Fender Guitars - Fender Serial Numbers

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Like Many manufacturers – Fender place a serial number on their instruments to identify the finished article. Over the years the serial number has changed a few times.The Serial Number is accompanied by thepart number.Modern fender part numbers are in the format PPP-MMMM, where PPP is the code for the manufacturing plant and MMMM is the number. On Fenders the serial number traditionally appears at the butt end of the heel of the guitar neck. Fender, however, have not always been consistent and there are examples where it has been placed in different areas or simply omitted. Because of this, neck dating is useful in roughly determining the age of a guitar, but it is certainly not definitive.

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There’s some excellent information out on the web when trying to decipher Fender Guitar serial numbers, for starters try Fender.com followed by http://www.provide.net/~cfh/fender.html which has put together an awesome article on the variations Fender have used with their serial numbering over the years. For starters take a look at the following table which illustrates some of the serial numbers used by Fender.

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

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

0,000s

1971 to 1972

300,000s to 500,000s

1973

400,000s to 500,000s

1974 to 1975

500,000s to 700,000s

1976

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

EI + 5 DIGITS
E2 + 5 DIGITS
E3 + 5 DIGITS
V + 4, 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series except ‘52 Telecaster)

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 except ‘52 Telecaster)

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 except ‘52 Telecaster)

1984
(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 except ‘52 Telecaster)

1985
(For U.S. Vintage Series, check neck date for specific year)

V + 4, 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series except ‘52 Telecaster)

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 except ‘52 Telecaster)

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 except ‘52 Telecaster)

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 except ‘52 Telecaster)

1989
(For U.S. Vintage Series, check neck date for specific year)

E9 + 5 DIGITS
N9 + 5 DIGITS
N0 + 5 DIGITS
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series except ‘52 Telecaster)

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 except ‘52 Telecaster)

1991

 

N1 + 5 or 6 DIGITS
N2 + 5 or 6 DIGITS
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series except ‘52 Telecaster)

1992

 

N2 + 5 or 6 DIGITS
N3 + 5 or 6 DIGITS
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series except ‘52 Telecaster)

1993

 

N3 + 5 or 6 DIGITS
N4 + 5 or 6 DIGITS
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series except ‘52 Telecaster)

1994

 

N4 + 5 or 6 DIGITS
N5 + 5 or 6 DIGITS
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series except ‘52 Telecaster)

1995

 

N5 + 5 or 6 DIGITS
N6 + 5 or 6 DIGITS
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series except ‘52 Telecaster)

1996

 

N6 + 6 or 6 DIGITS
N7 + 5 or 6 DIGITS
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series except ‘52 Telecaster)

1997

 

N7 + 5 or 6 DIGITS
N8 + 5 or 6 DIGITS
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (American Vintage Series)

1998

 


N9 + 5 or 6 DIGITS
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (American Vintage Series except ‘52 Telecaster)

1999
1999

 

N9 + 5 or 6 DIGITS

Z0 + 5 or 6 DIGITS

DZ0 + 5 or 6 DIGITS (Am. Deluxe)

V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (American Vintage Series except ‘52 Telecaster)

2000

 

Z0 + 5 or 6 DIGITS

Z1 + 5 or 6 DIGITS

DZ1 + 5 or 6 DIGITS (Am. Deluxe)

V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (American Vintage Series except ‘52 Telecaster)

2001

 

Z1 + 5 or 6 DIGITS
Z2 + 5 or 6 DIGITS
DZ2 + 5 or 6 DIGITS (Am. Deluxe)
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (American Vintage Series except ‘52 Telecaster)

2002

 

Z2 + 5 or 6 DIGITS
Z3 + 5 or 6 DIGITS
DZ3 + 5 or 6 DIGITS (American Deluxe Series)
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (American Vintage Series except ‘52 Telecaster)

2003

 

Z3 + 5 or 6 DIGITS
Z4 + 5 or 6 DIGITS
DZ4 + 5 or 6 DIGITS (Am. Deluxe)
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (American Vintage Series except ‘52 Telecaster)
XN4 + 4 Digits

2004

 

Z4 + 5 or 6 DIGITS
Z5 + 5 or 6 DIGITS
DZ5 + 5 or 6 DIGITS (Am. Deluxe)
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (American Vintage Series except ‘52 Telecaster)
XN5 + 4 Digits

