Date your instrument from its serial number.

• Martin1898–2025
• Taylor1993–present
• PRS1985–present
• Squier1982–2012
• FenderEarlier Fender serials can't be dated from the number alone.1976–present
• GibsonThe 1961–75 numbers repeat; the guide explains what separates them.1977–present

1. 01Paste the serial.Hyphens, spaces and lower case are fine. The serial becomes the page's address, so every answer has a link you can send.
2. 02Get the year, the factory and the era — with a confidence level.Three notches means a published table names the year. Two means we're confident but no table says so. One means more than one year fits — and we show you every one. None means the number alone can't date it.
3. 03See what the answer is based on.Every read names the format it matched and the date our tables were last checked. Read the methodology

When the answer is ambiguous, we say so — and show you how to narrow it.

• Where to find the serial numberEvery brand, and the places to look before you give up.
• How to read pot codesA date on the pot is not the date of the guitar. What it is good for.
• Why 1961–75 Gibson is chaosNumbers were reused, out of order, across factories. What still works.
• MIJ vs CIJMade in Japan, Crafted in Japan, and what the difference tells you.
• Fender through the decadesWhich serial scheme ran when, and where they overlap.