Earliest pearly gates
- Thread starter Mpcoluv
- Start date
Re: Earliest pearly gates
Since no one is answering...The first one I bought was in 88ish when it was special order only and it came in a vinyl string baggie instead of the normal plastic box.
I never heard of one before then. Of course Billy might have been getting them for years....
I don't remember if this one had a logo on the base or not....
Since no one is answering...The first one I bought was in 88ish when it was special order only and it came in a vinyl string baggie instead of the normal plastic box.
I never heard of one before then. Of course Billy might have been getting them for years....
I don't remember if this one had a logo on the base or not....
David Garner
New member
Re: Earliest pearly gates
I thought they were making them in the 70s, but that's just internet forum lore, so I could be relying on bad information.
I don't know when they first mass produced them, but I'd wager whenever they started making them for Gibbons and word got out, you could order them off the shop floor even if you couldn't find one in the local store.
I thought they were making them in the 70s, but that's just internet forum lore, so I could be relying on bad information.
I don't know when they first mass produced them, but I'd wager whenever they started making them for Gibbons and word got out, you could order them off the shop floor even if you couldn't find one in the local store.
beaubrummels
Well-known member
Re: Earliest pearly gates
1979
1979
beaubrummels
Well-known member
Re: Earliest pearly gates
Winding for Gibbons is not the same as for sale to the general public as a stock model.
Winding for Gibbons is not the same as for sale to the general public as a stock model.
Re: Earliest pearly gates
So the average guy could get on in 1979 if they special ordered it?
So the average guy could get on in 1979 if they special ordered it?
beaubrummels
Well-known member
Re: Earliest pearly gates
My understanding is 1979 is when it was first put on the market as a stock model, not any special secret order.
My understanding is 1979 is when it was first put on the market as a stock model, not any special secret order.
Masta' C
Well-known member
Re: Earliest pearly gates
Yes, technically 1979 according to SD. Those earliest ones would not have had any stamping on the baseplate at all, just paper labels, but I'm not sure how many were actually produced prior to about 1982/3.
I think they were technically made available to the public in 1979, but weren't truly a "production" model (i.e. something you might see for sale in a guitar shop) until the early '80s.
As for the baseplates, beginning around 1983, SD started stamping them with the large SD logo. This continued until sometime in 1986, after which a smaller logo more similar to the current one appeared. The first versions from 1986/87 actually said "Made in USA" not "Made in America", which came later.
Yes, technically 1979 according to SD. Those earliest ones would not have had any stamping on the baseplate at all, just paper labels, but I'm not sure how many were actually produced prior to about 1982/3.
I think they were technically made available to the public in 1979, but weren't truly a "production" model (i.e. something you might see for sale in a guitar shop) until the early '80s.
As for the baseplates, beginning around 1983, SD started stamping them with the large SD logo. This continued until sometime in 1986, after which a smaller logo more similar to the current one appeared. The first versions from 1986/87 actually said "Made in USA" not "Made in America", which came later.
Last edited:
Re: Earliest pearly gates
so the logo without made in USA or made in America was from 83-86?
so the logo without made in USA or made in America was from 83-86?
