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While many new guitars of the last decade have touted authentic (or semi-authentic) “retro” features, the Peerless Retromatic represents an evolution in the retro-guitar revolution. That’s because in addition to its sexy design and vintage-inspired accoutrements, the Retromatic is refreshingly modern, giving its player the choice between. The guitar was also flawlessly constructed. The pickups were also fantastic, as was the fret work. There was really not a single thing about the guitar that I could possibly complain about. Of course it may be that I just got a really good one, but if so many people have positive experiences with the Peerless Epis it should mean something. The lowest number serial numbers seen to date have at least four digits. CA-1234 - The serial number prefixed by the letters 'CA' began around 1947 or 1948. These serial numbers have all been found a small red tag with both the Crescent and Rockwell names. This style of serial number was used until at least 1949. At acoustic guitars you will find the serial number stamped or written on the label in the hollow body, or stamped on the neck block inside the guitar. The information about the Ibanez serial numbers has been obtained on the basis of data from among other Ibanez Ibanez Guitar Wiki.
Gretsch used several different serial number schemes through the years. Each of them can be used to accurately pinpoint the age of a guitar, if you have the correct information.
Unfortunately, correct information can be very difficult to come by.
Most online guides (and quite a few print guides) are based on Jay Scott's groundbreaking book 'Gretsch: the guitars of the Fred Gretsch Company,' which is a fine book, but is nearly two decades old. Subsequent research has unearthed quite a few inaccuracies in Scott's numbers, so any serial number guides cribbing from Scott are also incorrect.
The Gretsch-GEAR database exists to get it right: to document the actual serial numbers, to determine once and for all what was built and when, and to harness the collective knowledge of thousands of Gretsch fans to put the pieces together.
If you'd like to learn more about Gretsch serial numbers, we highly recommend Ed Ball's 'Gretsch 6120: The History of a Legendary Guitar.' Ball is one of the key researchers who have determined the actual dates, years and features Gretsch serial numbers correspond to.
From the beginning of the Synchromatic era until 1966, Gretsch guitars were sequentially numbered and can be used to reliably date the guitar. However, it is important to note several key points:
- Gretsch annual changes corresponded to model years, like automakers, not necessarily calendar year. Just as a '57 Chevy may have been built in late '56 to hit the showrooms in the fall, a '57 6120 may have been constructed in '56. Nevertheless, if it has all the typical '57 features, it is considered a '57 model, not a '56.
- Gretsch guitars were built in batches, typically of 100, but sometimes 50. Guitars typically did not change much within a batch – with some exceptions – but they often changed from batch to batch. Which means two examples from the same year could have different features, depending on which batches they came from. You can see this as you browse Gretsch-GEAR or chart the changes.
- Numbers restarted after World War II, which can lead to considerable confusion on very old Gretsches. If it has a 'light bulb' headstock, it's probably pre-war.
- The numbers here are generally considered the most accurate numbers publicly available at the time. However, research has indicated that they could be substantially off. If you have questions, ask on the forum. One of our resident Gretsch-sperts will be able to help.
Gretsch began numbering guitars sequentially, probably in 1939 but possibly earlier.
The numbers, by model year:
- Less than 1000
- Pre-war
- 10xx to 20xx
- Approximately 1945-1947
- 20xx-30xx
- Approximately 1948-1949
- 30xx to 40xx
- Approximately 1950
- 40xx to 50xx
- Approximately 1951
- 50xx to 70xx
- Approximately 1952
- 70xx to 90xx
- 1953
- 90xx to 130xx
- 1954
- 130xx to 180xx
- 1955
- 180xx to 210xx
- 1956
- 210xx to 260xx
- 1957 Note: 1000 serial numbers from 1957 were misplaced and later turned up, with original '57-style labels, in 1965.
- 260xx to 300xx
- 1958
- 300xx to 340xx
- 1959
- 340xx to 390xx
- 1960
- 390xx to 450xx
- 1961
- 451xx to 530xx
- 1962
- 530xx to 630xx
- 1963
- 630xx to 770xx
- 1964
- 770xx to 840xx
- 1965 Note: the misplaced 1957 serial numbers, as well as some odd four-digit serial numbers, show up in 1965-1966, during the transition to the date-coded system in mid-'66.
