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Odd 1965 SG Special Serial Number

Wams

New member
Joined
Jun 25, 2016
Messages
12
I have an old SG special that I have owned for 30 years and assumed it to be built in 1965. I “dated” the pot codes - although obscured a bit by soldering, I can read one of them to indicate “CBA-11-1053 500k AT 13765xx - with the last two digits covered by solder. Given the codes and the observable features of the guitar, I had dated the year of manufacture as 1965. What really throws me off is the Serial Number. It starts with 77xxxx. The guitar has all of the usuals for a mid 60s Gibson: impressed SN, no “Made is USA” stamp, and no volute. Likewise, it has the original and correct small, mid 60s pickguard, kluson strip tuners, and p90s - and the fading to the cherry color (as compared to the color under the pickguard) look as expected for a guitar of that era. (Note - I restored the tailpiece to a period-correct maestro using the original tailpiece screw holes given that a previous owner swapped tailpieces to a stop tailpiece). Gibson SN lists that I have seen on various online forums that show overlapping SNs for various years do not indicate any in the mid-60s starting with “77”. Should I just chalk this up to the haphazard Gibson SNs of that era - even though I don’t see any references to this serial numbering scheme in any of the “dating your Gibson guitar” resources?

Trying to add a photo - not as easy as pasting it, I am finding out...
 
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fernieite

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 3, 2010
Messages
609
This is odd. Some photos of the actual serial number and the rest of the guitar could help.
Btw, what's the neck width at the nut?
 

VamboRool

Active member
Joined
Nov 25, 2015
Messages
424
Have you black-lighted the guitar? Wondering if it could possibly be a factory reneck.
 

Wams

New member
Joined
Jun 25, 2016
Messages
12
All,

Thanks for the feedback. I finally figured out how to add some photos of the guitar in question - I think..... I have not “black lighted” the guitar and the first number seems to be a 7.
 
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Wams

New member
Joined
Jun 25, 2016
Messages
12
The neck width across the nut is 40mm (about 1.57 inches).
 
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VamboRool

Active member
Joined
Nov 25, 2015
Messages
424
Looks like a 60s body with a 70s headstock logo. Maybe a reneck, maybe a guitar that got put together with left over parts, maybe something else.
 
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