What Year is My Fender?

Reading Fender Guitar Serial Numbers

So you have a vintage Fender guitar in your possession? Wonderful news: American-made Fender guitars from the 1950s through the 1970s are not only national treasures, they can sell for large sums of money due to high-demand by musicians and collectors alike. Here at Carter Vintage Guitars in Nashville, TN, Music City U.S.A., we have established a reputation for transparency and ultimately helping vintage Fender guitar owners sell their instruments for their maximum value; our consignment program is the most competitive in the industry!

Your first question is probably: What year is my Fender guitar? Most Fender guitar serial numbers are found on the metal plate screwed on the back of the guitar, some early Telecasters ones are on the bridge plate, and give an approximate time for when it was built. We here at Carter Vintage Guitars are experts in vintage Fender guitar authentication and offer hands-on and online vintage guitar appraisal packages. That being said, let’s go over the basics of dating a vintage Fender guitar with the following Fender serial number charts:

Bridgeplate Serial Numbers (4-5 Digits)

Broadcaseter, Esquire, and Telecaster

0001 – 1300: 1950 – 1952
1300 – 3000: 1951 – 1954
3000 – 5000s: 1952 – 1954

Precision Bass

100 – 600 = 1951 or 1952
0001 – 0900 = 1952 and 1953
0900 – 2000 = 1954

We love blackguards and early whiteguards and regularly sell them for between $30k and $100k! Contact us if you have one to sell!

Neckplate Serial Number (4-5 Digits)

0001 – 8000 = 1954
6000 – 10000 = 1955
9000 – 16000 = 1956
16000 – 25000 = 1957
25000 – 30000 = 1958
30000 – 40000 = 1959
40000 – 58000 = 1960
55000 – 72000 = 1961
72000 – 93000 = 1962
93000 – 99999 = 1963
L00001 – L20000 1963
L20000 – L55000 1964
L55000 – L99999 1965

Pre-CBS Fender Stratocaster and Telecasters regularly sell for more than $30k if in original condition. Some early examples, incredibly clean and/or custom colors can easily fetch double or triple that! Jazzmasters, Jaguars, and Basses from this time frame can also fetch upwards of $10k. Contact us if you would like to sell yours!

“F” Neckplate serial Number (6 digits)

100000 – 110000 1965
110000 – 200000 1966
180000 – 210000 1967
210000 – 250000 1968
250000 – 280000 1969
280000 – 300000 1970
300000 – 330000 1971
330000 – 370000 1972
370000 – 520000 1973
500000 – 580000 1974
580000 – 690000 1975
690000 – 750000 1976