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GUITAR SERIAL NUMBERS

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Alembic - Tom Anderson - B.C. Rich - Benedetto Carvin - D'Angelico - D'Aquisto - Dean Dobro - Epiphone - Fender - G&L Gibson - Martin - Rickenbacker - Stromberg Alembic The first 2 numbers of the serial number correspond to the year built. There may also be present a letter code designating a certain model. The latter digits indicate the individual instrument and it's place in production. Tom Anderson The specifications and paperwork on every guitar built by Tom Anderson Guitarworks is recorded and stored in the company offices. The neck plate of each guitar has the date it was complete along with the letters A, N, or P, corresponding to a.m., noon, or p.m. The neck plate should also say Made In California. B.C. Rich With production beginning in 1972, the first 350 guitars were numbered sequentially. In 1974 a system of serial number coding began using a 5 digit code with the first 2 digits indicating the year and the last 3 indicating the place in production. Because of increased demand and production late 70s and early 80's serial coding, as it relates to identifying year of production, began to become inconsistent. By 1980 the numbers were 2 years ahead, and by 1982 year coding was off by 4 years. Current American made B.C. Rich serial numbers follow the year and number of guitars format. Benedetto Benedetto archtops, over which 400 instruments have been made, are numbered in a numbering sequence consisting of 4 or 5 digits. The last 2 digits are the year and the preceding numbers are the instruments place in production. Semi-hollowbody electrics follow the archtop numbering scheme. Violins, and violas as well as solidbody guitars and electrics have their own numbering sequence. Year - Serial Number 1968 = 0168 1970 = 0270 1972 = 0372 1973 = 0473 1976 = 0575-0676 1977 = 0777-1177 1978 = 1277-2778 1979 = 2879-4279 1980 = 4380-5580 1981 = 5681-7381 1982 = 7482-9582 1983 = 9682-10983 1984 = 11084-11984 1985 = 12085-12885 1986 = 12986-13586 1987 = 13686-13987 1988 = 14087 - 16488 1989 = 16588 - 19189 1990 = 19289 - 22490 1991 = 22591 - 25091 1992 = 25192 - 28092 1993 = 28193 - 30293 1994 = 30393 - 32994 1995 = 33095 - 36595 1996 = 36696 - 39496 1997 = 39597 - 40497 Carvin Between 1964 and 1970 Carvin guitars do not have a serial number. The first guitar to have a serial number was #5000 and it was issued in 1970. Carvin guitars serial numbers first appeared on the end of the fretboard and are now located on the neck plate. Year-Serial Number 1970 = 5000 1980-1983 = 11000-13000 1983-1984 = 13001-15000 1985-1986 = 17000-20000 1988-1989 = 22000-25000 1989-1991 = 26000-33000 1992-Date = 35000-Current D'Angelico John D'Angelico built 1,164 guitars, all by hand. With the individual attention paid to each instrument, and the variations driven by custom orders, this led to differences in the specifications in the construction of his guitars. D'Angelico had filled many orders from jazz guitar's most accomplished players. With this interaction, John was able to build into his instruments, the construction necessary to stay current with the arch-tops ever expanding role in the orchestral setting. John D'Angelico constructed some of the finest arch-top guitars ever made. Year - Serial Number 1932-34 = No Number 1932-34 = 1005 - 1097 1936 = 1105 - 1235 1937 = 1234 - 1317 1938 = 1318 - 1385 1939 = 1388 - 1456 1940 = 1457 - 1508 1941 = 1509 - 1562 1942 = 1563 - 1621 1943 = 1622 - 1658 1944 = 1659 - 1681 1945 = 1682 - 1702 1946 = 1703 - 1740 1947 = 1738 - 1781 1948 = 1782 - 1804 1949 = 1805 - 1831 1950 = 1832 - 1855 1951 = 1856 - 1885 1952 = 1886 - 1908 1953 = 1909 - 1936 1954 = 1933 - 1962 1955 = 1961 - 1988 1956 = 1989 - 2017 1957 = 2018 - 2040 1958 = 2041 - 2067 1959 = 2068 - 2098 1960 = 2099 - 2122 1961-64 = 2123 - 2164 1955-56 = 2211 - 2214 Mandolins 1932-39 = No Number 1940 = 125 - 135 1941 = 136 - 148 1942-44 = 149 - 168 D'Aquisto James L. D'Aquisto apprenticed to John D'Angelico in 1952. After D'Angelico died, his workmanship and style lived on in the work of D'Aquisto. D'Aquisto continued the D'Angelico history by using select woods, similar body shapes, and a similar peghead design, while using his own innovative ideas to compliment an already successful product. Year - Serial Number 1965 = 1001 - 1005 1966 = 1006 - 1014 1967 = 1015 - 1022 1968 = 1023 - 1029 1969 = 1030 - 1036 1970 = 1037 - 1043 1971 = 1044 - 1050 1972 = 1051 - 1063 1973 = 1064 - 1073 1974 = 1074 - 1084 1975 = 1085 - 1094 1976 = 1095 - 1102 1977 = 1103 - 1112 1978 = 1113 - 1125 1979 = 1126 - 1133 1980 = 1134 - 1142 1981 = 1143 - 1151 1982 = 1152 - 1160 1983 = 1161 - 1164 1984 = 1166 - 1175 1985 = 1176 - 1183 1986 = 1185 - 1192 1987 = 1193 - 1202 1988 = 1201 - 1210 1989 = 1211 - 1217 1990 = 1218 - 1228 Danelectro Danelectro serial numbers are generally found in the neck pocket, but have been found in other hidden recesses on the body. Most serial numbers are found in the form of a 4 digit code. The first 2 digits indicate the week of completion with the last digit revealing the year. Dean Dean guitars made in the USA follow a serial number pattern consisting of a 7 digit number with the first 2 numbers being the year of manufacture, followed by instrument production numbers. The serial number is found on the back of the headstock. Imported Dean guitars do not have year coded serial numbers and have to be dated by configuration and design. Dobro/Regal The Dobro name comes from the combination of Dopyera and Brothers. The Brothers Rudy, Emil, John, Robert and Louis formed the National stringed Instrument Company in 1926. The history of Dobro is very interesting and at times convoluted, with rights and ownership being passed back and forth through out the years. Dobro style instruments have four major features that need to be kept in mind: the body (either metal or wood), the neck (either square or round), the amplifying system (either single-plate or tri-plate), and the number of frets to the body (either 12 or 14). Year-Serial Number 1928 = 900 - 1700s 1929 = 1800 - 2000s 1930 = 31 - 3000s 1932 = 33 - 5000 - 5500s 1934 = 36 - 5700 - 7600s 1937 = 8000 - 9000s B prefix on most 1931-32 Cyclops models. Regal (OMI - 1970 on) 1970-79 - "D" or "B" followed by 3 or 4 digits (ranking) & last number indicates year. (B - metal, D - wood). 1980-87 - number before letter indicates year - 8 followed by 3 or 4 digits, then year number & either B or D (B - metal, D - wood). 1988 on - 2 or 3 letters & 6 or 7 numbered code. Last 2 numbers indicate year. Epiphone The Epiphone company was established in 1928 in New York City. Named after the companys president Epaminondas Stathopoulo, Epiphone was known in the 20's for a line of highly ornamental banjos. Epiphone started making electric guitars in the 1930's, and are probably best known for its archtops. The C. G. Conn company bought Epiphone in 1953 and moved production to Philadelphia. The Stathopoulo family bought the company back in 1955 but by 1957 the company had been acquired by CMI. CMI started shipping Gibson Epiphones from Kalamazoo in 1959. Norlin purchased CMI in 1969, and arranged the production of Epiphones in Japan and later