Double stamped serial number plates were also produced (number on both front and back of the neck plate) in late 1957 to early 1959. Also in 1959/1960 some serial numbers were at the bottom of the neck plate instead of the usual top. In 1957/1958 some serial numbers started with a minus sign ("-"), or had a "0" prefix before the number. Because different companies did the stamping of the serial numbers on neckplates they vary in location and layout. This was probably done as a cost saving measure. In mid-1954 Fender changed the location of serial numbers to the neckplate. Serial Numbers for all Fender Guitar Models, from summer 1954 to mid 1976 This system of serial numbers is unique to these three models until about the early summer of 1954 (when Fender switched to a universal neck plate serial number system for all models):Įsquire, Broadcaster and Telecaster, Numbers On Bridge Plate The serial number can only generalized the age of the instrument within a few years.įender Esquire, Broadcaster, and Telecaster Serial Numbers 1950 to 1954 The only truly definitive way to date a pre-CBS fender is to look at all the dates on the instrument (body date, neck date, pot dates). A Fender employee simply reached in and grabbed one (or many) and installed them on the instrument(s) as they worked.Īs you can see from this over-simplified example, serial number assignment was fairly random. In the factory, there was a large container with serialized items such as neckplates and bridges.Ģ. Fender serial numbers were assigned like this:ġ. The bridge plate or neckplate were applied to a guitar with no thought to keeping any kind of number sequence. Before the later 1970's Fender never expected the guitars to be collectable or for serial numbers to be important. Serial numbers are basically chronological, but there is some overlap in some years. Duchossoir the following information should help you but it is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate.īefore 1977 Fender guitars hd a serial number on the bridgeplate or neckplate. With that said, and with great help from numerous sources including FMIC, George Gruhn's publications, and A. At least not while he was at Fender Musical Instrument Corporation. He never invisioned a need to pinpoint the manufacturing date of any of his guitars. Leo Fender never intended for his guitars to become collectors items. It helps narrow things down, but in most cases is an inexact science. Fender Serial Numbers, 1950 to 2007 (Identifying the Year).ĭating a Fender guitar with the serial number is a hit or miss propisition.
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