Polaris White Bicentennial on Ebay

[jumbodbassman]

It's getting close to time to sell my 76 bird.  that's close to stupid money for that bass.

other than the bicent collector's  attraction  it's just an ok bass. 

[OldManC]

Stickers were used (but again, not always) in 75-77. I've never seen a 76 with a stamp but I have seen stamped '77s and I almost bought a stamped '78 (which don't exist according to most estimates that list 76-77 and 79 model years). That went to someone at the old place but I can't remember who. I just remember I had so many Thunderbirds at the time I just couldn't justify buying another one. Those were the days!

- From 1975-1977 the number is typically found on a decal on the back of the headstock. This should be an 8 digit number that can be dated by the 1st and 2nd digits as follows:

99 = 1975
00= 1976
06 = 1977

The stamped birds I saw followed the typical numbering scheme, even when stickered '77s didn't.

- In 1977, Gibson introduced the serialization method that we primarily use to this day at Gibson USA, Gibson Acoustic, and the Gibson Custom facility in Memphis, TN.

The serial number will be an 8 digit number impressed into the back of the headstock with "MADE IN USA" below.

The pattern is as follows:
YDDDYRRR
YY is the production year
DDD is the day of the year
RRR is the factory ranking/plant designation number.

Prior to 1984 when the Kalamazoo, MI factory was closed, the numbers 001-499 indicated Kalamazoo production. Ranking numbers 500-999 continued to indicate Nashville production through 1989.

http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Support/SerialNumberSearch/Default.aspx

[TBird1958]

I'm pretty sure my purple one is a decaled '77, for some reason I recall an 06 s/n. Of course most smart folks write the bass' s/n down and keep it in a safe place *before* they send it off for a refin..........

[Chris P.]

My '76 00-number has the gold lettering on an oval decal.

[godofthunder]

That serial number looks to be in the traditional Thunderbird location but the one in the auction has it on the end of the headstock like a EB. and the numbers are so crooked.

I had a '79 with the serial number at the tip of the headstock like the one in the auction, no "second" stamp though.

[Bionic-Joe]

Headstock crack...not worth it..He's another knucklehead.

[Dave W]

He's probably only selling it so he can afford to buy that $6K T-bird Studio 5er. 

[JZumbro]

One of mine is a '77 and has a sticker:



The other is a '76 also with a sticker. The '77 Has a big, deep (through the finish) stamp at the neck heel that says BGN, which apparently was for factory seconds and stood for "bargain". At this point in time 36 years later it is impossible to tell what was wrong with it, since there are lots of dings, etc.