The following chart details the Fender serial number schemes used from 1950 to 1964. You will notice that there is quite a bit of overlap of numbers and years. The only way to try to narrow the date range of your specific instrument would be to remove the neck and check the butt end of the heel of the neck for a production date, which may be stamped or written there. (If you are not comfortable performing this operation, please use an experienced professional guitar tech in your area).

In January of 1965, Fender was sold to the CBS Corporation. The serial numbers do not immediately reflect the change, as CBS continued to make instruments using existing, tooling, parts, and serial number schemes. The following chart details the Fender serial number schemes used from 1965 to 1976. You will notice that there is quite a bit of overlap of both numbers and years.

The following charts detail the most common Fender serial number schemes used from 1976 to the present. You will notice that there is quite a bit of overlap of both numbers and years. The only way to try to narrow the date range of your specific instrument would be to remove the neck and check the butt end of the heel of the neck for a production date, which may be stamped or written there. (If you are not comfortable performing this operation, please use an experienced professional guitar tech in your area). Please note the introduction of the "S" prefix serial numbers. The "S", stood for decade of the 1970s, and began CBS' attempt to use serial numbers to identify the year of production for the piece. The "E", stood for the decade of the 1980s and was, as shown below, introduced in 1979. As you can see by the overlaps of numbers and years, the reference to the actual production date is rather loose.

Certain features, typical of Fender guitars, may help in assessing the vintage of particular instrument. They can contribute to substantiating the dating that may be derived from the serial number alone.

One particular problem with Fender instruments, is that their method of construction makes them easier to modify than guitars made by Gibson, Gretch or Martin for instance. Moreover, the spectacular progress made by Fender in re-creating certain vintage appointments can add to the difficulties confronting a budding guitar-cheologist. The Relic series introduced in 1995 is a case in point-and a reminder that there may be more to guitar identification than meets the eye.

Photos at right - from top to bottom 1951, 1953, 1965, 1969, 1972 explicitly, 1972 in coded form, 1988 and 1998

Fender instruments of various vintage are often dated at the bottom of the neck, where the neck meets the body. By loosening the screws securing the neck to the body, it is usually possible to see a date. Of course this is not the case on the few models built with a set neck since 1990.

The date if any, indicates when the neck was finished, rather than the date of when the guitar was completed. In fact, neck date do precede the final assembly by a few weeks, months or even years. It is nonetheless commonly used as the principle reference for dating a Fender because of its availability through the years.

• On the instruments from the early 1950's, the neck date is penciled in black below the truss-rod adjusting bolt. Sometimes it may be penciled in green(1950) and in red(1953/54). The early dates are very precise and indicate the month-day-year.
  For instance:
  
   
• 10-30-50 (October 30, 1950) on Broadcaster #0115
• 11-19-51 (November 19, 1951) on Precision Bass #0212
• 5-31-52 (May 31, 1952) on Telecaster #3151
• 4-23-53 (April 23, 1953) on ESquier #4551

Until 1955 the date is usually preceded by the initials of the person who shaped the neck, e.g. TG, DZ, XA, AG. The earliest ESquiers (one or two pickup variants) from 1950, as well as some Broadcasters, do not feature any neck date.

• At the end of 1953 the mention of the day was dropped from the penciled neck date, which then retained only the month and year. For Instance:
  
   
• 12-53 (December 1953) on Telecaster #2289
• 6-54 (June 1954) on Stratocaster #0080

Penciled neck date were consistently used until March 1962, except for about a year after spring 1959. Neck markings were then temporarily suspended after a customer complained about an obscene message. The dating process was resumed in 1960.

• In March 1962, Fender changed to a rubber stamped neck marking showing the month via its first three letters (JAN=January) and, as before, the year of production by its last two digits (62=1962). At first sight, the rubber stamped markings might suggest that the mention of the day of production was resumed in 1962. For instance:
• 1 DEC 62 B on Jaguar #94454
• 2 MAY 62 B on Stratocaster #80745

This is not the case as the numeral displayed before the month is actually a code specific to each Fender model. Given the constant expansion of the Fender range, such reference numbers were probably devised to facilitate production and storage. The main codes found on necks made between 1962 and 1973 are:

For the record, the letter found after the date is also a code used to indicate the neck width, for instance:

• A is narrow (1.500 inch)
• B is standard (1.625 inch)
• C is wide (1.750 inch)
• D is extra wide (1.875 inch)

In some specific cases, the six digit numbers from the F-series are a more reliable source of information than the neck markings. This holds true when attempting to date hybrid models like the Custom/Maverick or the Swinger/Musiclander marketed between mid-1969 and 1972. These models with alternative names were designed to use up excessive inventory and as such their neck dates may be totally misleading. For instance:

Swinger #271295 with a January 1967 neck date vs Swinger #271956 with a June 1969 neck date

On some late 1960's and early 1970's instruments, the neck displays a green ink-stamp featuring between seven and nine digits instead of the normal month/year date marking. The first and last digits seem to conform to the 1960's codes for the model and the neck width. For instance:

Further cross-checking suggests that the penultimate digits before the width code could refer to the month/year in numerical form. Thus, in the above examples, 99 would stand for September 1969 and 119 for November 1969. The middle three digits are more difficult to decipher as, prima facie, they do not fit a daily or weekly count.

