As one of the oldest and most widely recognized brands in music, Gibson has crafted some of the most cherished and valuable instruments of all time. Determining exactly when your Gibson specimen was made can have high stakes attached to it. A difference of only one year - sometimes even several months - can mean a four-figure difference in value.
- Dean Bass Serial Numbers
- Where Are Dean Guitars Manufactured
- History Of Dean Guitars
- Dean Guitar Serial Number Decoder
- Dean Guitar Serial Number
Our hope is to make the dating process and, in turn, the valuation as easy, accurate and transparent as possible. You should be able to use this guide to determine the year of your instrument and then consult the Reverb Price Guide to find its value, all for free.
For many vintage instruments, determining the date of manufacture involves little more than running the serial number through a reference guide.
Whereas Martin guitars have been using a single, consistent numbering system since the 19th century, Gibson has used several different serial number formats since its inception in 1902, meaning that some formats and numbers overlap across decades. This makes it especially important to first identify the general era during which your instrument was made before pinning down the exact date of manufacture with a serial number.
Identify charvel model, charvel models, charvel serial numbers, charvel serial number lookup, charvel guitar models. Problem is, he says it is a Dean Vendetta 3.0, and the only guitar I can find that looks like the one he has, is a cheap Dean Vendetta XM. He has provided the serial number but I cant find anywhere I can look up the serial number to find out any info on it. Does it have a stamped serial number on the fretboard below the last fret? If so, the first 2 digits are the year - typically 95 or 96. These guitars were purportedly made in Florida, but there's not much documented info on them. Dean Guitar Serial Numbers. Convert Dean Guitar trail version to full software. I bought my Dean Guitar Today, it feels weird. It's extremely Light as if it's 3 times lighter than a normal guitar. And on the back of the neck near the Top it says Made in China and has a Serial Number.
If you know the backstory around when the instrument was purchased, this can provide some rough clues about its era. The most general physical piece of evidence on the instrument, however, is going to be the logo on the headstock.
1902 to Late-1920s
The original logo featured the words 'The Gibson' inlaid in pearl at a slant, with an almost hand-written cursive font. This is sometimes referred to as the slanted script logo.
Some earlier specimens from 1903 to 1907 did not slant the logo, or went without a logo entirely. Specimens built before 1902 had a star inlay or crescent in place of a logo.
Late-1920s to 1933
The script logo continues without the slant. Some flattop guitars of this era started to omit the word 'The' from the inlay.
1933 to 1947
By 1933 Gibson had dropped the 'The' from all of their logos while retaining the script 'Gibson.' The original thin script was replaced with a thicker font on higher-end models in the mid-’30s, and across the entire lineup by the end of the decade.
From 1943 to 1947, the logo was a thick golden script, known as the banner logo. Some models (LG-2, J-45, SJ, select L-50s) included an actual banner reading 'Only a Gibson Is Good Enough' in the middle of the headstock.
1947 to Present
The block logo debuted after WWII and remains the face of the company. There were minute changes to which letters were connected in the font between 1961 to 1981, but the main logo had the same look.
1968 to 1972
Gibson stopped dotting the i in their logo on some of their instruments. Most models get a dotted i again in 1972, with the rest following suit from 1981 onward.
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. But not a final verdict.
Many older instruments may have reproduction or other non-original parts, including a non-original finish. This makes relying entirely on the physical features of a guitar potentially misleading.
The thickness of the headstock, however, is not as vulnerable to modification or replacement. Before mid-1950, most Gibson headstocks were thinner at the top when looked at from a side profile. After 1950, headstocks had uniform thickness.
Dating a Gibson by Factory Order Number (FON)
Gibson has historically used two different alpha-numerical formats to catalog its instruments: serial numbers and FONs (Factory Order Numbers). 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.
FONs were Gibson’s way of internally tracking batches of instruments throughout production. These will generally date an instrument earlier than the serial number, as they were typically applied in the early stages of assembly.
Some earlier lower-end models had no serial number at all, making the FON the sole numerical identifier in those cases. A FON usually consisted of a 3-, 4-, or 5-digit batch number followed by one or two other numbers in most cases.
1902 to 1945 FON Overview
Year | FON Batch # Range |
1902 - 1916 | 1 to 3650 |
1917 - 1923 | 11000 to 12000 |
1924 - 1925 | 11000A to 11250A (suffix included) |
1925 - 1931 | 8000 to 9999 |
1931 - 1933 | 1 to 890 |
1934 | 1 to 1500 |
1935 | 1A to 1520A |
1936 | 1B to 1100B |
1937 | 1C to 1400C |
1938 | 1D to 1000D |
1939 | 1E to 980E |
1940 - 1945 | 1 to 7900 (some with letter, some without) |
From 1935 to 1942, the FON included a letter suffix. The consistency around this stopped during WWII and resumed in the early 1950s.
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 year is indicated by the first letter in any series of letters for these years.
