Okay, I have a question for the Surly Guitar Sleuths. I have an old ES335. I bought it from Guitar Resurrection in 1996. It was billed as a 1969, and I took them at their word. It was perfect and still mostly is perfect apart from the time I was pulling it over my shoulder and put the headstock into the ceiling fan. Just a chip, which I now claim with stupid pride.
Anyway, by the serial number (9009xx), it's a 1970, but there are some indications that it might be earlier. First, it has the orange sticker in the bass side cutout/f-hole. Those stopped around 1969. There's no "Made in the USA" stamped into the back of the headstock under the matching stamped serial number, something that began in 1970. More interestingly, the "Gibson" logo on the headstock has an undotted "i," and the "b" and "o" are open, which is largely a 1969 feature. There is a tiny volute in the neck, and I can't tell if it's a 3-piece neck because of the walnut finish. I haven't looked at the pickups, but I suspect they are Patent Number-Black Sticker. No idea if it has the shorter tenon. Lastly, I haven't snaked anything in there to see if I can see date codes on the pots, but that would be somewhat helpful.
It's a great guitar. And it's not going anywhere. So what year it is doesn't really matter apart from my curiosity. Probably what's often referred to as a 1969/70. But until I have anything definite, I'm calling it a 1970 for now.
Thoughts?