What Year Did Gibson Use Blue Linings in the Guitar Case

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Gibson Case History

• Thread starter troyvod
• Start date Jan 19, 2007

• #1

Joined

Jan 5, 2006

Messages

113

Just wondering if anyone had any info on late mid 60's to early 70's gibson cases. I'm looking at buying a couple of things and want to know if the cases are original. I kknow the early 70's cases had purple lining, but when did this start and finish. Any help would be appreciated.

• #2

Joined

Apr 24, 2005

Messages

400

I can tell you this : I had a new 1971 LP Deluxe. The case was not a shaped one. It was rectangular with gold lining.
I also had a used Howard Roberts made in the 70's ( don't know what year. ) It was shaped with purple ( well, probably more of a dark maroon ) lining.
I don't know if any of this helps you. I hope someone can give you more info.

• #3

Joined

Aug 26, 2005

Messages

868

'67 SG - shaped case with yellow lining.

• #4

Joined

Nov 20, 2006

Messages

2,210

what Mikester said.......shaped black with yellow lining as far as I know from early 60's to at least around 1975 or later. There are probably exceptions

• #5

Joined

Dec 4, 2005

Messages

766

My `73 deluxe had a case with purple lining

• #6

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Dec 4, 2005

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766

• #7

Joined

Jan 21, 2003

Messages

1,317

My 71 deluxe case has purple lining if that helps

• #8

Joined

Apr 24, 2005

Messages

400

Well, one thing's for sure -- there's no consistency in the early-mid 70's.
My '71 Deluxe case had gold ( yellow ) lining, another '71 Deluxe case with purple lining, then some rectangular, some shaped ......

Last edited: Jan 20, 2007

• #9

Joined

Jun 14, 2002

Messages

9,081

Because of the transition going on, there really is no absolute rule for the cases. With '68-'72 guitars I've had a mixture of purple, gold and even red lining. I believe it was quite common for cases to get mixed up in the music store stock room. When 1970 ES model was sold there was a good chance there were still guitars in inventory from '68. I don't think sales people were that conserned about gold and purple lining and there's a good chance an ES case was grabbed for the sale that was for a different year. I can recall a pair of 1967 Sonic Blue Coronado's and a mid-60's sunburst ES-345 that were still hanging on the wall during the mid-70's in a local music store that I would hang out in. All three of those could have used the same black/gold lined cases but the cases could have easily been matched with guitars in later years. No telling how many guitars went out in cases from overlapping years. I've had many original one owner Fender guitars from the transition period of brown/white/black Tolex cases that weren't correct for the exact year. As you see from the replies above, it is possible for purple or gold lining to have been matched with '68 to '72 Gibson's and could have easily stretched longer depending on how long a guitar sat in inventory.

• #10

Joined

Jan 5, 2006

Messages

113

Thanks heaps for the info.
My 73 Deluxe has red lining and my 72 Sg has Purple. I just bought a 68 Sg which the guy says is the original case, but i've never seen anything like it B4. No gibson stencil and is a little strange looking. Has Red lining but.....

• #11

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Sep 6, 2003

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2,242

• #12

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Nov 7, 2003

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1,888

• #13

davey

Gimme a dollar dummie!

Joined

Jul 17, 2001

Messages

1,605

Although I bought the case, before the guitar (a 1971 Deluxe) came into my possession and there's no way to tell if the case was original to the guitar, but...

I had a smooth brown tolex case- the tolex is identical to the tolex on my 1962 Gibson Falcon amp. Brown plastic handle, red plushy sort of material, silver Gibson screen logo. I do know that a Les Paul of some sort came in that case, due to the wear on the lid of the case.

• #14

Joined

Mar 17, 2005

Messages

1,480

Here's an unusual Gibson case mystery. I bought a '67 Flying V off of the original owner's widow. She was married to him since 1971 and she claims the guitar never had a case other than the one she sold it to me with. She has a photo of him with the guitar and case from '73. It is a "soft shell" case that appears to be made of the exact same materials...tolex, lining, handle, hinges & latches....of every 1960's Gibson soft shell cases that I have come across. The problem is that Gibson never listed a soft shell case as an option on these and they only made 100 or so of these guitars. Gibson reissued the Flying V in '71 with the Medalion series that had it's own unique case. They did not make very many of those either. It is very unlikely that there would be a market for after-market '67 Flying V cases in 1971 given the production numbers. Is this an original '67 Flying V "soft shell case"? Any feedback or info would be appreciated!

• #15

Joined

Oct 20, 2003

Messages

427

'69 LPC and '66 L-5CES both have black form fitting cases with yellow interior.

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