How to Tell What Kind of Stratocaster You Have

Although a serial number is useful for roughly determining the age of a guitar, this is often not the verbal date. As a result of the overlap between years, Fender serial numbers are also not by definition chronological.
In the past (earlier 1976) the series numbers were frequently randomly assigned.

Most specifications for a detail Fender guitar have hardly changed, if at all. Although there take been times when major changes have taken place, such equally the acquisition of Fender by CBS, and the transition from CBS Fender to the current owner (Fender Musical Instruments Corporation), most models have generally non inverse.

Neck heel date
In order to approximate guitars from before 1976 to the correct year of manufacture, the date or serial number on the neck heel must therefore be inspected. Normally in that location is a production appointment stamped or written on the tip of the heel. In gild to be able to read this, the cervix volition take to be screwed off the body.

Until about April 1962, the dates on the neck end were handwritten. Then switched to stamped dates. Both the handwritten and the stamped appointment were unremarkably coded.
This code precedes the appointment and is a number between 1 and 28 which indicates for which model the cervix was made. Contrary to what some presume, this is not the twenty-four hour period appointment.

At Stratocasters from the early on fifties, the serial numbers were stamped on the back of the vibrato cover plate. On some Telecasters at the span between the pick-up and the saddles.

Patent numbers Various patent numbers were added to the models betwixt 1960 and 1977. These were stamped in the headstock nether the Fender logo.

Case: PAT, 2,573,254 ii,968,204 3,143,028 2,976,755 DES 187304 2,573,254 for pickup and bridge combination. 2,968,204 for the single coil pickup patent awarded in 1961 nether other for Jaguar, Stratocaster, Duosonic. iii,143,028 the patent granted in August 1964 for Fender's adjustable cervix construction. 2,976,755 for the split curl pickup blueprint. (Used since 1957 to the Precision Bass) The DES is the serial number.

Esquires, Broadcasters and Telecasters 1950-1954 The serial numbering for these three models can be found on the bridge plate and lasted until the beginning of 1954. Fender and then switched to a serial numbering on the neck plate for all models in that year. SERIAL NUMBERS PRODUCTION Yr 0001 - 0999 1950 - 1952 k - 5300 1952 - 1954

Precision Basses 1951-1955 There is some overlap of the serial numbers and dates. The series number was applied to the bridge plate until 1955. Although Fender had already in 1954 switched to exist placed the serial number on the headstock for all models, it was still punched on the bridge plate with some Precison's. Series NUMBERS Production Year 100 - 400 1951 - 1952 0001 - 0999 1952-1954 one thousand - 2000 1953 - 1955

