In order to stay within that limit, I had to make use of their existing hardware, including pickup covers, and the champfered body contours I wanted were not in the budget either. The decoder says 1961, Kalamazoo, Mi. Looking around for info on my '75 I found a site that has several pages of pics and specs and trivia on the L6-S models. Bill Lawrence explains: In 1972, I was asked to design a multi-sound system for the SG Standard. It was designed in 1972 and first released in 1973. At this time we have scattered information regarding (CS) Custom Shop serial coding. Each L6S is now setup on the Plek machine, resulting in consistently good action direct from the factory. Unlike the majority of L6-Ss this instrument has a two-piece scratchplate, old-style headstock script, and block inlays. Limited edition Gibson Guitars during this period are as follows: Finally during the late seventies right up to 2005 Gibson gave us by far the best method of working out our serial number. The L-6S Custom was finally promoted (as a close out line) in the 1981 Gibson Specials pre owners manual in June 1981. Oops, looks like you forgot something. Since the six-digit numbers from the 60's & 70's are such a mess, you'll need to provide more data to get any accurate information. The block logo debuted after WWII and remains the face of the company. It's the Best Two Guitars Al DiMeola's Played (1977)Jazz guitarist Al DiMeola is pictured playing an ebony-finished L6-S Custom. What kind of guitar do you think this could be? Unless, of course, the pots have been changed. 1946-54 Gibson mastered the classic P-90 single-coil pickup and fits it to guitars such as the ES-5 and ES-175. Comes with a hard case, Guitar comes with non original theme matching case in very good condition. This guitar has the serial number 00143450, and this dates it to 1976. Example: 3 0602 = 1953. Ged is editor-in-chief and founder of Zing Instruments. A Double Cutaway Model was also available in Ebony and Maple (used by Malcolm Young in 1975). this site is simply meant as a tool to satisfy the curiosity of guitar enthusiasts. The original L6-S came in three variants; all were maple-bodied with twin super-humbucking pickups. 7 Of The Very Best, Best Epiphone Acoustic Guitar: You Can Own One For Less Than You Realize, Best Fender Acoustic Guitar. Elixir Nanoweb Vs Polyweb. Its important to point out Nashville and Memphis Custom Shop models are unique, even one off serial numbers. ex A-28123. It retained the L-5S body shape, still had maple body / neck (although the L-5S was curly maple, rather than close grain) and an . Strung through the body, with a "String Plate" mounted on back instead of string furrel holes. Photos would help. The first 3 position switch was a pickup selector while the second was a sound selector -- position one was for Les Paul , position two for Strat, and position three for Tele sound.Well, I had to stay within the budget, and we ended up with a six-position rotary switch, pickups with large humbucker covers, a stock Schaller bridge with a "stop" tailpiece, and a clumsy-looking body. Some serials were only 3 digits long. The batch number, day number were completely done away with leaving a very simple method. 1990+ saw interest in vintage models reignite. and were those also in the deluxe version from 1975? L6-S on the head and not L6S the name of the model that was re-released in 2011, but on the back of the head I see no serial number. He retires but is employed as a consultant and collects his monthly pension. A difference of only one year - sometimes even several months - can mean a four-figure difference in value. i also just aquired another l6-s but its a franken l6. I was given a free hand as long as I observed a set production cost limit. I was shocked at how awesome it is, and it looks so basic. The stamp number (in silver below) starts at 500 and ends at 699. Given a mere $25 more to work with, I could have made the guitar to my specs. Here is a summary of the serial number, model, and year. 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. As with most models, production tended to continue somewhat after the model's official withdrawal. Hurricane/Spitfire/etc Tuning Machine Ratio? 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. My 1st Gibson was a wine red L-6s Deluxe - I wish I still had it now, of course. 