Fender Serial Numbers
TO COVER THE FENDER RANGE WOULD TAKE PAGES AND PAGES SO I INTEND TO JUST GIVE AN IDEA AS TO HOW THE SYSTEMS WORK IF YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC GUITAR YOU WANT TO CHECK OUT TRY THIS LINK http://www.guitardaterproject.org/fender.aspx AND ITS NOT JUST FOR Fenders.
I have placed the Mexican fenders first as these are the more common models if you are lucky enough to own a USA fender there is probably a letter for each series, vintage, custom, signature etc so the link above will definitely be of interest
DATING MEXICAN-MADE FENDER INSTRUMENTS
current Mexican made Fenders have a serial number beginning with the letter M,Ffollowed by a second letter that denotes the decade, ie MN 1990-1999.These letters are followed by a number which indicates the year in the decade.these are then followed by 5 digits so
MNO+5 DIGITS Wll have been manufactured 1990-1991
MN1+5 DIGITS will have been manufactured 1991-1992, likewise
MN9+5 DIGITS will have been manufactured 1990-2000
In 2000 the second letter changed to Z so
MZ0+5 DIGITS will have been manufactured in 200-2001
MZ1 + DIGITS will have been manufactured in 2001-2002 and currently
MZ7+5 DIGITS WILL HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED IN 2007-2008
DATING JAPANESE-MADE FENDER INSTRUMENTS
Most Japanese Fenders made up until 1997 are known as MADE IN JAPAN (, although around 1994 Crafted in Japan instruments started to appear)
Guitars manufactured after this date are known as CRAFTED IN JAPAN
The letter denotes year of manufacture so
J + 6 digits 1989-1990
K + 6 digits 1990-1991
V + 6 digits 1996-1997
Crafted in Japan A + 6 digits 1997-1998
Crafted in Japan O + 5 digits 1997-2000
Crafted in Japan R + 5 digits 2004-2005
DATING USA FENDERS.
"N"-prefix serial numbers denoting the 1990s were introduced in 1990. The numbers and decals were produced far in advance, and some N9 decals (denoting 1999), were inadvertently affixed to some instruments in 1990. Consequently, some 1990 guitars bear 1999 "N9" serial numbers.
"Z"-prefix serial numbers denoting the new millennium appeared on U.S.-made instruments in 2000. Z0 denotes 2000; Z1 denotes 2001, etc. American Deluxe Series instruments use the same dating convention, but with the addition of a "D" in front of the "Z", i.e., DZ1, DZ2, etc. As always, there is typically some number prefix overlap and carryover from year to year.
Although we always look at the neck for the serial number to date the guitar Fender also date the neck and body when they are manufactured. If you took the neck off a fender you would find that there would be a date pencilled on the part that joined the body. Likewise you would find on the body, probably in the pickup cavity the manufacturing date of the body. Fender often store parts separately waiting to produce a complete guitar so you could very well find that the neck might have been produced in 2007 and the body produced in 2008.
One other way of checking out a guitar, especially if you are buying something rare or valuable is to check out the pots, (the bits that make the volume and tone knobs work) these also carry a serial number. The guitar dater project can also check this for you.
GIBSON SERIAL NUMBERS
Just like Fender, Gibson have numerous ways of indicating the age and model as they have just as many signature models as Fender. if you want to check the date of your Gibson with the guitar dater project this is the link
http://www.guitardaterproject.org/gibson.aspx
and for Epiphone
http://www.guitardaterproject.org/epiphone.aspx
In 1977, Gibson introduced the serialization method that is still in use today
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.
Since 1989, all Gibson acoustics are built in Bozeman, MT and all Gibson electrics are built in Nashville or Memphis. Ranking numbers for Bozeman start each day at 001 and the electrics may start as low as the 300s.
Examples: 70108276 means the instrument was produced on Jan. 10, 1978, in Kalamazoo and was the 276th instrument stamped that day.
82765501 means the instrument was produced on Oct. 3, 1985, in Nashville and was the 1st instrument stamped that day.
NOTE - Gibson USA went to a 9 digit serial number in early July 2005..
The sixth number is now a batch number- batch 0 starts at the beginning of the day, and once we stamp 699, the batch number will change to 1. The first 5 numbers remain the same, the last 3 numbers will remain the same. The only difference is the addition of this batch indicator.
There are always exceptions to these rules, so I would strongly recommend using the guitar dater
Those beginning with "94":
In 1994, Gibson's Centennial year, many instruments have a serial number that begins with "94" for the year, with the remaining 6 digits indicating the ranking number.
RRR(R) indicates the guitar's place production for that year. NOTE: This number includes all models for a particular reissue year - so, for example, a 1958 Reissue serial number may include '58 Reissue LP Standard and '58 Explorer production.
Example: 7 5123 is the 123rd 1957 reissue model produced in 2005.
Epiphone:
Most regular production models since ca. 1993. Many '80s and early '90s serial numbers may follow a similar scheme, but may not include a factory ID code.
FYYMMRRRR
F= Factory code (this can be 2 letters as well)
YY= year of manufacture (this can also be just 1 digit for '90s models)
MM= month of manufacture
R= ranking number (may be more or less digits, not necessarily indicative of total units produced)
Example - S02021234 was issued in Feb. 2002.
Another code used on some current Epiphone models
FYYMRRRR
F= Factory code
YY=Year of manufacture
M= This will be a letter code corresponding to the month (A=January, B=February, etc...)
RRRR= ranking number
Example - R03D0263 was issued in April 2003.
Epiphone Elite/Elitist models
FYSSSS
F= Factory Code (this code will be an "F" or "T")
Y= Year of manufacture (2 = 2002, 3 = 2003, etc.)
SSSS= Sequential Serial Number
Example - T41234 is a 2004 Elitist model.
1997-Current
YMMDDRRY
Y = last digit of year
MM = Month
DD = day of month
RR = ranking number
Y (last digit) = decade
Reproduced from the gibson website.
BURNS OF LONDON SERIAL NUMBERS
Burns guitar necks are some of the best in the world, if only the serial numbers they put on them were as good.
There seems to be some anomalies with the Burns system but it basically is If your guitar has a 7-digit serial the first digit will be the year of manufacture in that decade i.e. my Burns Bison 5040159 was manufactured in 2005
My Burns double six 9110002 manufactured 1999 ( one of the very first of the 2000 series and used by Burns for photoshoot for Burns literature)
Burns Brian May
Burns were the manufacturers of the Brian May guitar until July 2004, and to that point, production instrument serial numbers had run from BHM0001 to around BHM4660 – (ish). The First guitars distributed by the Brian May guitar company some 1500 instruments were actually Burns made guitars but without the Burns badging. The serial numbers ran from BHM4685 to approximately BHM6430
For more information on Burns guitars a very good site is http://uk.geocities.com/burnsguitarssince1992/index.html#guitars
Teejay O'Neill
