Just where are the serial numbers?
1950-1954 on the bridgeplate near the bridge.
1954 on the back tremolo plate of the earliest Stratocasters.
1954-1976 on upper edge of neckplate.
1959-1960 on lower edge of neckplate.
1976-current on peghead decal.
1982-current on backplate on reissue guitars.
Fender serial numbers are not strictly chronological. Dates do overlap, but they fall into roughly chronological groups. Neckplates and neck dates frequently are different.
| Esquire/Broadcaster/No-Caster/Telecaster | |
| Number on the bridge. Neck dates on Broadcasters. | |
| 33-860 | 1950-1952 |
| 0005-0746 | 1950-1952 |
| 0748-1331 | 1951-1952 |
| 1343-2885 | 1950-1954 |
| 2911-5368 | 1951-1954 |
| Stratocaster | |
| Under 6000 | 1954 |
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| General Range | |
| 0001-6000s | 1954 |
| 7000-8000s | 1955 |
| 01000s-08000s | 1954-1963 |
| 09000-16000s | 1956 |
| 17000-24000s | 1957 |
| 25000-33000s | 1958 |
| 34000-43000s | 1959 |
| 44000-58000s | 1960 |
| 59000-70000s | 1961 |
| 71000-93000s | 1962 |
| 94000-99000s | 1963 |
| L-Series | |
| L00001-L19000s | 1963 |
| L20000-L59000s | 1964 |
| L60000-L99000s | 1965 |
| F-Series F on Neckplate | |
| 100000-110000s | 1965 |
| 120000-170000s | 1966 |
| 180000-210000s | 1967 |
| 220000-251000s | 1968 |
| 252000-291000s | 1969 |
| 292000-298000s | 1970 |
| 299000-344000s | 1971 |
| 345000-370000s | 1972 |
| 380000-530000s | 1973 |
| 540000-590000s | 1974 |
| 600000-656000s | 1975 |
| 657000-660000s | 1976 |
| Number on Peghead Decal | |
| 760000s | 1976-1977 |
| 800000s | 1979-1981 |
| 1000000-8000000s | 1976-1981 |
| S100000-S600000s | 1979-1982 |
| S700000-S770000s | 1977 |
| S740000-S800000s | 1978 |
| S810000-S870000s | 1979 |
| S880000-S980000s | 1980 |
| S950000-S990000s | 1981 |
| E000000-E100000s | 1979-1982 |
| E110000-E120000s | 1980-1983 |
| E200000s | 1982 |
| E300000-E310000s | 1983 |
| E320000-E390000s | 1984-1985 |
| E400000s | 1984-1987 |
| E800000s | 1988-1989 |
| E900000s | 1989-1990 |
| N900000s | 1990 |
| N000000s | 1990 |
| N100000s | 1991 |
| N200000s | 1992 |
| N300000s | 1993 |
| N400000s | 1994 |
| N500000s | 1995 |
| N600000s | 1996 |
| N700000s | 1997 |
| N800000s | 1998 |
| Japanese Made | |
| These guitars are preceded with the following prefixes: JV, SQ, E, A, B, C, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P | |
| Mexican Made | |
| Prefix MN where N=the decade made | |
| Vintage Reissues | |
| Prefix V | 1982-current |
| There are other prefixes, so if yours doesn't appear above, see a reputable guitar dealer to help you determine the year it was made. | |
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