EPI LP Std Serial Number Not Decodable

[HenryHill]

I got a LP Std for Christmas and I just tried to run the code. The Dater Project and Gibson site do not recognize the serial number. It seems to be less than 5 years old, has nine digits, all numbers: 311461xxx.

I just had it set up at Elderly's, and they didn't question authenticity.

Can anyone help?

 

[Fireproof]

That's because you need numbers instead of those x's.

 

[Boppy]

 

[tdbear1us]

I got a LP Std for Christmas and I just tried to run the code. The Dater Project and Gibson site do not recognize the serial number. It seems to be less than 5 years old, has nine digits, all numbers: 311461xxx.

I just had it set up at Elderly's, and they didn't question authenticity.

Can anyone help?

The limited knowledge I have of Epi s/n's shouldn't it start with a letter?

 

[-=[Shifty]=-]

Let me guess, it's a sticker?
Should be a factory second. They get those serial number stickers starting with 311.

 

[paruwi]

Let me guess, it's a sticker?
Should be a factory second. They get those serial number stickers starting with 311.

This ^^

 

[Marshall2288]

My Classic Plain Top starts with a number. I have yet to be able to decode it.

 

[paruwi]

My Classic Plain Top starts with a number. I have yet to be able to decode it.

The newer ones usually read like

YY MM FF 12345

FF = factory code

These are the factory codes for serial numbers that start with numbers instant of letters
11 = MIC sticker on a '08 Masterbuilt 500
12 = DeaWon or Unsung (China -- uncertainty remains as to which factory)
15 = Qingdao (China) -- electric
16 = Qingdao (China) -- acoustic
17 = China, unknown factory
20 = DaeWon or Unsung (China -- uncertainty remains as to which factory)
21 = Unsung, Korea
22 = Korea, Unknown Factory
23 = Indonesia, Unknown Factory

 

[LongLostBrother71]

i took that sticker off an had a number under it.

 

[HenryHill]

Let me guess, it's a sticker?
Should be a factory second. They get those serial number stickers starting with 311.

Yup, sticker. Second is the factory, or 'factory second' as in 'B' grade? What does the 311 mean? What year is this, and although it matters little, what factory/country of origin?

EDIT: After following every link I can find and wading through the deep end of the Epi LP FAQ's, I find that the sticker serial number denotes either a blemished 'Factory 2nd' or a 'used' guitar, re-serialed from the factory. I can only guess that 'used' means returned for warranty issues and repaired. It seems that the sticker is added over top of a scratched out serial number to obsolete the old number, but still identify the guitar with the new 311 prefix serial. It also seems that there is no information available to the public about the origin of the guitars bearing the 311 sticker.

I am apprehensive about removing the sticker to see what digits may still be legible, in that it may invite skepticism of the authenticity of the guitar to others in the future, and I can't say now that I will want to keep this forever.

I sure wish that they had repaired all the loose frets when they put the sticker on, it added about 70 bucks to my setup cost to have all the frets glued, leveled and polished.