Revue technique pdf opel corsa b. Gretsch began date-coding serial numbers in August 1966. Date-coded serial numbers are typically found stamped on the back or top of the headstock, and 'Made in USA' is stamped next to the number starting in June 1967.
The first digit or first 2 digits = month (1-12).
The next digit = last digit of the year (1966 to 1972: 6,7,8,9,0,1,2).
The remaining digits = number of individual instrument, probably.
The next digit = last digit of the year (1966 to 1972: 6,7,8,9,0,1,2).
The remaining digits = number of individual instrument, probably.
For example, 27136 should be February (2), 1967 (7) and the 136th instrument made that month.
A hyphenated number was embossed on the back of headstock.
The digits before hyphen = month (1-12).
The first digit after hyphen = last digit of year. (i.e., 1974 would be 4)
Last 3 digits = number of the instrument.
The first digit after hyphen = last digit of year. (i.e., 1974 would be 4)
Last 3 digits = number of the instrument.
For example, 3-8094 would be March (3), 1978 (8) and the 94th guitar made that month.
Serial numbers have six numbers, with a three digit suffix.
The first two digits are the year of manufacture.
The next digit is the month.
The next three digits are the model number, without the 6 at the beginning.
The final numbers are the sequential order of the model made during the lifespan of the model (not that year).
The next digit is the month.
The next three digits are the model number, without the 6 at the beginning.
The final numbers are the sequential order of the model made during the lifespan of the model (not that year).
For example, 946119-976 would be a June 1994 Tennessee Rose, the 976th made.
- 94 is the year 19'94'
- 6 is the month '6' = June
- 119 is the model 6'119'
Lower numbers will always appear on earlier guitars, higher numbers on later guitars. Remember that 2000 and 2001 guitars will, of course, not begin with a 9. Also, on guitars built in October, November or December, the third AND fourth digits denote the month.
A special note on pre-Fender MIK models (Electromatics, Synchromatics and Historics
Serial numbers on Korean made guitars in this era were printed on a sticker affixed to the back of the headstock. This sticker, along with the 'Made in Korea' sticker, went missing almost immediately — sometimes before the guitar even left the store.
In addition, these guitars followed no known numbering scheme. As of July 2011, the current thinking is that the first digit probably denotes the year, while the following numbers remain a mystery.
This only pertains the pre-Fender Korean-made guitars. Fl studio for mac crack torrent. The Fender-era 51xx guitars follow the normal Fender numbering scheme.
When Fender took over production in January 2003 the serial number scheme changed again, and Fender-era serial numbers have a two-character originating factory code, followed by year and month, and finally a sequential ordering number.
For example, serial number JT03074463 would break down as:
- J: Japan
- T: Terada factory
- 03: 2003
- 07: July Production
- 4463: 4,463rd guitar built that year (all models combined)
The two-letter factory code prefixes include:
- CS: US, Custom Shop
- CY: China, Yako
- KP: Korea, Peerless
- KS: Korea, Samick/SPG
- JD: Japan, Dyna Gakki
- JF: Japan, Fuji-Gen Gakki
- JT: Japan, Terada
- IS: Indonesia, Samick
Of those, JT is by far the most common on the pro-line instruments. However, other Japanese facilities have been used, so it's not particularly unusual to see JD and JF prefixes.
Most Electromatic hollowbodies carry a KS designation, although KP was fairly common prior to about 2007.
CY is usually seen on Electromatic solidbodies such as the Corvette/CVT.
The last four numbers are sequential for the given year (all models combined) and are broken into two categories as follows:
- 0001 - 0100: Reserved for prototypes, samples, one-offs, and other special things.
- 0101 - 9999: Regular production (all models combined).
So, JT05070014 would be made at the Terada factory in July 2005 and would be the 14th of something special that year (all special models combined).
Unlike the pre-Fender codes, specific models are no longer designated within the serial number.
Thanks to Mike Lewis of Fender for detailing the current numbering system. In the beginning, Gretsch simply wrote serial numbers inside the guitar in pencil. These pencilled-in numbers often fade and become illegible, or even disappear.
After World War II, some guitars had a serial number embossed on the head, but reliable numbers didn't really appear until the advent of the first labels, around 1949.
