I need help: Identifying a mid 1960's Gibson/Kalamazoo. Bill Lawrence explains: In 1972, I was asked to design a multi-sound system for the SG Standard. From 1943 to 1947, the logo was a thick golden script, known as the banner logo. It belongs to Aurangabad Division . Anyway, I am not too bothered about that. Despite being purchased by the Norlin corporation in 1970, Gibson maintained the same confusing 6-digit serial system through 1975, meaning instruments with the same serial number could be from either the 60s or the 70s. As always, to receive the best possible information available, be sure to type your serial info into our decoder above. Please post any comments, particularly bugs in the user feedback The Best Fingerstyle Guitar: 5 Affordable Acoustic Guitars For You. (Ver. Gibson's use of serial numbers has sometimes been chaotic. Gibson L6-S shipping statistics and pricing - Vintage guitar I need help: Identifying a mid 1960's Gibson/Kalamazoo. Learn More. Unlike other brands of guitars, Gibson keeps it simple. As seen in the video is a 1978 Gibson L6-S in Natural with Block Inlays with the original case. Controls include a six position pickup selector, master volume, mid-range and treble roll-off controls. The extra digit slots in the 6th position and is responsible for the batch lot number of the guitar produced that day. Invented by Ted McHugh at Gibson. This advertisement hails from mid-1977; several years after the L6-S initial launch, and following similar adverts for t The first digit is the year and the other numbers are production numbers. Just enter the number below, hit the Decode button and our lookup tool will tell you the year your guitar is from (sometimes even down the exact day), the country it was made in, and the manufacturing plant. Haunted Gibson '76 L6-S Electric Guitar with Original Case. Gibson L6-S schematics & parts lists >> Vintage Guitar and Bass However, this does not impact our reviews and comparisons. Gibson stopped dotting the i in their logo on some of their instruments. According to bluebookinc.com it has to be a 1968 model, though Wikipedia says that the L6S Deluxe was build between 1974 and 1979. They purchase the company and fit the demand. No ebony fretboard model is on sale. 15 Options For All Budgets, Best Bass Pre Amp 2023: An Expert Opinion, Best Ukulele Brands 2022: 5 Affordable Deals, Beginners Guide To The 5 Best Ukulele Strings, Best Beginner Mandolin: Everything You Need To Know, What Is A Guitalele? 7 Stunning Guitars For You, Martin Vs Taylor Acoustic Guitar. 6 Digits in total. Copyright 2021 Gibson Brands, Inc. All rights reserved. Firstly i am ecstatic to find this forum on the l 6. The L6-S Custom was designed by Bill Lawrence with 'Q-system' electronics (short for EQ), somewhat similar to those in the Gibson Ripper. It is stamped "Made in USA". Lee has been playing guitar for over 25 years. I found a Memphis Gibson ES Les Paul hollow body with the serial number 11036737 . Last edited on 25 December 2022, at 17:46, Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gibson_L6-S&oldid=1129490388, Natural, ebony, tobacco brown sunburst, wine red. How to Date a Gibson Using Serial Numbers, FONs and Logos Guild Guitars Serial Numbers. 6 digit serial numbers ending in 1,2,3,4,5 & 8. What Is The Difference? Schecter Guitars Review. How To Verify Authentic Gibson Serial Numbers From pretty and wa *Weve tirelessly searched the internet for every record, the information gathered is the most accurate we could find. If you have any doubts as to a guitars authenticity please contact the guitar manufacturer before your purchase. This guitar is 100% original and comes with the original Gibson hardshell case. The new guitar consists of a three-piece set maple neck and two-piece "butterfly" maple body, unlike the original L6-S, which had a one-piece maple body 3 Go Head to Head, Best Gibson Acoustic Guitar in 2022. Learn every inch of your guitar, 5 Tips On How to Stay Creative With Songwriting on Guitar, 6 Tips: How To Get the Best Sound When Playing Guitar at Home, 7 Pro Tips for Playing Guitar and Singing at the Same Time, The Mystery Of The Fretboard. Is this a real Fender Bass or a good copy? too busy playing. The number of digits was changed to 9 in total. The neck uses Gibson construction: a maple fingerboard over the trussrod and maple neck, rather