Fender Guitar Serial Numbers
USA Fender Guitar Serial Numbers
If you are trying to date your modern or vintage Fender guitar you are in luck. We have what we feel is an accurate list of serial numbers dating back to 1950. Serial numbers can be a helpful way to help determine an instruments production year. When searching for the serial number of your instrument you will want to look for them in one of the below components.
- One of the most notable areas to find a SKU is the top of the neck plate.
- The front or back of the head-stock is another common place to find your guitars SKU number
- The back of the neck near the junction with the body
- Stamped on the back of 1950s vibrator cover plates for Stratocaster guitars
- On the bridge plate on some Telecaster guitars.
Having the serial number isn't always a surefire way to determine the year. The brands modular production methods, as well as periods with non-sequential serial numbering that can overlap two to four years (1950s up to mid-1980s) it is difficult to be definitive. If you're looking to find the year of your Fender guitar this is the chart for you.
American Fender Serial Numbers
Serial Number | Production Date |
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 |
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 |
76 + 5 DIGITS | 1976 |
S6 + 5 DIGITS | |
S7 + 5 DIGITS | 1977 |
S8 + 5 DIGITS | |
S7 + 5 DIGITS | 1978 |
S8 + 5 DIGITS | |
S9 + 5 DIGITS | |
S9 + 5 DIGITS | 1979 |
E0 + 5 DIGITS | |
S9 + 5 DIGITS | 1980 |
E0 + 5 DIGITS | |
E1 + 5 DIGITS | |
S9 + 5 DIGITS | 1981 |
E0 + 5 DIGITS | |
E1 + 5 DIGITS | |
EI + 5 DIGITS | 1982 |
E2 + 5 DIGITS | |
E3 + 5 DIGITS | |
V + 4, 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | |
E2 + 5 DIGITS | 1983 |
E3 + 5 DIGITS | |
V + 4, 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | |
E3 + 5 DIGITS | 1984 |
E4 + 5 DIGITS | |
V + 4, 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | |
E3 + 5 DIGITS | 1985 |
E4 + 5 DIGITS | |
V + 4, 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | |
V + 4, 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | 1986 |
E4 + 5 DIGITS | 1987 |
V + 4, 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | |
E4 + 5 DIGITS | 1988 |
E8 + 5 DIGITS | |
V + 4, 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | |
E8 + 5 DIGITS | 1989 |
E9 + 5 DIGITS | |
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | |
E9 + 5 DIGITS | 1990 |
N9 + 5 DIGITS | |
N0 + 5 DIGITS | |
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | |
N0 + 5 DIGITS | 1991 |
N1 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | |
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | |
N1 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | 1992 |
N2 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | |
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | |
N2 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | 1993 |
N3 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | |
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | |
N3 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | 1994 |
N4 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | |
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | |
N4 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | 1995 |
N5 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | |
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | |
N5 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | 1996 |
N6 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | |
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | |
N6 + 6 or 6 DIGITS | 1997 |
N7 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | |
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | |
AMXN + 6 DIGITS (CA Series) | 1997 or 1998 |
N7 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | 1998 |
N8 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | |
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (U.S. Vintage Series) | |
DN + 6 DIGITS (American Deluxe Series) | 1998 or 1999 |
N8 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | 1999 |
N9 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | |
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS | |
(U.S. Vintage Series, except '52 Tele) | |
N9 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | 2000 |
Z0 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | |
DZ0 + 5 or 6 DIGITS (Am. Deluxe) | |
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (American Vintage Series except '52 Telecaster) | |
Z0 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | 2001 |
Z1 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | |
DZ1 + 5 or 6 DIGITS (Am. Deluxe) | |
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (American Vintage Series except '52 Telecaster) | |
Z1 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | 2002 |
Z2 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | |
DZ2 + 5 or 6 DIGITS (Am. Deluxe) | |
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (American Vintage Series except '52 Telecaster) | |
Z1 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | 2003 |
Z3 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | |
DZ3 + 5 or 6 DIGITS (American Deluxe Series) | |
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (American Vintage Series except '52 Telecaster) | |
Z3 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | 2004 |
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 | |
Z4 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | 2005 |
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 | |
Z5 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | 2006 |
Z6 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | |
DZ6 + 5 or 6 DIGITS (Am. Deluxe) | |
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (American Vintage Series except '52 Telecaster) | |
XN6 + 4 Digits | |
Z6 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | 2007 |
Z7 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | |
DZ7 + 5 or 6 DIGITS (Am. Deluxe) | |
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (American Vintage Series except '52 Telecaster) | |
XN7 + 4 Digits | |
Z7 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | 2008 |
Z8 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | |
DZ8 + 5 or 6 DIGITS (Am. Deluxe) | |
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (American Vintage Series except '52 Telecaster) | |
XN8 + 4 Digits | |
Z8 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | 2009 |
Z9 + 5 or 6 DIGITS | |
DZ9 + 5 or 6 DIGITS (Am. Deluxe) | |
V + 5 or 6 DIGITS (American Vintage Series except '52 Telecaster) | |
XN9 + 4 Digits | |
US10 + 6 DIGITS | 2010 |
US11 + 6 DIGITS | 2011 |
US12 + 6 DIGITS | 2012 |
US13 + 6 DIGITS | 2013 |
US14 + 6 DIGITS | 2014 |
US15 + 6 DIGITS | 2015 |
US16 + 6 DIGITS | 2016 |
| US17 + 6 digits V + 5 or 6 digits (American Vintage Series except ’52 Telecaster, which uses a five-digit number stamped into the bridge plate) | 2017 |
While Fender is a top brand to purchase, it is worth noting that those looking to buy and older model that is for sale should note that there have been periods of dramatic change. Some of these periods include the transition between Leo Fender years, the CBS years, and the transition period between CBS and the current ownership.
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