Early labelled Gretsches will usually have a printed serial number and a handwritten model number. On hollowbodies, the label is usually visible through the f-hole. On other models such as solidbodies, it should be inside a control cavity.
From about 1949 to 1957 watch for a white rectangular label that reads:
The serial number will probably be printed in red, and the model number written in blue or black. The label has a fairly ornate border around it, but the 'Gretsch' is usually printed in a plain font. However, some have 'Gretsch' printed as the familiar logo.
Beginning in about 1957 a new label was introduced, which lasted until about 1965. On this one, 'The Fred Gretsch Mfg. Co.' was printed in black on an orange shape that vaguely resembles a musical note. This was superimposed on a gray over white label.
On the white part, the serial number is printed, and the model number should be handwritten. This label should be on all guitars after number 25000.
This would be a good time to note that some models, particularly 1962 -'65 models, had the serial number embossed on the headstock in lieu of a label.
Beginning in 1965, the model number was printed either on top or on the back of the headstock or engraved in the metal model plate on the headstock, and no label was fitted.
In the late '60s the labels returned on most models. For a brief period rarely found labels were used that look like the second-generation labels, except 'That Great Gretsch Sound' is printed across the bottom.
Finally, sometime around 1972 a plain black and white label was introduced. With 'Gretsch Guitars' in a logo-type font across the top. These labels list model and serial numbers and along the bottom reads 'Made in U.S.A.'
On modern Gretsches, the serial number is usually readily visible on the back of the headstock.
![Numbers Numbers](https://portal-images.azureedge.net/auctions-2019/bulstr10115/images/52b01224-113d-4fac-9113-aa7100f4bb2a.jpg)
Very cool John Lennon inspired Epiphone Natural Casino MIK in 2002 by Peerless. The Peerless Casinos have gained the reputation of being the better Casinos.
Modifications to the guitar that made it a better player (just like John Lennon did) was to change to Gold Grover tuners and now stays in tune better. Also the obnoxiously thick factory coat of Poly has been finely sanded down to a satin/matte finish (except on the headstock). I removed the ugly white pickguard and put it way. This guitar looks and feels GREAT, resonates better (it just doesn’t look like it was dipped in plastic anymore). I even added a black grommet under the 3-way switch like John had on his.
The pickups sound amazing with all of the bite and snarl that you would expect from P90’s. Great Beatle inspired guitar.
The Epiphone Casino is a full hollow body guitar that has no center block of wood inside like the Gibson 335 has. Gibson 330 is quite similar to the Casino, but for some reason was not as popular. Gibson added the center block to reduce feedback as players were cranking it up on stage.
John Lennon with his Casino. John removed the pickguard and sanded the guitar down to allow it to breath from under the thick poly coat allowing it to sound better. He also swapped out the tuners.
John Lennon with his Casino Left and Right – This is actually the same guitar in both pictures
Of all the guitars made famous by the Beatles, the only one that John, Paul, and George had in common was the Epiphone Casino. Each owned one and used it for countless recordings and performances. The Epiphone Casino was a very important guitar to the Beatles. Paul McCartney is was the first to get a Casino and John and George followed.
After being influenced to purchase it by his friend, blues musician John Mayall, McCartney said, “You’d go back to his place and he’d sit you down, give you a drink, and say, ‘Just check this out.’ He’d go over to his tape deck, and for hours blast you with B.B. King, Eric Clapton… he was sort of showing me where all of Eric’s stuff was from. He gave me a little evening’s education. I was turned on after that, and bought the Epiphone Casino.” Mayall recalls the late-night record sessions. “I showed him my hollow body guitar that I’d bought when I was in the army in Japan in 1955.
The right-handed Epiphone Casino ES-230TD (serial number 84075) that McCartney purchased at the end of ’64 has a rare early-style Gibson-design headstock rather than Epiphone’s later hourglass-shaped headstock. The Epiphone Casino and the Gibson ES-330 were both built in the same Gibson US factory in those days. Later all the Epiphones were made overseas.
McCartney used his Casino extensively in the studio with The Beatles, including the memorable lead-guitar break on “Ticket To Ride.” He also used it throughout his solo career, and still owns the guitar.
