Note the following number could be off as much as two years. made Fenders, starting in mid-1976 has the serial number on the peghead. L00001 to L20000 = late 1962 to late 1963į-Series (late 1965 to mid-1976) (big script 'F' on neckplate below serial number): L-Series (late 1962 to late 1965) (serial number on neckplate preceded with an 'L'): This shows a 'double stamped' neck plate, one number with a '-' prefix and stamped on the bottom of the plate, and the other number with a '0' prefix! And yes there is some overlap in serial numbers between years.Ĥ to 6 digit Neck Plate Serial Numbers (no other letters or markings on the neck plate, except for the rare '-' or '0' prefix, as noted).ġ6000 to 25000 = 1957 (some numbers with a '0' or '-' prefix)Ģ5000 to 30000 = 1958 (some numbers with a '0' or '-' prefix) As a good example of all four of these serial number oddities, click here. Double stamped serial number plates were also produced (number on both front and back of the neck plate) in late 1957 to early 1959. Also in 1959/1960 some serial numbers were at the bottom of the neck plate instead of the usual top.

In 1957/1958 some serial numbers started with a minus sign ('-'), or had a '0' prefix before the number. This system of serial numbers is unique to this model until about 1955 (even though Fender went to a universal neckplate serial number system on all instruments in 1954, some old style Precision Bass serialized bridges were still left over and used until 1955.)Īll Models, summer 1954 to mid 1976 (serial number on neckplate). Precision Basses 1951 to 1955 (number on bridgeplate). This system of serial numbers is unique to these three models until about the early summer of 1954 (when Fender switched to a universal neck plate serial number system for all models): The serial number can only generalized the age of the instrument within a few years.Įsquires, Broadcasters, Telecasters 1950 to 1954 (number on bridgeplate). The only truely definitive way to date a pre-CBS fender is to look at all the dates on the instrument (body date, neck date, pot dates). As you can see from this over-simplified example, serial number assignment was fairly random. Assembler reached in and grabbed one (or many).

Fender serial numbers were assigned like this: bin with serialized plates/bridges. Serial numbers are basically chronological, but there is some overlap amoung years. Pre-1977 Fender guitars have a serial number on the bridgeplate or neckplate. Maybe you got a hidden Gem lying around!!! seems my Red strat was made in 2000/usa, and the Clapton Sig/series is 89 usa. Hi Guys, this may be of help to identify your Guitar.

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