As we all know, Gibson maintained nearly no records during its war years. No production numbers. No serial numbers. No construction details. No custom order records. And the FON "system", the Gibson factory order numbers, is particularly beguiling. FONs are often not sequential and Gibson also apparently re-used some of them. Our gain is that this registry enables us all to sort out the Banner era Gibsons. Eventually it will function as a searchable data base of historical and technical information.

If you're willing to help us with this registry project, please email Willi at willi at j-35.com with pics and information about your banner Gibson. In addition we'd like to post full front and back pics and also pics showing the tuners, the neck block and unique features if possible.

• Tops:
  • 2p A / 4p A: 2 piece/4 piece Adirondack  
  • 2p S: Sitka
  • 2p M / mhg: mahogany
• Neck blocks:
  • m/bev: mahogany bevelled
  • m/sq: mahogany square
  • p/sq: poplar square
• No FON
• Tuners:
  • 3 pl *1: Klusons 3-on-a-plate screwed cog wheels, string posts 7/32"
  • 3 pl *2: Klusons 3-on-a-plate riveted and thin cog wheels 1/4"
  • sgl *2: Klusons single units riveted and thin cog wheels 1/4"
  • 3 pl *3: Klusons 3-on-a-plate riveted and medium thick cog wheels 1/4"
  • sgl *3: Klusons single units riveted and medium thick cog wheels 1/4 "
• Necks:
  • mhg: mahogany
  • mpl: maple 3 ply/5 ply
• tr: adjustable truss rod
• V: maple V-bar
• Pick guards:
  • striped celluloid
  • mocking type tortoise celluloid
• Bridges:
  • n/angled: narrow type with angled edges to the wings
  • n/straight: narrow type with straight edges to the wings
  • n/round: narrow type with rounded edges to the wings
  • belly: lower belly type
  • belly: late banner lower belly type with flat surface and thick wings

• How do we date manufacture? Because Gibson has never published information on the dates of manufacture of its WWII instruments, all dates are estimates. Here, we estimate the date when Gibson employees stamped the Factory Order Number (FON) on the instrument's neck block. This happened quite early during the production process. This date does not reflect the date when the guitar was completed or shipped.
• Many FON stamps are so faded that they are unreadable. In addition, it appears that Gibson employees sometimes failed to stamp FONs on instruments.
• So, our date estimates are but, of course, "Good Enough."