Hey everyone! I thought it might be cool to have a thread which features links and info on how to track and date guitar serial numbers for different brands. I think it can be fun to know a little bit more about our instruments and try to dig up some history if possible. As I have never did this myself before, please help me compose a useful resource for everyone to use as a reference when they need to get more details on their guitars based on the serial number. Disclaimer: listed resources represent what I've found online. The accuracy of data found there is not guaranteed, except for Fender which I've had chance testing with one of my basses. Let's add info for other brands, please do so by posting in this thread: [Brand] - [Link to information about serial numbers] Also, it would be cool to hear what you've found about your guitars by tracking the serial number and which of the listed methods for tracking serials are valid.

These are good for dating amp potentiometers and speakers. 'Pot codes' help identify and date Gibson guitars and some Fender amps where the serial numbers can fail you. *Gibson records were destroyed and/or lost during one period, hence there are some doubled ser #'s. Fender used parts bought as early as 1964 in huge bulk and used them through the mid and late 60s. And if anyone is interested in an encyclopedia of guitar features by date and model, George Gruhn's book is an absolute necessity.

I traded for a Esp Ltd Ec1000 Deluxe and was wondering does the serial number give the date of manufacture?

It's not available on line unless you pay for it. This post has been edited by klasaine: Oct 27 2014, 06:04 PM.

Unfortunally ESP didn't keep good records of old serial numbers. Many records have been lost during years and most of all were destroyed in a fire accident on late '90s in ESP Japan factory. Viktor tornbolj kurs lichnogo magnetizma. For old guitars we can only know the exact data reading the ESP warranty card (when there is), or unscrewing the neck (if the neck is bolt on) and read under it becuse probably theres the data write on pencil).

I keep record of this data in order to try to deduce other correspondences. ESP Guitar Company says: 'Unfortunately the factories at ESP Japan have not kept a consistent and sensible serial number tracking system in place over the years. This has resulted in alot of confusion,. You may still come across the occasional serial number that may conflict with, or doesn't fall under any of the listed categories.

For this we apologize, and we are working to maintain a more consistent system going forward. The PRE-2015 system doesn't apply to early ESP's, some of which had no serial number tracking system at all and used random numbers.

Thanks for your understanding.' NOTES ON SERIAL NUMBERS. Some of the ESPs have black hardware in North America and Black Nickel hardware elsewhere. It all began a few years ago with the EU and a thing called the RoHS (Regulation of Hazardous Materials) and Gotoh in Japan basically changed their production to ensure they didn’t lose the European market, and that being manufacturers who shipped to Europe, which is most everyone. They changed pretty much everything for the “export” market, and export to most makers means anything but US. Kind of a long story. They have a way of producing black again now so expect it to all go back to the way most of us prefer over time.