Korean models with an all-black headstock logo will always have a thin laminated body. They are the lowest quality of all the MIK models. The black logo models were built between 1992 and 1995 with serial numbers starting with CN2, VN4, CN3, etc. Silver Headstock Logo. Serial numbers are also helpful in. Korean-made Fender. I just bought a Spector bass on eBay and the serial number is 8503. Does anyone know what the sequence of numbers for a Spector bass signifies? The result was the NS bass guitar with an elegant ergonomically curved design and the neck thru body construction that Spector was already utilizing.
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Fender USA
Fender USA 1950 - 1964
| SERIAL NUMBERS | PRODUCTION DATES |
|---|---|
| Up to 6000 | 1950 to 1954 |
| Up to 10,000 | 1954 to 1956 |
| 10,000s | 1955 to 1956 |
| 10,000s to 20,000s | 1957 |
| 20,000s to 30,000s | 1958 |
| 30,000s to 40,000s | 1959 |
| 40,000s to 50,000s | 1960 |
| 50,000s to 70,000s | 1961 |
| 60,000s to 90,000s | 1962 |
| 80,000s to 90,000s | 1963 |
| 90,000s up to L10,000s | 1963 |
| L10,000s up to L20,000s | 1963 |
| L20,000s up to L50,000s | 1964 |
Fender USA 1965 - 1976
| SERIAL NUMBERS | PRODUCTION DATES |
|---|---|
| L50,000s up to L90,000s | 1965 |
| 100,000s | 1965 |
| 100,000s to 200,000s | 1966 to 1967 |
| 200,000s | 1968 |
| 200,000s to 300,000s | 1969 to 1970 |
| 300,000s | 1971 to 1972 |
| 300,000s to 500,000s | 1973 |
| 400,000s to 500,000s | 1974 to 1975 |
| 500,000s to 700,000s | 1976 |
Fender USA 1976 - Present
| SERIAL NUMBERS | PRODUCTION DATES |
|---|---|
| 76 + 5 DIGITS S6 + 5 DIGITS | 1976 |
| S7 + 5 DIGITS S8 + 5 DIGITS | 1977 |
| S7 + 5 DIGITS S8 + 5 DIGITS S9 + 5 DIGITS | 1978 |
| S9 + 5 DIGITS E0 + 5 DIGITS | 1979 |
| S9 + 5 DIGITS E0 + 5 DIGITS E1 + 5 DIGITS | 1980 |
| S9 + 5 DIGITS E0 + 5 DIGITS E1 + 5 DIGITS | 1981 |
Fender US Vintage Series 1982 - Present
| SERIAL NUMBERS | PRODUCTION DATES |
|---|---|
| EI + 5 DIGITS E2 + 5 DIGITS E3 + 5 DIGITS V + 4, 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | 1982 (For U.S. Vintage Series, check neck date for specific year) |
| E2 + 5 DIGITS E3 + 5 DIGITS V + 4, 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | 1983 (For U.S. Vintage Series, check neck date for specific year) |
| E3 + 5 DIGITS E4 + 5 DIGITS V + 4, 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | 1984 (For U.S. Vintage Series, check neck date for specific year) |
Fender USA 1985 +
| SERIAL NUMBERS | PRODUCTION DATES |
|---|---|
| E3 + 5 DIGITS E4 + 5 DIGITS V + 4, 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | 1985 (For U.S. Vintage Series, check neck date for specific year) |
| V + 4, 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | 1986 (For U.S. Vintage Series, check neck date for specific year) |
| E4 + 5 DIGITS V + 4, 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | 1987 (For U.S. Vintage Series, check neck date for specific year) |
| E4 + 5 DIGITS E8 + 5 DIGITS V + 4, 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | 1988 (For U.S. Vintage Series, check neck date for specific year) |
| E8 + 5 DIGITS E9 + 5 DIGITS V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | 1989 (For U.S. Vintage Series, check neck date for specific year) |
Fender USA 1990's
| SERIAL NUMBERS | PRODUCTION DATES |
|---|---|
| E9 + 5 DIGITS N9 + 5 DIGITS N0 + 5 DIGITS V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | 1990 (For U.S. Vintage Series, check neck date for specific year) |
| N0 + 5 DIGITS N1 + 5 or 6 DIGITS V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | 1991 |
| N1 + 5 or 6 DIGITS N2 + 5 or 6 DIGITS V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | 1992 |
| N2 + 5 or 6 DIGITS N3 + 5 or 6 DIGITS V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | 1993 |
| N3 + 5 or 6 DIGITS N4 + 5 or 6 DIGITS V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | 1994 |
| N4 + 5 or 6 DIGITS N5 + 5 or 6 DIGITS V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | 1995 |
| N5 + 5 or 6 DIGITS N6 + 5 or 6 DIGITS V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | 1996 |
