Fender serial id

Like the body and neck dates, using serial numbers to date a Fender is not a sure bet. At many points in Fender's history, serial number usage overlapped again owing to the modular manner of production. Below we'll go into detail about the various serial number schemes employed by Fender as far back as There are certainly plenty of exceptions, so again, using serial numbers in conjunction with other dating methods is always the best bet.

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.

Esquires, Broadcasters and Telecasters shared a serial number sequence, while the landmark Precision Bass had its own system. In this early period, the serial number can be found on the bridge of the instrument see image. Here are the rough serial number ranges for the early Esquires and Telecasters :. Also, for the first half or so of , the inaugural run of Stratocasters had a distinct number sequence all under number By mid, Fender began using a universal serial number sequence for all its instruments.

At this time, the location of the serial number also shifted from the bridge to the neckplate the metal plate located on back of where the neck meets the body. Here's how the serial numbers break down from to the beginning of , though there are some areas of inconsistency in this era:. At the very end of and into , Fender changed to a system where serial numbers began with an "L. Here the range of the L-series serial used each year. Some of the earliest ones actually popped up in late as well:.

After the CBS purchase of Fender in , the factory switched to a new serial sequence with numbers that continued the same general format used prior to the takeover.

These are generally referred to as F series due the large Fender branded F on the neckplates of the era. 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. Starting in , Fender transitioned to a new serial number scheme and moved the placement of most serial numbers to the headstock of the instrument.

Depending on the era and model, the number can be found on either the front or back of the headstock. After a short period of overlap with the old system, the post numbers will start with a letter that indicates the decade, followed by a number that indicates the year of that decade. We highly recommend each of them. They are detailed reference resources with a wealth of information on determining the production years of various instruments and on Fender history in general.

Indeed, we use these same books here at Fender when researching historical and date-related issues. You can order these titles through your local Authorized Fender Dealer.

The Music Zoo is not responsible for any inaccuracies that may exist in this information. Republished from Fender. Home Guitar News Fender.

Dating Your U. Dating Your Instrument The chart below details Fender serial number schemes used from to Prep, assy, tune, and inspection stamps. Reading the bar code gives me the same thing 'AM Standard Mexican made. Serial numbers Late 70's Strats have the serial number on the headstock below 'Fender'. The number will have an 'S' prefix possibly an 'E', read below followed by a six digit number. Serial numbers corresponding to , mean the guitar was created during the first five production years of Fender Stratocasters: through L10,L20, corresponds to L20,L50, corresponds to StringRay 1 and StingRay bass.

Both guitars fitted with a two-way pickup, bolt-on neck, and a single humbucker. In the Custom Shop was born. The initial master builders were John Page and Michael Stevens. Since then the team has expanded and produced some of the most sought-after guitars made. The Fender Custom Shop produces special order guitars. Creating limited edition high-end quality instruments. If you love the road-worn relic look, these guys assemble some real mouth-watering pieces.

February the Ensenada Mexico manufacturing plant was burnt to the ground, leaving the production to move to Corona, CA for a temporary solution. Here is a summary of the serial number, model, and year.

To gain the best results use our decoder. During this time period, there are a lot of overlaps. Use our decoder to find out which instrument fits your serial number. Serial Numbers were from the midss but we lack instrument details and overlapping makes this period difficult.

We know the year the guitar was made and manufactured in Fullerton, USA. Use decoder to determine. Use decoder for exact year. There are no model details just that this period was in Fullerton, USA. The digits purely stand for a production number. This period of guitars were the U.