A question we have been asked about recently is that of serial numbers for GUILD and I wanted to help clarify the situation.
To this day no official GUILD document has been reported that would give any indication into GUILD’s early serial numbering system.
The earliest GUILD guitars that have been reported so far have potentiometer codes that don’t date back any further than the 5th week of 1953 , all of these were electric archtops.
The serial numbers of these early instruments have a 4 digits and no instruments with serial numbers below 1001 are known to exist.
Serial Number: 2414 The Lifton Case alone is very valuable and fits like a glove with this beauty! This is the rarest & coolest top of the line Archtop from Guild??s very earliest production, made famous when being played by Dave Gonzalez of the Paladin??s as his guitar of choice, beautiful all Blonde finish over a very figured maple back. 8xxx6xxx for 1986. 0xxx7xxx for 2007. 82176xxx for the 217 th day of the year of 1986 (August 5, 1986) 00027xxx for the 2 nd day of the year of 2007 (January 2, 2007) The remaining characters (RRR) can indicate the order of instruments created that day, as well as which factory the instrument was made in. DATING YOUR GUILD 1952-1960 YEAR APPROXIMATE LAST SERIAL NUMBER PRODUCED 1953 1000-1500 1954 1500-2200 1955 2200-3000 1956 3000-4000 1957 4000-5700 1958 5700-8300 1959 -1969 This chart displays the first and last serial numbers of guitars produced in each year from 1960 to 1969 (inclusive); no corresponding model names. Find the current Blue Book value and worth of your new and used guitars, both acoustic, electric and amplifier. The number one source of guitar and amplifier pricing and information so you can find the price and value of your used guitars and amplifier. Use this site for a pricing guide and source of information on all guitars.
Since the GUILD COMPANY was officially registered on 24th
October 1952, the start of production was announced
On 17th April 1953 , it would be correct to assume that
Setrial numbers 1000 or 1001 would be the first .
All early GUILD guitars have the serial number written
On a label, but since the M 75 did not have a label the
Number was stamped into the back of the headstock.
This does not tally with the list printed in the “ Gruhn’s
Guild Serial Numbers China
Guild Serial Numbers Dating
Guide To Vintage Guitars “ however the list compiled
Guild Serial Numbers
After 1955 and further seem to be reliable , so if you
Have any queries , please let us know … from the Essaness
Team … Happy Playing .