Mandolin Serial Number Decoder--Gibson

[Old Dog Dave]

My apologies if there is a previous post on this. But, I have a link to a site called guitarinsite which I used a year or two ago to get the information on my 2004 Gibson F9. Recently I purchased a 2004 Gibson A9 and went to the guitarinsite link to look up the serial number for the A9. However, apparently there is some security issue with that site and I was unable to get in. Any thoughts on where I might be able to look up the serial number on my Gibson A9?

[Bill McCall]

Gibson has a decoder on its site, although its not particularly easy to find. Try Googling Gibson mandolin serial numbers.

[Old Dog Dave]

Many thanks!! I will do that. Have a great day!!

[rcc56]

If nothing has changed since my Gruhn's Guide was printed, the format for Gibson mandolins made after 1987, the format is yrrrmmmd, with Y being the last digit of the year of manufacture, rrr being the rank of the instrument for that particular model, mm being the month of manufacture, and d being the decade of manufacture.

Using 0280089 as an example:

0 2 8 0 0 8 9 was built in August of 1990
and was the 280th of that style built.

Here's a trick to make it easier-- If you move the last digit to the front of the serial number, you get 9 0 2 8 0 0 8. The first two digits give you the year and the last two give you the month. It was the 280th of that style.

[Geno]

My 2002 A9 is #21029030. My understanding is that the formula for eight-digit mandolin serial numbers is YMMDD##Y. The first Y is the last number of the year. MM is the number of the month from 01 to 12. The DD is the day of the month from 01 to 31. ## is the number in the order of those produced on that date. The last Y is the decade (or the 2nd to last number of the year). That would mean mine was the third one built on October 29, 2002. There are some old threads that may explain it more clearly.

[KMaynard]

Geno, you are exactly right. That's how to decode the serial number in Gibson mandolins after I know 1995 and up, maybe even before.

[rcc56]

Sigh. Another format to add to the ever-growing pile of Gibson's numbering systems.

Anyway, thank you, Geno. I've updated my book.