This serial number guide will help you to figure it all out.
Epiphone stamps a serial number on each guitar, after decoding it can tell you 82765501 means the instrument was produced on Oct. 3, 1985, in Nashville and was the 1st instrument stamped that day. These labels say "Union Made" in the lower left corner and are sometimes hand-stamped with "Made in Japan" at the bottom.
Epiphone stamps each guitar with a serial number, however, which when deciphered can tell a guitarist all he needs to know about the guitar. For Yamano Gakki Epiphone Japan semi acoustic models from 1987 to approximately 1997, the serial numbers are in a YCPPP format.They were made by Terada and usually have an Orange Epiphone label.
In 1960, Epiphone's production moved to the Gibson plant in Kalamazoo, Michigan. where and when it was built. It consists of a number of digits, often also in advance of one or two letters. Y = Year of manufacture Serial numbers starting with '311xxxx' on a golden sticker are 'refurbished' guitars sold by MIRC (Musical Instrument Reclamation Center), Electrics | Archtops | Acoustics | Basses | Bluegrass | Amplifiers | Promotional Guitars, F-Serial used on LP Std'59/'60 models and Tribute/Plus models, The Difference Between Zephyr, DeLuxe & Regent, There is no way to tell the year or the month it was made in the MIRC serial, Original serial numbers are usually defaced, Sometimes the word "2nd" is stamped on back of headstock, MIRC specs can often be different from stock specs.
e.g. Example: T101234 = Terada Japan / 2010 / unit 1234. Example: S3021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February / unit 1234
Where to find the serial number
The numbers appear as the 5th and sixth digits in the serial number. By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to our The Aria Epiphone Japan models that were made by Matsumoku from the early 1970s and ending before 1987 do not have a reliable serial numbering system but can be approximately dated using their Epiphone label colours.
With Semi-Hollow models on the label inside the top f-hole and with acoustic guitars on the label inside the sound hole. However, many serial numbers were duplicated during this period, making the exact production year difficult to trace.
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3042779, Example: 3021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February / unit 1234 These labels say "Made in Tawain" in the bottom right corner. MM= Month of manufacture 4. Wondering how old your Gibson or Epiphone guitar is? 1.
Example: F21234 = Fuji-gen Japan / 2002 / unit 1234
The Lincolnwood label was also used for the Tawainese "Epi" series acoustic guitars from 1979-1980.
Example: SI010212345 = Samick Indonesia / 2001 / February / unit 12345. Six digit serial numbers From 1961 to early 1970, Epiphone used 6-digit serial numbers in the Gibson serial number line. NOTE - Gibson USA goes to a 9 digit serial number in early July 2005.. When Epiphone launched the Electar line in 1935, they also began using a new system for serial numbers on their electric instruments.
When supplies ran out, these labels were replaced with a new batch that were printed "Made in Japan" in the lower right corner. granted to the Epiphone Banjo Corp. to continue to manufacture banjos, on a royalty basis, embodying the particular features of the William L. Lange patents that were claimed to have been infringed.
C = Model code Locate the serial number on the headstock of the guitar. 1947 to Present. For this reason, it is not so easy to know where each guitar comes from or when it is made. Example: 902123 = Fuji-Gen / 1999 / February / unit 123.
letter prefix. 'F' doesn't refer to 'Fine, Korea' - nor to 'Fuji-gen, Japan' - New "F" models are made in China. Example: 08121520333 = 2008 / December / factory 15 / unit 20333, NOTE: Pre 1994 productions also frequently omitted factory letter codes and appeared as all numbers.
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Example: SI01021234 = Samick Indonesia / 2001 / February / unit 1234 MM = Month of manufacture
Example: R01B0123 = Peerless Korea / 2001 / February / unit 0123.
This settlement terminates the pending suits which were to have been tried in the Federal Courts May 14, 1929" 1933-1940: Serial Number Range: 8500+
The serial number letters used by the Terada and Fuji-Gen guitar factories are: Example: J902123 = Terada / 1999 / February / unit 123
Y = Year of manufacture
From 1943 to 1947, the logo was a thick golden script, known as the banner logo.
This guide, republished courtesy of Gibson.com, provides information from … If you want to know the production year of your Epiphone guitar/mandolin, you can decipher it with the serial number decoder,
This page was last modified on 20 March 2019, at 011:06. Example: S93021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February / unit 1234 RRRR= Ranking number (may be more or less digits) Example: 3021234 = Samick Korea / 1993 / February / unit … They range from 001 in 1935, to 9999 in 1945. This newest serial number system used by Epiphone is not yet completely deciphered. Locate the serial number on the back of the guitar's headstock (the top of the neck where the strings are attached). Maybe you have a Gibson banjo, dobro, or a Goldtone amplifier you’re not sure about. NOTE: The factories identified by these codes are based on patterns which forum members have observed.
The block logo debuted after WWII and remains the face of the company. We use cookies to understand how you use our site, give you an awesome experience, and deliver our services.
Copyright 2020 Gibson Brands, Inc. All rights reserved. In 1957, Epiphone is sold to CMI, Gibson's parent company, for $20,000.00. PPP = Production number, Example: 34123 = 1993 / SHERATON / unit 123
Example: F902123 = Fuji-Gen / 1999 / February / unit 123 This serial number system doesn't exactly tell the year - and doesn't tell the month at all. The Yamano Gakki Epiphone Japan serial numbers from 1998 onwards are in a YMMPPP format. Epiphone Masterbuilt Banjo Serial Numbers. You’ll find them die stamped on the top rear of the peghead, and they are a sequence of between three and five numbers. Example: T902123 = Terada / 1999 / February / unit 123 The sixth number is now a batch number- batch 0 starts at the beginning of the day, and once we stamp 699, the batch number will change to 1. PPP = Production number.
Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Anastasios Stathopoulos born in 1863, was a Greek luthier who started a mandolin and violin company in 1873 in Pellana, Greece.
Privacy Policy | It is certain that the models with a 6 digit serial number starting with 0 were produced in 1967. Epiphone guitars come from different factories in different countries. Some of the interim blue lables had neither the "Union Made" nor "Made in Japan" markings on them. A full line of newly designed acoustic and electric guitars is launched in 1958.
F/FF= Factory code (No factory designator for some 1993 and earlier models) 2. Some models (LG-2, J-45, SJ, select L-50s) included an actual banner reading 'Only a Gibson Is Good Enough' in the middle of the headstock. or find it in explanation about the dating system below.
The early Japanese blue labels were left over from production at the Kalamazoo factory and were used on Japanese-made instruments until supplies ran out (approximately 1970-1971).
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For Epiphone serial numbers that begin with a letter(s), this list identifies the factory & country where produced: For some models starting in 2008, if serial begins with numbers.
Epiphone Acoustic Guitars – 1944 To 1950 Y/YY= Year of manufacture (Single digit for some 1997 and earlier models) 3.
The serial number will generally be nine to 10 digits long, with the first being a letter.
Example: 38123 = 1993 / ES-930J / unit 123.
Pre-1970 "Union Made" labels are distinguishable from labels used on Japanese intruments by the printed model name of the intrument only.
In 2008 models begin to appear without a factory i.d.