serial numbers:

Hey guys I was just reading a thread on the cafe about Gibson F-5 MM's. serial listing.What do ya'll think about listing all our info that is in our JM's ? It would be cool to see over the course of time how many people buy the first 100 and post here. I'll begin it by posting mine. Inside the bass f hole label states ; style- F5 td, The Gibson Jam Master, number- 90512050. Inside the treble f hole label states; tested and assembled instrument tried and approved; may 12th, 2009; signed David W. Harvey. Lets all keep in touch. I want to talk to everyone about this special mandolin that we've been fortunate to get. thanks, Jeff.

F-Style Gibson Jam Master Serial#'s
#23 90515050 May 15, 2009
#24 90516020 May 16, 2009
#33 90527010 May 27, 2009
#50 90512050 May 12, 2009

Hey Greg just sent Dave Harvey a thank you for these incredible instruments. Told him the whole story of how/when/why I got it. Thanks for posting the info man.

#23 F5-td 90515050 May 15th 2009

Hey guys, I just talked to a student of mine, pickloser here on the cafe. She went to a mando camp last week and talked to Dave Harvey, he told her that mine # 50 was actually the 5th JM made. Apparently they are not numbering, signing them in order of production. I hope to here from Mr. Harvey more anbout this if he can find time to reply to the email I sent him. He is a very busy man though so it might take some time. Looks like he signed ours within a couple of days of each other.

That is very cool, I wonder why they numbered out of sequence?
Let us know what Mr. Harvey says. I posted a review on #23 in our group.
Do you know how to upload pictures? I would like to get a pic of it in the Jam Master group.
Cheers Brian

Brian, I too wonder why the out of sequence numbering maybe Mr. Harvey will let us know. As far uploading pictures, sorry man can't help you there. My youngest son has to do all that kind of stuff for me as I'm a computer idiot.

Yes 300 win looking at the manufacture date your #50 was clearly built before mine and Greg’s. Very strange that the number would be 50…? Please post when and if you find out why.
Brian

Will do Brian, but it might take awhile for Mr. Harvey to get back to me.

Hi guys. I am kokomo jim and I just joined the JM group. I own Jammaster #21. And #90603030 June 3rd 2009. Fstd. I bought the JM on ebay on Sept.20 2009. Oh yes and signed by David Harvey. It came in a canvas gigbag. With all the papers.

Jam Master A
#56
May 27, 2009
SN 90527050

Just noticed that all of the SN's listed here end in "0". Also, my JM A #56 was signed on the same date (May 27, 2009) as JM F #33, and that JM F #21 was signed on June 3, 2009. I don't suppose anyone got more info on that sequencing?

I actually have some info. Spent last week at Kaufman Kamp and David Harvey was one of my mandolin instructors.

Had a buddy in there with a blonde a-model Jam Master (apparently one of two made)which was dated sometime in June 2009 and had a sequence number somewhere in the 30s. Mine is dated May 13, 2009 and there is no sequence number in it.

I asked Dave and he said that they built about 15 before they started writing in the sequencing numbers on the inside label, and based on the date of mine it was probably one of the early ones made. He offered to look up the serial number in his log and tell me the sequence number. I sent this to him and am waiting for an answer.

He also told me that the name Jam Master had apparently hit some trademark or copyright issues and would probably no longer be used by Gibson. Sounds to me like our Jam Masters just got more collectable.

And...about Dave Harvey. It was such an honor to meet him, to show him my Jam Master and tell him how much I loved it and how I play it every day. He was a terrific instructor--I got to have him for two class sessions. A very approachable guy, great sense of humor. And, dang, can the guy play! Great musicianship and clarity, and phenomenal speed!

I'm going to try to upload a picture of him from Kamp where he's looking my Jam Master over and talking about it with me.

I'll report on my official sequencing number when I hear it.

Well, here's the word from David Harvey:

It looks like your JM was actually # 12 in the build sequence, although we may have used that number on another JM label. My records are a little scattered due to the flood.

So serial number is 90513020, approved on May 13, 2009, looks to be #12. And, as I told David, it went to a good home and gets played every day!

Great story Phil, thanks for sharing! Re: your buddy's blonde A-model, there was a blonde F-model with dark binding at the Gibson Showcase back in July 2009. This was the first I had played any JM, and put me over the top on making the decision to buy. If I could've justified the extra $1000-$1200, the blonde F would've been mine. But there wasn't a loser out of any of the JM's I played, and I am VERY happy with my A.

Mine is #69, August 13, 2009. A-std. oval, Serial# 90813010. After the serial Number it has "Custom Big Frets" written next to it.

BTW, does anyone know if the "First 100" means total JM's or the first 100 A-models and the first 100 F-models?

Space Pup, not sure but I believe the 'First 100' means the toatal regardless if F or A's.

My F standard is dated August 4, 2009 but it is not signed or numbered as one of the first 100. What in the world DOES "the first one hundred made" mean if it doesn't mean the consecutive order of production? The reason all the serial numbers end in zero is because of Gibson's spy-proof formula.
So for #90804010---
The first digit of serial # is the last number of the year- 9 (for 2009)
The next two digits are the month- 08 (August)
The next two are the day of the month- 04
The next two digits represent the number in the order of instruments made on that date- 01
The last digit is the next to last number of the year- 0.

I bought my Gibson JM here in Germany. SN is 90507020. A real good sounding Instrument. Signed by David Harvey. Especially it has inlaid dots on the Fingerboard! Never seen another one with this Feature. Sorry, I don't Know how to upload pictures on this site.
Greetings from Germany.

Glad to hear from some new happy Jam Master owners.
Cheers, Brian.
Gibson Jam Master #23