than an insert in the back of the neck like Fender maple fingerboard/necks. i also just aquired another l6-s but its a franken l6. Who Does it Better? Three more outrageous designs were brought to the forefront with the Flying V, the Explorer, and the Moderne. They probably made some before and after those dates as well which would have had impressed serial numbers. One of them unusual Gibson from the 70s! This page was last edited on 25 December 2022, at 17:46. Starting with switch position #1, in the most counter-clockwise position, the available pickup switching options are as follows: The capacitor in the #4 position gives a fuller tone than the otherwise very nasal out of phase tone. Note that all three potentiometers are Gibson part 70029 - 300kΩ in contrast to the 250kΩ parts described in the 1973. According to what I've read online it should be either 6 digits (for pre-75) or something along the lines of 00, 99, 06, etc. Your purchases also help protect forests, including trees traditionally used to make instruments. Decode. Louis, That serial number can only reveal that it is a Gibson made in Nashville, TN on February 7th of 1996. Gibson L6-S - Wikipedia Serials beginning with CS05 are from Memphis 2010. I don't know' date=' but here is a thread devoted to the L6S you might find interesting. A FON usually consisted of a 3-, 4-, or 5-digit batch number followed by one or two other numbers in most cases. 1978 The First Re-Issues were produced featuring the F-SL, the Heritage Les Paul (1980), and the Heritage Korinas (1982). Any help will be greatly appreciated. There are some scratches, dings and wear on the back. Electrically it differed from the L-5S though, with its six-position phase switch, or "Q System" - two incredibly hot Super Humbucking pickups wired for series, parallel or single performance - with treble roll-off and midrange controls. As with most models, production tended to continue somewhat after the model's official withdrawal. And there might be a number after the four it's hard to tell This makes it especially important to first identify the general era during which your instrument was made before pinning down the exact date of manufacture with a serial number. There are many accessories and extras guitarists need from time to time. or are those just regular gibson LP style humbuckers? The early pups were 5-sided humbuckers (1973-75) and the later pups were . It also featured a 24 fret two-octave neck. Lucky you! 8 Beautiful Acoustics You Need In Your Life, Best Gibson Acoustic Guitar in 2022. Number of Frets: 24. Since the six-digit numbers from the 60's & 70's are such a mess' date=' you'll need to provide more data to get any accurate information. I have this one with serial 659508, so it is 1970-1972 based on my research, but I want to nail it down. i got the nuumbers tho. this site is simply meant as a tool to satisfy the curiosity of guitar enthusiasts. But not a final verdict. The use of maple bodies, necks and fretboards, usually with just a simple clear coat finish, made for an instrument quite distinct from earlier guitars, both visually and tonally. . details required for an exact match are listed in yellow. Everything You Need To Know, Acoustic Vs Electric Guitar: A Complete Beginners Guide, The Fascinating Benefits of Playing Guitar, 11 Original Artists Who Defined The History Of Delta Blues Guitar, The Guitars That Shaped The Best Selling Albums Of All Time, How To Benefit From The Circle Of Fifths and Fourths. You can post now and register later. There are crossovers to when it was produced. *Authority Guitar Top Tip: Press ctrl & F then add the beginning of your serial number/guitar model in the search bar to find your details quicker on our extensive list below. I have inherited a custom Gibson Hummingbird with ivory and gold keys, ivory pegs and ivory and mother of pearl inlays on the neck. According to an on-line decoder it says that it is a 78..Mine has three knobs, replaced pickups, and a three way switchare there any product manuals or other ways to know what equipment/features mine would have originally had? There are two things you can do now if you want to discover more. as far as dating it i've only gotten as far as seeing in the vintage gibson pages where they state the sales figures for the l6 s that there were only 16 cherry sunbursts produced