The Guide to Fender Serial Numbers
If you have an old Fender but aren't sure when it was made, this guide will get you started!
While serial numbers themselves aren't the end-all when it comes to dating a guitar, they are a pretty solid starting point. Other methods include checking a guitar's components for date codes (a potentiometer, for example, should give the week and year of its manufacture) and looking for material specs that belong to a certain era.
Fender serial numbers, especially for older instruments, are difficult to decode. We intend this guide to get you going, but always recommend bringing your guitar to an expert. If you're interested in learning more about your vintage Fender, don't hesitate to contact us!
1950 - 1954
Fender serial numbers schemes were specific to the model in this period
Location: Bridge Plate
Convention: 4-5 digits
Broadcaster, Telecaster, Esquire
|
0001 to 0999 |
1950 – 1952 |
|
000 to 5300 |
1952 – 1954 |
Precision Bass:
|
161 to 357 |
1951 |
|
299 to 619 |
1952 |
|
0001 to 0160 |
1952 |
|
0161 to 0470 |
1951 - 1952 |
|
0475 to 0840 |
1952 - 1953 |
|
0848 to 1897 |
1953 - 1954 |
Stratocaster
|
> 6000 |
First half of 1954 |
1954 - 1963
Location: Neck Plate
Convention: 4-5 digits
In 1957 and '58, "0" was often used as a prefix
|
0001 to 7000 |
1954 |
|
7000 to 9000 |
1955 |
|
9000 to 17000 |
1956 |
|
17000 to 25000 |
1957 |
|
25000 to 34000 |
1958 |
|
34000 to 44000 |
1959 |
|
44000 to 59000 |
1960 |
|
59000 to 71000 |
1961 |
|
71000 to 93000 |
1962 |
|
93000 to 99999 |
1963 |
1963 - 1965
Also known as the L-series era
Location: Neck Plate
Convention: "L" followed by 5 digits
|
L00001 to L20000 |
1963 |
|
L20000 to L59000 |
1964 |
|
L59000 to L99999 |
1965 |
1965 - 1976
Also known as the CBS era
Location: Neck plate
Convention: 6 digits above a large "F"
|
100000 to 110000 |
late 1965 |
|
110000 to 200000 |
1966 |
|
200000 to 210000 |
1967 |
|
210000 to 250000 |
1968 |
|
250000 to 280000 |
1969 |
|
280000 to 300000 |
1970 |
|
300000 to 340000 |
1971 |
|
340000 to 370000 |
1972 |
|
370000 to 520000 |
1973 |
|
500000 to 580000 |
1974 |
|
580000 to 690000 |
1975 |
|
690000 to 750000 |
1976 |
1976 - Present
Location: Back of headstock
Convention: Decade and year code(s) followed by 5-6 digits
|
76 + 5 digits |
1976 |
|
S6 + 5 digits |
1976 |
|
S7 + 5 digits |
1977 - 1978 |
|
S8 + 5 digits |
1978 |
|
S9 + 5 digits |
1978 - 1979 |
|
E0 + 5 digits |
1979 - 1981 |
|
E1 + 5 digits |
1980 - 1982 |
|
E2 + 5 digits |
1982 - 1983 |
|
E3 + 5 digits |
1982 - 1985 |
|
E4 + 5 digits |
1984 - 1988 |
|
E8 + 5 digits |
1988 - 1989 |
|
E9 + 5 digits |
1989 - 1990 |
|
N9 + 5 digits |
1990 |
|
N0 + 5 digits |
1990 - 1991 |
|
N1 + 5 or 6 digits |
1991 - 1992 |
|
N2 + 5 or 6 digits |
1992 - 1993 |
|
N3 + 5 or 6 digits |
1993 - 1994 |
|
N4 + 5 or 6 digits |
1994 - 1995 |
|
N5 + 5 or 6 digits |
1995 - 1996 |
|
N6 + 5 or 6 digits |
1996 - 1997 |
|
N7 + 5 or 6 digits |
1997 - 1998 |
|
N8 + 5 or 6 digits |
1998 - 1999 |
|
N9 + 5 or 6 digits |
1999 - 2000 |
|
Z0 + 5 or 6 digits |
2000 - 2001 |
|
Z2 + 5 or 6 digits |
2001 - 2002 |
|
Z3 + 5 or 6 digits |
2003 - 2004 |
|
Z4 + 5 or 6 digits |
2004 - 2005 |
|
Z5 + 5 or 6 digits |
2005 - 2006 |
|
Z6 + 5 or 6 digits |
2006 - 2007 |
|
Z7 + 5 or 6 digits |
2007 - 2008 |
|
Z8 + 5 or 6 digits |
2008 - 2009 |
|
Z9 + 5 or 6 digits |
2009 - 2010 |
|
US10 + 6 digits |
2010 |
|
US11 + 6 digits |
2011 |
|
US12 + 6 digits |
2012 |
|
US13 + 6 digits |
2013 |
|
US14 + 6 digits |
2014 |