You are using an out of date browser. These guitars have a completely different set of serial numbers that I will talk about later in the article. By the way. SN0(XXXXX)-'90, SN1(XXXXX)-'90, SN2(XXXXX)-'92, etc. The serial number is For example, the 989th guitars ID number would not be L989. So you have the same on your back of the Period, NO exception. WHT YEAR IS IT??? user-select: none; Serial numbering didnt change because instruments continued to be made using existing tooling, parts and serial number schemes. I worked for Fender from 1970 to 2000, Custom Luthier and Import Production Manager. The charts below detail the most common Fender serial number schemes from 1976 to the present. flex-direction: column; For Fender during the turning point era of the mid-'60s, check out Fender and the CBS Takeover. %PDF-1.6 % Leo Fender was a genius with minimizing the costs of production. A bunch of pat numbers on front/face of head. } In order to tell how old your Fender is you will have to find the identification number or neck number. padding: 10px 15px 10px 15px; Big F on the neckplate with a six digit serial, 1965 - 1976. Plugged it in and sounds awesome! Mdl# 0910104126. G029263. After the entire guitar was assembled, the identification number was stamped in place. Thanks for your help. background: linear-gradient(127deg, rgb(79, 89, 232), rgb(73, 81, 168), rgb(41, 41, 84)); The serial numbers on the outside of the body are not the only way to date a Fender guitar however. Certain styles and colors have come and gone over the years, but there is no real obvious way to tell how old a Fender is other than the identification number. You can add any model of Fender guitar: Stratocaster, Telecaster, Jaguar, Mustang, Jazzmaster, you name it! Through much of Fender's production history, Fender workers would print or write a production date on both bodies and necks where the two pieces meet. This makes sense. Sorry! rst stratocaster professional best regards, and I hoping for an(or more answers) Any information would help. On the neck plate it has Fender. (scroll down below if you need help finding the serial number). text-align: center; stratocaster guitars So where do you find it? Guitar Repair Bench is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. stratocaster hss fender american . ), but I have no idea what type of Telecaster this is. THANK YOU SO MUCH JIM GRADY, Hi all, have a fender strat with serial number V115650. Aside from all of the errors and overlapping serial numbers, this system was quite improved from the previous ID number systems. Serial number on neckplate starts with an L, 1963 - 1965. Only the seven-digit suffixes were actually entered into the database. That being said it frets great and sounds great. You're not alone. Along with the new location a new series of serial numbers were instituted. A new serial numbering scheme was adopted toward the end of 2009 using the number 10 as a prefix, followed by a space, followed by seven digits. And do you know how I can get the Certification? These guitars were replicas of the early 1950 and 1960s era guitars. height: 25rem; For example, a Signature Series guitar from 1998 would have a serial starting with SN8 followed by five digits. Throughout the years, Fender has run many limited edition, reissue, and custom guitars. Though examples also exist with the number on the headstock or the neck-plate in the case of certain early reissue models. See the problem? Im working on modifying it to look & sound better. CBS continued the sequence Fender started in 1954. Black body, white/black/white pickguard, sss pickups, 70s maple neck & fretboard, CBS headstock, matte finish. display: flex; stratocaster guitars Serial number is ICO41042362 The only way to try to narrow the date range of your specific instrument is to remove the neck and check the butt end of the neck heel for a production date, which may be stamped or written there (if youre uncomfortable doing this yourself, please refer to an experienced professional guitar tech in your area). This is particularly pronounced in the transitional period of the mid-'80s, though the system has been pretty much on point since about 1990. If you want to double-check the year of production year, its often a good idea to look at the heel of the neck (which entails removing the neck). Sn# csro803265. We found a Fender Precision Bass in a neighbors basement. When Leo first started putting identification numbers on his guitars, he segregated them by model. as new as new could be be with all the items that come with a new Fender Guitar. If someone knows something special about it I would really appreciate it. and what is this guitar with case worth? Like all Fenders previous systems, they are problems with this one. This period also saw a switch from the orginal four-bolt neckplate of the '60s