7 Stunning Guitars For You, Martin Vs Taylor Acoustic Guitar. ?s first ever! Replicas like the 59 and 60 flame top Les Paul send players into a buying frenzy. The serial number on this Les Paul Junior indicates that it was made in 1956. It also featured a 24 fret two-octave neck. And there might be a number after the four it's hard to tell The companys first solid-body guitar was released under the name Gibson Les Paul. The L6-S (or the L6-S Custom, as it would ultimately be known) was launched in 1973 at the summer NAMM show in Chicago, very much as a more affordable version of the Gibson L-5S. This first model the finish was Cream with Sparkles (on this model only; legend has it only 160 were made in this color). FONs were Gibsons way of internally tracking batches of instruments throughout production. 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. Here are all your guitar essentials. Authority Guitar has collated a mountain of data to give you the history by using your Gibson Serial Number. 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. Dhangarwadi Pin code is 431703 and postal head office is . The circuitry used an LCR networks with an inductor to filter midrange output, via the midrange control. Components listed in blue can be clicked for further details. However, while the intent was to maintain a more organized catalog, this system in practice achieved the exact opposite. 25.1C to 31.8C. Gibson L6-S Natural Wood Finish w / Bigsby Bridge - Clone. Neither were anything like as successful (commercially) as the L6-S Custom. Too many for me to mention here but check out the manufacturers site. and, off course, it plays like butter. The popularity of the L6-S gradually dropped after 1974, despite high-profile endorsements from the likes of Al Di Meola and Carlos Santana. Please check the fields highlighted in red. Here are more. Quote from: Guitarman@guitarsofheroes;14762. whats a 5 sided humbucker? If youre willing to pull the guitar apart, they are a quite a few checks you can go through to authenticate the guitar. louis. Is this a real Fender Bass or a good copy? The idea was to offer new sounds and as much versatility as possible: from country "chicken pickin'" to the most abstract jazz riffs. The 7 Very Best Taylor Guitar For All Skill Levels, Whats The Best Yamaha Acoustic Guitar? It belongs to Marathwada region . 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. Both pickups, parallel out of phase, with the neck pickup's bass response restricted through a series capacitor. light rain, clear sky, few clouds. 1961 The Gibson solid-body designs continued to be a roaring success. No ebony fretboard model is on sale. 2002 is the 50th Anniversary of the Les Paul. Anyway, I am not too bothered about that. Might be worth posting in the LP section also. $2199. Jeroena1990 are you sure that is your serial number.Without these first numbers this will narrow it down even more. National Highways Reachable To Sengaon. ex 3 1234. The first instruments crafted by Orville Gibson were a family of acoustics and mandolins. See the L6-S controls for a reminder of the function of the three potentiometers. The Gibson L6S and the Gibson L5S. Got an opinion on the contents of this page? The Essential Guide. The first number is the year. section. Your purchases help youth music programs get the gear they need to make music. 1975 Gibson L6-S, natural. 6 Digits in total. 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. Pasted as rich text. Even with these changes, the early production L6-S was still an excellent performer. Please, Gibson L6 "Midnight Special" in Champagne / TV Sparkle, Here for sale 1976 Gibson L6-S Deluxe in Tobacco Sunburst. My original prototype had a beautiful, elegantly-shaped pickguard, but somebody changed that too. [1] The idea was to make a "multi-sound system" under a very tight budget. The Gibson L6-S was designed in 1972 by then Gibson employee Bill Lawrence. Acoustic & Electric Low Priced Options, The Fender CD 60SCE Electro/Acoustic Guitar Review, Best 1/2 Size Guitar: Acoustic/Nylon/Electric Guitars For 4-12 Year Olds. Each had its own unique scratchplate. This guitar is in good condition, and in perfect working order. Examples -. The first number of the sequence indicates the decade of production, followed by the three digit day of the year, and finally the year. As seen in the video is a 1978 Gibson L6-S in Natural with Block Inlays with the original case. The Official Vintage Guitar Magazine Price Guide 2023 is out now, vintageguitarandbass.com 2004-2023 | terms and conditions | donate. Bass Guitar Instrumental - Standing In Your Dirt, 1989 Gibson Sunburst L5 CES Gold Hardware and 1997 Gibson SJ 200 Antique Natural, RARE Vintage 1980s Gibson L-6S Custom Silverburst 24 Fret Electric Guitar + Case, Gibson Vintage 1970's L6-S SG Harmonica Bridge Adjustment 1972 1973 1974 1975 76, Gibson Vintage 1973 L6-S Bill Lawrence Pickup 1972 1974 1975 1970's, Gibson L6-S DELUXE Natural HH Maple Body Vintage W / OHSC, Haunted Gibson '76 L6-S Electric Guitar with Original Case, Gibson L6-S Custom, 24 Frets (Gibson? The condition is very good for the age with some usual playing wear. As seen in the video is a 1978 Gibson L6-S in Natural with Block Inlays with the original case. 