In early 1973, the explicit dating of the neck was (temporarily) suspended and replaced by an entirely new eight-digit marking rubber-stamped in black, blue or red. For example:

The first group of four digits un mistakenly refers to the revised model codes introduced by Fender on the threshold of the 1970's. Thus, in the above examples, 0700 refers to the custom colored Musicmaster Bass; 0701 to a custom-colored Telecaster Custom with a rosewood board; 0902 to a standard finish Stratocaster with a maple neck. In other words the first pair of digits indicates the model basic code, while the second pair specifies the basic appointments in terms of finish, type of neck, tremolo, etc.

The main model codes (first two-digits) found in the 1970's are:

Given that product codes are shown in abbreviated form on the neck (i.e., four digits instead of six), some models may share the same four-digit reference. Thus 0100 may be found on a sunburst Jazzmaster (full code 11-0100) and a sunburst Precision Bass with a rosewood fretboard (full code 18-0100).
Likewise 0700 may be found on a sunburst Telecaster Custom with a rosewood fretboard (11-0700) and a Musicmaster Bass (18-0700).

The principle codes for the second pair of digits are:

* The second group of four digits has yet to be accurately deciphered -- or confirmed by Fender old-timers! The cross-checking of several neck codes and their most likely date of issue (within a 2-year range) suggest that the penultimate digit indicates the year of manufacture of the neck.

For example: 0700 4613 would belong to a Musimaster neck from 1971; 0701 3683 to a Telecaster Custom neck from 1978; 0902 2092 to a Stratocaster neck from 1979. This interpretation works for about 90% of the guitars, but as usual with Fenders, there are a few cases where serial numbers and the neck date seem to be two or even three years apart.

Having said that, some necks may come without any codes, while others, such as the Telecaster Deluxe introduced in 1973 read TEL-DELX.73.

By 1981 the eight-digit inventory code used during the 1970's was stopped and the explicit dating of the neck was reinstated. On standard models from the early 1980's, it is usually ink-stamped in black numerals with a month/day/year format on the heel, and often also on an inspection tag (sometimes without the day) glued on the underside of the neck. For instance:

By 1983 the format of the date marking was slightly changed and the month was shown with three letters instead of numerals. This is the main style in use today with black or red ink on the regular production models. For instance:

On vintage re-issues as well as on custom shop instruments, the date used to be penciled in rather than ink stamped. For instance:

During the 1990's however, Fender appears to have shifted to the more durable rubber-stamped dates, including its vintage re-issues, For example:

SEP 11 1998 on '62 Stratocaster #V111451

Body Date

From late 1950 until late 1963, Fender bodies were also fairly consistently dated, either in the neck pocket or in a pickup routing. On the Stratocaster the body date is frequently found in the vibrato cavity routed in the back. However, since the date was penciled on before the body was sprayed, it may not show on certain instruments because or their opaque finish.

The body date (if any) is penciled with numerals indicating the month/day/year until 1953, and thereafter only the month/year. For instance:

• 10/18/51 on Telecaster #1201 (neck date: 10/20/51)
• 3/5/53 on ESquier #3482 (neck date: 2/16/53)

After late 1953 the day was dropped from the body date as it was dropped from the neck date. For instance:

• 4/54 on Telecaster #4593 (neck date: 4/54)
• 10/63 on Stratocaster #L11081 (neck date: SEP 63)

Depending on the (original) popularity of the models and their finishes, neck and body dates may be identical or differ by a few months. When the dating of necks was suspended in spring 1959, body dates were maintained, and they can help in assessing the vintage of an instrument made duringthat period. For instance:

• 5/59 on Telecaster Custom #38820 (no neck date)
• 11/59 on Stratocaster #48373 (no neck date)

On instruments manufactured after 1963 a body date is no longer visible, regardless of the finish. One can only assume that the procedure was discontinued in the mid-60's. Coincidentally, 1964 is the year when date markings began to appear on the bottom plate of most pickups.

