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The year is indicated by the first letter in any series of letters for these years.
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To complicate matters further, there was sometimes a second letter from 1938 to 1941 indicating the brand (G for Gibson, K for Kalamazoo, W for Recording King) and sometimes even a third letter indicating "Electric" (the letter E). The consistency around this stopped during WWII and resumed in the early 1950s. 1902 to 1945 FON Overview Yearġ to 7900 (some with letter, some without)įrom 1935 to 1942, the FON included a letter suffix. A FON usually consisted of a 3-, 4-, or 5-digit batch number followed by one or two other numbers in most cases. Some earlier lower-end models had no serial number at all, making the FON the sole numerical identifier in those cases. These will generally date an instrument earlier than the serial number, as they were typically applied in the early stages of assembly. Instruments will generally have one or both of these numbers stamped or written either inside the body (generally the case on earlier models) or on the back of the headstock.įONs were Gibson’s way of internally tracking batches of instruments throughout production.
#Martin mandolin serial number lookup serial numbers
Gibson has historically used two different alpha-numerical formats to catalog its instruments: serial numbers and FONs (Factory Order Numbers). Dating a Gibson by Factory Order Number (FON) After 1950, headstocks had uniform thickness. Before mid-1950, most Gibson headstocks were thinner at the top when looked at from a side profile. The thickness of the headstock, however, is not as vulnerable to modification or replacement. This makes relying entirely on the physical features of a guitar potentially misleading. Many older instruments may have reproduction or other non-original parts, including a non-original finish. We’ll keep adding more info as and when we find it.Aside from the logos, each era of manufacturing included certain identifying traits such as the hardware (tuners, knobs, plates, etc.), the pickups, the type of finish, and the electronics inside that can give clues as to when an instrument was made. Sometimes the potentiometers are worth checking too. If you want to double-check the year of production year, it’s often a good idea to look at the heel of the neck (which entails removing the neck). Pre-1976 Model? Check the Heel Tooīefore 1976, frustratingly they often randomly assigned serial numbers. Note that made in Mexico Fender guitars (MIM) and made in Japan guitars (MIJ) have their own unique serial number system. The prefix ‘Z’ stands for guitars made in the noughties (2000 – 2010).The prefix ‘N’ at the beginning of a serial number stands for the nineties.Vintage Series (launched in 1982) uses ‘V’ as a prefix for the serial number The prefix ‘E’ stands for the decade of the eighties.The prefix ‘S’ at the beginning of a serial number stands for the decade of the seventies.
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The prefix ‘L’ at the beginning of a serial number indicates a guitar from the early ’60s.The naming convention is a bit haphazard (it’s no different with Gibson serial numbers), but here are some general rules that should ring true 99% of the time – but beware, there are plenty of exceptions: Between the pick-up and the saddles (some Telecasters).On the back of the vibrato cover plate (on early ’50s Stratocasters).On the cover plate of the vibrato (on Stratocasters).On the front or at the back of the headstock.The location of the serial number has annoyingly changed from model to model over the years. Where to Find the Serial Number on Your Fender Guitar?
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