during the entire production run and all of them in 1975. not sure if that is true or not. Use the decoder above to retrieve a much clearer date. Privacy Policy | Gibson L6-S. Model Sub-Family: Gibson L-6 S Custom. Yet you may come across these serial numbers between 1970-75. This guitar is in good condition, and in perfect working order. I have an old Gibson L6-S that was given to my mother as a gift. 1921 saw the introduction of one of the most important developments in guitar history. The original L6-S came in three variants; all were maple-bodied with twin super-humbucking pickups. Many serial numbers were crossed over giving us a choice of two, and sometimes three years. Colours on sale in 2012 are "Antique natural" - like the original 1970s all-maple maple neck L6-S - and "Silverburst" with a baked maple fretboard. My 1st Gibson was a wine red L-6s Deluxe - I wish I still had it now, of course. It is located 29 KM towards west from District head quarters Hingoli. If it;s a bolt on neck its a 1974 midnight special and if its a neck through its a deluxe. It was never advertised, or listed in the Gibson catalogs or the Gibson price listings. Zing Instruments is a participant in the Amazon Services Associates Program. As one of the oldest and most widely recognized brands in music, Gibson has crafted some of the most cherished and valuable instruments of all time. The answer to your question is no, unfortunately. He's also got an unhealthy obsession with vintage VW Campervans. The first number of the sequence indicates the decade of production, followed by the three digit day of the year, and finally the year. Completely stock except for grover tuners which have been replaced. gibson L6-S (Guitarsite) Based on your location, we've changed your settings: Shipping Region: My original prototype had a beautiful, elegantly-shaped pickguard, but somebody changed that too. 101,600s-101,800s Howard Roberts. It is what it is. On the rare occasion it isnt there, you can check the pots where youll find the date (unless the pots havent been swapped out at a later date, that is). The new one has some differences, the pickups are different, but the character of the guitar comes mainly from the use of maple, so it's pretty close, and the necks on the 3 old ones are all a little different from each other anyway. A variation of letters was used to decipher the early production of Kalamazoo, MI Gibson guitars. You cannot paste images directly. It has been fantastically taken care of if this is true. . The Guitar Dater Project - Gibson Serial Number Decoder Start new topic; Recommended Posts. Rather than try and explain all the nuances to their system, my advice is to try the decoder above which will check your number against their database. When only one variant of the L6-S existed, it was simply called the L6-S. The L6-S was the epitome of Norlin-era Gibson output. ?s first ever! Ha. Some documentation crosses over and some has been lost over the years causing gaps in our data. Note: Custom shop guitars are not supported. Too many for me to mention here but check out the manufacturers site. You can add any model of Gibson guitar, whether thats a Les Paul, a Flying V, or a Hummingbird. Both pickups, parallel out of phase, with the neck pickup's bass response restricted through a series capacitor. Some important information will be printed or embossed as usual on the rear of the headstock or inside the body on a label. Archtop models had a stamp on the inside of the F hole, and the solid-body models displayed the serial number on the rear of the headstock. 8 Essential Beginners Tips To Success, Building Your First Home Studio 6 Essential Items Youll Need, How Much Do Guitars Cost? Note that these switching options are for the original 1970s L6-S with sealed ceramic Bill Lawrence Humbuckers and are somewhat different for the 2011- reissue L6S, which use 490R/498T split coil pickup switching and different wiring. And obviously the pickup covers were taken off and the original plastic mounts around the pickups are gone. Beautiful flamed wood. Both new models were a cheaper instruments with simpler electronics, strung through the body, bolt-on neck for the Midnight Specials and a rosewood fingerboard for the Deluxe. Part lists and schematics for the Gibson L6-S Custom and L6-S Deluxe. Gibson Guitar Serial Dating - Guitar