Research: Epiphone serial numbers and production estimates (1931 –1956) Author: Felix Wiedler (Version: October 2017) Below a summary of my research findings regarding Epiphone's serial number (SN) systems and estimated production figures – based on the data analysis of approximately (SN/model pairs, documented in c. 50'000 photos). Jump to chapter: 1. Epiphone SN systems 1931–1956 – an overview Epiphone's stringed instruments of the 1931–1956 period typically show a visible serial number – high-end models the same way as lower-priced instruments. Several different SN systems were used depending on instrument type and time period – generally employing consecutive, ascending numbers following the timeline of production (see detailed analysis in ): A. Acoustic instruments 1931 –1943: SN starting at 5000 and ending around 20301. (SN or inside body.) Estimated total production: 15302 units.
Acoustic instruments 1943–1956, including electric hollowbody instruments 1950 –1956: SN starting at 50000 and ending around 69637. (SN inside body.) Estimated total production: 19638 units. Electric instruments 1935–1942: SN starting possibly around 1 and ending around 7219. (SN.) Note that the earliest electric instruments from 1935 don't bear a SN. During WW2 electric instrument production was halted.
Estimated total production (with SN): 7219 units. Electric instruments 1946–1949: SN with model-specific prefix and serial suffix on most models. (SN.) Estimated total production: 2248 units. 'Special SN' electric guitars 1949, electric Hawaiian guitars 1950 –1956: Some electric models from 1949 and all Hawaiian guitars from 1950 onwards use 'special' SN systems.
Wiedler wrote us May 2016: “The first Electar instruments from 1935 don’t show a serial number. 1936 serial numbers started possibly near SN 1 (first documented is SN 25) and reached the 7000s by the time electric instrument/amp production was virtually halted during WW2. Serial numbers starting with '311xxxx' on a golden sticker are 'refurbished' guitars sold by MIRC (Musical Instrument Reclamation Center) There is no way to tell the year or the month it was made in the MIRC serial.
(SN.) Estimated total production: 519 units. Taking into account the assumed lowest and documented highest number of these SN systems, we can calculate a total production estimate of Epiphone instruments: 45535 units. Dating of serial numbers – revised SN/year charts My research has led to a slightly revised dating approach for Epiphone SNs.
See + 'W revised' (referring to Wiedler) vs. 'F traditional' (referring to the charts published by Fisch/Fred).
1: SN dating: acoustic and 1950s electric hollowbody instruments (SN systems A + B). Year W revised – Wiedler (approx. First SN) F traditional – Fisch/Fred (approx.
First SN) 1931 5000 1932 5500 5000 1933 6200 6000 1934 7200 7200 1935 8400 8000 1936 9900 0 1938 0 1939 0 1940 0 1941 0 1942 0 1943 0 0 0 1946 0 1947 0 1948 0 1949 0 1950 0 1951 0 1952 0 1953 0 1954 0 1955 0 1956 0 Fig. 2: SN dating: electric Hawaiian guitars and pre-1950 electric hollowbody instruments (SN systems C, D, E). Year W revised – Wiedler (approx. First SN) F traditional – Fisch/Fred 1935 no SN 1 1936 1 250 1937 700 750 1938 1700 1500 1939 2500 2500 1940 3300 3500 1941 5000 5000 1942 6600 6500 1943 (production halted) 7500 1944 (production halted) 8300 1945 (production halted) 1946–1949 7300 Zephyr Hawaiian 15000 Century Hawaiian 25000 Zephyr Spanish 60000 Century Spanish 75000 Zephyr DeLuxe 85000 Zephyr DeLuxe Cutaway 100000 Console 1949 3000, 4000 Kent Spanish 75 Kent Hawaiian, Century Hawaiian 100 Alkire Eharp 1950–1956 9000 Electric Hawaiian 3. Understanding Epiphone's SN systems – number ranges assigned to model batches Epiphone's SN systems generally appear to follow this pattern: a range of consecutive, ascending SNs are found on instruments of one single model; a subsequent range of SNs appears on instruments of another single model; and so on (see example ).
3: Sample excerpt from.