1935 to 1942 FON Letter Suffixes
Year | FON Letter Suffix |
1935 | A |
1936 | B |
1937 | C |
1938 | D, DA |
1939 | Ex (x being any other letter) |
1940 | F, FA |
1941 | E (with no other letters) |
1941 | G |
1942 | H |
Throughout the war and even for some time after, each year had its own quirks around FON batch numbers and letters
1942 to 1951 FON Info
Year | FON or Letter Code |
1942 | 907, 910, 923, 2004, 2005, 7000s (all with banner logo) |
1943 | 9xx to 22xx |
1944 | 22xx to 29xx (some without FONs) |
1945 | 1xx to 10xx (many without FONS) |
1947 | 700s to 1000s |
1948 | 1100s to 3700s (move from script to block logo) |
1949 | 2000s |
1950 | 3000s to 5000s |
1951 | 6000s to 9000s |
From 1952 to 1961, a consistent letter code resumed, with the letter appearing before the batch number.
1952 to 1961 FON Letter Prefixes
Year | FON Letter Prefix |
1952 | Z |
1953 | Y |
1954 | X |
1955 | W |
1956 | V |
1957 | U |
1958 | T |
1959 | S |
1960 | R |
1961 | Q |
Acoustics and Electric Archtops 1902-1961
1902-1947
Gibson’s earliest serialization system was more or less sequential, where each new instrument was assigned the next highest available number. Below is a table of the the highest known number for each production year.
Year | Last Numbers |
1903 | 1150 |
1904 | 1850 |
1905 | 2550 |
1906 | 3350 |
1907 | 4250 |
1908 | 5450 |
1909 | 6950 |
1910 | 8750 |
1911 | 10850 |
1912 | 13350 |
1913 | 16100 |
1914 | 20150 |
1915 | 25150 |
1916 | 32000 |
1917 | 39500 |
1918 | 47900 |
1919 | 53800 |
1920 | 62200 |
1921 | 69300 |
1922 | 71400 |
1923 | 74900 |
1924 | 80300 |
1925 | 82700 |
Year | Last Numbers |
1926 | 83600 |
1927 | 85400 |
1928 | 87300 |
1929 | 89750 |
1930 | 90200 |
1931 | 90450 |
1932 | 90700 |
1933 | 91400 |
1934 | 92300 |
1935 | 92800 |
1936 | 94100 |
1937 | 95200 |
1938 | 95750 |
1939 | 96050 |
1940 | 96600 |
1941 | 97400 |
1942 | 97700 |
1943 | 97850 |
1944 | 98250 |
1945 | 98650 |
1946 | 99300 |
1947 | 999999 |
1947-1961
When the original serial system reached 999,999 in 1947, Gibson started over with an ‘A’ prefix
Year | Last Numbers |
1947 | A 1305 |
1948 | A 2665 |
1949 | A 4410 |
1950 | A 6596 |
1951 | A 9420 |
1952 | A 12460 |
1953 | A 17435 |
Year | Last Numbers |
1954 | A 18665 |
1955 | A 21910 |
1956 | A 24755 |
1957 | A 26820 |
1958 | A 28880 |
1959 | A 32285 |
1960 | A 34645 |
Solid Body Electrics 1952-1961
Early Gibson solidbody electrics received a serial stamp on the back of the headstock, with the first number indicating the year of production. The serial number on this Les Paul Junior indicates that it was made in 1956.
1961-1969
Starting in 1961, Gibson implemented a new serialization system designed to cover its entire lineup. However, while the intent was to maintain a more organized catalog, this system in practice achieved the exact opposite.
Numbers from this era were flipped, reused, and in many cases can date an instrument to several non-sequential years. The general system was as follows, though with instruments from this era it’s important to consult key features to get a more accurate age approximation.
Fortunately, Gibson was making more changes to its instruments during the ‘60s and ‘70s than any other period, so dating these instruments by features alone is relatively clear-cut in most cases.
