This article deals only with U.S.-made Fender guitars and basses from 1950 until today, since they are some of the predominant vintage guitars for sale on. Also, labeling techniques have changed with Fender owners, slightly adding to the confusion. The locations of the serial numbers and dates change from model to model and in some cases they have simply been omitted.

To get as close as possible to determining the age of your Fender, make sure to check all dates on both body, neck and pots. As a result, many numbers and dates overlap. Why is this? Back in the day, Fender made their serial number plates in big batches and the assembler simply grabbed a decal or more from the crate and slapped it on the guitar. It is important to remember that Fender serial numbers are NOT conclusively chronological. Fender was sold to CBS in the first week of January 1965, but already in late 1964 mass production was slowly being introduced, which gradually lowered quality and ultimately collectibility. For most of Fender’s production history they have applied serial numbers and production dates that can help you determine their production date (within a few years’ margin, at least).ĭetermining the date can also be important from a collector’s perspective, since the pre-1966 vintage Fender guitars are generally considered the most valuable. No one likes it when you forget their birthday and neither does your Fender. How to date and identify your Fender instruments using serial numbers and production date stamps.

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