Here's a SIMPLIFIED guide to Fender serial numbers. It comes from a concerted compilation of bits of the "Guitar Identification" book by Andre Duchossoir (£4.95 from Chandler Guitars in Richmond, Surrey), the Fender section of our Guitar Guru's archive, and the exhaustive lists of USA Fender fanatic James Werner. As Andre writes in his handy paperback, "Most Fender serial numbers do not progress in chronological order." So please bear with the overlaps evident in this exclusive Making Music chart, and be prepared for EXCEPTIONS.

In fact, the only CERTAIN way to date a Fender is (wait for it) to unscrew the neck. On the end that fits into the body you may well find a pencilled or stamped date (though, as ever, there are exceptions, mainly in the 1970s when a code was used rather than an actual date). A neck date is dead accurate but of course dead bloody fiddly to uncover. So, back to the easily VISIBLE numbers...

NECK-PLATE NUMBERS (stamped into plain plate on back of neck/body join)

four digits... pre 1956
four/five digits up to 10000... pre 1955
10000 to 19999... 1955-57
20000 to 29999... 1957-58
30000 to 39999... 1958-59
40000 to 49999... 1959-60
50000 to 69999... 1959-61
70000 to 79999... 1961-62
80000 to 99999... 1962-63
L00001 to L19999... 1962-63
L20000 to L29999... 1963-64
L30000 to L49999... 1964
L50000 to L99999... 1964-65

"F" NECK-PLATE NUMBERS (stamped into plate as above; plate now has large Fender "F" stamped in centre)

100000 to 199999... 1965-67
200000 to 299999... 1966-71
300000 to 399999... 1970-73
400000 to 499999... 1973-74
500000 to 599999... 1974-75
600000 to 699999... 1974-76
700000 to 799999... 1976

HEADSTOCK NUMBERS (printed directly below "Fender" on headstock)

76+ five digits... 1976-77
S6/S7/S8+five digits... 1977-78
S9+five digits... 1978-81

In 1980 an "E" prefix was introduced, sometimes with a second letter (eg EA+five digits), sometimes just E+six digits. The most recent one we've heard of is a 1987 model with E5+five digits, but to confuse matters we've heard of E9+five digits on a 1981 model. We've also seen F and G prefix serials. See what we mean? The main thing to note is that these all denote 1980s models.

VINTAGE RE-ISSUE NUMBERS (on neck plate)

V+five or six digits... 1981-date

JAPANESE NUMBERS (Fender Japan and Squier models, on headstock)

Various letter(s)-and-digits serials used since Japanese operation started in 1982. Prefixes include JV, SQ, AO, SP, SQ, ES, and E. Fender UK describe Fender Japan numbering as "haphazard and random". Making Music says, "You mean the US numbers are clear and ordered?"