Year | Approx Serial Range |
1961 | 100-42440 |
1962 | 42441-61180 |
1963 | 61450-64220 |
1964 | 64240-70500 |
1962 | 71180-96600 |
1963 | 96601-99999 |
1967 | 000001-008010 |
1967 | 010000-042900 |
1967 | 044000-044100 |
1967 | 050000-054400 |
1967 | 055000-063999 |
1967 | 064000-066010 |
1967 | 0670000-070910 |
1967 | 090000-099999 |
1963, 1967 | 100000-106099 |
1963 | 106100-108900 |
1963, 1967 | 1090000-109999 |
1963 | 110000-111549 |
1963, 1967 | 111550-115799 |
1963 | 115800-118299 |
1963, 1967 | 118300-120999 |
1963 | 121000-139999 |
1963, 1967 | 140000-140100 |
1963 | 140101-144304 |
1964 | 144305-144380 |
1963 | 144381-145000 |
1963 | 147009-149864 |
1964 | 149865-149891 |
1963 | 149892-152989 |
1964 | 152990-174222 |
1964, 1965 | 174223-176643 |
1964 | 176644-199999 |
1964 | 200000-250335 |
1965 | 250336-291000 |
1965 | 301755-302100 |
1965 | 302754-305983 |
1965, 1967 | 306000-306100 |
1965, 1967 | 307000-307985 |
1965, 1967 | 309848-310999 |
1965 | 311000-320149 |
1967 | 320150-320699 |
Year | Approx Serial Range |
1965 | 320700-321100 |
1965 | 322000-326600 |
1965 | 328000-328500 |
1965 | 328700-329179 |
1965, 1967 | 329180-330199 |
1965, 1967-68 | 330200-332240 |
1965 | 332241-327090 |
1965 | 348000-348092 |
1966 | 348093-349100 |
1965 | 349121-368638 |
1966 | 368640-369890 |
1967 | 370000-370999 |
1966 | 380000-385309 |
1967 | 390000-390998 |
1965-68 | 400001-400999 |
1966 | 401000-407985 |
1966 | 408000-408690 |
1966 | 408800-409250 |
1966 | 420000-426090 |
1966 | 427000-429180 |
1966 | 430005-438530 |
1966 | 438800-438925 |
1965-66, 1968-69 | 500000-500999 |
1965 | 501010-501600 |
1968 | 501601-501702 |
1965, 1968 | 501703-502706 |
1968 | 503010-503110 |
1965, 1968 | 503405-520955 |
1968 | 520956-530056 |
1966, 1968-69 | 530061-530850 |
1968-69 | 530851-530993 |
1969 | 530994-539999 |
1966, 1969 | 540000-540795 |
1969 | 540796-545009 |
1966 | 550000-556910 |
1969 | 558012-567400 |
1966 | 570099-570755 |
1969 | 580000-580999 |
1966-69 | 600000-600999 |
1969 | 601000-601090 |
1969 | 605901-606090 |
Year | Approximate Serial Range |
1966-67 | 700000-700799 |
1968-69 | 750000-750999 |
1966-69 | 800000-800999 |
1966, 1969 | 801000-812838 |
1969 | 812900-814999 |
1969 | 817000-819999 |
1966, 1969 | 820000-820087 |
1966 | 820088-823830 |
1969 | 824000-824999 |
1966, 1969 | 828002-847488 |
1966 | 847499-858999 |
1967 | 859001-880089 |
Year | Approximate Serial Range |
1967 | 893401-895038 |
1968 | 895039-896999 |
1967 | 897000-898999 |
1968 | 899000-899999 |
1968 | 900000-902250 |
1968 | 903000-920899 |
1968 | 940000-941009 |
1968 | 942001-943000 |
1968 | 945000-945450 |
1968 | 947415-956000 |
1968 | 959000-960909 |
1968 | 970000-972864 |
1970-1975
Despite being purchased by the Norlin corporation in 1970, Gibson maintained the same confusing 6-digit serial system through 1975, meaning instruments with the same serial number could be from either the ‘60s or the ‘70s.
Fortunately, there were two notable changes to the entire lineup that occurred during the transition that make differentiating ‘60s and ‘70s Gibsons straightforward.
The Volute: c. 1969-c.1981
In 1969 Gibson began carving volutes-- small bumps of additional wood where the neck transitions to the headstock-- to cut down on warranty repair work.
'Made in USA' Stamp: 1970-current
Starting in 1970, ‘Made in USA’ was stamped on the headstock below the serial number.
The serial numbers from this period are generally as follows:
Number | Year |
000000S | 1973 |
100000S | 1970-1975 |
200000S | 1973-1975 |
300000S | 1974-1975 |
400000S | 1974-1975 |
500000S | 1974-1975 |
600000S | 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975 |
700000S | 1970, 1971, 1972 |
800000S | 1973, 1974, 1975 |
900000S | 1970, 1971, 1972 |
1975-1977
Number | Year |
99XXXXXX | 1975 |
00XXXXXX | 1976 |
06XXXXXX | 1977 |
1977-Current
Starting in 1977, Gibson adopted the current date-based serial system which codes for the year and day of production. The first number of the sequence indicates the decade of production, followed by the three digit day of the year, and finally the year.
For example, the serial number 90237XXX corresponds to a production date of 1/23/97. The last three (or four as of 2005) digits signify the location of production and batch number, respectively, but this information isn’t necessary to accurately dating your instrument.
Working with a potentially very valuable old Gibson can be intimidating, particularly for someone who doesn’t have experience with vintage instruments.
If at any point you feel confused or just want a second set of eyes on your instrument, you can always chat live with a Reverb employee during normal business hours.
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Examples of Ibanez serial numbers on back of headstock |
Ibanez serial numbers are unique identifiers placed on instruments sold under the Ibanez brand. Ibanez guitars have used serial numbers since the mid 1970s. Some sources say the practice started in September 1975, but serial numbers indicating production as early as October 1974 have been spotted.[1]
The serial numbers are generally a character string containing letters and numbers, although some are purely numeric. Serial numbers can be useful in determining the age of a guitar as well as in which country and by which builder it was produced.
Unfortunately, there is no single unified format used for Ibanez serial numbers. Ibanez guitar production is outsourced to several companies and facilities through the world and the numbering schemes are different in each region and/or factory. The information on this page is culled from several sources both on-line and off-line and represents a distillation of the available information. It applies primarily to electric guitars, but some information may also be applicable to acoustics.
