Other guitar brands have tried to copy vintage Dean guitars, but they have not achieved the devoted fan following that vintage Dean instruments enjoy. The 'Vintage Dean Collection' includes guitars manufactured between 1977 and 1987. Look for a distinctive serial number located on the back of. Fender Serial Dating. First, narrow it down by the country of origin. Serial dating is easiest for instruments made in the USA or Mexico, but is also possible for those made in Japan, Korea, China, and Indonesia. For US instruments, the serial number will start with a letter. That letter indicates the decade. S for 1970s; E for 1980s; N for.
Find the date your guitar (or bass) was made! These links will take you farther down in the document to the manufacturers covered here: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - If you believe something is inaccurate, please point it out in the comments section at the bottom. If you feel a certain company should be included, please request it and feel free to share any dating info along with your source. Dean Every Dean guitar made in United States comes with a seven digit serial number that is printed on the back of the headstock (some 90s models may be stamped on the fretboard).
First two numbers in the sequence will tell you when your guitar was produced. If you see a seven digit serial number on the back of a Dean guitar, you can be sure that it was produced in United States. Dean's more affordable line made outside the US will indicate the country of manufacture, but production year requires looking at features and hardware and some knowledge of the line.
Epiphone Below appear some of the serial schemes that an Epiphone serial can use. Happy hunting! YYMMFFRRRRR YY = year of manufacture MM = month of manufature FF = factory ID RRRRR = ranking number Example: 3 = 2008 / December / factory 15 / unit 20333 Note: Models from 2008 and onwards omit the factory ID letter prefix. Pre-1994 productions also frequently omit the factory letter codes and appeared as all digits, e.g. FYYMMRRRR F/FF = factory ID Y/YY = year of manufacture MM = month of manufacture RRRR = ranking number Example: 3021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February / unit 1234 Example: S3021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February / unit 1234 Example: S93021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February / unit 1234 Example: SI01021234 = Samick Indonesia / 2001 / February / unit 1234 Example: SI010212345 = Samick Indonesia / 2001 / February / unit 12345 Note: There may be no factory designator for some 1993 and earlier models.
A single digit month of manufacture may occur for some 1997 and earlier models. The ranking number may consist of any number of digits.
FYYMRRRR F = factory ID YY = year of manufacture M = letter code to corresponding month (A=January, B=February, etc.) RRRR = ranking number Example: R01B0123 = Peerless Korea / 2001 / February / unit 0123. FYYSSSS (Epiphone Elite/Elitist models) F = factory ID Y = single digit year of manufacture (2 = 2002, 3 = 2003, etc.) YY = double digit year of manufacture (2010-Current) SSSS = sequential ranking number Example: F21234 = Fuji-gen Japan / 2002 / unit 1234 Example: T101234 = Terada Japan / 2010 / unit 1234 - F-Serial Numbers on Les Paul Standard '59/'60 Models and Tribute/Plus Models The latest serial number system used by Epiphone has not yet been completely deciphered.
The new 'F' models are made in China. The system uses running model numbers rather than a dedicated code for year, month, and place of manufacture. F300000 = late 2009 used on LP Std'59/Std'60/Tribute models Continued around F310650F311050 in spring 2012 on Tribute-Plus models Continued around F305000 in 2011 Continued around F310000 in 2012 Continued around F317000 in 2013 Continued around F324000 in 2014 Continued around F330000 in 2015 - Epiphone Japan Serial Numbers 1998 - Current The Yamano Gakki Epiphone Japan serial numbers from 1998 onwards are in a YMMPPP format. Y = Year of manufacture MM = Month of manufacture PPP = Production number The serial number letters used by the Terada and Fuji-Gen guitar factories are: J = Terada T = Terada, F = Fuji-Gen No Letter = Fuji-Gen Example: J902123 = Terada / 1999 / February / unit 123 Example: T902123 = Terada / 1999 / February / unit 123 Example: F902123 = Fuji-Gen / 1999 / February / unit 123 Example: 902123 = Fuji-Gen / 1999 / February / unit 123 1987 - 1997 For Yamano Gakki Epiphone Japan semi acoustic models from 1987 to approximately 1997, the serial numbers are in a YCPPP format. They were made by Terada and usually have an Orange Epiphone label. Y = Year of manufacture C = Model code PPP = Production number Model Codes (C) 1 = NVJ 2 = EMPEROR 3 = RIVIERA 4 = SHERATON 5 = CASINO 6 = Limited Edition 7 = EB-2 8 = ES-930J 9 = EMPEROR-J Example: 34123 = 1993 / SHERATON / unit 123 Example: 38123 = 1993 / ES-930J / unit 123 1971 - 1987 The Aria Epiphone Japan models that were made by Matsumoku from the early 1970s and ending before 1987 do not have a reliable serial numbering system but can be approximately dated using their Epiphone label colors.
1971-1975 - Blue label - Early models say 'Union Made' 1976-1979 - Tan or white 'Lincolnwood' label with Norlin logo 1980-1987 - Brown Label with splotched pattern Fender Fender is notorious for being a little tricky. This is partially due to their production methods, which often involved using parts throughout different models and years, so that tracing the year of one part may not accurately indicate the production year of the instrument. If you're not averse to removing the neck on a guitar, Fender often wrote a date on the heel of the neck, as well as a date in the neck pocket. This method can often clear up a situation where the serial number is inconclusive.
Dean Guitars Serial Number Identification
Dean Guitar Serial Number Search
Dean Guitar Serial Number Lookup
Pot codes may also point you to a general date range, but don't expect them to always be accurate.