So I bought this super sweet Fender Precision bass off of a friend of a friend this weekend. He didn't know much about it, and I'm trying to figure out exactly how old this thing is (everyone who's looked at it said probably 70's). How can I use the serial number to find out the year?

thanks.

contact the company

isn't that what serial numbers are for? keeping track?

last 2 numbers in the code should be the year, i.e 1234567 its a 67

Whats the serial number?

I have to do this shit at work all the time...

i'm at work right now. i'll get it to you tonight.

SACAPAPADOO said:

Be careful when ordering an instrument using the two digit system, though. I say this having recently become the owner of a steam-powered 1867 Whigenbocker bass.

ah point well taken

ShadowSD said:

there should be a site that you can go to.
most guitar companies have them

Supply a picture.

Specifically of the headstock logo, controll cavity (if any), and the heel.

Many maufacturers from that time era didn't have an archivable serial number system, so it's very possible that it's just a number. At the very least I will be able to find out what factory made it.

the_reverend said:

Practically never have serial number info though.

You can usually email a company and expect a response in 2-4 MONTHS.


I'd say the BEST bet is to find a forum dedicated to that company. Most people there will be historians on the company and will be able to tell you everything.

396981

i say 1981

could be any number of things. pictures would help.

alot of times companies go year/month/number made

other companies go by term/factory/year

i did some research and the year i came up with was 73. I just took it to a shop to get some work done on it and they said it could be even older.

THATS A LOT OF NUTS!

but seriously... damn, thats old.

xmikex said:

it is even older. fender serial numbers from the seventies on have a letter at the beginning the serial. yours as far as i can tell is 1970 or before.


you might be able to date it better if you:

#1 look under the pickguard
#2 seperate the neck from the body and look in the neck joint

it's in the shop right now getting some work done but once i get it back i'll post some pics and let the RTTP historical society here take a crack at it. haha

thanks

xmikex said:

1881 dude, I'm telling you...

I'll offer you twelve shillings for it.

Fender serial #s DO NOT use the last 2 digits for the date. For an older one, I'm not sure, but looking under the pickguard MIGHT have the date(my 78 telecaster has it on the end of the neck under the pickguard. At some point, I believe around 76-77, they adopted the system that they still use(for American made models). It is a letter followed by a series of numbers. The letter tells you the decade, S=70s, E= 80s, N= 90s, Z= 2000s. For example, I've got a Strat right here next to me, serial # N8960183. It's a 98. If your bass doesn't have a letter at the beginning, it's older than mid 70s. My 78 tele has S8#####... but the ones from a few years earlier don't have the letter and I'm not sure how to tell the date by the serial #.

usually in the neck mocket, or under the picguard wil be 'date of completion' or the innitials/name of the luthier who completed it.


used the last two numbers of the year in the serrial is a very recent prctice, I don't know why everyone thinks it's a given.

niccolai said:

when did they start with that? to this day fender still does the 'letter plus number' technique on all their serial numbers to date them.

ShadowSD said:

Francis Scott Key wrote the star spangled banner on it. I'll sell it to you for $14 Confederate dollars.

blue said:

What I meant is companies in general haven't been doing the 'last two numbers are the year of production' thing. With the Exception of BCrich, they've been doing it since the seventies. I have no idea how fender's sn system is, I try and avoid fenders.

mij, vj cj any J in the # will mean it was made or crafted in japan. the last 2 digits dont mean anything anymore. and a M in the # coming first means mexican made

fender didnt incorporate that until the 80's... not posi, but pretty?

http://www.guitardaterproject.org/fender.aspx

http://www.fender.com/support/usa_instruments.php