Serial numbers on Ibanez guitars can generally be found in one of several locations:
- On the back of the headstock either on a sticker or painted/printed on the headstock itself,
- Stamped on the neck plate (the metal plate at the joint between the neck and the body), or
- Printed, written or stamped on the label inside a hollow body or acoustic guitar, or
- Stamped on the fretboard past the last fret, or
- Stamped on the neck block inside an acoustic guitar.
The first step in deciphering the serial number is determining the country or facility in which the guitar was produced. In most cases the country of origin is provided in the same location as the serial number. In cases where you have a serial numbe r but not a country of origin, the origin can sometimes be deduced from the serial number, although in this case it's very helpful if you have at least a rough idea of the date of manufacture.
Serial numbers by country of origin
Japan
November 2004–present, FujiGen, 'F' + 7 digits
Dean Bass Serial Numbers
Eight characters | ||
F | YY | ##### |
single letter (F) | 2-digit number | 5-digit number |
Example:F1418872 (May 2014) |
- F = manufactured by FujiGen Gakki in Nagano
- YY = last two digits of year (e.g. 08=2008)
- ##### = consecutive production number for the year
- 00001–02999 = November
- 03000–05999 = December
- 06000–08999 = January
- 09000–11999 = February
- 12000–14999 = March
- 15000–17999 = April
- 18000–20999 = May
- 21000–23999 = June
- 24000–26999 = July
- 27000–29999 = August
- 30000–32999 = September
- 33000 and up = October
It's unclear whether this numbering convention is rigidly enforced, that is, each month actually starts out with the number prescribed above, or if this is just a way to estimate the production month. What is known is that this rubric is used by Ibanez to set the production date for warranty claims.
Note: as of November 2004, the serial number represents not necessarily the year the instrument was produced but rather the model year to which the instrument belongs. It has long been Ibanez's practice to begin production for the subsequent model year in November (or even late October), but the serial numbering change that was implemented in November 2004 acknowledged and formalized this practice.
1997–October 2004, FujiGen, 'F' + 7 digits
Eight characters | ||
F | YY | ##### |
single letter (F) | 2-digit number | 5-digit number |
Example:F9914244 (March 1999) |
- F = manufactured by FujiGen Gakki in Nagano
- YY = last two digits of year (e.g. 08=2008)
- ##### = consecutive production number for the year
- 00001–05000 = January
- 05001–10000 = February
- 10001–15000 = March
- 15001–20000 = April
- 20001–25000 = May
- 25001–30000 = June
- 30001–35000 = July
- 35001–40000 = August
- 40001–45000 = September
- 45001–50000 = October
- 50001–55000 = November
- 55001–60000 = December
It's unclear whether this numbering convention is rigidly enforced, that is, each month actually starts out with the number prescribed above, or if this is just a way to estimate the production month. What is known is that this rubric is used by Ibanez to set the production date for warranty claims.
2005–present, Sugi, 'A-L' + 5 digits
Six characters | |||
M | YY | # | ## |
single letter (A–L) | 2-digit number | 1-digit number | 2-digit number |
Example: |
- M = letter indicating month of manufacture: A=January...L=December
- YY = last two digits of year (e.g. 07=2009)
- # = indicates the model (2=PGMFRM1, 5=UV77RE, others are unclear/unknown)[2]
- ## = consecutive production number for the month
Note that there is opportunity for confusion with some of the other schemes listed here with regards to the initial letters F and I, however, this format is the only one which has just six characters. It is believed that all Japanese-made models with this serial number format are produced by Sugi Musical Instruments Ltd.
Sugi produces only a handful of high-end models for Ibanez. These include a few special Signature models and some J Customs.
These serial numbers are either hand-printed on the back of the headstock (often in Sterling silver or gold ink or paint) or stamped on the fretboard beyond the last fret or sometimes both.
2016–present, IGDC, 'IG' + 6 digits
Eight characters | |||
IG | YY | MM | ## |
'IG' | 2-digit number | 2-digit number | 2-digit number |
Example: IG161102[3] |
- IG = indicates production at the Ibanez Guitar Development Center
- YY = last two digits of year (e.g. 16=2016)
- MM = two digits indicating month of manufacture
- ## = consecutive production number for the month
These serial numbers are hand-lettered on the back of the headstock.