Nucleus Definitely underrated. And obviously give Gibson a call to check its not a fake with serial number and sizes. He produced the very first instrument, which would eventually lead to becoming the largest guitar manufacturer in the world. Hey Kathie. ), All Original, Made in USA in 1978. A GREAT guitar - you can download the serial numbers off the Gibson site and match your serial number into the range. CS15 is 2011. Without this list becoming too much of a mess, here are the serial numbers within this nine-year period. The general system was as follows, though with instruments from this era its important to consult key features to get a more accurate age approximation. Even though I've seen Paul Stanley, Robin Zander and Bob Mothersbaugh play these things, I say, "Gibson L6-S" and get nothing but blank looks. This was the model Paul Stanley of Kiss used from December 1974 to June 1975. There are no cracks, repairs, or issues. Gibson flexes its muscles by producing the worlds first digital guitar. Each had its own unique scratchplate. . A nice and easy player that features 24 frets, a slimmer body, newer Gibson 490 pickups (I don't have originals), and the rotary switch was replaced with a 3-way toggle. Loosely based around the archtop violin design. Mike Oldfield used this model around 1979 for the recording of Incantations and for the tour. or 75? Once it reaches 699, the next guitar stamp goes back to 500. Your purchases also help protect forests, including trees traditionally used to make instruments. Clear editor. He's recently sung on radio and worked as a full-time guitarist/singer. These particular models do not have serial numbers on the back of the headstock. The neck is straight with no issues and plays great. I have a Gibson L6S serial number 73258549. Above the serial What Are The Differences? CAD Four new species of pickups (including the Sidewinder). The L6-S Custom remained in the catalog in 1980 and was still being made in the Nashville plant. Examples -. This website uses cookies to personalise content and adverts, to provide social media features, and to analyse traffic. light rain, clear sky, few clouds. The book said around 1975 <>. There are 4 comments on this article so far. The L6-S was the first cooperation between Bill Lawrence and Gibson. Your guitars journey from the factory into your hands may be a mystery, but its always a good way to dig into the earlier life of your instrument. Though bluebookinc.com says that guitars from the 70's have " Made in USA" stamped. The headstock was sanded and a metal pickguard was made to cover the logo. [1] The idea was to make a "multi-sound system" under a very tight budget. Aside from the logos, each era of manufacturing included certain identifying traits such as the hardware (tuners, knobs, plates, etc. please do not give me **** about the stickers. 1961 was the year Gibson wanted to tidy the serial number process up. Skip to main content. There are some scratches, dings and wear on the back. The batch number, day number were completely done away with leaving a very simple method. For guitars made prior to 1977 use the extended search function. Finishes; Natural Maple, Ebony, Wine Red & Purple Sparkle. Pat Martino, John McLaughlin, Keith Richards, Tom Johnston, Paul Stanley, Mike Oldfield, Dave Davies, Brad Delp, Rich Williams, Bob Mothersbaugh, Bob Casale, Martha Davis of The Motels, Allison Robertson, Angus Young and Prince also used the model during this period. The original frets are in 1973 Vintage Gibson Bill Lawrence L6-S Pickup 1970's, Gibson Vintage 1970s L6-S Bill Lawrence Pickup Untested, ** Vintage 1970's Gibson Harmonica Bridge Adjustment Studs 1970's *. This system is fairly reliable for guitars made from 1953 to 1961. Disagree with something written above? A-28123 = Gibson ES-295 1998 123rd in the sequence. A nice and easy player that features 24 frets, a slimmer body, newer Gibson 490 pickups (I don't have originals), and the rotary switch was replaced with a 3-way toggle. 