I have a Gibson ES 335 with the headstock number 72049033.

[panader0]

I assume it was made on the 204th day of 1979. Is that right?
Can the number tell me where it was made?
It is in great condition. I am the only owner. Any ideas about it's worth?
TIA.

[PJMcK]

1. Try this site

I'm a keyboardist, not a guitarist. However, reverb.com specializes in used instruments and gear and they're fairly accurate in value.

Here's their page of Gibson ES 335's:

https://reverb.com/marketplace?make=gibson&product_type=electric-guitars&query=Gibson+ES+335

[ret5hd]

2. Has it only been played by a little old lady...

on her way to church?

Or were young hipsters thrashing on it every Friday and Saturday night?

[panader0]

7. I am the only owner and as much as I like the sound, it's quite heavy.

When I played bars I used an Ibanez strat knockoff and brought the 335 for backup.
So despite it's age, it has had very little use. Last year when jamming in the band shed,
my buddies guitar f'd up so I went inside and brought out the 335 for him to play.
He asked why I didn't play it more often. By then, we all sat down to play. And I'm
getting too old to play nights. I may sell it.

[PJMcK]

3. This site might help with your headstock number

https://www.guitarinsite.nl/serienummers-gibson_eng.php


Good luck! It appears you have a valuable instrument.

I recently had my 1970s-era Fender Rhodes and Wurlitzer electric pianos refurbished. They're better than when they were new!

In 1974, I paid $550 for the Wurlitzer Electronic Piano and the following year, I bought the Rhodes for $750. Today, they're worth at least $2,500 and $4,000 respectively if not more! Of course the value of the dollar was different back then.

[Docreed2003]

4. Came to post the same!

A great resource for Gibson headstock numbers.


The guitar in question was manufactured July 23, 1979 in Kalamazoo

[PJMcK]

6. Serial numbers are pretty cool if you're a nerd like me

Steinway, Baldwin and other pianos have them. They're detailed and informative if you know the codes.

Most guitars and basses have them.

Moog, Arp, Yamaha, Korg and other synthesizers have them although they're a little more difficult to decipher.

Many brass and woodwind instruments have serial numbers, too.

Hell, even automobiles have serial numbers! Musical instruments are more interesting, though. (wink)

[panader0]

9. Thanks so much. I read that the first and fifth numbers were the year,

and the 2nd. 3rd, and 4th numbers were the day. So your date sounds correct. But how did
you know the location?

[Docreed2003]

14. The 033 indicated that it's the 33 instrument made that day

Kalamazoo had numbers 000-599 and Nashville had 600-999

[panader0]

15. Were 335s ever made in Mexico?

[Docreed2003]

16. That I don't know.

In that era, a Gibson 335 would have likely been manufactured at the plant in Kalamazoo or Nashville. I would have to look it up but I think international models would have a different designator on the serial number

[Hugh_Lebowski]

5. Heck even in the late 1990's you could get a nice Rhodes for 750-1000

Then prices for cool vintage stuff exploded not long after that.

[PJMcK]

10. There are companies today that refurbish the vintage gear

One company in New Jersey actually reverse-engineered the Rhodes and built a new, lighter and arguably better instrument. Stevie Wonder uses this new keyboard on his tours today.

When my stuff needed to be fixed, I considered selling or repairing. The Rhodes repairs cost about $2,250 and the Wurlitzer was just under $2,000. While that's a lot of money, (I used my first stimulus check for the Wurly!), the keyboards were not really usable in their aged states. I decided that they were my best musical friends and so got them repaired. I love them more than ever though I will never gig with them again. They're too damn heavy!

[Hoyt]

8. For value look at Reverb -- Of course those showing haven't sold yet. Might also check Ebay.

See if this link gets you to some 1979 335 on Reverb.

https://reverb.com/marketplace?query=Gibson%20ES%20335%201979

[OneBlueDotS-Carolina]

11. I have an older one...Pre Norlin Era

It's appraised for insurance reasons, for $5K.

As someone who used buy, sell, trade various Gibsons, finding a buyer is the hard part. Getting what you think it's worth, even harder.

I wouldn't sell mine, unless someone splashed a lot of cash my way. Tone, they all sound different, some are clunks, some are very sweet. Finding a sweet one is not that easy.

[overleft]

12. go to - https://zinginstruments.com/gibson-serial-number-lookup/

https://zinginstruments.com/gibson-serial-number-lookup/https://zinginstruments.com/gibson-serial-number-lookup/

[Duncanpup]

13. July 23 1979 Kalamazoo