Archive post Loar serial #s

**chris** · Oct-10-2005, 12:22pm

This letter from Gibson was in a case with a F-2 I bought. When you compare the serial # of the Fern in the letter to the archive serial #s it just don't match. Big picture of letter from Gibson

**kudzugypsy** · Oct-10-2005, 12:49pm

neat letter chris, very cool.

so they DID have some accurate records after the famous gibson fire of the late 20's....dating the f-5 to the very day.

**Spruce** · Oct-10-2005, 12:52pm

"When you compare the serial # of the Fern in the letter to the archive serial #s it just don't match."

Here tis...

**chris** · Oct-10-2005, 1:33pm

In the letter 83660 is a 1928 and on the archive 85370 is a 1927.??? #
Stanley mandolins

**f5loar** · Oct-10-2005, 1:55pm

Gruhn's serial number listings do say "approximate" last
numbers. Nobody has ever claimed they were "exact" last numbers. This letter would certaintly re-aligned the numbers to be more accurate and should be brought to Gruhn's attention. There have been other oddities in serial numbers between date made and date shipped. There were times when serial numbers would be 2 years off from the factory order number.

**Tom C** · Oct-10-2005, 2:16pm

I do not know how Gruhn come into this. Gibs*n's website says 1927.

YEAR LAST #
1926 83600
1927 85400
1928 87300
1929 89750
1930 90200
1931 90450
1932 90700
1933 91400
1934 92300
1935 92800
1936 94100
1937 95200
1938 95750
1939 96050
1940 96600
1941 97400
1942 97700
1943 97850
1944 98250
1945 98650
1946 99300
1947 99999

**f5loar** · Oct-10-2005, 2:25pm

Gruhn has the exact same listing of numbers.
So this list says it's Jan. '27 while the letter states late Aug. '28. That's a big difference of almost 20 months.

**mikeyes** · Oct-10-2005, 3:18pm

Is there anyone on the list with the moniker "Gibmandlin"? Maybe I should change mine to that, an historical reference if there ever was one . Big Joe?