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"First Rack" ES-345's

emilP

New member
Joined
Jan 30, 2020
Messages
2
Rack numbers went to 9999 and then started again at (supposedly) 100. Rack S608 is well after the first racks S8537-39. I have S608-20 in my database which has SN
A31125. Those guitars shipped around September 1st give or take a week or two. Rack S609 was also 345's. S606 was 355's.

many thanks!
How many racks were made during the year 1959 ?
Do you know the rank of my rack S608 ?
cheers
emilP
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Zzl6Sunw6U&list=UUg7dL0OT68it3fYm_5S6l8g&index=56
 

OKGuitar

Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2011
Messages
938
The only way to actually know is to figure out how many guitars shipped and divide it by 35. I only keep track of FONs on 335's, 345's and 355's. These count for a rather small percentage of the guitars sold during the FON era (58-61). There were Les Pauls, Melody Makers, 125's and 225's and 330's and all the acoustics and arch tops. There are no FONs on some of these guitars, so it's a bit of a crapshoot.
 

MDP

New member
Joined
Feb 7, 2020
Messages
6
ES 345 1959 - I need your help please
Dear All,
I have a vintage ES 345 with serial nr: A 32575 and some hand written initials "BAB" or similar. The color I believe is Argentina sunburst. May someone help me out with the background of my guitar? Is or was it maybe a prototype of a famous musician that Gibson worked togehter back then? Thank you all soooo much in advance for kind advise. Very best, Martina
 

brandtkronholm

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Messages
2,737
Consecutive FONs show up within days. (Randomness would be random if it didn't sometimes happen in clumps!)

From this thread (#77 & #81):
Hello !
Could someone do know from wich badge came my 345 stereo from 1959?
A310072
Fon :S608 3 (followed by an 1 ?)
Pictures of my PAF's are on my computer,not from an URL site.So,I cannot send pics
Many thanks
emilP


From another thread (post #14):
(https://www.lespaulforum.com/forum/showthread.php?213985-ES-345-1959-I-need-your-help-please)

A huge Thank You to all for all the very kind information. I've been asked to look for the Fon no in the guitar - and here it is:

S 608 4
 
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