The code on the pickup rail is located on the right-hand side, beneath the part number. The first two digits indicate the week of the year, and the last two indicate the year (e.g. 0978 = 09th week of 1978, sometime in early March). This is the week the pickup rail was completed. Find date your guitar or bass was made how old is my guitar serial number identification Dean Epiphone Fender G&L Gibson Gretsch Guild Hagstrom Hamer Ibanez Jackson Charvel Kramer Martin Ovation Peavey Rickenbacker Schecter Taylor Washburn Yamaha lookup search decoder database serialization manufacturer pot codes.

Fender Serial Numbers from 1976
(For Japanese Serial Numbers, scroll down)

In late 1976, Fender decided to move to a new numbering scheme for their serialization. The numbers appeared on the pegheads and for the remainder of 1976 they had a prefix of 76 or S6 preceding a 5 digit sequence. In 1977, the serialization went to a letter for the decade, followed by a single digit for the year and then 5 to 6 digits.

Examples of the letter/digit code follow like this: S for the ’70s, E for the ’80s, N for the ’90s, Z for 2000+. (I Do not know if you see what is happening here! Catch this: S = Seventies!, E = Eighties; N = Nineties; and then Z = zed? (Or 2000s+). Interesting!)

1970s S (seen as) S8 - 1978
1980s E (seen as) E1 - 1981
1990s N (seen as) N2 - 1992
2000s Z (seen as) Z2 - 2002

While the idea seems rather simple, the reality often differed. Sometimes instrument production did not meet the levels for which decals were produced—thus there are some overlapping years. Sometimes there are several prefixes found within a single year’s production, but generally, the system still gives a good guideline. And then you take off ther neck and find out it is 8 months or even a year off from the serial number! At least we have some reference to go by! Also note the N9 serial numbers. It was used for 1990 and 1999! Here is why: 'N'-prefix serial numbers denoting the 1990s were introduced in 1990. The numbers and decals were produced far in advance, and some N9 decals (denoting 1999), were inadvertantly affixed to some instruments in 1990. Consequently, some 1990 guitars bear 1999 'N9' serial numbers.

Another bit of confusion was the E4 serial numbers.The serial numbers on the 87- early 88 Strat Plus and newly introduced American Standard Strat models have caused some confusion due to the CBS buyout and the start up of the new plant in Corona, California. Many of the 1987 and later models will have a serial number that says one thing and the date in the neck pocket in the body or on the butt end of neck that says something different. Some have said this was due to the use of parts left over from the CBS buyout, or even serial number decals left over from CBS. The very first Plus' will have an E4XXXXX serial number indicating they are from 1984. Truth is, it is a 1987-88, as production for the Plus Series started in mid-1987, while the parts might have been from—who knows???

Here is the list of letter/digit year codes:

7600000 1976, 1977
800000S 1979, 1980, 1981
1000000-8000000S 1976-1981
S100000-S600000S 1979-1982
S700000-S770000S 1977
S740000-S800000S 1978
S810000-S870000S 1979
S880000-S980000S 1980
S950000-S990000S 1981
E000000-E100000S 1979-1982
E110000-E120000S 1980-1983
E200000S 1982
E300000-E310000S 1983
E320000-E390000S 1984-1985
E400000S 1984, 1985, 1987(For the Plus Series and many of the new American Standard Strats)
E800000S 1988, 1989 (and even some 1990s)
E900000S 1989, 1990
N900000S 1990
N000000S 1990 (1989-90 were confusing years!)
N100000S 1991, 1992
N200000S 1992, 1993
N300000S 1993, 1994
N400000S 1994, 1995
N500000S 1995, 1996
N600000S 1996, 1997
N700000S 1997, 1998
N800000S 1998, 1999
N900000S 1999, 2000 (Also 1990!!!)
Z000000S 2000, 2001
Z100000S 2001, 2002
Z200000S 2002, 2003
Z300000S 2003, 2004
Z400000S 2004, 2005

'R' prefixs designate Relic Series instruments. 'V' Prefixes (introduced circa 1982) designate Vintage Reissue Series. The 'D' prefix indicates Deluxe (but note, this was not used till late 98-early 99. So 'D' Strats in the 1980-98 did not use this letter. You would see in 1999 onward you would see the D in connection with the leter for year of manufacture, something like DN9xxxxx or DZ0xxxxx.) The 'EE' prefix indicates a model made for the 'export market' and was used in late 1986 into early 1987. The 'M' prefix designates Mexican Mfg. The 'S' prefix designates Signature model.Here is an example: a new Fender Deluxe Stratocaster with serial number: DZ0363437 indicates a deluxe instrument manufactured in 2000. Or a Fender Clapton Signature Model made in 1992 would be SN20435746.