to a three-bolt neckplate in just one example of cost-saving costs introduced under CBS. Here are the serial numbers for the "Crafted in Japan" or "CIJ" era: After 2007, Fender Japan switched back to marking Fenders as "Made in Japan" though for a few years instruments with both decals were made. stratocaster These dates will tell when the original part was manufactured, but are not exact indicators of when the guitar was actually put together and finished. I have 73 Fender Precision Bass. Neck-dating can be useful in determining the approximate age of a guitar, but it is certainly not definitive because the neck date simply refers to the date that the individual component was produced, rather than the complete instrument.Given the modular nature of Fender production techniques, an individual neck may have been produced in a given year, then stored for a period of time before being paired with a body to create a complete guitar, perhaps, for example, in the following year. . He wired the pickguard with pickups, so all the wiring could be finished before the body was even dry from finishing. After the neck was finished, a Fender employee would either stamp or handwrite the date on the end of the guitar neck on its heel. This scheme is not 100% consistent due to a number of production factors, such as Fender producing more serialized decals than needed in a given year. If Fender would have executed the indentification numbers as planned, USA Fender guitars would be numbered as the following without any exceptions. guitar headstock guitarrepairbench telecaster 1976 border-radius: .3rem; In the 2000s, you'll also see serials starting with a DZ which indicates the Deluxe series, but the format is otherwise the same. background-color: #ddd; In 1976, Fender decided to stop stamping ID numbers in guitar parts and started making decals for the guitar peghead or headstock. font-size: 1rem; Consequently, some 1990 guitars bear 1999 N9 serial numbers. You may notice that there is a great deal of over lapping numbers in these nine years. The guitar looks to new to be a 1972. I have a black Stratocaster HSS I think. 2017 Fender custom shop 1961 Heavy Relic Telecaster, NGD: My First Tele a little help, please, "To save the future, we have to repair the past. stratocaster hss fender guitars professional electric american Local Sales: (812) 479-9595. But, its not made in Mexico! Four digit serial number on the bridge, 1950 - 1954. Hey All, I just bought a very clean Strat. The serial number is Z01061261. It all has to do with how Fender produced guitars. Thanks. Is a Fender Stratocaster Gold Custom Shop USA Serial CA15706. font-weight: 200; I bought it in Los Angeles in 1993 at a store called Guitar Guitar (? margin-left: .7rem; Hi Mike here asked a question earlier still no news on it ???? In many instances, there is no exact known date for a specific guitar. Thanks. Help! Instead of adding another digit on to his 5-digit ID numbers, Leo decided to add an L, presumably for his first initial, in front of the serial numbers and start the sequence all over again. Up until 1997, the serial was paired with the words "Made in Japan.". I checked the date of the neck, my Precision Bass was the 30th week of 1974. You can google Fender serial number look-up and look it up by serial # on Fenders website. the guitars, with that range of numbers are dated in 1976. Sometimes the potentiometers are worth checking too. Who knows how long it was waiting in the Fender factory before finding its way into a Tele? For Mexican Fenders made in the 1990s, the serial will start with an MN followed by a number that indicates the year of the decade. It has a Bigsby with pearl white pick guard. Before 1976, frustratingly they often randomly assigned serial numbers. Thats how the Fender production line worked. I am getting ready to sell it but dont want to provide false info. font-family: Helvetica Neue,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; width: 100%; As seen in the overlap of numbers and years, even these references to actual production dates are rather loose. Here is a guide to lookup all of the different types of special Fender guitars with their own serial number pattern. I have only played it at home, Its nearly untouched and someone told me it was perhaps a collectors item. stratocaster lefty Underneath in upper case it has CORONA, and underneath CORONA it has CALIFORNIA. . I cant figure out why it starts with N72 instead of N + 5 or 6 digits though. Oops, looks like you forgot something. The chart below details Fender serial number schemes used from 1965 to 1976. Features like bolt-on necks and pickups wired into the pickguard all helped the Fender factory churn out guitar after guitar, day after day. if a neckplate has a serial stamped (say 51593 dating 1958) how can we tell it hasnt been removed from another