6 Go Head to Head, Best 12 String Guitar. You can add any model of Gibson guitar, whether that's a Les Paul, a Flying V, or a Hummingbird. I have tried using the serial numbers to find out where it came from but I can't find anything. Gibson Serial Number Lookup - Authority Guitar Some models (LG-2, J-45, SJ, select L-50s) included an actual banner reading "Only a Gibson Is Good Enough" in the middle of the headstock. The L6-S was the first cooperation between Bill Lawrence and Gibson. Please, ** Vintage 1970's Gibson Harmonica Bridge Adjustment Studs 1970's *, 1973 Vintage Gibson Bill Lawrence L6-S Pickup 1970's, GIBSON L6-S SPECIAL Solid Body ELECTRIC GUITAR w / Orig GIBSON CASE. The Gibson ES-150 was endorsed by Charlie Christian. Enter your full serial details into our decoder to get a much closer idea of the production year: Unfortunately, this is where we start to cross over. It quickly becomes popular in the market. In the 1990's he made a few TV appearances in London and supported a few big bands at festivals. Might be worth posting in the LP section also. Over 12,000 L6-S Custom instruments were made. Gibson L6-S Made in USA in 1970-75 Serial Number: 108156 that's the . The first two digits are the year, the last digit specifies the type of guitar. 7 Stunning Guitars For You. This new function will try to match the serial number against older formats, People on these sites are worth theyre weight in gold, and somebody may spot something unknown to us. A real nice example, nice and light and resonant. Even with these changes, the early production L6-S was still an excellent performer. A Double Cutaway Model was also available in Ebony and Maple (used by Malcolm Young in 1975). either way i'm wondering if mine has the real deal bill lawrence super humbuckers or not. Pickup Configuration: HH. Gibsons earliest serialization system was more or less sequential, where each new instrument was assigned the next highest available number. This makes relying entirely on the physical features of a guitar potentially misleading. This guitar has the serial number 00143450, and this dates it to 1976. It has been said the CS ES models start off being built in Memphis. The following letters would be found with your serial number between the years 1935 & 1942: A,B,C,D,DA,E,G,H,Ex,F,FA,xG,xK,xW,xxE. The current owners of Gibson produced a limited reissue in 2011. ex Z12345 & Z123456 would be an Archtop guitar from 1952. Around a third of L6-S (Custom) guitars were black with an ebony fretboard, still with a maple body and neck. Are you trying to locate one of your guitars ? Gibson Lawsuit Guitar (Fujigen) Information??? Yeah. I have an ES 135, Serial Number 00002305. they must've been kids or high or both because it's really amateurish. During this time Gibson acquired the recording talents of a ceratin Les Paul. Tap this link. Ernie Ball vs DAddario String Comparison 2022, What Are Best Acoustic Guitar Strings For Beginners? The first number of the sequence indicates the decade of production, followed by the three digit day of the year, and finally the year. Gibson regularly produced lists of constituent components for each of their guitars; this first list (left) was produced in the 1977 Gibson replacement parts catalogue, at a time that the 'Custom' was used in other Gibson literature (the January 1977 price list for example) - although note that it is not used here. [more], Gibson L6-S Custom - Santana Calls it His Rainbow (1974)Actually, it's the Gibson L6-S. A 6 digit serial number is solid-bodied guitars produced from the years: 1955, 1956, 1959, or 1960. ex 3 1234. ex A-28123. The first letter in this sequence is the year. We try our best to keep things fair and balanced, in order to help you make the best choice. The image features Carlos Santana (of latin rock band Santana) playing the L6-S Custom. The condition is very good for the age with some usual playing wear. For 1975, the first two digits were 99. Photos are always good, as specific features change on Gibson models during their run. Year=2017 Serial=1234567. Keep in mind that we may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. He retires but is employed as a consultant and collects his monthly pension. or maybe 76? 2.0) From 1952 to 1961, a consistent letter code resumed, with the letter appearing before the batch number. The 6-position switch in the original L6-S previously provided all possible connections of two pickups. In 2014 the serial number information was changed yet again. Sold Out. The popularity of the L6-S gradually dropped after 1974, despite high-profile endorsements from the likes of Al Di Meola and Carlos Santana. When the new ownership took over, there were even more changes, and by 1976, the L6-S had become just another Les Paul-style Gibson solid-body. This website uses cookies to personalise content and adverts, to provide social media features, and to analyse traffic. 