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. The seven-digit number that probably starts with 137 is found on the back of the pot can. Well, the 6 digit serial number indicates a guitar produced between 1970-75 so your memory is still holding strong. 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? . Shipping calculated at checkout. The L6-S (or the L6-S Custom, as it would ultimately be known) was launched in 1973 at the summer NAMM show in Chicago, very much as a more affordable version of the Gibson L-5S. There are 0 comments on this page so far. 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. 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. Gibson L6-S. Model Sub-Family: Gibson L-6 S Custom. 7 Stunning Guitars For. 2.0) At the time of its introduction, the L6-S Custom was simply called the L6-S, not gaining the "Custom" badge until later, when the simpler L6-S Deluxe was introduced. Gibson. 3 Go Head to Head, Best Gibson Acoustic Guitar in 2022. The L6-S Custom was designed by Bill Lawrence with 'Q-system' electronics (short for EQ), somewhat similar to those in the Gibson Ripper. With various B.B.King models and Chet Atkins solid body acoustics (1982). This guitar is in good condition, and in perfect working order. Want to know how to date your Gibson guitar by serial number? How can I authenticate its Gibson pedigree? 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. Any thoughts? The serial number is 6 digits and starts . Working with a potentially very valuable old Gibson can be intimidating, particularly for someone who doesnt have experience with vintage instruments. Josh "Josh 2" Hager of Devo uses a L6-S. Terms & Conditions | Registered Trademarks. The 1st and 2nd indicate the year of manufacture for the 6 digit serial numbers which we've been using since 2000. 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. Dhangarwadi is a Village in Sengaon Taluka in Hingoli District of Maharashtra State, India. To gain the best results use our decoder above. He's recently sung on radio and worked as a full-time guitarist/singer. The current owners of Gibson produced a limited reissue in 2011. Some important information will be printed or embossed as usual on the rear of the headstock or inside the body on a label. Read the rest of this article at the Bill Lawrence website. Skip to main content. In 1845 a gentleman by the name of Orville Gibson was working in his wood store. It's the best damn guitar you ever played.". 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. The 5 Best Guitar Books: Must Have Books For Every Skill Level 2021, The Best Way To Learn Guitar: New York Guitar School, https://www.mylespaul.com/threads/1983-studio-vs-1994-studio-lite-vs-1995-studio.345674/. The vintage ad at the top of the main page reads, "The Gibson L6-S. For example, the serial number 90237XXX corresponds to a production date of 1/23/97. In 2014 the serial number information was changed yet again. Hurricane/Spitfire/etc Tuning Machine Ratio? The 1st digit indicates the year of manufacture for the 4 & 5 digit serial numbers, these were used from 1989-1999. Controls include a pickup selector, master volume, and tone control, with a Schaller "Harmonica Bridge", it is strung through the body, with the back string furrels burrowed into the middle of the body. Well, the 6 digit serial number indicates a guitar produced between 1970-75 so your memory is still holding strong. Part lists and schematics for the Gibson L6-S Custom and L6-S Deluxe. Prices exclude shipping and tax/VAT/GST. The adjustable truss rod and height-adjustable bridge. This website uses cookies to personalise content and adverts, to provide social media features, and to analyse traffic. Hey Kathie. Zing Instruments is a participant in the Amazon Services Associates Program. Since the six-digit numbers from the 60's & 70's are such a mess, you'll need to provide more data to get any accurate information. It is located 29 KM towards west from District head quarters Hingoli. Discovering your guitars history can be a very rewarding thing to do. The Best Fingerstyle Guitar: 5 Affordable Acoustic Guitars For You. 516 KM from State capital Mumbai. It was the same shape, very much like a wide Gibson Les Paul, but with a 24-fret two-octave neck, the first Gibson guitar to have this. 