guitar, therefore the guitar could be much newer? He didnt stop doing this until after 1954. Fender telecaster serial number 62259 US12 + the year 2012 the rest is the serial number . I know that its dated in the year 2007-2008 (am I right? u*[|RuQUUIUp:\T>_L|r_Kv2=%>=.L z9)Pe/.M#Ed2c?R }{.fw /t{XgQ*/U?G_'?Vbr-/O7d__oz&oVFK}>/RG;yt|o7G|uvr_Vo],77nz"=~X By clicking Subscribe, I agree to receive exclusive offers & promotions, news & reviews, and personalized tips for buying and selling on Reverb. The red finish is kind of Mars-like They never made them in the US. In the neck pocket on the body the same FL59-75. CBS sold Fender in March 1985. box-sizing: content-box; Additionally, there have been plenty of artist models, limited editions and other rare models that use a unique serial number. As you can see, there is quite a bit of overlap. Serial numbers are on the front of the headstock. This system, however, is notoriously inconsistent and incomplete, which makes dating by serial number even less reliable for MIJ Fenders. One website I went to said it was made in Mexico in 2005. Probably worth $300 each in mint condition with original paperwork and case. Hello, Learn everything you need to know to choose the right Stratocaster for you. letter-spacing: -.05em; I purchased it new in 1970 at Parker Music Store in Houston Tx. Please help if you can and Id like to know what it is worth please. Can anyone help please? This can be a tall order for someone less versed in guitar history, but we do have some resources here on Reverb to help you out. These 1965-1976 era guitars are commonly referred to as the F series because of the neck plate design change. Thats all for now. Necks could sit for days, weeks, or even months at a time before being matched with a body. Im getting frustrated. Neck-dating can be useful in determining the, Given the modular nature of Fender production techniques, an individual neck may have been produced in a given year, then stored for a period of time before being paired with a body to create a complete guitar, perhaps, for example, in the following year. Who is Henry Ferry anybody knows? I often get asked, how old is my Fender guitar? Click on the links here to jump directly to the serial number style that matches your instrument: In the early years, Fender serial numbers schemes were specific to the model. I think its a 1962 would like to confirm also what would it be worth today ? I still cant find my guitar. I just purchased a fender thin line guitar thru Guitar Center New Orleans. stratocaster hss fender guitars professional electric american If you have what you consider an odd serial number, it might appear here. Cant find anything on it. The only serial number I can find is on the back plate for the neck. #guitar, Dont worry. V + 4, 5 or 6 digits (U.S. Vintage Series except 52 Telecaster), (For U.S. Vintage Series, check neck date for specific year), V + 5 or 6 digits (U.S. Vintage Series except 52 Telecaster), V + 5 or 6 v (U.S. Vintage Series except 52 Telecaster), V + 5 or 6 digits (American Vintage Series), V + 5 or 6 digits (American Vintage Series except 52 Telecaster), V + 5 or 6 digits (American Vintage Series except 52 Telecaster, which uses a five-digit number stamped into the bridge plate), (for American Vintage series, check neck date for specific year). Well, I too am stumped and am in need of some guidance or suggestions I can not findfor surethe linage of this Telecaster but I need to verify the existing paint/finish, so I can repaint and touch up some damage. #guitar #eletricguitar #prs, Smash or pass? ". Evansville, IN 47715 | Once you have the information you need, if you're interested in selling your Fender, you can use Reverb to get it in front of the largest audience of musicians in the world by clicking on this link. Could anyone tell me when my starcaster guitar was made? } Just enter the number below, hit the Decode button and our lookup tool will tell you the year your guitar is from, which country it was manufactured in, and even the plant it came from. Some may have stayed in the U.S. or found their way back (Made to Standard Strat specs, dating unclear). It seems a bit custom, with a black headstock to match the body. font-weight: 600; This burst has aged well. I bought a new one in 1975. The following six digits are the unit identifier, although it should be noted that these final six numbers are not sequential and do not provide any other identification information about the instrument. Its fixed now. or can I say its Vintage Reissue Guitar between 1982-1989, stratocaster I got this out of a storage unit & want to find out its worth. The low and high columns show the range of identification numbers that have been positively matched to specific years. Any response it welcome. Can you also kindly advise of what you paid for your