3=1953. Your purchases help youth music programs get the gear they need to make music. L-6S Deluxe Finish and Comparison to SG Standard. The original model was then re-named the L6-S Custom. Given a mere $25 more to work with, I could have made the guitar to my specs. The vintage ad at the top of the main page reads, "The Gibson L6-S. Mike or MK333 your L6 is like mine and has a 8 diget serial number so you use the 1st and 5th numbers and yours is a 1978 like mine,try the wikipedia page for info.This ppage may give you some info try it out. But, Im a member on a blog where the guys are very helpful. Gibson L6-S Rare Appointments | Reverb The serial number is 55620. [more], Gibson L6-S Custom - Santana Calls It his Rainbow (1976)Mid 70s advertisement for the Gibson L6-S series. The guitar was actually designated as an "L6 Midnight Special" by Gibson note; the absence of the "S". The closest coding we have with an explanation is as follows: CS= Custom Shop, 1=Year (Last digit of the year, 2011? This website possesses NO DATABASE of guitars made by manufactures, Vintage original 1977 Gibson L6-S in original Natural finish. Elixir Nanoweb Vs Polyweb. 1946-54 Gibson mastered the classic P-90 single-coil pickup and fits it to guitars such as the ES-5 and ES-175. Paste as plain text instead, How can I tell what type of Les Paul I have. Further innovating guitars were Further impressive innovations were produced in 1980. [citation needed] The pick-ups are not the original's ceramic sealed Bill Lawrence-designed "super humbuckers", but two humbucking pickups with four-conductor split-coil wiringa 490R in the neck and a hotter 498T in the bridge. Strung through the body, with a "String Plate" mounted on back instead of string furrel holes. 7 Of The Very Best, Best Epiphone Acoustic Guitar: You Can Own One For Less Than You Realize, Best Fender Acoustic Guitar. Its difficult to know without pics. There were minute changes to which letters were connected in the font between 1961 to 1981, but the main logo had the same look. Copyright 2021 Gibson Brands, Inc. All rights reserved. I bought this new back in 74? Controls include a pickup selector, master volume, and tone control. Get yourself a free account, post the pics of your guitar and the experts will def help you. The current L6S neck does not feature the unique "narrow at the nut and wider near the body" taper of the 1970s guitar, but a conventional Gibson shape. 6 Digits in total. This usually indicates there is an imperfection or blemish to the finish. Hello, I encountered a problem while trieng to determine the age of my L6S Deluxe. On electrics, they are almost always on the back of the headstock, at the top. Dhangarwadi Village , Sengaon Taluka , Hingoli District Best Gibson Acoustic Guitar in 2023. You can join a Gibson or Vintage based guitar blog and send pictures of your acoustic online. Oops, looks like you forgot something. The circuitry used an LCR networks with an inductor to filter midrange output, via the midrange control. Here is the elaborate list of serial number ranges derived from existing 1976 Gibsons, based on a little over 1,000 instruments. If youre willing to pull the guitar apart, they are a quite a few checks you can go through to authenticate the guitar. [more], Gibson L6-S Custom - L6-S. Quote from: Guitarman@guitarsofheroes;14762. whats a 5 sided humbucker? The Junior, Special, Standard, and the Custom hit the stores shortly after 1952. But he's got a point. Neither were anything like as successful (commercially) as the L6-S Custom. What are the differences? The serial number is 6 digits and starts . This model was the first of the series, and was simply know A difference of only one year - sometimes even several months - can mean a four-figure difference in value. ex 1234 A & 1234 A5. There are some scratches, dings and wear on the back. Type your serial numbers into the decoder below and youll get all the information Gibson has on the instrument. These L6-S endorsers include Carlos Santana, jazz guitarist Al DiMeola, and Rich Williams of Kansas - all of whom appeared in official Gibson publicity with this model.