Korea. Year - Serial Number 1930-32 = 10000 series 1932 = 5000 1933 = 6000 1934 = 7000 1935 = 8000 - 9000 1936 = 10000 1937 = 11000 1938 = 12000 1939-40 = 13000 1941-42 = 14000 1943 = 18000 1944 = 19000, 51000 - 52000 1945 = 52000 - 54000 1946 = 54000 - 55000 1947 = 56000 1948 = 57000 1949 = 58000 1950 = 59000 1951 & some '30s = 60000 - 63000 1952 = 64000 1953 = 64000 - 66000 1954 = 68000 1955-57 = 69000 Gibson made Epis : 1958 - 1961 1958 = A 1000 1959 = A 2000 1960-61 = A 3000 / A 4000 Fender Serial Numbers G&L Guitars G&L guitars have a serial number that is 7 digits long consisting of a letter prefix that corresponds to a "G" for guitar or a "B" for bass followed by 6 numbers. The Broadcaster has a "BC" prefix. Year - Guitar - Bass 1980 = G000530 - B000518 1981 = G003122 - B001917 1982 = G009886 - B008525 1983 = G011654 - B010382 1984 = G013273 - B014266 1985 = G014690 - B016018 1986 = G017325 - B017691 1987 = G020241 - B018063 1988 = G023725 - B019627 1989 = G024983 - B020106 1990 = G026344 - B021788 1991 = G027163 - B023013 1992 = G029962 - B024288 Gibson Serial Numbers Martin Serial Numbers Date - Up to # 1898 - 8348 1899 - 8716 1900 - 9128 1901 - 9310 1902 - 9528 1903 - 9810 1904 - 9988 1905 - 10120 1906 - 10329 1907 - 10727 1908 - 10883 1909 - 11018 1910 - 11203 1911 - 11413 1912 - 11565 1913 - 11821 1914 - 12047 1915 - 12209 1916 - 12390 1917 - 12988 1918 - 13450 1919 - 14512 1920 - 15848 1921 - 16758 1922 - 17839 1923 - 19891 1924 - 22008 1925 - 24116 1926 - 28689 1927 - 34435 1928 - 37568 1929 - 40843 1930 - 45317 1931 - 49589 1932 - 52590 1933 - 55084 1934 - 58679 1935 - 61947 1936 - 65176 1937 - 68865 1938 - 71866 1939 - 74061 1940 - 76734 1941 - 80013 1942 - 83107 1943 - 86724 1944 - 90149 1945 - 93623 1946 - 98158 1947 - 103468 1948 - 108269 1949 - 112961 1950 - 117961 1951 - 122799 1952 - 128436 1953 - 134501 1954 - 141345 1955 - 147328 1956 - 153225 1957 - 159061 1958 - 165576 1959 - 171047 1960 - 175689 1961 - 181297 1962 - 187384 1963 - 193327 1964 - 199626 1965 - 207030 1966 - 217215 1967 - 230095 1968 - 241925 1969 - 256003 1970 - 271633 1971 - 294270 1972 - 313302 1973 - 333873 1974 - 353387 1975 - 371828 1976 - 388800 1977 - 399625 1978 - 407800 1979 - 419900 1980 - 430300 1981 - 436474 1982 - 439627 1983 - 446101 1984 - 453300 1985 - 460575 1986 - 468175 1987 - 476216 1988 - 483952 1989 - 493279 1990 - 503309 1991 - 512487 1992 - 522655 1993 - 535223 1994 - 551696 1995 - 570434 Rickenbacker Serial Numbers 1960 - 1986 The year is the first Letter, The month is the second letter. Serial Numbers 1986 - 1995 The year is the number after the letter-The letter is the month. Year, Letter 1961 A 1962 B 1963 C 1964 D 1965 E 1966 F 1967 G 1968 H 1969 I 1970 J 1971 K 1972 L 1973 M 1974 N 1975 O 1976 P 1977 Q 1978 R 1979 S 1980 T 1981 U 1982 V 1983 W 1984 X 1985 Y 1986 Z Month Codes Jan A Feb B Mar C Apr D May E Jun F Jul G Aug H Sep I Oct J Nov K Dec L __________ 1987 0 1988 1 1989 2 1990 3 1991 4 1992 5 1993 6 1994 7 Stromberg Charles Stromberg and his son Elmer started making guitars in the 1930s. They made a total of approximately 640 instruments. The better quality instruments were made from the middle of the 1940s onward. Elmer Stromberg died in 1955 afew months after his father's death. During the early years the Strombergs used their business cards as labels in the guitars. The telephone number on the card helps to determine when a particular model was made. Year - Phone Number 1920-27 = Phone number BOWDOIN 1728R or 1728M 1927-29 = Phone number BOWDOIN 6559W or 1242W 1929-32 = Phone number BOWDOIN 1878R 1932-45 = Phone number CA 3174 1949-55 = Phone number CA 7-3174