guitar? .guitar-serial-listing { So you need to figure out the year of production for your Fender guitar or bass. }. Wha, Never know when you will need a Floyd rose. Can anyone tell me when it was made and or what it might be worth please. Online Sales: (888) 794-8482Local Sales: (812) 479-9595. JavaScript is disabled. The following six digits are the unit identifier, although it should be noted that these final six numbers are not sequential and do not provide any other identification information about the instrument. ? I have been to several websites including Fender but cannot get the answer. The 10 prefix was designed to identify the first year of the second decade of the new millennium, and while it appears on the instrument decals, it was not captured in Fenders operating system. All Rights Reserved. Or any other way to tell? I cannot find any reference in your charts to a Precision Bass. >>9\g&vdes.v H('Ul. US = USA made . Only the seven-digit suffixes were actually entered into the database. I want to help you understand how to tell the age of your Fender as well as any Fender you see. 10 prefix followed by a space and seven digits (late 2009 through March 2010), US10 + 6 digits (beginning in about March 2010), Taylor 900 Series, Presentation Series, & Custom. I am looking at similar one, 10050505. rst stratocaster professional stratocaster guitars stratocaster aged fender #guitar-serial-input input { And thanks in advance for any advice DWrightB, Hello everyone, I own Fender Precision Special Bass guitar, 24 carats gold plated, active one, the number starts with G 0257667, made in USA. Fender like Gibson has been producing guitars for many years. Any help you can offer would be much appreciated. #guitar-serial-input { Since this change wasnt until the end of 1962, only a few true 1962 Fenders have an L serial number. Dont know if it has any special name, but it sure is Gold everywhere. . Being many months later, the serial number date and the neck date might not match. I have a Fender Strat Serial No. Therefore, while helpful in determining a range of production dates, a neck date is obviously not a precisely definitive reference.Most specifications for a given Fender instrument model change little (if at all) throughout the lifetime of the model. Can anybody tell me what year it is and what it might be worth? butterscotch telecaster This totally blew my mind because up until I actually saw one I was under the impression that the very first Squier Strats were manufactured in Japan due to Fenders lack of manufacturing facilities after Bill Schultz and partners bought Fender from CBS! border: 0px; At least that is how mine is. Therefore, while helpful in determining a. margin-top: auto; margin-bottom: auto; } The twist is: along with the single coil at the neck it has a big humbucker in the bridge pickup location; not the diag single coil common to most telecasters. From 1950 to 1954 Fender guitar unique numbers were stamped in the bridge cavity cover plate. I think its a 70s but not sure as the neck was changed its a light wood colour teli. Unfortunately, the serial number placement is sporadic and many ID numbers over lap between years and models. best John. Secure Transactions and Shipping ProtectionDedicated Team of Gear Experts. flex-direction: row; line-height: 1.5rem; margin-top: auto; It has a fender bigsby trem. Thanks so much for your time! Many thanks. Each prefix is unique to that model guitar. Hello, Im thinking of buying a Fender Stratocaster (USA) serial number 7675676 but cant find any serial numbers which correspond. Once again, there is quite a bit of overlap in numbers and years. overflow-y: auto; height: 1.5rem; I have what was sold as a Fender Thin Line Telecaster. A new serial numbering scheme was adopted toward the end of 2009 using the number 10 as a prefix, followed by a space, followed by seven digits. It was purchased new in 1997 or 1998. And to find certificate about it?? Want to know how to date your Fender guitar by serial number? Or year? Now that we have talked about where to find your Fender guitar ID number and what it means, here is theFender serial numberdatabase that I have compiled. padding-bottom: .5rem; } user-select: none; stratocaster guitars Serial numbering didnt change immediately because instruments continued to be made using existing, tooling, parts and serial number schemes. In early 1965, Leo Fender sold Fender Musical Instruments, Inc. to CBS for $13 million. } Fender also dated the neck when it was manufactured. This time all the identification numbers under 10,000 fill the empty digits with zeros. margin-bottom: 0rem; It appears to be an Am Prof Strat (newer style case, pickups are not Fat 50s); however, the serial number starts US16.? There are certainly plenty of exceptions, so again, using serial numbers in conjunction with other dating