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 ARCHIVED TOPIC: Dobro Serial Number Question


Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.resohangout.com/archive/57786

muncie_musician - Posted - 03/24/2023:  10:23:09


I have a smaller-body square neck dobro that I picked up a while back. Great sound, but there’s nothing to indicate model or year. The serial number located (punched) on the end of the headstock is 80807029

No letters, which precludes it from most of the lists I’ve found regarding serial number lookup.

Any info to share?
Another place to look?

I’d love to know the model number and year. By the way…the tuning pegs extend to the side of the headstock, not up and down.

MarkinSonoma - Posted - 03/24/2023:  11:29:04


The number appears to be from a Gibson made Dobro. They bought the company in 1993 when it was still in Huntington  Beach, California. Mike Replogle ran it until late 1997 and used the existing  serial number sequence with a  combo of letters and numbers. 



Gibson shut down the California operation and resumed production in Nashville 1998 until 2010 when the huge flood on the Cumberland River damaged the Gibson facility at Opry Mills, which never reopened. And they never made another Dobro in the U.S. after that, the brand was "banished" to China.



I will post regarding the serial number a little later. 



As for model numbers, Dobros never had one on the actual guitar - unlike an instrument from the likes of Martin, where it is stamped inside the guitar on a neck block. 



So the  only way we can tell you the model number is from photos. When you are posting, look below the area where you write the text. There is an area to upload photos, easy to do from your phone photo app or from a computer, you can load three photos per post. If you need any help we can clarify the process for you, it's pretty straightforward. 


Edited by - MarkinSonoma on 03/24/2023 11:31:02

MarkinSonoma - Posted - 03/24/2023:  13:49:39


Attached is a photo of Gibson Dobro serial numbers from 1998 onward, click on it to enlarge. It is from Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars. 



When the Dopyera family regained  use of the Dobro name around 1970, the corporate name for the reestablished company was OMI (Original Musical Instruments) Dobro. 



That moniker stayed in place until 1997 when the California operation was shut down. When production resumed in Nashville in 1998, Gibson went with OAI (Original Acoustic Instruments) which included the Dobros, banjos, and mandolins. 



According to this system, your guitar is from August 07, 1998 and it was number 702 in rank that year.


Edited by - MarkinSonoma on 03/24/2023 13:59:04



 

muncie_musician - Posted - 03/24/2023:  14:10:42


This is fantastic. Thanks Mark!

I’m attaching photos to this post.


Edited by - muncie_musician on 03/24/2023 14:20:17


MarkinSonoma - Posted - 03/24/2023:  14:55:34


You're welcome Muncie - and while we're  at it, how about adding at least your first name to your profile. A number of members here don't, but to me it's always been a little weird addressing someone for years by their anonymous  "handle." 



As for the model, I would say this is a fairly typical Model 60,  the Dobro that was made in the highest numbers. 


Edited by - MarkinSonoma on 03/24/2023 14:55:56

muncie_musician - Posted - 03/24/2023:  16:26:12


Thanks again Mark!!
Name is Rich. I'll update appropriately.

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