All models

The table below shows the Fender serial numbers as they were used from 1950 to 1964. The serial numbers are basically chronological, but equally already mentioned, due to Fender's numbering methods, there are a number of serial numbers and years that overlap. The but way to attempt to notice the date is to remove the cervix from the body. If the twelvemonth is unreadable, it can also be written on the body under the pickguard or in the crenel in which the pickups are. With Fenders from before 1955 yous cannot use the serial numbers to decide the verbal year of construction. The first Telecasters and Stratocasters appear to take a separate numbering. With Telecasters it can happen that a '52er has a higher number than a '53er. The serial numbers from after 1955 accept a logical order. Series NUMBERS Product YEAR Until 6000 1950 - 1954 Until 10000 1954 - 1956 10000 1955 - 1956 10000 - 20000 1957 20000 - 30000 1958 30000 - 40000 1959 40000 - 50000 1960 50000 - 70000 1961 60000 - 90000 1962 80000 - 90000 1963 90000 - L10000 1963	In Jan 1965, Fender was caused CBS Corporation. Although that is non directly attributable to the serial numbers. CBS continued to make the guitars using the bachelor, Community, parts, and the serial numbering system. The following table shows the serial numbers every bit they were used from 1965 to 1976. Hither as well there are a number of numbers and years that overlap. The serial numbers tin give a rough indication of the year of construction. An L followed by a number indicates a guitar from the early 1960s, while the big Fender F logo implies that the guitar was made afterwards beingness taken over by CBS, and so from the mid to belatedly 1960s.  Series NUMBERS Production YEAR L10000 - L20000(neckplate) 1963 L20000 - L59000(neckplate) 1964 L59000 - L90000(neckplate) 1965 100000 1965 100000 - 200000 1966 - 1967 200000 1968 200000 - 300000 1969 - 1970 300000 1971 - 1972 300000 - 500000 1973 400000 - 500000 1974 - 1975 500000 - 700000 1976
The following table shows the most common Fender serial numbers from 1976 to the present. Note the introduction of the letter prefix to the serial numbers. The South stands for the decade of the seventies, an attempt by CBS to identify serial numbers every year of product. The Due east stands for the decade of the eighties and was used for the first fourth dimension in 1979. But hither too there were a number of overlaps and the reference to the correct production date is sometimes vague.  SERIAL NUMBERS Product Yr 76 + v digits S6 + 5 digits 1976 S7 + 5 digits S8 + five digits 1977 S7 + 5 digits S8 + 5 digits S9 + five digits 1978 S9 + 5 digits E0 + 5 digits 1979 S9 + 5 digits E0 + 5 digits E1 + five digits 1980 S9 + 5 digits E0 + 5 digits E1 + v digits 1981	In 1982, the U.Due south. Vintage Series launched with the 5 every bit a prefix for the serial number.  Serial NUMBERS PRODUCTION Yr E1 + 5 digits E2 + 5 digits E3 + 5 digits Five + iv, v or vi digits (U.S. Vintage Series excluded '52 Telecasters) 1982 (For U.South. Vintage Series, check date on the cervix for specific year) E2 + five digits E3 + v digits V + 4, 5 or half dozen digits (U.Due south. Vintage Series excluded '52 Telecasters) 1983 (For U.S. Vintage Serial, check date on the neck for specific year) E3 + 5 digits E4 + v digits V + 4, 5 or 6 digits (U.S. Vintage Series excluded '52 Telecasters) 1984 (For U.S. Vintage Series, check engagement on the neck for specific year)
In March 1985, CBS Corporation Fender was sold to a group of individual investors led by William Schultz. The company was given the current proper noun; Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. The transition to the new owners cannot be deduced from the serial numbers, considering the numbering remained the same.  Series NUMBERS PRODUCTION YEAR E3 + 5 digits E4 + v digits Five + 4, 5 or vi digits (U.Southward. Vintage Serial excluded '52 Telecasters) 1985 (For U.Southward. Vintage Series, check appointment on the cervix for specific yr) 5 + iv, 5 or 6 digits (U.Due south. Vintage Series excluded '52 Telecasters) 1986 (For U.S. Vintage Series, check date on the neck for specific year) E4 + five digits V + four, 5 or 6 digits (U.South. Vintage Series excluded '52 Telecasters) 1987 (For U.S. Vintage Series, check engagement on the neck for specific yr) E4 + v digits E8 + v digits V + 4, 5 or 6 digits (U.S. Vintage Series excluded '52 Telecasters) 1988 (For U.S. Vintage Series, check date on the neck for specific year) E8 + 5 digits E9 + 5 digits V + 5 or 6 digits (U.Due south. Vintage Series excluded '52 Telecasters) 1989 (For U.S. Vintage Series, check engagement on the neck for specific yr) To date American Vintage Series with the prefix 'V' serial numbers correctly, the neck of the trunk must be unscrewed. The production date is stamped or written on the stop of the neck heel.	In 1990, the Northward came as prefix for the serial numbers, and stands for the nineties. The numbers and stickers were produced far in advance. Due to a factory mistake, N9 stickers (intended for employ in 1999) were affixed in 1990 to a number of instruments congenital in that year. As a consequence, y'all will come across a number of guitars congenital in 1990 with an N9 series number. The guitars from 1990 accept the serial number on the front of the headstock. Fender moved the series number to the back of the headstock in 1996.  Serial NUMBERS Product YEAR N9 + 5 digits N0 + 5 digits V + 5 or 6 digits (U.S. Vintage Series excluded '52 Telecasters) 1990 (For U.S. Vintage Series, bank check engagement on the neck for specific year) N1 + 5 or half dozen digits Five + v or half-dozen digits (U.S. Vintage Series excluded '52 Telecasters) 1991 N1 + 5 or vi digits N2 + v or half dozen digits V + 5 or 6 digits (U.Southward. Vintage Series excluded '52 Telecasters) 1992 N3 + v or half-dozen digits V + 5 or half dozen digits (U.S. Vintage Series excluded '52 Telecasters) 1993 V + v or 6 digits (U.S. Vintage Series excluded '52 Telecasters) 1994 N4 + 5 or 6 digits N5 + five or six digits V + 5 or half dozen digits (U.S. Vintage Series excluded '52 Telecasters) 1995 N6 + five or vi digits V + 5 or half-dozen digits (U.S. Vintage Series excluded '52 Telecasters) 1996 N6 + 6 or 6 digits N7 + 5 or 6 digits V + 5 or 6 digits (U.S. Vintage Series excluded '52 Telecasters) 1997 N8 + 5 or 6 digits V + 5 or half-dozen digits (American Vintage Series) 1998 N9 + 5 or 6 digits Five + five or 6 digits (U.Southward. Vintage Series excluded '52 Telecasters) 1999
The Z for the digits was added in 2000. A Z0 prefix dates from 2000, a Z1 from 2001, etc. The U.South. Palatial Series take the same standard merely with the addition of a D for the Z, e.grand. DZ1, DZ2 etc. But here too there are overlaps of numbers and years.	The following serial numbers are somewhat outside the familiar Fender numbering. If in doubt near an odd serial number, check the table below to see if you can find the letter number combination here.