1998–present, Terada; 'T' + 6 digits
Seven characters | ||
T | YY | #### |
single letter (T) | 2-digit number | 4-digit number |
Example: |
- T = manufactured by Terada Musical Instrument Co., Ltd. near Nagano
- YY = last two digits of year (e.g. 01=2001)
- #### = consecutive production number for the year
1987–1996; Letter (e.g. 'F, H, I or T') + 6 digits
Seven characters | ||
F, H, I, or T | Y | ##### |
single letter (F, H, I, or T) | single number | 5-digit number |
Example:F204157 (January 1992) |
- First character is the factory code:
- F = manufactured by FujiGen Gakki in Nagano (1987–1996)
- HorT = manufactured by Terada Musical Instrument Co., Ltd. near Nagano (1988–1996), (it's believed that the H stands for the first name of Terada's CEO Haruo Terada)
- I = manufactured by Iida Gakki (also sometimes listed as Ida Gakki) in Nagoya (1988–1992)
- Y = last digit of year: 7=1987 through 6=1996
- ##### = consecutive production number for the year
- 00001–03600 = January
- 03601–07200 = February
- 07201–10800 = March
- 10801–14400 = April
- 14401–18000 = May
- 18001–21600 = June
- 21601–25200 = July
- 25201–28800 = August
- 28801–32400 = September
- 32401–36000 = October
- 36001–39600 = November
- 39601–43200 = December
It's unclear whether this numbering convention is rigidly enforced, that is, each month actually starts out with the number prescribed above, or if this is just a way to estimate the production month. What is known is that this rubric is used by Ibanez to set the production date for warranty claims.
Serial numbers in this format are either stamped or printed on the back of the headstock or on a decal attached in that location.
- Confusion around 1987 FujiGen serial numbers
Models produced through 1988 (and perhaps into 1989) have serial numbers starting with 'F7' which would normally indicate production in 1987. It seems that FujiGen or Ibanez produced an overstock of these 'F7' serial number stickers and so just continued to use them through 1988.
One can perhaps make a reasonable guess as to whether a model with an F7 serial number was actually produced in 1987 or 1988 based on the production sequence (the last five digits of the serial number). Any production sequences above 43,200 may be assumed to be 1988 models, although this rule of thumb doesn't appear to always hold true.
In some cases a determination as to whether a guitar was actually produced as an 1987 or 1988 model can be inferred based on the finish (color) of the guitar, as some finishes are limited to certain years.
Very few (if any) serial numbers starting with 'F8' have ever been spotted.
- Signature model exceptions
Different serial numbering schemes were used for Signature models (notably JEMs and Satriani models). These exceptions are detailed here.
1975–1986; Letter (A–L) + 6 digits
Seven characters | ||
M | YY | #### |
single letter (A–L) | 2-digit number | 4-digit number |
Example:B840230 (February 1980) |
- M = letter indicating month of manufacture: A=January...L=December
- YY = last two digits of year (e.g. 85=1985)
- #### = consecutive production number for the month
Where Are Dean Guitars Manufactured
Numbers from this era/format can be found stamped on the rear of headstocks (in the case set-neck or AANJ construction), on neck joint plates or on labels inside hollow-body guitars.
Most Ibanez models with this serial number format were made by FujiGen Gakki. Exceptions are the Ibanez Blazer models which were made by Dyna Gakki and the Axstar by Ibanez models AX40, AX45, AX48, AXB50, AXB60, AXB65, AX70, AX75 which were made by Chushin Gakki (the flagship Axstar AXB1000 bass was made by FujiGen Gakki).
It is also believed that 'Terada Musical Instrument Co., Ltd. of Japan also made some guitars for Ibanez during this period.' It's thought that 'these would be mostly hollow-body guitars, but may also included some solid-body Artist series models.' There is no proof whatsoever for either of these assumptions. It's most likely that this is a big misunderstanding caused by an over generalization in the database of the 'Guitar Dater Project' website, which is not able to assign the right factory to a vintage Ibanez guitar based on its serial number. The false information this website generates has been propogated in numerous advertisements of sellers of vintage Ibanez guitars. There is no proof whatsoever of any solid body Ibanez guitar produced by Terada. On the contrary: the fact that the production of solid body Ibanez Artist guitars shifted to Iida Gakki 1987, while hollow-body and semi-hollow Artist guitars became Artstar labels with H serial numbers, shows that the original production before 1987 came all from the FujiGen Gakki factory, which was experiencing capacity problems during that time period caused by their commitment to produce guitars for Fender Japan. If Terada had produced AR models already, they would have continued doing so. The AR and AS models shared the same necks under the Artist flag. Splitting the production up from a situation in which they were already both made in the Terada factory wouldn't be efficient, so it is highly unlikely that pre-1987 AR and AS models were ever made there.
The fact that the production of prestige models like the AS200 returned to FujiGen says enough.
Korea
Ibanez sourced guitars from Korea from 1987 through 2008.