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. 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. A 6 digit serial number is solid-bodied guitars produced from the years: 1955, 1956, 1959, or 1960. One of them unusual Gibson from the 70s! 1937-45 Saw the birth of the superb J-200 acoustic guitars. 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. They have very hot ceramic pickups and Carlos Santana endorsed them for awhile in the 70s. You can join a Gibson or Vintage based guitar blog and send pictures of your acoustic online. Potentiometer codes are always helpful. What Are The Differences? Based on your location, we've changed your settings: Shipping Region: For example, the serial number 90237XXX corresponds to a production date of 1/23/97. There was a certain era in which Gibson made the L-6S, what was it? A FON usually consisted of a 3-, 4-, or 5-digit batch number followed by one or two other numbers in most cases. Is this a real Fender Bass or a good copy? please do not give me **** about the stickers. Start new topic; Recommended Posts. It follows that potential scammers can use this knowledge to try to trick unsuspecting buyers. Our decoder will give you all of the information in both cases. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.Company address: Dramatik Ltd, 5 Champion Way, Tiverton, EX16 4FH, UK | Phone: +44 1884 906198 2023 - Zing Instruments. 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. It is necessarily a work in progress, which will need to be updated from time to time: 100,200-100,300s Johnny Smith. http://forums.gibson.com/default.aspx?g=posts&m=109732. It's serialnumber is stamped in the headstock (969062) According to bluebookinc.com it has to be a 1968 model, though Wikipedia says that the L6S Deluxe was build between 1974 and 1979. The original frets are in Gibson L6-S Natural Wood Finish w / Bigsby Bridge - Clone. The original logo featured the words "The Gibson" inlaid in pearl at a slant, with an almost hand-written cursive font. Ive spoken to them a while back, theyre really helpful. Instruments will generally have one or both of these numbers stamped or written either inside the body (generally the case on earlier models) or on the back of the headstock. Many serial numbers were crossed over giving us a choice of two, and sometimes three years. What Is The Difference? Ask if the last owner has the Gibson Owner Manual and Gibson Warranty Inspection card. For many vintage instruments, determining the date of manufacture involves little more than running the serial number through a reference guide. I have a couple of good references on Gibson serial numbers. Nationa High Way :NH752K;NH361F in Distance 93.7 KM ( Ahmedpur - Gangakhed Road ) Nationa High Way :NH161E;NH753C in Distance 96.3 KM ( Karanja Bypass ) Nationa High Way :NH161A in Distance 93.9 KM ( Nagpur-Mumbai Highway ) #92591374, will this tell me ?I do not know if it is an Artist or Studio lite. This website possesses NO DATABASE of guitars made by manufactures, Schecter Guitars Review. There were minute changes to which letters were connected in the font between 1961 to 1981, but the main logo had the same look. The headstock was sanded and a metal pickguard was made to cover the logo. Please check the fields highlighted in red. Got an opinion on the contents of this page? Tilt back body, anybody know ? But he's got a point. Because the L6-S lets you color your sound any way you want with tone and mid-range control and a six-position sound switch. Your link has been automatically embedded. There are 4 comments on this article so far. This didn't make any sense to me, and after several meetings with marketing, I convinced them to introduce a completely new solid-body that offered a wide variety of different sounds. The most general physical piece of evidence on the instrument, however, is going to be the logo on the headstock. Other finishes did exist (including a very fetching Cherry Sunburst) but were produced in vastly lower numbers.