1970 Cherry EB-3 - original owner

[Panzajr]

I'm an original owner of a 1970 Gibson Eb-3. This guitar is untouched, mint and original condition. The guitar was purchased in the early 1970's and wasn't used much because I prefer playing my Fender 62 precision bass. The back of the head stock has a 2 engraved above the serial number. I was told by Sam Ash where I bought the guitar that the instrument was a factory second. This is not true. I called Gibson and asked them about this number 2 giving them the serial number. They mailed me a letter explaining it as follows: I'm writing you in response to your phone call inquiring about your EB-3 bass guitar. Upon researching your serial number (056039) I found that this number has been duplicated. That serial number was first used in 1967. It was again used in 1970, but "Made in USA" is engraved along with serial number. Interesting

[eb2]

Kind of interesting, but very much along the lines of the mis-information that Gibson has been sending out lately, especially to bass owners.  The current owners, and employees who are several generations removed from Kalamazoo, are a bit in the dark on basses and their guitar models.  The "2" is a factory second stamp, which was very common in the 60s and very early 70s.  These had finish flaws typically - non structural and non functional flaws that allowed dealers to offer Gibson instruments with a discount.  Over the past 40 to 50 years it is very hard to tell what was the problem due to age.  

However the idea that the 2 stamp indicated a serial number had been used twice is not only a new story, but just nonsense. The folks at Sam Ash, and every Gibson guitar dating book written in the last 30 years, were right - not whoever sent you that from Gibson.

Now if you get a double neck that looks like two different guitars have been sawed off and glued together, and Gibson tells you it is from 1962....check here first before you put it on ebay.

[Dave W]

Agreed, the people at Sam Ash were telling you the truth. It's a second for finish reasons, although the flaw was probably very minor; considering the finish quality of Gibson in recent years, it was probably better than a Gibson first today.

[Panzajr]

I would think the engraving of the number '2', serial number and 'Made in USA' occurred prior to the finish being applied. My inquiry at Gibson was in 1991. I understand you questioning Gibsons response, but for them to mail me an explanation letter on Gibson letterhead would lead me to believe them.

[guitarshark]

The "2" absolutely DOES mean a your bass was sold as a factory second. Later, Gibson began spelling it out as "SECOND" to avoid this kind of confusion. I believe that Gibson no longer sell seconds.
 
Although officially it was supposed to mean the instrument had a finish flaw, but I've seen/owned several with truss rods that protruded above the headstock, some of these fitted with double truss rod covers, the bottom one having a hole cut in it to  allow the top one to sit flush.
 
I remember being told by Gibson dealers in the '70s that many of these factory seconds were blown out as overstock by Gibson and actually had no flaws at all, a tax writeoff...this might explain the "2" being under the finish, although a grain anomaly thought to be unattractive might qualify an unfinished guitar for second-dom as well. It's not likely that a serial number duplication would be discovered before the finish was applied, either.

[eb2]

And, as documented on this website and several dozen books, as well as by any number of dealers and collectors, Gibson used the same run of serial numbers again several different times in the 60s and 70s.  As far as the Gibson letter, again it is just misinformation, and I welcome you to ask Gibson again and see if you get a similar response.  It is along the lines of the Fender advertising campaign in the late 70s that pictured their 1948 Telecaster.  They did not make one until 1950, but that didn't seem to matter much then.  Gibson routinely has given out wrong info to people inquiring about instruments.

[Dave W]

The Made In USA has nothing to do with it, Gibson started putting that on all headstocks beginning in 1970.

If the 2 is completely under the finish, and not just under the topcoat, then it's likely due to what Gibson considered an appearance flaw in the wood.

In any case, it was well known by Gibson sales reps and retailers at the time that the 2 meant a second. You can be sure that they wouldn't have cost themselves money by saying so if it weren't true.