The story with the guitar was that it had been broken while it was being loaned to a friend and was indeed sent back to the factory for repro. Fwiw, it was one of two Flying V’s that were shipped to a music store in Plainview, TX. My guitar instructor...1963-1965 when I was 12-14....worked at the store and told me many years later that those two guitars were received when new. Gruhn sold the V that I dug up....despite my good offer the owner wanted to deal with the big boy in the game. I doubt that he received as much as I offered after the consignment fee.
So close...so far away, eh?
 
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