PREFIX 10 OR US

At the cease of 2009 a new nine digit serial number format was introduced. This format is prefixed with the number 10 (which stands for the second decade of 2000) followed past vii digits.
In March 2010 this format was over again replaced by an viii digit with the prefix 2 messages. The ii letters indicate the production location, the first two numbers the production year. The last numbers are random and provide no further information.

JAPAN

Fender guitars produced in Nihon take the serial number on the back of the neck, near the attachment to the body.
In some reissue models it tin can be found on the headstock or the neck plate. The combination of the text "Made in Nippon" and the series number was used until 1997.

Fender increased its production in March, 1982 past having the Japan-based company Fuji Gen Gakki as well build instruments.
The MIJ (Made In Japan) guitars start with a letter or a few letters indicating the twelvemonth of industry. This is the same arrangement every bit the U.s.a. serial numbers, still these MIJ serial numbers are less reliable.
Because this letter system was used inaccurately, the dating of MIJ guitars is questionable.Because this letter of the alphabet system was applied inaccurately, the dating of MIJ guitars is doubtful.

In 1997 the sticker "Fabricated in Japan" was replace by "Crafted in Nihon". At that place are overlaps of "CIJ" (Crafted in Japan) with the "MIJ" models, so pay attending to whether the instrument is labeled "Made in Nihon" or "Crafted in Japan".

Series     Fabricated in Japan PRODUCTION YEAR

Serial     Crafted in Japan Product YEAR

Afterwards 2007, the marking was switched back to "Made in Japan". However, both stickers were used for a few years.
The series numbers have connected since this embrace in the aforementioned way equally with the "CIJ" system.

MEXICO

In the belatedly 1980s, Fender opened a factory in Ensenada, Mexico where the beginning instruments were produced in 1990. The serial number of the Made in Mexico (MIM) Fenders, starting with the letter of the alphabet M and can be found on the headstock. Some exceptions include special editions and signature models, and the American/Mexican-made California series whose serial numbers begin with AMXN. The MIM serial number system is quite uncomplicated. The Mexican Fenders fabricated in the 1990s take the serial number starting with MN followed by a number indicating the twelvemonth of the decade. The G stands for Mexico and the N for nineties. Guitars fabricated from the 2000s follow the same system, but start with MZ. The Z hither indicates the 2000 decade. And for the 2010s the prefix is MX1.

