Dating a guitar by Serial Number is easy, as long as you know which serial numbers match which years for each guitar model.

Grab your guitar and set your timer, because we’re going to figure out what year your guitar was made in just 60 seconds. Comment below your time!

Note: Unfortunately, some models are not able to be dated due to the serial numbers being made for Fender production and not specifically meant to be for the customer for dating. If we can’t get an exact year, we try to narrow it down the best we can in this article.

Interested in how much your guitar is worth?

Find out your Guitars Value with these E-guides. (Links go to Amazon)

How To Identify your guitar in 60 seconds.

Step #1 – Find your 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.

Step #2 Match your serial number with the correct date.

Start here if your serial number starts with only numbers, no letters.

If you have letters in your serial number, skip to Chart number 3.

Chart Number 1 – Numbers only no spaces.

If your serial number has spaces between the first two numbers and the rest of the numbers, starts with a 76, or is only the number 500 refer to chart 2.

Up to 6,000	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
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

Note: Only 4 or 5 digits? This means you have a “52 Vintage Telecaster”. Date will be under the neck which will have to be taken off.

Note: Some of the models numbers do overlap unfortunately since Fenders primary intention for model numbers was to help their production team rather than provide an accurate dating system for customers. For some of these models, you can find the date by taking off the neck entirely and reading the bottom portion. This isn’t entirely accurate however, since that is only the date the neck was built (even though most of the rest of the guitar was built pretty quickly after, not always though because Fender does use an assembly line method to build many of their guitars) and not the whole guitar. If your guitar serial number shows you that there is a possibility for more than one year, refer to our fender research guides section to get a more accurate timespan.

Chart Number 2 – First two digits followed by a space and then the rest of the digits, starts with 76 or is only the number 500.

10 followed by a space then seven digits	2009-2010
Starts with 76 and has 5 more digits after	1976
Just the digits 500	1989-1990 Anniversary Strat

Start here if you have one letter in front of your serial number, if not skip to Chart 4.

Starts with H, I, or K	Serial numbers located on the front of the headstock. Not many of these were made.
Starts with R or V	These are US Custom Shop Instruments
Starts with D	1982 Bass Guitar
Starts with G	1980
Starts with C	Collectors Series edition 1980
Starts with E4 or V	1987- On the U.S. Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with E4, E8, or V	1988- On the U.S. Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with E8, E9, or V	1989- On the U.S. Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with V	2010- 2017- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with E9, N9, N0 or V	1990- On the U.S. Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with N0 Starts with N1 Starts with V	1991
Starts with N1, N2, or V	1992
Starts with N2, N3, or V	1993
Starts with N3, N4, or V	1994
Starts with N4. N5, or V	1995
Starts with N5, N6, or V	1996
Starts with N6, N7, or V	1997
Starts with N7, N8, or V	1998
Starts with N8. N9, or V	1999
Starts with N9, Z0, or V	2000- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with Z0, Z1, or V	2001- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with Z1, Z2, or V	2002- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with Z2, Z3, or V	2003- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with Z3, Z4, or V	2004- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with Z4, Z5, or V	2005- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with Z5, Z6, or V	2006- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with Z6, Z7, or V	2007- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with Z7, Z8, V	2008- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with Z8, Z9, or V	2009- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with EI, E2, E3, or V	1982- On the US Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with E2, E3, or V	1983- On the US Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with E3, E4, or V	1984- On the US Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with E3, E4, or V	1985- On the US Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with V	1986- On the US Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with E4 or V	1987- On the US Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with E4, E8, or V	1988- On the US Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with E8, E9, or V	1989- On the US Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
S6 + 5 digits	1976
Starts with S7 or S8	1977
Starts with S7, S8, or S9	1978
Starts with S9 or E0	1979
Starts with S9 Starts with E0 Starts with E1	1980
Starts with S9 Starts with E0 Starts with E1	1981
L10,000s up to L20,000s	1963
L20,000s up to L50,000s	1964
L50,000s up to L90,000s	1965

Chart 4, if your serial number has two letters or more in front of it.

