![]() ![]() The tuners are patent numbers rather than the patent applied tuners that nearly all 58’s had which leads me to believe that it was built in late 58 and assembled in 59. It’s got a pretty good neck angle-no thin bridge or shaving required-so that’s kind of a 59 thing but there were very late 58’s with that feature. It has the thin top of a 58, so that tells us that it’s got some 58 aspects. It could have been completed in 1958 as well but there is no absolutely foolproof way to know for sure. That means it was built (or at least started) in 1958. This is simply because the FON goes on the guitar first. One thing you won’t see is a FON from a later year than the serial. I currently have a 59 ES-335 with a 58 FON and I recall a blonde 60 345 with a 59 FON. When I got it, I noted that the serial number was very early 60. So, how do we assess the value of those guitars that have a factory order number from one year and a serial number another? I recently bought a J200 for a client that was advertised as a 59. Usually, the FON and the serial are from the same year. There is no debate that, in general, a 59 335, 345 or 355 is worth more than any other year, assuming the condition and originality is equal. FON’s existed way before 58 but since 335’s didn’t, we’ll look at only those 4 years. Now try this:įrom 58 to 61, there was both a serial number and a factory order number for all 335’s, 345’s and 355’s. Either disclose the possible years or learn how to tell the difference. Trying to get more money for your guitar by misrepresenting the year and making it look justified is wrong. ![]() Understandable? Yes, I suppose but not particularly honest and pretty easy to debunk. Pet peeve warning…I’ve talked endlessly about how so many sellers will look up their guitar serial number and when they see multiple years come up will usually pick the earliest year. The last number is the “rank” or the guitars number within the rack. The number that follows is a three or four digit number and that designated the “rack”-usually 30-40 guitars. The letter is the year T for 58, S for 59, R for 60 and Q for 61 and then they stop. ![]()
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