Paul still gigs with his Casino sometimes
Gibson had been making thinline electric guitars since 1955 (the Stathopoulos had never introduced a thinline Epiphone), and Gibson introduced the thinline double-cutaway, semi-hollow ES-335 in 1958. Almost concurrently, a similar (and fancier) model appeared in the Epi line – the Sheraton. A year later, Gibson introduced a stepped-down model with the same body shape but with a fully hollow body and single-coil pickups, called the ES-330. In ’61, a model similar to the Gibson ES-330 showed up in the Epiphone line as the Casino.
Epiphone Casino and 1967 Gibson ES-330 Hollow Bodies with P-90s from my collection
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Structurally, the Casino was the same as the ES-330, with a thinline, double-cutaway hollow body. Functionally, too, it was the same guitar, with one or two “dog-ear” P-90 pickups (with black covers), a Tune-O-Matic bridge, and a trapeze tailpiece. A vibrato was optional. Cosmetically, both models had single-ply binding on the top, back, and fingerboard, pearl dot fingerboard inlays, and an inlaid peghead logo with no other ornamental peghead inlay. The Casino was offered in sunburst or Royal Tan finish while the ES-330 was offered in sunburst or natural.
In the spring of ’66, during recording sessions for Revolver, John Lennon and George Harrison both bought Casinos. The two were virtually identical guitars except Harrison’s had a Bigsby vibrato, while Lennon’s had the standard Epiphone “trapeze” tailpiece. Lennon’s did have a small black ring mounted around its pickup selector switch. Both had the more common Epiphone-style headstock (unlike Paul’s) and were fitted with gold-colored Volume and Tone knobs.
John with Casino in famous rooftop concert
The first time John and George performed live with their Casinos was when The Beatles made an appearance on the popular British TV show “Top Of The Pops” on June 16, 1966. The lipped their new single, “Rain” and “Paperback Writer.”
In early 1968, while the Beatles were in India, studying transcendental meditation with The Maharishi and friends, including Donovan. Donovan convinced the trio to sand the finish off their instruments, telling them how a guitar sounds better without a heavy finish. After returning to London, during sessions for “White Album,” Lennon and Harrison sanded their Casinos. Lennon primarily played his newly stripped Casino for the sessions. Harrison said that once they’d removed the finish, they became much better guitars. “I think that works on a lot of guitars,” he explained. “If you take the paint and varnish off and get the bare wood, it seems to sort of breathe.” With the completion of the White Album, promo clips were filmed for the single “Revolution”/“Hey Jude” showing John using his now natural Casino.
On December 11, 1968, Lennon appeared as a special guest for the filming of The Rolling Stones’ television special, “Rock ’n’ Roll Circus,” which included a memorable performance by the supergroup Dirty Mac, whose members included Eric Clapton on guitar, Keith Richards on bass, Mitch Mitchell on drums, and Lennon playing his Casino.
Epiphone Casino Serial Number
Upgrading My Epiphone Casino Panasonic photofunstudio for mac download.
I have loved playing this Epiphone Casino over the years I owned it. Decided to make some improvements as this guitar is a keeper for sure. I was never all that happy with the pickups as they tended to sound a bit harsh at times. So I re-wired the Casino with a wiring harness from RS-GuitarWorks using their 335 vintage upgrade kit.
Swapping out pickups with chrome covers on these imported Epiphone is not was easy as it is harder to find the replacements with the correct string spacing that will fit. So I shipped my old pickups to Lollar for re-build. They turned them around in a week. They use your chrome covers, but totally re-build the pickups. They send back your old ones without the covers and the new ones are all ready to mount.
New Lollar pickups and wiring are a lot better sounding and quieter as well. If you never re-wired or swapped pickups on a hollow body guitar I suggest you send it over to your local luthier. Not as easy as a solid body guitar. You need the right tools and knowledge to “snake” the wiring through the F-Holes and pickup openings. Plastic tubing is a great help. You also need to drill or ream out for the new volume/tone pots. The Asian pots are metric and the new ones are US. Swapped out the knobs with genuine Gibson parts.
Well worth the cost and work in my opinion as it greatly improved a guitar I already loved.
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Read “The Beatles’ Casinos” on Vintage Guitar.
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From My Beatles Collection
Epiphone Banjo Serial Numbers
George’s Gretsch Country Gentlemen – John’s Epiphone Casino – Paul’s Hofner Violin Bass
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John Lennon complains about his Epiphone Casino