2000–2008; 9 or 10 characters
Nine or ten characters | |||
X or XX | YY | MM | #### |
1 or 2 letters (see values below) | 2-digit number | 2-digit number | 4-digit number |
Examples:C02074108 (July 2002, Cort); CP03129418 (December 2003, CP) |
First one or two alphabetic characters are the manufacturer/factory code, as follows:
- C = manufactured by Cort Guitars in Incheon or Daejon
- S (post-1995) = manufactured by Saehan Guitar Technology, a subdivision of Zaozhuang Saehan Music Co., Ltd. (of China), now known as Sunghan Music; electrics only
- SQ = manufactured by Saehan Guitar Technology, a subdivision of Zaozhuang Saehan Music Co., Ltd. (of China), now known as Sunghan Music; acoustics only
- Y = manufactured by Yoojin Industrial Co., Ltd. at either Yangju factory (acoustics) or Guangju factory (electrics)
- A = manufactured by Saein Musical Instrument Co. Ltd. in Incheon
- CP = manufactured by ???; some speculation is that CP stands for Cort Plant or that models with this designation were made by a partnership of Cort and Peerless or perhaps even that it indicates production at Cort's Indonesian plant which is known as Cort PT (although this last possibility seems highly unlikely since the instruments are marked as 'Made in Korea'). (2003–2008)
- YY = last two digits of year (e.g. 95=1995)
- MM = month represented as two digits (01=January...12=December)
- #### = consecutive production number for the month
1995–1999; 8 or 9 characters
Eight or nine characters | |||
X or XX | Y | MM | #### |
1 or 2 letters (see values below) | 1-digit number | 2-digit number | 4-digit number |
Example:C8094519 (September 1998, Cort) |
First one or two alphabetic characters are the manufacturer/factory code, as follows:
- C = manufactured by Cort Guitars in Incheon or Daejon
- S (1990–1995; see year code) = manufactured by Samick Musical Instruments Co., Ltd.
- S (post-1995) = manufactured by Saehan Guitar Technology, a subdivision of Zaozhuang Saehan Music Co., Ltd. (of China), now known as Sunghan Music; electrics only
- SQ = manufactured by Saehan Guitar Technology, a subdivision of Zaozhuang Saehan Music Co., Ltd. (of China), now known as Sunghan Music; acoustics only
- Y = manufactured by Yoojin Industrial Co., Ltd. at either Yangju factory (acoustics) or Guangju factory (electrics)
- A = manufactured by Saein Musical Instrument Co. Ltd. in Incheon
- Y = final digits of year: 6=1996 through 9=1999
- MM = month represented as two digits (01=January...12=December)
- #### = consecutive production number for the month
1987–1995; 7 characters
Seven or eight characters | |||
X | Y | ##### | |
1 letter (see values below) | 1-digit number | 5-digit number | |
Examples:P713503 (1987, Peerless); C422807 (1994, Cort) |
First one or two alphabetic characters are the manufacturer/factory code, as follows:
- C = manufactured by Cort Guitars in Incheon or Daejon (1991–1995)
- P = manufactured by Peerless Korea Co., Ltd. (owned by Iida Gakki of Japan) in Pusan (1987–1988)
- Y = manufactured by Yoojin Industrial Co., Ltd. at either Yangju factory (acoustics) or Guangju factory (electrics)
- A = manufactured by Saein Musical Instrument Co. Ltd. in Incheon
- Y = final digits of year: 7=1987 through 5=1995
- ##### = consecutive production number for the month
Sung-Eum Co. production; 'E' + 7 digits
Eight characters | |||
E | Y | MM | #### |
1 letter (E) | 1-digit number | 2-digit number | 4-digit number |
Example: |
- E = manufactured by Sung-Eum Music Co., Ltd. in Yangju
- Y = final digit of year (e.g. 9=1999)
- MM = month represented as two digits (01=January...12=December)
- #### = consecutive production number for the month
World Co. production; 'W' + 6 digits (1999–2008)
Seven characters | |||
W | M | Y | #### |
1 letter (W) | 1 alphanumeric character | 1-digit number | 4-digit number |
Examples:W842827 (August 2004) WZ01928 (December 2000) |
- W = manufactured by the World Musical Instrument Co. in Incheon
- M = alphanumeric representing the month (1=January...9=September, X=October, Y=November, Z=December)
- Y = final digit of the year (9=1999 through 8=2008)
- #### = consecutive production number for the month
Samick production; 'S' + 7 digits (1990–1995)
Seven characters | |||
S | Y | MM | #### |
1 letter (S) | 1-digit number | 2-digit number | 4-digit number |
Example:S4081012 (August 1994) |
- S = manufactured by Samick Musical Instruments Co., Ltd.
- Y = final digits of year: 0=1990 through 5=1995
- MM = two-digit month
- #### = consecutive production number for the month
'KR' + 9 digits (2004–2006)
Eleven characters | |||
KR | YY | MM | ##### |
2 letters (KR) | 2-digit number | 2-digit number | 5-digit number |
Example: |
- KR = manufactured by ???
- YY = last two digits of year (e.g. 05=2005)
- MM = month represented as two digits (01=January...12=December)
- ##### = consecutive production number for the year (or month?)
7-digit numeric (1997–2008)
Some Korean Ibanez serial numbers are purely numeric with no alphabetic characters. According to Jim Donahue these guitars were manufactured in the Cort factory, in which he had the supervision. Because they had no date stamps available when they started, the serials numbers of Artstar models in this factory were written by hand. These handwritten serial numbers are hard to decipher. The production of these Artstar models at the Cort factory was discontinued in 2003.
Seven numeric digits | |
Y | MM#### |
1-digit number | 6-digit number |
Example: |
- Y = final digit of the year (7=1997 through 8=2008; in the case of a 7 or an 8, you must know general timeframe to determine the precise year as it could mean either 1997/'98 or 2007/'08)
- MM = month of production
- #### = consecutive production number for the year
8-digit numeric (1997–2008)
Some Korean Ibanez serial numbers are purely numeric with no alphabetic characters. It's unclear which supplier or factory manufactured these models.
