Howdy! I know there’s some real gurus here, and some who have some history with G & S from back in the day. I have this “SS” model, it’s a rider for sure and pretty beautiful with color balsa wedged stringers and nice translucent resin tint. I think I have a bit of info figured out on it’s origin, but I was wondering if any one out there can figure out the shaper? It’s got some numbers written near the lam on the deck. I’m pretty sure about the year…
I’d love to know what anyone out there might be able to tell me about it! Thanks!!!
G&S serial numbers mean nothing. They were pretty random and not sequential to any degree. So the number doesn’t really help in even determining date of build. Unless there are marks/initials on the board you’ll probably never know who shaped it. Also, those offset t-band stringers are high density foam and redwood, not balsa.
I think “SS” was Steve Seebold…
thanks; makes sense that they are foam wedges now that I look at 'em closer I see it
I thought SS might be stone steps?, but I was totally spit-balling, as I’m from nor-cal, and don’t have a lot of experience in your neck of the woods… isn’t Steve Seebold a shaper also?
thanks for the comments, and here’s a cleaned up version of the number
Steve Seebold LONG TIME San Diego shaper.
do you think this board was his model?
Nope. In fact, I don’t think Seebold had any connection to this design at all. SS was short-hand for Super Sport in the car world in the mid 60s. It denoted a performance design. I think they borrowed the name from the auto industry marketing pitches. They did not advertise this model a whole lot, but not once was it associated with a specific person in any print ad that featured it.
makes sense, like an SS Camaro…
fellow sway locker Widetreestump sent me a couple ads with this SS; his theory, and it seems pretty accurate, is that this is one of the last true longboard models for G&S, as this was the year things started to shorten up dramatically, practically day by day; one of the ads shows this SS alongside a stubby looking 7 foot something
Yes, I have that ad in an old magazine. You are correct about it being one of the last LB designs by them, prior to the big change. It was dropped when boards got shorter. Conversely, shapes like their Hot Curl began as an over 9’ board but continued as part of the newer short designs.
Not wanting to saber rattle but…Here is a link to a “reissue” SS model…http://www.surfscience.com/surfboards/gordon-and-smith-ss-model… Yeah there are some questions about original… But Steve was a early team rider and shaper for G&S. he lived a couple blocks from the original G&S shop in PB. Why make a reissue of some obscure model unless there was an actual connection? I could still be wrong. I know Steve but have not seen him in a few years. If fate has it and I run into him I will ask. I still could be wrong and that is fine with me…But if it is Steve’s deal he deserves his due. He has earned it.
I opened the link provided by ACE and it does say that Steve Seebold is the shaper on the reissue models… (cut/paste from website)
Gordon and Smith SS Model
Manufacturer Description
The SS Model by Gordon & Smith, Reissued from the class of 1968. Step deck design with a pintail just like back in the day. Center stringer with red wedge foam stringers and a single fin. Shaped by Steve Seebold.
PS - I post just in case it turns in to another dead link for some reason or another.
Cool!, thanks, well hopefully if Ace gets in contact, I could figure out if Seebold had anything to do with this board. I got hold of the ad Sammy mentioned, and it didn’t mention Seebold.
Someone at some point went through a heck of alot of trouble to re-fit a big Rainbow fin with a ton of resin and make it fit into the WAVESET box on my board. They did a pretty nice job making it fit snug, some feat considering the taper of the box, and angled sides. Too bad they stuck in a leash plug though!