Body dates reappeared on the threshold of the 80's. At first they were either penciled or rubber-stamped on a paper label and glued inside the neck pocket. Unlike the dates from the 50's and early 60's, they refer to a post-finish quality check rather than the date when the raw body was shaped. For instance:

• 11 20 80 on Telecaster #S838365
• 11 16 81 on Stratocaster #S991370

In the above cases, the dilligent reader will notice that the dates are not in synch with the vintage suggested by the serial number. Perhaps this can be explained by the problems plaguing guitar production at the fullerton plant. The 1990's body dates are usually more in synch with the dating suggested by the serial number, or even with the neck marking. For instance:
SEP 09 1998 on Tele-Sonic #N8346433 (neck: SEP 16 1998)

Pickup Date

On the threshold of 1964 Fender began to use a date on the bottom plate of most of its pickups (among the exceptions were Telecaster guitars with their narrow neck pickup). These dates indicate when the pickup was completed or tested before storage, and not when the instrument was finished.

On guitars and bases made during the 1960's and 70's the following types of markings may be found:

• on the pickups with a bottom plate made of black fiber, the date is usually rubber-stamped with yellow ink (e.g. FEB 10 64)
• on the light gray bottom plates introduced in mid-1964, the date is usually penciled or hand-written in black with a thick grease pen or felt tip pen (e.g. 10-25-67)
• on the dark gray bottom plates introduced in the late 60's, the date in clear is replaced by a three to six-digit code, rubber-stamped in black or red, which can be deciphered to indicate the year. As a quick rule of thumb the last digit(s) refers to the year.

• JAN 11 64 (1964) on Stratocaster #L26531
• 10-6-65 (1965) on Jazzmaster #L90400
• 8-26-66 (1966) on Musicmaster #146956
• 11-6-67 (1967) on Bronco #210398
• 2-5-68 (1968) on Mustang Bass #210424
• 52 9 (1969) on Telecaster #395620
• 222 70 (1970) on Jazz Bass #279506
• 510 71 (1971) on Precision Bass #305881
• 17 51 72 (1972) on Stratocaster #382999
• 479 73 (1973) on Telecaster #395620
• 1405 74 (1974) on Stratocaster #528763
• 9 23 75 (1975) on Telecaster #585393
• 6 14 76 (1976) on Stratocaster #7668076
• 122 77 (1977) on Stratocaster #S771614
• 77 31 78 (1978) on Jazz Bass #S843968

On the threshold of the 1980's, Fender began to use one-piece moulded bobbins made of black plastic, which feature no markings other than the part reference number.

Pickup Harness Date

Besides the neck and body, early Fender electrics usually feature a third date penciled on a piece of masking tape located in the control cavity. From the year 1953 to 1955 the piece of tape also mentions the first name (Mary, Gloria, Virginia, etc.) of the woman who did the job. For instance:

• 8/25/41 on "No-Caster" #1924 (neck:8/23/51)
• Gloria 8/26/53 on Telecaster #3849 (neck:8/23/53)
• Virginia 10/28/54 on Stratocaster #0080 (neck:6-54)
• Mary 9/13/55 on Stratocaster #6883 (neck:9-55)

After 1955 this date usually disappeared, but it is certainly the most accessible date to log an early Fender electric precisely.

Pot Source Code

The potentiometers used on electrics usually use a date-coded reference stamped on the top or side of the shell. Depending on the period, this code features six or seven digits, reading CCCYWW or CCCYYWW, in which:

• CCC indicates the manufactures source code
• Y or YY shows the year of production of the potentiometer
• WW shows the week of production in the year (01 to 52)

For example a potentiometer ob ESquier #29643 (neck date: 9-58) is stamped with 3596 250K AUDIO 137825, in which 137825 indicates that this pot was made:

• by CTS Corporation (code=137) during the 25th week of 1958 (June 1958)

In theory the above number could also apply to a pot made in 1948, but 1940's pots are often not coded, or their code may be ink-stamped in blue or black rather than impressed into the shell. In any case, choosing a decade for six digit pot codes is a matter of judgement. This choice no longer exists with the seven-digit codes introduced in the early 1960's, where the year is shown with two digits. For example, a potentiometer on Telecaster #605659 (no neck date) is impressed with 015479 1MEG AUDIO 3047414, in which the latter reference indicates that this pot was made:

• by Stackpole Electronics (code=304) during the 14th week of 1974 (April 1974)

Provided the potentiometer is an original part and has not been replaced, the date implied by the source code indicates the earliest possible year when an instrument could have been made. Conversely, pots are often purchased in high volumes and it may take a few years to absorb a big order. For example, most of the Fender electrics from 1966 to 1969 feature pots made in 1966. The date suggested by the source core on the potentiometer may be useful primarily to support the dating of 1970's Fender electrics, and more generally of any instrument without a readily available neck or body date.
The pot source code also applies to the electric guitars made by Gibson and Gretch.