Note: The second half of the serial number will always be "-2002U" because the model was only produced in 2002 by Unsung, Korea. (For example, a guitar with serial number "0002-2002U" was the 2nd 50th Anniversary Les Paul Custom built in 2002 at the Unsung factory in Korea.) This format used exclusively by the Epiphone 50th Anniversary Les Paul Custom. 03-30-2018, 01:47 PM 3 Wildcat Join Date Feb 2010 Posts 969 Original Poster Originally Posted by LtKojak S stands for the Samick factory in Eumsong, South Korea. (For example, a guitar with serial number T41234 was made in 2004 at the Terada factory, production number one-thousand two-hundred and thirty-four) Anybody can help S stands for the Samick factory in Eumsong, South Korea.
Hand-made L Series and luxuriously ornate N Series models followed, and the brand. (For example, a guitar with serial number R03D0263 was made in April of 2003 at the Peerless Korea factory, production number two-hundred and sixty-three) The Complete Guide to Mastering Acoustic Guitar Styles Dave Hunter.
M = This will be a letter code corresponding to the month (A=January, B=February, etc.) Alongside Fender, Gibson, Martin and Rickenbacker, Gretsch was one of the original American guitar manufacturers. (For example: a guitar with serial number 8070659 was made in July of 1988 by Samick Corporation, production number six hundred and fifty-nine) Y(Y) = Last one or two numbers of the year of manufacture. The production number will most commonly be four characters, but can also be five. This format was most commonly used by the Samick Corporation. During the 1980s, it was the last number of the year of manufacture and during the 1990s, it was the last two numbers.
I = Indonesia (has appeared as the 5th digit on two authentic new models made in Indonesia) The factory number codes under this new system are as follows:ġ2 = DeaWon or Unsung (China, uncertainty remains as to which factory)Ģ0 = DaeWon or Unsung (China, uncertainty remains as to which factory) Under this new system, the first two numbers are the last two numbers of the year and the next two are the factory number. Sometime in 2008, Epiphone switched to a new system that eliminates the letter prefixes from the serial number. May have slipped through system or are 3rds) GG = (two identified, Epiphone says it has no record of using GG. The factory letter codes for this system are as follows:ī = Bohêmia Musico-Delicia (Czech Republic) This creates the format "FF-YY-MM-PPPP".įor example, a guitar with serial number EE08034219 would have been the 4,219th guitar made in March of 2008 at the Quingdao plant in China.
The 5th and 6th numbers designate the month, and the last digits designate the production number. The first 2 numbers designate the year the guitar was made. The one or two letters at the beginning of the serial number designate where the guitar was made. the serial number, since the Samick plant was pretty loose with the numbers throughout the production run. These are all of the factories known to have produced Epiphones: Korean Made Fender Strat Stratocaster guitars.