Eight numeric digits | |
YY | ###### |
2-digit number | 6-digit number |
Example: |
- YY = last two digits of year (e.g. 02=2002)
- ###### = consecutive production number for the year
- No known identifier for the month
10-digit numeric
Some Korean Ibanez serial numbers are purely numeric with no alphabetic characters. It's unclear which supplier or factory manufactured these models. These 10-digit serial numbers likely apply to acoustic models.
Ten numeric digits | ||
YY | MM | ###### |
2-digit number | 2-digit number | 6-digit number |
Example: |
- YY = last two digits of year (e.g. 92=1992)
- MM = month represented as two digits (01=January...12=December)
- ###### = consecutive production number for the year
Japan/ Korea
For a few years in the mid-90's Ibanez produced guitars with content from both Korea and Japan.
'FC' + 7-digits
Nine characters | |||
FC | Y | MM | #### |
2 letters (FC) | 1-digit number | 2-digit number | 4-digit number |
Examples:RG380FFC5111062 (November 1995) |
- FC = manufactured by FujiGen in Japan and Cort in South Korea
- Y = final digits of year: 5=1995 through 6=1996
- MM = two-digit month
- #### = consecutive production number for the month
This category includes several lower end guitar models in the RX and RG series as well as a number of ATK series bass models. It is believed that the necks of these instruments were produced in Japan by FujiGen while the bodies were made by Cort in South Korea. In addition to the serial number stamp, the back of the headstock often has a sticker proclaiming 'Made in Japan'.
Indonesia
Production of Ibanez guitars in Indonesia began in 1997.
2001–present, ten characters
Ten characters | |||
X | YY | MM | ##### |
1 letter (I, K or J) | 2-digit number | 2-digit number | 5-digit number |
Example:I120426682 (April 2012) |
First character is the factory code:
- I = manufactured by Cort Guitars' (a.k.a. Cor-Tek) Indonesian plant
- K = manufactured by Kwo Hsaio Co., Ltd.
- J = manufactured by Sejung
- YY = last two digits of year (e.g. 85=1985)
- MM = month represented as two digits (01=January...12=December)
- ##### = consecutive production number for the year
Cort production (1997–2000); I + 7 digits
Eight characters | |||
I | Y | MM | #### |
1 letter (I) | 1-digit number | 2-digit number | 4-digit number |
Example: |
- I = manufactured by Cort Guitars' (a.k.a. Cor-Tek) Indonesian plant
- Y = final digits of year (7=1997 through 0=2000)
- MM = month represented as two digits (01=January...12=December)
- #### = consecutive production number for the month
'PR' prefix (2004–2007); PR + 9 digits
Eleven characters | |||
PR | Y | MM | #### |
2 letters (PR) | 2-digit number | 2-digit number | 5-digit number |
Example: |
First character is the factory code:
- PR = manufactured by ??? - Peerless Korea Co., Ltd???
- YY = last two digits of year (e.g. 85=1985)
- MM = month represented as two digits (01=January...12=December)
- ##### = consecutive production number for the year
Premium factory (11/2011–2015); six characters
Six characters | ||
M | #### | Y |
single letter | 4-digit number | single letter |
Example:H0089E (August 2015) |
- M = letter indicating month of manufacture: A=January...L=December (2012 forward; for guitars produced in 2010–2011 the first character has no known significance)
- #### = consecutive production number for the month
- Y = letter indicating year of manufacture: B=2011, C=2012, D=2013, E=2014, F=2015)
This numbering convention was discontinued after 2015. Since then instruments in the Premium line have received standard Indonesian serial numbers.
Premium factory (2010–11/2011); six characters
Six characters | ||
##### | Y | |
5-digit number | single letter | |
Example:03701B (2011) |
- ##### = consecutive production number for the year
- Y = letter indicating year of manufacture: A=2010, B=2011)
China
Production of Ibanez guitars in China began in 1999.
J + 9-digits (2004–2012)
Ten characters | |||
J | YY | MM | ##### |
1 letter (J) | 2-digit number | 2-digit number | 5-digit number |
Example:J081150322 (November 2008) |
- J = manufactured by ???; possibly Sejung Musical Instrument Manufacturing in Qingdao (acquired by Parson's Music in 2012)
- YY = last two digits of year (e.g. 05=2005)
- MM = month represented as two digits (01=January...12=December)
- ##### = consecutive production number for the year
S + 8-digits (2002–present)
Nine characters | |||
S | YY | MM | #### |
1 letter (S) | 2-digit number | 2-digit number | 4-digit number |
Example:S13120602 (December 2013) |
History Of Dean Guitars
- S = manufactured by ???