KOREA

There is very petty data virtually the Korean series number from 1988 to 1992. Numbers be both with and without letter of the alphabet prefix. In addition, the series numbers were used randomly during this period and correct dating is uncertain. There is likewise no much information about the serial numbers from 1993 to 1998. Some have letter of the alphabet prefix CN or CV. From 1997 onwards, serial numbers have the prefix KC followed past eight digits, the start two digits of which indicate the year of manufacture. KC stands for Korean Cor-Tek manufacturing plant.

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Fender Logo

If you lot cannot detect a serial number of the guitar (illegible, worn away), you can approximate the antiquity of a electrical or semi-acoustic guitar by means of the potentiometers. The code on potentiometers gives information well-nigh the manufacturer and the yr and calendar week when it was made.
See: Dating potentiometers

The used Fender logo can too be an indication of the catamenia in which the guitar was made. Whether information technology is an original model or a vintage (the sometime logos are used there as well) depends on your own assessment of the age of the guitar.

Fender has used 3 dissimilar logos for guitars. The original logo, also chosen "spaghetti logo", the transition logo and the CBS era logo. The spaghetti logo was used in the 1950s and is then named for its sparse silver letter with a thin black line. This logo was used in the mid-sixties.

At the stop of 1959 a new logo was designed past designer Robert Perine and Leo fender himself. The logo has bold golden messages with a thicker black border. The logo was afterward named transition logo, because it bridged the period between the thin spaghetti logo and the CBS era. The starting time guitar to be presented with this new logo was the Jazz Bass in 1960. All new models were given the new logo from that moment.

In 1967 after the takeover of Fender by CBS, the blueprint remained the same but the letters turned blackness with a gold-colored border.

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Dating Pickups Stratocaster, Telecaster and Precision

Another method of determining the guitar's year of manufacturing is to engagement the pickups. The date code consists of three, iv, 5 or 6 digits. (no letters) The offset or commencement two digits is the code of the Fender apply� who wound the gyre (winder). The adjacent digits are the calendar week and the year.

The pickups of Stratocasters, Telecasters and Precisions from the tardily 1960s to the early 1980s with a date code can be deciphered using the decoder. Because the pickups were fabricated before than the guitar, you have to add together about half a twelvemonth to it for the year of the guitar construction.

Some other style to determine the age of a Fender pickup is to measure its ohmic resistance (impedance). The impedance values are based on the average measured values of the pickups from the relevant year. The specifications in the table are courtesy of Seymour Duncan obtained from the data and measurements of numerous remanufactured pickups.

OHM YEAR WIRE OD INSULATION TURNS WINDING MAGN. POLE WINDING METHOD six.37k 1963 0.0028" Formvar 8319 TL/TG S Hand 6.33k 1960 0.0028" Formvar 8293 TL/TG South Manus 6.25k 1964 0.0027" Formvar/Enamel 7980 TL/TG South Hand half dozen.22k 1962 0.0028" Formvar 8220 TL/TG Southward Hand 6.20k 1958 0.0028" Formvar 8350 TL/TG Northward Manus 6.19k 1961 0.0029" Formvar 8119 TL/TG South Hand vi.02k 1957 0.0029" Formvar 8105 TL/TG Northward Hand v.98k 1956 0.0029" Formvar 8012 TL/GL North Paw 5.95k 1959 0.0030" Formvar 7925 TL/GL Northward Hand 5.89k 1955 0.0029" Formvar 7844 TL/GL North Hand v.88k 1967 0.0027" Plain Enamel 7656 TL/GL S Machine 5.80k 1965 0.0026" Plain Enamel 7626 TL/GL South Automobile 5.76k 1954 0.0030" Formvar 7956 TL/GL North Hand five.76k 1966 0.0026" Plain Enamek 7630 TL/GL Due south Machine

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Source: https://www.guitarinsite.nl/serienummers-fender_eng.php#:~:text=At%20the%20top%20of%20the,the%20heel%20of%20the%20neck.

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