Identifier et dater une guitare Fender avec son numéro de série (2023)

FAQs

How do you date a Fender guitar by serial number? ›

Fender serial numbers on the headstock:

The serial number scheme usually began with a letter prefix to indicate the decade then a series of numbers. An "S" indicates 1970s, "E" indicates 1980s, and "N" = 1990s. The first digit after the prefix usually indicates the year but there is plenty of overlap.

Four or five digit serial number on the neck plate with no letters, 1954 - 1963. Serial number on neckplate starts with an L, 1963 - 1965. Big F on the neckplate with a six digit serial, 1965 - 1976. Serial number starts with a letter followed by six or seven digits, 1976 - present.

The 1st digit indicates the year of manufacture for the 4 & 5 digit serial numbers, these were used from 1989-1999. The 1st and 2nd indicate the year of manufacture for the 6 digit serial numbers which we've been using since 2000.

A quick Google or Ebay search of your make and model will show you what others are selling guitars like yours for. You can also consult the Blue Book of Guitar Values to see what it is worth. Another great resource is Vintage Guitar Magazine's Price Guide, which is regularly updated and available at Amazon.

DATING YOUR U.S.-MADE FENDER STRINGED INSTRUMENT

Most notably, production dates have been penciled or stamped on the butt end of the heel of the neck of most guitars and basses, although there were periods when this was not consistently done (1973 to 1981, for example) or simply omitted.

Looking at the frets is one of the ways to recognize an original Fender Telecaster or Fender Stratocaster. The frets on replicas do not have rounded edges, but on a genuine Fender, this feature is present.

All Fender amplifiers manufactured from 1990 to the present include a date code, printed on the quality assurance (QA) sticker on the back of the amp chassis.

What's A Fender Guitar Worth? Fender guitars are typically worth around $500, give or take a few hundred dollars, depending on the guitar's model, condition, and age. It is common for Fender guitars to hold their value well because they are made in the United States.

Another way to determine the model of your acoustic guitar is to look up the serial number that is usually located on the headstock. You can then use this serial number to look up the model of the guitar online. Steel-string guitars come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and model names vary from brand to brand.

How old is my guitar by serial number? ›

For US instruments, the serial number will start with a letter. That letter indicates the decade. The second character will usually be a number. That number indicates the specific year.

Have it Back incorporates nearly all freely available serial numbers. Utilizing this database, you can verify before or after purchasing an item if said object has been marked as missing or stolen.

How old is my Vintage guitar? Locate the serial number on the rear of the headstock. Ignore the letters of the serial number if they have any. The first and second number indicates the year of manufacturer, ie 99 = 1999, 07 = 2007.

The 1st three numbers of your serial number will always provide your manufacture date. The 1st number is the YEAR of manufacture; the 2nd & 3rd numbers indicate the MONTH of manufacture.

Gibson used the 6 digits or less die stamped serial number style from 1961 until 1975. Gibson guitars with "MADE IN USA" impressed below the serial were made from 1969 and on. If your guitar has 6 digits impressed on the headstock and a "MADE IN USA" underneath then it was likely made between 1969 and 1975.

Over time, some guitars increase in value, but that's rare. There are millions of guitars on the planet, so the instrument isn't scarce. What creates value is a specific, rare, desirable model, often owned by a well known player.

Vintage refers to any instrument that has been in use for at least 30 years. Vintage status can, however, only be granted to guitars manufactured prior to 1980. It is only for acoustic guitars that are over 100 years old that the “antique” label is used.

Handcrafted vintage guitars have become more valuable over time, and they often come with one-of-a-kind pieces, rare materials, or unique designs. All of these features can increase their value among collectors.

“Z”-prefix serial numbers denoting the new millennium appeared on U.S.-made instruments in 2000. Z0 denotes 2000; Z1 denotes 2001, etc. American Deluxe Series instruments use the same dating convention, but with the addition of a “D” in front of the “Z”, i.e., DZ1, DZ2, etc.

The most common place to find identification is on the headstock or on a label inside of the guitar, if applicable. If there is nothing on your guitar in question, chances are the original label or logo has fallen off.

What are the different levels of Fender Strats? ›

Stratocaster Families

The four families of Fender Stratocasters are (listed from lesser to greater quality): Squier Stratocaster, Player Stratocaster (made in Mexico), American Stratocasters which break out into various series including American Performer Stratocasters, and American Professional Stratocasters.

The best option to know is to call us at 410-571-9660. We have found that 1950's Fender Stratocasters can range in value from $6,500 to $150,000. There are many factors that go into that valuation and we can assist in finding the actual value of your instrument.

Towards the end of his career, he favoured his 1968 Black Stratocaster and his 1968 White "Woodstock" Stratocaster, both with maple fingerboards, and used them consistently on stage from October, 1968 until his death. The Fender Stratocaster is the model most closely and famously associated with Jimi Hendrix.

Twins have been used by the Beatles, Mike Bloomfield, Jerry Garcia (his first amp was a '63 Twin Reverb that he used for most of his career), Keith Richards, Don Rich, Steve Howe, B.B. King, James Burton, Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols, Eric Johnson, and even Kurt Cobain.

