Help dating a Gibson acoustic

DiscoStu · July 2021

I was speaking to an old guy in at least his 70s yesterday, who showed me this Gibson J-50 Deluxe.
He told me he bought it used when he was still at school which suggests to me that it's probably a '56 going by the serial and his age.
However, doesn't the style of label inside indicate a 70s model, which wipes out his story? I'm no expert.

https://i.imgur.com/LJLjWrc.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/iGpHBap.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/oNhY4EJ.jpg

Andy79 · July 2021

That’s definitely a Norlin era guitar

Clecko · July 2021

Just be yourself, have some fun, see what you have in common. Treat it no differently to a Taylor, Martin etc. If you've had a nice time, ask if they'd like to do it again some time and hopefully you'll go on to make beautiful music together.

more · July 2021

I'm no expert on Gibsons. But I think most J 50's had have a rounded shoulder. It was made with a square shoulder in the late sixties. The older Gibsons had a nicer cellulose, cut out, pickguard. The early Gibsons had only 19 frets, not sure when the 20th was added. The inside looks really clean with a spot of glue that doesn't look old.?

DiscoStu · July 2021

Clecko said:

Just be yourself, have some fun, see what you have in common. Treat it no differently to a Taylor, Martin etc. If you've had a nice time, ask if they'd like to do it again some time and hopefully you'll go on to make beautiful music together.

But when it all begins with them lying about their age, it's time to swipe left.

ronnyb · July 2021

Definitely early 70s. Made in USA stamped on the back of the headstock did not come in until late 69 early 70. After 1973 Gibson used a 6 digit serial number on acoustics prefixed with a letter A. Also the rectangular orange labels were not used until 1970 replacing the oval ones.

LPManic · July 2021

Clecko said:

Just be yourself, have some fun, see what you have in common. Treat it no differently to a Taylor, Martin etc. If you've had a nice time, ask if they'd like to do it again some time and hopefully you'll go on to make beautiful music together.

This is great advice. I think you should just pluck up the courage to ask for a date. Just be direct and say you want no strings attached. Just make sure you don't ask how much they weigh!

thermionic · July 2021

Clecko said:

Just be yourself, have some fun, see what you have in common. Treat it no differently to a Taylor, Martin etc. If you've had a nice time, ask if they'd like to do it again some time and hopefully you'll go on to make beautiful music together.

The way some people refer to guitars as “she” (especially when trying to sell them), I can’t tell if this is supposed to be a joke or not!

DiscoStu · July 2021

Old folk, eh? Liars!

Kittyfrisk · July 2021

Given that you have only guessed his age, he might have had a hard paper round, an illness or poor genetics.
Maybe he could have been in his mid/late 60's & would have been at school in the early 1970's when he bought it?

DiscoStu · July 2021

Aye, possibly. But I meet a lot of older people in my job and I would say he was definitely 70+

Kittyfrisk · July 2021

Poor memory or just a lying old git

prlgmnr · July 2021

Maybe he was a teacher.

ICBM · July 2021

Early 70s, probably around '71 going by the serial number. (Although Gibsons serials from that period are notoriously inaccurate.)

BingMan · July 2021

Like others have said, I think 69/70 was when the j50 went from slope shoulder to square... ain't no fifties one that's for certain

ICBM · July 2021

BingMan said:

... ain't no fifties one that's for certain

Owner’s faulty memory most likely. I’ve had ‘differences’ with a couple of customers when asked to identify/value guitars which can’t possibly be as old as they - I think genuinely - ‘remember’ them as being.

I won’t be surprised if I have some wrong memories too, if not now then at some point!

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

Help dating a Gibson acoustic

Comments