Where to Find the Serial Number on Your Fender Guitar?

  1. At the top of the neck plate.
  2. On the front or at the back of the headstock.
  3. On the cover plate of the vibrato (on Stratocasters)
  4. On the back of the vibrato cover plate (on early '50s Stratocasters)
  5. At the end of the heel of the neck.

Where are Fender serial numbers located?

For years, serial numbers have been used in various locations on Fender instruments, such as the top of the neck plate, the front or back of the headstock and the back of the neck near the junction with the body.

How do I find my Fender Custom Shop serial number?

Finding your serial number on your Fender should be very easy. They are almost always on either the top of the neck plate (the piece of metal on the back of the guitar near the neck), on the headstock (the top part of the guitar where the strings attach), or close to the body at the bottom of the neck.

Do all fenders have serial numbers?

From 1954 to 1976 Fender stamped its guitar's serial number on either the top or bottom of the neck plate. Modern Fender production guitars, 1976 to the present, have their ID numbers on the front or back of the headstock near the Fender decal. Some Fender guitar bodies and pickups also have dates written on them.

How can I tell the age of my Fender guitar?

After the neck was finished, a Fender employee would either stamp or handwrite the date on the end of the guitar neck on its heel. This marking is only visible when the neck is removed from the body because it is covered in the neck pocket. Almost all Fender guitars have a dated neck.

36 related questions found

Can you look up guitar serial numbers?

You can look up a serial number either in Gruhn's Guide or run the number in the manufacturer's database. The serial number itself will give you date information and the database will have a description of the guitar so you can check the specs of the guitar in question.

How old is my Fender Telecaster?

The only way to definitively date U.S. instruments with “V”-prefix serial numbers is to remove the neck and check the butt end of the neck heel for a production date, which may be stamped or written there. CBS sold Fender in March 1985.

How can you tell if a Fender is real?

In order to approximate guitars from before 1976 to the correct year of manufacture, the date or serial number on the neck heel must therefore be inspected. Usually there is a production date stamped or written on the tip of the heel.

Are Fenders made in China?

In short, Fender makes guitars in the USA, Mexico, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, and China. Performer, Professional, Original, and Ultra guitars are made in the United States. The Vintera, Player, and Artist series guitars are made in Mexico.

How can I find out the model of my Fender Stratocaster?

Serial numbers tell you the year, month and factory. Other than a few exceptions to the system, they won't tell you the model. The easiest way is to post photos and the specification (as best you know it) here, and someone will probably recognise the model.

What year is my Telecaster?

The only way to try to find the date is to remove the neck from the body. If the year is unreadable, it can also be written on the body under the pickguard or in the cavity in which the pickups are. With Fenders from before 1955 you cannot use the serial numbers to determine the exact year of construction.

How do I tell what year my Fender amp is?

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. This black-and-silver sticker contains several lines for “sign-offs” on completion of sound and electrical testing.

Is Squier owned by Fender?

Under the Squier brand, Fender makes less expensive versions of its popular Stratocaster and Telecaster models, among others. Originally a string manufacturing company for violins, banjos, and guitars, Fender acquired Squier in 1965 and began producing Squier guitars in 1982.

Does Fender still make guitars in Mexico?

Dubbed the Player series, these guitars will still be made in Mexico, which is good news for guitar players (I know I love my Mexican Strat). They'll still boast all those classic Fender body shapes.

What year was my guitar made?

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.

How do I know what kind of guitar I have?

Guitar builders affix their guitars with names so people know what they are playing. 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.

When did Fender stop making banjos?

Fender has been out of the banjo business since the 70's, when they made the last of the California Fenders. Since then they have been importers and re-badgers of a series of less-than-desirable marketing attempts vaguely described as banjos.

How much is a 1963 Fender Telecaster worth?

Sold for nearly $50,000.

How much is a telecaster worth?

Telecaster electric guitars cost between $200 and $2500. Fender Telecasters are the most expensive, ranging from $850-$2500, with the most popular Fender American Professional II Telecaster costing around $1700. Squier Telecaster are more affordable versions which range from roughly $180-$500.

How do you date a Fender Champ?

The tube chart date code works like this: the first letter indicates the year and the second letter indicates the month. So if your blackface amp has a date code stamp of OB, it was made in 1965/February. If your tweed champ is stamped HH, it was made in 1958/August.

When did CBS buy Fender?

In its original incarnation, introduced in 1954 and largely solidified by 1957, the Stratocaster had what is referred to in the modern era as a small headstock. That design was in production through late 1965. CBS bought Fender in a deal that took effect on January 5, 1965.

What year is my Fender Blues Jr?

Dating a Blues Junior

The code can be found on the Quality Assurance label located inside the cabinet. The label is often located on the bottom next to the reverb tank, sometimes it is placed on the side.