Fender adopted alder for electric instrument bodies in mid-1956, probably for no other reason than it was there; it was readily available and more affordable than ash. Ever since, it remains the body wood for the majority of Fender electric instruments.

Fender USA guitars are also identifiable by their serial number on the back of the headstock. An American Made guitar will have a serial prefix of US, whereas a Mexican model will have MX as a prefix for instance.

We have found that 1960's Fender Stratocasters can range in value from $4,500 to $100,000.

For electric guitars, the '50s and '60s are often considered the ultimate vintage guitars. So they're less than 100 years old. There are more and more vintage guitars emerging from the 70s. So there is no strict definition as with antiques.

To look up a guitar by its serial number, you'll need to know the make and model of the guitar, as well as the serial number. You can then use a guitar serial number lookup tool to find out more about the guitar. You can get detailed information about your guitar by using a guitar serial number decoder.

How old can a guitar last? ›

The roughest estimation would be around 10 years for a cheap acoustic\classical guitar. On the other hand, even cheap electric guitars will be able to last a lot longer, 20-30 years. Of course, if we talk about expensive models, both acoustic and electric guitars will be able to last you for a lifetime.

The guitar is an ancient and noble instrument, whose history can be traced back over 4000 years. Many theories have been advanced about the instrument's ancestry. It has often been claimed that the guitar is a development of the lute, or even of the ancient Greek kithara.

Most manufacturers have software that connects serial numbers with how the product is made. This way, every product can be traced back to when and how it was made.

In fact, while a normal $1 star note sells for about $3, a duplicate print run star note typically sells for $15 - $20. There is a situation, however, where these bills can be worth much more than that.

Low Serial Numbers

Low Serial Numbers are quite popular to collect, paper money collectors usually look out for any number below 100, or even 1,000 as they're the most desirable of the low serial numbers. Such as any number below 00001000, or 00000100.

The index guitars that cost $153,000 in 1991 could have been bought in 1980 for around $37,550 and in 1970 for around $15,100. Our experience has been that from 1963-75 vintage fretted instruments increased in value as much as 25 percent per year.

Serial Number

A unique combination of eleven numbers and letters appears twice on the front of the note. Each note has a unique serial number. The first letter of the serial number corresponds to the series year.

That's your vehicle's VIN or “vehicle identification number.” It's essentially your car, truck or SUV's unique code – a sort of specific serial number – that is used to identify where and when a vehicle was made as well as who made it. Actually, the vehicle's specific serial number is located at the end of the VIN.

Serial numbers are unique to each watch and can sometimes be used to date the production period. On the other hand, reference numbers (also known as model numbers) denote the specific model, and in some cases, they can also reveal other details such as material, size, color, bracelet type, and so on.

How many digits is a Fender serial number? ›

Fender introduced a new US Vintage series in 1982 using a serial number system consisting of a letter V prefix and four or five following digits. We recommend dating these guitars using the neck heel and potentiometer codes instead of the serial numbers.

Look for a date marker on the neck.

There should be a date on the neck and a date on the body. If those two dates match up, that's probably the exact date your guitar was built.

Verifying Fender serial number is the most reliable way to know if a Fender Stratocaster guitar is original. Fender's platform allows you to check the provenance of your guitar by simply entering the serial number in their search engine. Obviously, you must perform this search before paying for the guitar.

All Fender amplifiers manufactured from 1990 to the present include a date code, printed on the quality assurance (QA) sticker on the back of the amp chassis.

Vintage refers to any instrument that has been in use for at least 30 years. Vintage status can, however, only be granted to guitars manufactured prior to 1980. It is only for acoustic guitars that are over 100 years old that the “antique” label is used.

Martin, known more commonly as “Martin,” is the oldest guitar company in the United States. Founded in 1833, the company originally operated out of a small shop on the Lower West Side of New York City, where the eponymous luthier sold music supplies, as well as a limited number of handmade guitars.

A vintage guitar is an older guitar usually sought after and maintained by avid collectors or musicians. The term may indicate either that an instrument is merely old, or that is sought after for its tonal quality, cosmetic appearance, or historical significance.

Fender currently have 120 different electric guitars in their catalogue, across their model range and model series, all coming in a range of colours and neck materials as well as right and left handed. This excludes the Custom Shop models and Squier series.

A little sticker is usually found near the speaker in the cabinet of your amplifier. It should include handwritten initials and a 2-letter code on the bottom of the page labeled “quality assurance.” The first letter indicates the year it was made, and the second letter indicates the month.

You should replace them every 10 or 20 years, and there is a high chance that your amp will sound as good as new. What is this? Of course, if there are no issues with your amp or the sound, then you should not change a thing. Probably the best thing about amps is that you can easily tell if something is wrong.

Are old guitar amps better? ›

Older guitar amps are generally considered to be better than newer models. This is because they tend to be more solidly built, have more classic tones, and are more versatile. They also tend to be more expensive, so it is important to do your research before making a purchase.