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Comments

19 Responses to “Fender Guitars - Fender Serial Numbers”

  1. Jim Dey on February 27th, 2009 8:12 pm

    I have a custom shop tele with the number n2 457 on back of headstock….its sunburst and looks like a fifties re-make….can you tell me about this serial number & production run.
    Many thanks,
    Jim Dey

  2. Ben Raja on March 31st, 2009 8:53 am

    I have a Fender Jazz Bass with Lace Sensor Pickups N415230 may I know what year it is?
    Thank you kindly.
    Ben Raja

  3. Thomas Raudies on April 11th, 2009 12:26 pm

    Hello!
    I have a Fender Bullet with the serial-number 101176.
    Can you please tell me the year of production.
    Many thanks for your answer.
    “Fats” Tom Raudies

  4. rinal on April 25th, 2009 4:21 am

    halo im enquire my fender stratocaster serial number EE 1**** my question here

    what model 1981 or 1988?

  5. Logan on June 10th, 2009 9:47 am

    Hey man i gotta Fender Squire, strat wateva serial number cn 5094798…wats its deal?

  6. Steinar Ramone on June 28th, 2009 6:01 am

    Hi
    i wonder if anyone can help me find production year on my fender mustang.
    the serialnr.. is R 018217.i cant find any numbers that begins with an (R)…….
    i hope for some answers.

  7. Ed on July 3rd, 2009 6:09 pm

    hello, great info,
    i`ve got this japanese telecaster with 2 serial numbers one on the neck S025223 and one on the bridge A072169, i looked them both up and got different answers of each website, can you help me please?
    Thanks,
    e
    ED

  8. D. Pojeky on September 2nd, 2009 6:54 pm

    Hello:

    My husband who was a musician for most of his life has passed and left behind 2 Fender guitars - 1. Fender Jazz Bass - Serial #358766 and 2. Fender Stratocaster made in Japan with the Serial #PO25699.

    Can you help with the worth of these two instruments?

    Please respond to the email listed above. Look forward to hearing from you.

    Sincerely,
    D. Pojeky

  9. Bill on September 11th, 2009 8:23 pm

    I’m looking at a Stratocaster Serial # Z6112898. Is it a American Standard Strat?

  10. Cotmail.comam Chiasson on September 22nd, 2009 12:08 am

    Fender CS04121246 what year and price please
    Model DG-5NAT

  11. Cotmail.comam Chiasson on September 22nd, 2009 12:10 am

    Please advise

  12. heraldo pasqualin junior on October 23rd, 2009 5:16 pm

    Dear friends.
    A serial number DZ 7062620 belongs an original Fender Telecaster???

    Thanks.

  13. Ken Mietus on November 6th, 2009 2:17 am

    Recently purchased a Korean made Fender Telecaster TC-90. Anyone know how to interpret the serial number to date it?

  14. Paul Reay on November 14th, 2009 11:06 am

    This is a great site and verifed the autenticity of my ‘old’ tel and strat, but I have a Fender accoustic F230CE /serial # 90802552 and cannot trace its origin. Can you help me please?

  15. cyndi on November 28th, 2009 4:32 pm

    I have a fender Double Ash Telecaster Serial # 05071676 could you tell me how much it is worth and when and where it was made?

  16. cyndi suddeth on November 28th, 2009 4:33 pm

    What is my Fender Double Ash Telecaster s#05071676 worth and when was it made?

  17. j.angel on January 17th, 2010 6:26 pm

    Hi
    Have a chance to purchase a eric clapton blackie stratocaster with certificate, serial number is cz510148 year 2008 is this a fake or do they still make them and what sort of price do they sell for.

  18. Douglas on January 20th, 2010 11:09 pm

    Hi. i have a friend who wants to sell me his guitar. and the serial number is

    Mz6155636

    i cannot find ANYTHING on this serial number, can anyone tell me anything about this serial number weather it is real or fake, and what year the guitar was made. it is a Fender Stratocaster.

  19. J. Kent on January 24th, 2010 3:21 pm

    I have a Fender acoustic GC23S, S/N 00087320. Can you date this for me? Many thanks.

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