Identify My Guitar
Use serial numbers, construction features, and production history to date and identify your vintage guitar. Free guides for every major American brand.
How to Identify Your Guitar
Look inside the body (acoustics), on the headstock, or on a neck plate (Fender electrics). On Gibsons, check the back of the headstock or inside the control cavity.
Serial number formats vary entirely by brand. Choose your brand from the list below to use our dedicated lookup tool with the correct decoder for that manufacturer.
Confirm your date with physical features — headstock shape, binding style, pickup type, tuner style, and hardware finish. Serial numbers can sometimes be non-sequential or shared across years.
Serial Number Lookup by Brand
Gibson Serial Numbers
1902–presentFON numbers, ink stamps, and decal serials from 1935–1984.
Look up Gibson →Fender Serial Numbers
1946–presentNeck-date pencil marks, plate serials, and Fullerton-era dating.
Look up Fender →Martin Serial Numbers
1833–presentSequential serials from 1898 with complete production logs.
Look up Martin →Gretsch Serial Numbers
1883–presentLabel serials, model codes, and DeArmond pickup dating.
Look up Gretsch →Guild Serial Numbers
1952–presentHoboken, Westerly, and Nashville era identification.
Look up Guild →Not Sure Which Brand?
Use our universal serial number lookup — enter the serial and we'll try to match it.
Universal lookup →Beyond the Serial Number
Learn Guitar History
Understand the production eras, key specs changes, and factory transitions that help date a guitar without a serial number.
Explore guides →Compare Models
See how two models differ across years — useful when you're not sure exactly which variant you have.
Compare models →Check Current Value
Once you've identified your guitar, look up what it's worth in today's market by year and condition.
See price guide →