methods is always the best bet. border-radius: 5px; It is in very good condition but not in the original case. After a short period of overlap with the old system, the post-76 numbers will start with a letter that indicates the decade, followed by a number that indicates the year of that decade. Like Henry Ford, part of Leo Fender's genius was in optimizing the company's production efficiency. Fender Japan serial numbers can usually be found on the back of the neck near the neck joint. The only way to try to narrow the date range of your specific instrument is to remove the neck and check the butt end of the neck heel for a production date, which may be stamped or written there (if youre uncomfortable doing this yourself, please refer to an experienced professional guitar tech in your area). Serial number : 608286, Im sorry. . This new scheme is now used on the majority of U.S.-made Fender instruments, with exceptions including the American Vintage series and certain special-run instruments. stratocaster Fender mass-produced the headstock decal without matching them with the annual production schedules of the guitarsmeaning they made more decals for a given year than guitars. before and after the numbers. Some of the earliest ones actually popped up in late 1962 as well: After the CBS purchase of Fender in 1965, the factory switched to a new serial sequence with numbers that continued the same general format used prior to the takeover. Only number I got is 304077 on the rear tag of the body and the fender F symbol. vIO$ u0a?0MdA=,E)# aX&bMN{r|NyOf1T3V=W+b8hK;WENc 7 z/Y1Q0sVq6$8. The location of the serial number has annoyingly changed from model to model over the years. They decided that it would be easier to decipher the serial number code than just write the year on the guitar. Just to add it said ST 557F, and in red print it is stamped US. For instance, ID number S76823 would be a guitar produced in 1977. display: flex; ), but I have often wondered if it came from the Fender factory with the trem or if it was retro-fitted? Fender was sold to CBS in January 1965. V042126, its cream yellow with original old type case, I know it must have been made before 1990 for the Swedish band The Creeps, the guitarist could chose as an offer from the record company between this guitar and a light-blue, he took the light-blue as you can see on their video Oh I like it, I bought it from a friend who was the guitar-technician for Europe, Roxette and many other bands and so on, so can you help me with this? Any ideas? Thanks Mike. As always, there is typically some number prefix overlap and carryover from year to year. This one does not have any serial info on the head stock but I did find two different dates in 1995, on the neck heel and one 1995 date on the body under the neck. This new scheme is now used on the majority of U.S.-made Fender instruments, with exceptions including the American Vintage series and certain special-run instruments. Here is what the neck date and body date look like from a 1952 Telecaster: If you're not comfortable removing the neck of a guitar to peek at the date marker, I encourage you to take it to a local tech or luthier. Esquires, Broadcasters and Telecasters shared a serial number sequence, while the landmark Precision Bass had its own system. But once again, due to Fenders modular production methods and often non-sequential serial numbering (usually overlapping two to four years from the early days of Fender to the mid-1980s), dating by serial number is not always precisely definitive. Examples include the 35th anniversary series, many of the uniquely finished Strats from the early '80s, as well as various export-specific models which carry a serial number starting with FN. In about 1982 Fender started making import guitars from Japan and around 1990 Fender started importing from Mexico. N-prefix serial numbers denoting the 1990s were introduced in 1990. The heel of the neck big red L then FL59-75 a capital V near the screw hole and a red dot. These are generally referred to as F series due the large Fender branded F on the neckplates of the era. This article is intended to help you date your Fender Stratocaster, Telecaster, and Precision Bass guitars all the way back to the early 1950s. Zing Instruments is a participant in the Amazon Services Associates Program. I have a fender mustang that doesnt say anything about where it was made. If you take the neck off you should find at the base of the neck by the truss rod adjuster the date stamped there. stratocaster Can anyone help me to identify if this is original from Fender. A long time guitar buddy of mine passed away a couple years ago and I acquired one of his Fender Telecasters. Toward the end of 1962 Fenders success kept on building. overflow: hidden; I have a 70s tele custom: natural finish, rosewood fingerboard.