Starts with AMXN	1997-1998. These guitars are actually American and Mexican. This is the California series.
Starts with MSN	Artist Model guitars, will have to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the date.
Starts with DN	98 and ’99 – American Deluxe
Starts with NC	Dating problems with NC instruments is common, can range from 80s to 90s.
Starts with FN	Dating Problems with FN models as well, these instruments were made and exported from the USA.
Starts with LE	If your guitar is either a Jazzmaster or Jaguar, the year is 1994, Otherwise if your guitar is an FSR, you’ll be looking at some dating issues. FSR stands for (Fender Special Run) which means they were made specifically for an individual retailer. The FSRs starting with LE start in the 200s. You might be able to find the date by taking off the neck and checking the bottom.
Starts with CN	High Quality US Custom Shop
Starts with CA	1981-1983
Starts with CB	1981-1982
Starts with CC	1981-1983
Starts with CE	1981-1982
Starts with CD, or CO	1982
Starts with GO	1982-1983
Starts with EE	Started sometime in the mid 80s and ended before the 90s.
Starts with SE, SN, SZ, or CZ	Signature Series Instruments SE = 88, SE9 = 89 SN = 90, SN2 = 92, SN3 = 93, and so on. SZ0 = 00, SZ1 = 01, SZ2 = 02, and so on.
Starts with TN	Dating problems with this model
Starts with XN	XN doesn’t always show up on these models, these are either 52′ Teles or FSR models (Fender Special Runs) which means they were specifically made models for individual retailers. For this reason they are harder to date. You might be able to find a date by taking off the neck and looking at the bottom.
Starts with EJ	Eric Johnson Signature Stratocasters, unclear date.

Starts with US10	2010 On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with US11	2011- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with US12	2012- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with US13	2013- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with US14	2014- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with US15	2015- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with US16	2016- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with US17	2017- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with DZ0	2000- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with DZ1	2001- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with DZ2	2002- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with DZ3	2003- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with DZ4 Or XN4	2004- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with DZ5 Starts with XN5	2005- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with DZ6 Starts with XN6	2006- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with DZ7 Starts with XN7	2007- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with DZ8 Starts with XN8	2008- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.
Starts with DZ9 Starts with XN9	2009- On the American Vintage series models, you’ll need to take off the neck and look at the bottom to find the exact date.

Why Can’t We Nail Down the Exact Year on some Models?

Not being able to figure out the exact year of a model can be frustrating, especially when trying to break down how much it is worth.

Since serial numbers aren’t technically meant to date their guitars (they were there for production purposes), you can’t always tell just from a serial number.

The reason why they made their serial numbers for production purposes rather than to date their guitars is because Fender has used an assembly line method to make their guitars since almost the beginning. Even when they changed owners, they still used the same methods and tools as well.

However, don’t give up completely. Figuring out the year can still happen, it’s just harder than matching the serial numbers. Certain things like stamped plates, and where and how the guitar was painted can help you figure out when the guitar was made. We’ll talk about how you can find some of this information in the next section.

Fender Research Guides.

Unfortunately, since we cannot get an exact date either by looking at the neck or by matching the guitar with a serial number…..we have to dive a little bit deeper to figure out how to get an exact date for our guitar.

There are some guides out there that can help you further investigate. Here are the best ones that seem to be out there.

Links go to Amazon.

How To Figure out (Quickly and Easily) How much your guitar is worth.

Wanna take the easiest route? Just go to www.bluebookofguitarvalues.com (These guys are usually pretty accurate but not 100%) Also, these guys are kind of hard to navigate on mobile.

Figuring out how much your fender is worth is surprisingly the easy part. Once you’ve figured out your model this should be fairly easy.

Now, if you want to check your work you can always get a recommendation from an appraiser, and I highly suggest you do this if you think your guitar is worth a lot of money or might be signed by a famous musician (or is notable for another reason). I personally recommend https://guitars.com/appraisals Gruhn Guitars. These guys are pros.

To get the most accurate reading of what your guitar currently sells for, what you’ll need to do is check out your make and model on eBay and Reverb, and make an inventory of everything that is wrong with your guitar in case of any scratches or anything like that and deduct that from the price as well. eBay and reverb are where you can get the most money for your guitar, but you can also check the used listings at guitar center online to get a good idea of what your guitar will sell for as well, good luck!