We may also earn commissions on purchases from other retail websites. At the same time, the new shareholders decided to change some of their production methods which had a direct impact on their inventory. Beginning with 60000 in 1951, and ending with the last known New-York made model, the Epi Zephyr, number 69637. His work has appeared in various online publications. Breaking it down, this serial number would mean the guitar was made in FujiGen, Japan in August of 2005, and it was the 384th guitar made in that model. Epiphone stamps a serial number on each guitar, which after decryption can tell you where and when it was built. The new serials began at 50,000 in 1944 and ended at 59,999 in 1950. In 1969, a second purchase occurred. During each of these transitions, there were also changes made to how the instruments were labeled, which is part of the reason why the serial number identification process is so confusing. Similarly, the next two numbers in the serial represent the month in which the guitar was made. F/FF= Factory code (No factory designator for some 1993 and earlier models) 2. // Leaf Group Lifestyle, My Guitar Guide: Easy Epiphone Serial Numbers Guide. Anthony King is a freelance writer and amateur filmmaker. Most significantly, Epi died, and his widow gave up her shares which opened the door to a financial restructuring of the company. Many older models have a rich history, and better than that, they could be worth a lot of money. The serial number is 880509595 and it's located on a stick-on strip on the back of the headstock. With Semi-Hollow models on the label inside the top f-hole … epiphone les-paul. Serial numbersfrom 70' and 80's era Epiphone guitars made in Japan are not supported. Register your product to activate your Gibson warranty. Required fields are marked *. (Please note that the warranty does not cover instruments that have been purchased from an unauthorized dealer or have been purchased as used.) I assume you didn't bother to read it. If not, they, like the rest of us, refer to Gruhn’s Guide to Vintage Guitars to try to begin the process. For example, if the first five digits of your eight-digit serial number are 01545, then you know that the guitar was made on the 154th day of the year in 2005. During this time period, they ink stamped the digits on the back of the peghead and used the last number of the year as the first number in the serial sequence on their solid body models. Many '80s and early '90s serial numbers may follow a similar scheme, but may not include a factory ID code. Originally an independent brand, Epiphone was bought by Gibson Guitar in 1957. For an iPhone, click Phone Number under your device name or the device model to find the IMEI/MEID and ICCID. Y/YY= Year of manufacture (Single digit for some 1997 and earlier models) 3. Vintage numbers from 1932 to 1970 are supported. Serial numbers from 70' and 80's era Epiphone guitars made in Japan are not supported. In the first two years, 1932 and 1933, Epiphone die-stamped the serial number on the inside of the back of their instruments. For example, in 1958, the first digit in the serial number is 8. Simply, if the first two numbers are "08," the guitar was made in the year 2008. by Cynthia Swearingen | Sep 17, 2019 | Blog | 0 comments. This, in turn, affected the numbering scheme. There are many variations of serial numbers, and it can sometimes be difficult to decipher the code. These numbers represent the ranking of that guitar in the production process. Putting all of the information together, an example of a Epiphone serial number could be F0508384. There are entire books written on how to decipher your Epiphone serial number sequence, but here we will outline the basics of what you need to know based on year ranges that have commonalities. If the serial number were to end with the digits "5473," it means the guitar was the 5,473rd guitar of that model manufactured. Is anyone able to date my Epiphone Sheraton? The Epiphone serial number decoder currently supports 12 serial number formats from 25 factories. This letter represents in which country the guitar comes from, as well as the company who manufactured it. During that year, all started with the number zero, and by 1968 the companies were up to 999999. Beginning with A1000 in 1958, this series goes to A4999 in 1961. FYYMMRRRR F= Factory code (this can be 2 letters as well) YY= year of manufacture (this can also be just 1 digit for '90s models) MM= month of manufacture Notably, from 1966 to 1968, they made an adjustment to differentiate between the low and high-end models. A serial number not only confirms the authenticity of your guitar but can impact the value. If you look through the “F” hole on the bass side, you will see it positioned below the label. In this guide, we’ll give you the basics on how it works so that you can learn if you have a vintage gem that’s worth a fortune. Epiphone. Medioimages/Photodisc/Valueline/Getty Images, How to Date a Piece of Homer Laughlin China, How to Identify the Model of a Takamine Acoustic/Electric Guitar, Copyright 2020 Leaf Group Ltd. All Rights Reserved. RR = ranking number Epiphone Most regular production models since ca. On these models, you’ll locate the impressed serial number on the back side of the top of the peghead. This serial number guide will help you to figure it all out. For an iPad (cellular model), click Serial Number to find the CDN, IMEI/MEID, and ICCID.