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GIBSON SOLIDBODY ELECTRICS 1952 - 1969

Gibson Solidbody Electric Notes:

  • (Korina Flying V & Explorer): although all of these models were made and serialized in 1958/1959, many were not completed at the factory and distributed to as late as 1963. Also, 1967 numbers includes both brown and cherry red models.
  • (Les Paul & SG Standard): This was the first electric Gibson model. It was initially known as the "Les Paul Model", but the name changed to "Les Paul Standard" as other Les Paul models emerged. The L.P. Std started out in 1952 as a "Goldtop" (single cutaway) model, then midway thru 1958 as a "Sunburst" (single cutaway) model, then in 1961 as the "SG" (double cutaway) cherry red model.
  • (Les Paul & SG Junior): Started out in 1954 as a single cutaway sunburst model, changed to double cutaway (slab, thick) cherry red body midway thru 1958, then in 1961 to the "SG" (double cutaway) cherry red model. L.P. TV models retained their "limed mahogany" finish from 1954 to 1968.
  • (SG TV models): limed mahogany. Not sure but believe this includes both SgTv Juniors and SgTv Specials.
  • (Les Paul & SG Special): Started out in 1955 as a single cutaway limed mahogany model, changed to double cutaway (slab, thick) cherry red body midway thru 1958, then by 1962 to the "SG" (double cutaway) cherry red or white model. Note L.P. TV Specials, from 1958 to 1965, are included in these numbers.
  • (Les Paul & SG Custom): Started out in 1954 as a single cutaway black model. Then in 1961 changed to the "SG" (double cutaway) white model.
  • Firebirds: Starting in June of 1965 Firebirds changed from "reverse" body to "non-reverse" body styles. Therefore approximately half of the 1965 numbers are the original "reverse" Firebird series. Also, the Firebird 12 string models (1966-1967) were all non-reverse.
  • No 3/4 scale length instruments are included in the table below.

    Key to table below:
    SG Jr=SG Junior or SG Les Paul Junior
    SG TV=SG TV models
    SG SPR=SG Special Red
    SG SPW=SG Special White
    SG Std=SG Standard or SG Les Paul Standard
    SG Cus=SG Custom or SG Les Paul Custom

Production Numbers

Model '52 '53 '54 '55 '56 '57 '58 '59 '60
Explorer - - - - - - 19 3 -
Flying V - - - - - - 81 17 -
Les Paul Jr. - - 823 2839 3129 2959 2408 4364 2513
Les Paul Jr. TV - - 5 230 511 552 429 543 419
Les Paul SP. - - - 373 1345 1452 958 1821 1387
Les Paul Std. 1716 2245 1504 862 920 598 434 643 635
Les Paul Custom - - 94 355 489 283 256 246 189
SG Jr. - - - - - - - - -
SG TV - - - - - - - - -
SG SPR - - - - - - - - -
SG SPW - - - - - - - - -
SG Std. - - - - - - - - -
SG Custom - - - - - - - - -
Firebird1 - - - - - - - - -
Firebird3 - - - - - - - - -
Firebird5 - - - - - - - - -
Firebird7 - - - - - - - - -
Firebird12 - - - - - - - - -
Thunderbird2 - - - - - - - - -
Thunderbird4 - - - - - - - - -
'52 '53 '54 '55 '56 '57 '58 '59 '60


Model '61 '62 '63 '64 '65 '66 '67 '68 '69
Explorer - - - - - - - - -
Flying V - - - - - 2 111 - 15
Les Paul Jr. - - - - - - - - -
Les Paul Jr. TV - - - - - - - - -
Les Paul SP. - - - - - - - - -
Les Paul Std. - - - - - - - - -
Les Paul Custom - - - - - - - - -
SG Jr. 2151 2395 2318 3364 3570 1928 1021 561 751
SG TV 256 457 379 528 716 548 123 54 -
SG SPR 1186 959 1017 1704 2099 1841 1517 1269 2378
SG SPW - 377 374 318 519 29 147 192 -
SG Std. 1662 1449 1445 1375 1731 1046 1154 1340 3354
SG Custom 513 298 264 130 236 125 43 264 451
Firebird1 - - 80 497 800 1164 200 192 34
Firebird3 - - 272 1254 1020 935 463 10 27
Firebird5 - - 62 510 353 342 83 50 17
Firebird7 - - 20 173 110 46 9 19 5
Firebird12 - - - - - 248 24 - -
Thunderbird2 - - 2 501 215 361 - 67 7
Thunderbird4 - - - 235 87 131 120 31 1
'61 '62 '63 '64 '65 '66 '67 '68 '69