Find the date your guitar (or bass) was made! These links will take you farther down in the document to the manufacturers covered here: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - If you believe something is inaccurate, please point it out in the comments section at the bottom. If you feel a certain company should be included, please request it and feel free to share any dating info along with your source. Dean Every Dean guitar made in United States comes with a seven digit serial number that is printed on the back of the headstock (some 90s models may be stamped on the fretboard). First two numbers in the sequence will tell you when your guitar was produced.
If you see a seven digit serial number on the back of a Dean guitar, you can be sure that it was produced in United States. Dean's more affordable line made outside the US will indicate the country of manufacture, but production year requires looking at features and hardware and some knowledge of the line. Epiphone Below appear some of the serial schemes that an Epiphone serial can use. Happy hunting! YYMMFFRRRRR YY = year of manufacture MM = month of manufature FF = factory ID RRRRR = ranking number Example: 3 = 2008 / December / factory 15 / unit 20333 Note: Models from 2008 and onwards omit the factory ID letter prefix.
Pre-1994 productions also frequently omit the factory letter codes and appeared as all digits, e.g. FYYMMRRRR F/FF = factory ID Y/YY = year of manufacture MM = month of manufacture RRRR = ranking number Example: 3021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February / unit 1234 Example: S3021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February / unit 1234 Example: S93021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February / unit 1234 Example: SI01021234 = Samick Indonesia / 2001 / February / unit 1234 Example: SI010212345 = Samick Indonesia / 2001 / February / unit 12345 Note: There may be no factory designator for some 1993 and earlier models. A single digit month of manufacture may occur for some 1997 and earlier models.
The ranking number may consist of any number of digits. FYYMRRRR F = factory ID YY = year of manufacture M = letter code to corresponding month (A=January, B=February, etc.) RRRR = ranking number Example: R01B0123 = Peerless Korea / 2001 / February / unit 0123. FYYSSSS (Epiphone Elite/Elitist models) F = factory ID Y = single digit year of manufacture (2 = 2002, 3 = 2003, etc.) YY = double digit year of manufacture (2010-Current) SSSS = sequential ranking number Example: F21234 = Fuji-gen Japan / 2002 / unit 1234 Example: T101234 = Terada Japan / 2010 / unit 1234 - F-Serial Numbers on Les Paul Standard '59/'60 Models and Tribute/Plus Models The latest serial number system used by Epiphone has not yet been completely deciphered. The new 'F' models are made in China. The system uses running model numbers rather than a dedicated code for year, month, and place of manufacture.
F300000 = late 2009 used on LP Std'59/Std'60/Tribute models Continued around F310650F311050 in spring 2012 on Tribute-Plus models Continued around F305000 in 2011 Continued around F310000 in 2012 Continued around F317000 in 2013 Continued around F324000 in 2014 Continued around F330000 in 2015 - Epiphone Japan Serial Numbers 1998 - Current The Yamano Gakki Epiphone Japan serial numbers from 1998 onwards are in a YMMPPP format. Y = Year of manufacture MM = Month of manufacture PPP = Production number The serial number letters used by the Terada and Fuji-Gen guitar factories are: J = Terada T = Terada, F = Fuji-Gen No Letter = Fuji-Gen Example: J902123 = Terada / 1999 / February / unit 123 Example: T902123 = Terada / 1999 / February / unit 123 Example: F902123 = Fuji-Gen / 1999 / February / unit 123 Example: 902123 = Fuji-Gen / 1999 / February / unit 123 1987 - 1997 For Yamano Gakki Epiphone Japan semi acoustic models from 1987 to approximately 1997, the serial numbers are in a YCPPP format. They were made by Terada and usually have an Orange Epiphone label. Y = Year of manufacture C = Model code PPP = Production number Model Codes (C) 1 = NVJ 2 = EMPEROR 3 = RIVIERA 4 = SHERATON 5 = CASINO 6 = Limited Edition 7 = EB-2 8 = ES-930J 9 = EMPEROR-J Example: 34123 = 1993 / SHERATON / unit 123 Example: 38123 = 1993 / ES-930J / unit 123 1971 - 1987 The Aria Epiphone Japan models that were made by Matsumoku from the early 1970s and ending before 1987 do not have a reliable serial numbering system but can be approximately dated using their Epiphone label colors. 1971-1975 - Blue label - Early models say 'Union Made' 1976-1979 - Tan or white 'Lincolnwood' label with Norlin logo 1980-1987 - Brown Label with splotched pattern Fender Fender is notorious for being a little tricky. This is partially due to their production methods, which often involved using parts throughout different models and years, so that tracing the year of one part may not accurately indicate the production year of the instrument. If you're not averse to removing the neck on a guitar, Fender often wrote a date on the heel of the neck, as well as a date in the neck pocket.
