Guitar Serial Number Lookup

Enter your serial number below to date your guitar, identify the factory, and get a value estimate. Free for all guitars.

How Serial Number Dating Works

1️⃣

Choose the manufacturer from the dropdown — Gibson, Fender, Martin, Gretsch, or Guild.

2️⃣

Enter the serial number exactly as stamped. Include any letter prefixes (A, L, etc.).

3️⃣

See the estimated production year, factory info, and a link to full specs and pricing for that year.

Gibson Serial Numbers

Pre-1977 Gibson serials used batch letters (A, B, etc.) and are approximate — pot codes inside the guitar are more reliable for exact dating.

From 1977 onward, Gibson used an 8-digit system where digits 2-4 indicate the day of the year and the last digit indicates the year.

FON (Factory Order Number) stamps on the inside back of the guitar body provide additional dating information for pre-1961 guitars.

Fender Serial Numbers

Pre-CBS Fender serials (before 1965) were stamped on the neck plate and are not strictly sequential — ranges overlap between years.

The neck date stamp (written in pencil inside the neck pocket) is the most reliable way to date a vintage Fender. The body may also have a stamp.

Check pot codes: the last 2 digits indicate year, the 3-4 digits before that indicate the week of production.

Martin Serial Numbers

Martin has maintained sequential serial numbers since 1898, making their guitars the easiest to date accurately.

Simply look up the serial number in our Martin serial number table to find the exact year of production.