| N6 + 6 or 6 DIGITS N7 + 5 or 6 DIGITS V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | 1997 |
| N7 + 5 or 6 DIGITS N8 + 5 or 6 DIGITS V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | 1998 |
| N8 + 5 or 6 DIGITS N9 + 5 or 6 DIGITS V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | 1999 |
Fender USA Odd Serial Numbers
| NUMBER | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| AMXN + 6 DIGITS | California Series electric guitars and basses, '97 and'98 |
| DN + 6 DIGITS | American Deluxe series instruments, '98 and '99 |
| NC(XXXXXX) | Squier Strat Bullets (dating unclear) |
| FN(XXXXXX) | US made guitars and basses destined for the export market.Some may have stayed in the U.S or found their way back (Made to StandardStrat specs, dating unclear) |
| I(XXXXXXX) | A limited number of these 'I' series guitars were madein '89 and '90. They were made for the export market and have Made in USAstamped on the heel of the neck. |
| LE(XXXXXX) | Blonde Jazzmasters and Jaguars with Gold hardware madein 1994. Sold as a promotional 3 piece set with a Blonde Deluxe ReverbAmp |
| CN(XXXXXX) VN(XXXXXX) | Korean made Fender/Squier guitars (dating unclear) |
| CA(XXXXX) | Gold Strat 1981, 82 and 83 |
| CB(XXXXX) | Precision Bass Special from 1981, CB(XXXXX) Gold Jazz Bassfrom 1982 |
| CC(XXXXX) | Walnut Strat 1981-82-83 |
| CE(XXXXX) | Precision Bass Special from 1981, Black and Gold Tele from1981-82 |
| CD(XXXXX) CO(XXXXX) | Precision Bass Special (Walnut) from 1982 |
| GO(XXXXX) | Precision Bass Special (Walnut) from 1982, Gold Strat 1982-83 |
| D(XXXXXX) | Jazz Bass from 1982 |
| SE(XXXXXX) SN(XXXXXX) | Signature Edition Strats SE8(XXXXX)-'88, SE9(XXXXX)-'89 SN0(XXXXX)-'90, SN1(XXXXX)-'90, SN2(XXXXX)-'92, SN3(XXXXX)-'93 |
| 3 DIGITS OF 500 | 35TH Anniversary Strat from 1989-1990 |
| G(XXXXXX) | 'STRAT' from about 1980, (Gold hardware, 2 position rotarytone switch) |
| 4 DIGITS STAMPED ON BRIDGE PLATE | U.S. '52 Vintage Telecaster 1982-1988 (Check neck datefor specific year) |
| 5 DIGITS STAMPED ON BRIDGE PLATE | U.S. '52 Vintage Telecaster 1988-present (Check neck datefor specific year) |
Fender Japan
| SERIAL NUMBERS | CIRCA |
|---|---|
| JV+ 5 DIGITS | 1982-1984 |
| SQ+ 5 DIGITS | 1983-1984 |
| E+ 6 DIGITS | 1984-1987 |
| A+ 6 DIGITS | 1985-1986 |
| B+ 6 DIGITS | 1985-1986 |
| C+ 6 DIGITS | 1985-1986 |
| F+ 6 DIGITS | 1986-1987 |
| G+ 6 DIGITS | 1987-1988 |
| H+ 6 DIGITS | 1988-1989 |
| I+ 6 DIGITS | 1989-1990 |
| J+ 6 DIGITS | 1989-1990 |
| K+ 6 DIGITS | 1990-1991 |
| L+ 6 DIGITS | 1991-1992 |
| M+ 6 DIGITS | 1992-1993 |
| N+ 6 DIGITS | 1993-1994 |
| O+ 6 DIGITS | 1993-1994 |
| P+ 6 DIGITS | 1993-1994 |
| Q+ 6 DIGITS | 1993-1994 |
| S+ 6 DIGITS | 1994-1995 |
| T+ 6 DIGITS | 1994-1995 |
| U+ 6 DIGITS | 1995-1996 |
| V+ 6 DIGITS | 1996-1997 |
| Crafted in Japan A + 6 DIGITS | 1997-1998 |
| Crafted in Japan B+ 6 DIGITS | 1998-1999 |
Gibson
Gibson 1953 -1961
Serial number consists of 5 - 6 digits where the 1st digit is the year for the years.Gibson 1961-1969
| Year(s) | Approximate Series Manufacture |
|---|---|
| 1970, 1971, and 1972 | 100000s, 600000s, 700000s, 900000s |
| 1973 | 000001s, 100000s, 200000s, 800000s and a few 'A' + 6 digit numbers |
| 1974 and 1975 | 100000s, 200000s, 300000s, 400000s,500000s, 600000s,800000s and a fewA-B-C-D-E-F + 6 digit numbers |
During the period from 1975-1977 Gibson used a transfer that had eight digit numbers, the first two indicate the year, 99=1975, 00=1976 and 06=1977, the following six digits are in the 100000 to 200000. MADE IN USA were also included on the transfer and some models had LIMITED EDITION also applied. A few bolt on neck instruments had a date ink stamped onthe heel area.
In 1977, Gibson first introduced the serialization methodthat is in practice today. This updated system utilizes an impressed eightdigit numbering scheme that covers both serializing and dating functions. The pattern is as follows: YDDDYPPP
YY is the production year
DDD is the day of the year
PPP is the plant designation and/or instrument rank.
The numbers 001-499 show Kalamazoo production, 500-999show Nashville production. The Kalamazoo numbers were discontinued in 1984.