This method can often clear up a situation where the serial number is inconclusive. Pot codes may also point you to a general date range, but don't expect them to always be accurate.
Preciate that. Im looking, but Im not finding anything there either.:arg: try making a post on the Dean board - lots of knowledgeable folks. For the most part - the USA models will have 'Made in the USA' with YY - SERIAL on the back of the headstock. In the late 90's (1996 I believe) the serial #'s for the USA models were stamped on the fret board after the last fret. There are Czech Republic guitars that will have Hand Crafted in the Czech Republic on the back of the headstock with a serial # (nothing to denote year.) The Korean and Chinese guitar serials for the most part don't give a year or any other indication. They did start putting a year # somewhere in them, but they are imports and the year really doesn't matter for their worth.
There were some bolt on USA and Czech models. EDIT - Vendetta 3.0 information (serial # will not be different between import models).
Neck Through Construction. Solid Mahogany Body.
Maple Neck with Rosewood Fingerboard. Dual Humbuckers. Tune-O-Matic Bridge. String-Throught Body Design. Classic Dean V Ferrule Pattern. 24 frets.
25.5 Scale. Black Hardware. Pearl Evil Eye Inlay. Thanks for the help guys!
I seen where my membership/log in was just approved on the Dean boards so I will be posting something there in a few minutes. Im starting to think this is going to be all for naught though. I think I pissed the guy off when I told him I thought his guitar looked a hell of a lot like the Dean Vendetta XM model. He exploded right away with, 'Well, if it is indeed the XM, what do I have to add to make this an even trade?'
I answered, 'A real guitar man! Im sorry but I just DO NOT like basswood guitars. If it is not the Vendetta 3.0, Im not interested.' Havent heard from him since.
Dean Guitars History of Dean Guitars Dean Zelinsky I started carrying Dean Guitars back in 1978 around when Dean Zelinsky first started producing them. Dean was only 17 years old. It was remarkable how good those guitars sounded. As far as I know I was one of his very first dealers. I know I am the oldest one. Most of my customers know that I like to help small companies get off the ground and that I am not in favor of KKK Guitars. Korporation Krappolla, Kruddy guitars. When I first started selling Dean Guitars I met with great resistance from the typical guitar player. Nicholas carr does it matter pdf creator.
I could never understand how a group of supposedly enlightened musical individuals, could reject a quality item, just because the headstock didn't look like the typical Korporate made snot guitar that they got for their 15th birthday. But I believed in the product and that helped me sell a lot of them anyway. I would literally have to force them into the hands of people. Once the players got them into their hands and the felt that original V shaped neck and checked out the balance, weight, tone and feel it was an easy sell. Today, 40 years later, many of these same people are still my customers and many of them are still swearing by Dean Guitars. Tag force 6 release date.
Some of them are so 'dyed in the wool' that they are buying new models just because it says Dean on the headstock. (That's how Gibson survives) I've got a newsflash for these people. Dean today is a Corporate Mega-Giant with sales rivaling Fender & Gibson. It so happens that they are still offering some really great guitars to the buying public. But be careful and remember. Just because it says Dean on the headstock, It doesn't mean it's good.
They have their share of low end dreck just like Gibson does. There is one major difference.
