Gibson F4 serial # 12756, 1911: question about FON

[Joe Bartl]

As the result of a question in a different forum, I've gotten curious about the FON in my F4. I've never looked for this until now. What I find is this:



I don't find a FON number elsewhere on the instrument. It seems unlikely that this is FON "15" ... so, if not the FON, any clue as to what this number represents?

Thanks for your help.

Joe

[Joe Bartl]

Hmmm, maybe I've answered my question. I just looked at Spann's Guide and see that there were 4-digit FONs for F4s in 1911 for which the first two digits were "15". So if this F4 is in that same series, then the final two numbers were simply never stamped on? I guess?

Joe

[rcc56]

It appears to me that there is at least one other number that has faded out, which might have been the number "6". There's an empty space between the "5" and this faded number. To me this suggests that this is a four digit factory order number of which only the first two numbers are still intact.

Spann's Guide list three known batches of F-4's from 1911 that were stamped with factory order numbers that began with "15xx." One of these was batch number 1546. Your mandolin may have come from that batch.

It is not very unusual to see Gibsons that have faded or unreadable FON's. Or maybe, as you suggested, the number was not clearly stamped to begin with.

[GTison]

The third digit looks like a "3". (Kinda like one of those face book things that say only X percent of the population can see this.)

[Paul Statman]

It does look like a 3 and a 6 to me, too, FWIW.

[Joe Bartl]

Wow! Thanks, folks. What eyes you have! Next time I lose my Bluechip I'll know who to invite to dinner ...

Joe

[Paul Statman]

Wow! Thanks, folks. What eyes you have! Next time I lose my BlueChip I'll know who to invite to dinner ...

Joe

Oh, come on, Joe. You know full well that you don't have to wait to lose yer pick to extend a dinner invitation to mandolin pickers. We'll usually find an errant pick (or three) down one of your sofas ..or in your dog's fur..

[slimt]

My 1910 F4 is 1295 for the FON..