- YY = last two digits of year (e.g. 05=2005)
- MM = month represented as two digits (01=January...12=December)
- #### = consecutive production number for the month
GS + 9-digits (2007–present)
Eleven characters | |||
GS | YY | MM | ##### |
2 letters (GS) | 2-digit number | 2-digit number | 5-digit number |
Example:GS140406094 (April 2014) |
- GS = manufactured by ???; some speculation is that GS merely stands for GIO Series
- YY = last two digits of year (e.g. 05=2005)
- MM = month represented as two digits (01=January...12=December)
- ##### = consecutive production number for the year
SS + 8-digits (c. 2010–present)
Ten characters | |||
SS | YY | MM | #### |
2 letters (SS) | 2-digit number | 2-digit number | 4-digit number |
Example: |
- SS = manufactured by ???
- YY = last two digits of year (e.g. 05=2005)
- MM = month represented as two digits (01=January...12=December)
- #### = consecutive production number for the month
A + 8-digits (c. 2005–present)
Nine characters | |||
A | YY | MM | #### |
1 letter (A) | 2-digit number | 2-digit number | 4-digit number |
Example: |
- A = manufactured by ???
- YY = last two digits of year (e.g. 05=2005)
- MM = month represented as two digits (01=January...12=December)
- #### = consecutive production number for the month
M + 6-digits (2006?–2011?)
Seven characters | |||
M | Y | ##### | |
1 letter (M) | 1-digit number | 5-digit number |
- M = manufactured by ???
- Y = last digit of year (e.g. 6=2006, 1=2011)
- ##### = consecutive production number for the year
4L + 9-digits (20??–20??)
Eleven characters | |||
4L | YY | MM | ##### |
2 characters (4L) | 2-digit number | 2-digit number | 5-digit number |
Example:4L141000813 (October 2014) |
- 4L = manufacturer/ facility code (unknown)
- YY = last two digits of year (e.g. 14=2014)
- MM = month represented as two digits (01=January...12=December)
- ##### = consecutive production number for the year (or month?)
Z + six characters (1999–2006) Yeou Chern
Seven characters | |||
Z | M | Y | #### |
1 letter (Z) | 1-digit number | 1 alphanumeric character | 4-digit number |
Example: |
- Z = manufactured by Yeou Chern Enterprises Instrument Co. Ltd. in Guangdong
- M = alphanumeric representing the month (1=January...9=September, X=October, Y=November, Z=December)
- Y = final digit of the year (9=1999 through 8=2008)
- #### = consecutive production number for the month
9-digit numeric (2005–present)
Dean Guitar Serial Number Decoder
Some Chinese Ibanez serial numbers are purely numeric with no alphabetic characters. It's unclear which supplier or factory manufactured these models.
Nine numeric digits | |
######### | |
9-digit number | |
Example: |
- ######### = consecutive production number with no known dating significance
Serial number exceptions
JEM/UV models with square heels (non-AANJ)
Steve Vai signature models (known as the JEM and Universe series) produced in Japan have neck plates stamped with a 7 digit serial number with an 'F' followed by 6 numeric digits. The first two digits represent the year of production and the final four digits are the production sequence of JEM or UV models within that year.[2]
Other JEM neck plates have a six digit number starting with a 9 (e.g. 907255). With these the final five digits represent the sequential production number of all MIJ JEMs. Similarly Universe models have plates stamped with a six digit number starting with a 0. Similarly this number represents the sequential Universe MIJ production number.[4]
These models can sometimes also have headstock serial numbers; in these cases the headstock number is considered the 'true' serial number.[2]
Joe Satriani signature models
Guitars in the JS series made in Japan have plates with a 6-digit numeric serial number which indicates the sequential number of JS production.[4] These plates provide no other indication of the year of production. The early versions of these JS number plates (starting from around 1990) have a 'J' prefixing the number, but the character was dropped some around J002700. The first 15 J number plates were set aside, with J000001 being used for a 1993 model which is currently in the Hoshino USA collection.[2]
As with the JEM models, more recent JS models have headstock serial numbers in addition to the neck joint plate number.[2]
1987–88 FujiGen serial numbers
See also the previous note regarding F7XXXXX headstock serial numbers which indicate 1987 production but actually appeared on 1988 and perhaps some 1989 models.
Sources
- ↑List of Ibanez acoustic guitar serial numbers, compiled by user gemberbier, Ibanez Collectors World forum, updated May 3, 2017
- ↑ 2.02.12.22.32.4Harris, Rich. Dating Your Ibanez on IbanezRules.com (dealer website), archived August 2017.
- ↑RGCTM1 production photo
- ↑ 4.04.14.2Serial Number Recognition for Ibanez Electric Guitar; Fritz Katoh (Hoshino employee); September 11, 1995
- Bacon, Tony (2013). The Ibanez Electric Guitar Book : a complete history of Ibanez electric guitars (1st ed. ed.). Milwaukee, WI: Backbeat Books. pp. 153–155. ISBN 978-1-61713-453-1.
- Berthold, Cameron (a.k.a. 'Captain Ibanez'). How to Read an Ibanez Serial Number (post on Ibanez Collector's World forum) [registration required]; December 4, 2004.
- Donahue, Jim. Dating Ibanez Models on IbanezVintage.com, archived August 2011.
Dean Guitar Serial Number
DISCLAIMER: The information presented in this article is a distillation of information from a variety of disparate sources, some of which are unverified. Some of the information is speculative and this is marked as such in the text. |