Dean's prices are more than fair. They really offer a good deal for your dollar.
Unlike some of the other mainstream companies. Rest assured that if they start hiking their prices to an over inflated level like some other companies Ed Roman will be the first to report it back to the consumer. Even though I truly like the people at Dean, I never trust a big corporation to always offer good deals.
Dean & Hamer were the two pioneer companies that came up with all kinds of great colors, Blueburst, Silver burst, & many other super cool innovative ideas. Ordering guitars from Dean was always fun. It was even more fun when they came in. There was always something new & interesting. Ordering guitars from the likes of Gibson was always a drag and usually very disappointing when they came in. Dean has never been a company to rest on one or two successful models and put out 2000 different versions of the same guitar.
Instead they have repeatedly introduced many great new ideas. In the early days (I'm dating myself) if you wanted to be different, (I always do) there were very few well made non Korporate boutique guitar companies. Dean, Hamer, SD Curlee, and maybe a couple of others that I can't think of now. Remember this was pre Kramer, Jackson Charvel days. Some companies in our industry are what I call 'Sue Happy,' (They will Happily Sue Anybody or Anyone) and if there is no one to sue they will actually go out and look for people to sue. They get free publicity doing this but it cost's millions of dollars a year. Dean does not do that.
They spend their money on research and development and that's why they keep coming up with new great ideas. Today BC Rich has been bought by Davitt & Hanser, Hamer, Guild, Ovation Jackson, Charvel, Tacoma, is owned by Fender. Valley Arts, Tobias, Steinberger, Epiphone; & Many Others are owned by the same people who bought Gibson. SD Curlee, Rick Turner, Jim Jaros, Gary Jacobs, Rick Gledura, have all gone under.
Stay tuned for more details on the History of Dean Guitars. In the Late 80's and early 90's Oscar Medeiros owned the Dean name & trademarks. He initially instituted the American Custom Shop. I purchased and sold a large number of these models from him. The basic quality was quite good. I dealt with that reincarnation of the Dean company for several years and sold a tremendous amount of product. When Armadillo Enterprises purchased the Dean company in the late 90's the owner wisely sought out Dean Zelinsky and brought him back into the picture.
Dean ran the production for all the USA made guitars available. He is no longer with the company today, He is off building some new guitar line.
The company is also bringing in from Japan & Korea some of the best looking import guitars I have seen. Many of my long time readers can attest to my dislike of most imported guitars. Dean however is selling them at such incredibly cheap prices that I have to give them a high mark.
ML, V's Z's as low as $499.00 now that's what I call a good deal. When I bash imported Asian guitars like ESP for example it's because they are selling pretty much the same stuff for 5 to 6 times as much money. Dean Guitars has acoustic guitars with full electronics, custom inlays and beautiful finishes for dirt cheap. Their Bass line has taken 'Best in Class' year after year by most of the magazines who have rated them. One of their Basses is my favorite low end Bass on the planet. Example of an Original 1981 Dean Vee I have been selling Dean Guitars for close to 33 years, I believe them to be an excellent product and I believe the people at Dean are interested in the well being of their customers, before and after the actual sale. The people at Dean have organized a museum in Florida to celebrate the original Dean Guitars.
If you have any old Dean Guitars sitting around I would truly like to purchase them Ed Roman (702) 597-0147.
Ibanez Guitar Serial Number
Click to expand. I'll try Mick tommorrow. But now I'm confused a bit by your reply.
I know mine (on the right) was made before or in 2001 since I bought it from the original owner who got it 2001. Mine certainly isn't ash but could be alder. Did you mean gumby on the left and duckbill on the right?
I guess mine looks like an open duckbill. I thought they called it the shrimpfork but maybe that's just their guitars. The one on the left is what is currently shown on their website and many retailers. I'll see if I can get to the shop to play both and see what the diff is in tones.
Oh, and the one at the shop says ' Made in Korea'. Mine ahs no makings to show country of origin.
Weren't some of these made in the Czeck Republic?