Probably the fastest and most accurate way for you to get information about a Gibson Les Paul (or any guitar for that matter) is to look up the serial number on the instrument and work backwards.
On a weekly basis we receive emails asking what is the best source for punching in a serial number and getting good information on your Gibson guitar.
Here is the answer: The best source for serial number lookup is posted by Gibson and can be found at GibsonUsa.com.
The site offers a great PDF file which goes through in great detail what a serial number actually means and how you can go about figuring out what year your Gibson Les Paul was produced, what production number it was, plant designation, and actual day it was produced.
It's fun to look up this information even if you are not interested in selling your instrument any time soon.
So the bottom line is that serial information can tell you much more than simply the year the guitar was produced and what number it was. Use this information to properly value your guitar. While Gibson does not produce an actual "Blue Book" of guitars, this Serial Number guide is a healthy start.
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Leave Comment
