#Martin guitar serial numbers dating serial number#
That original website was taken down after Joe’s death in 2014, but I found his serial number dating list again at: Joe Bethancourt, banjo player, listed dating for Weymann banjo serial numbers. _ A Serial Number Dating Table (Revised )Īs mentioned elsewhere on this site, there is now little doubt that all the Weymann guitars, banjos, mandolins, mandolutes, ukuleles etc. With this in mind I “endeavor to persevere” (from ‘The Outlaw Josey Wales’ movie). That’s what makes it all so fascinating”. was in fact complete garbage and have subsequently changed my point of view completely. I found that lots of information that I thought was true. I’ve had to do all three of these things on many occasions after obtaining fresh verifiable information. As John Croft, the Ukulele Man* puts it “investigating such matters is a constant process of trying hard to sort out the evidence, and use new information to either re-affirm, modify, or dramatically change one’s point of view.
Secondly, the earliest Weymann catalogue that I have been able to find is c.1924.Ĭonsequently, the table dating Weymann instruments is a work in progress. Firstly, even though there must have been records kept of production numbers and serial numbers, these do not remain. So, I believe wholesale production of Weymann instruments started just prior to 1900.ĭating Weymann instruments has been hampered by two major problems. This makes a lot of sense to me as I believe the gold decals (labels) they used, were made by the first company to manufacture decals in the US, The Meyercord Company, which was established in 1894 and registered in 1996. One conjecture is that Weymann started serializing their instruments after Martin started doing the same in 1898. I believe around 1900 they finally added a style number as well. Still later they carried a serial number but no style number. Their very early banjos and guitars carried a gold decal, but no serial or style (model) number. Stewart enterprise in 1898, also of Philadelphia. The catalyst for this was possibly the buying of production equipment and spare parts from the discontinued S.S. Weymann & Son, Philadelphia, were making stringed instruments from 1894 or earlier for their retail outlet, it looks likely that they did not increase production for wholesale purposes until the late 1890’s. So if you bought this mandolin from Tommy’s Guitars, or now own this mandolin, or know who does, please contact me. Weymann and Son started serializing instruments, which at present those early years are a bit of a mystery. If I could find the now owner of this mandolin it could answer some questions about when H.A. But they do know that the documentation was dated 1899. I contacted Tommy’s Guitars and they tried to find the original photo but the sale was some time ago and they could not find a better quality photo. (Update : I came across this photo of a mandolin that was on a website by Tommy’s Guitars in Chicago: Photo courtesy Tommy’s Guitars, Chicago
(Updated : With the addition of new information the serial number dating for Weymann instruments has now been revised. Weymann Guitars Serial Numbers on top of the Headstock Introduction