Taylor Serial Number Formats
XXYYMMDDSSS (11 digits)(2000-present)Model code (2), year (2), month (2), day (2), and daily sequence (3). Gives you the exact date.
XXYYMMDDS (9 digits)(1993-2000)Older format with a single-digit sequence number.
Sequential (1-5 digits)(1974-1993)Early Taylors used simple sequential numbering.
Where to Find Your Taylor Serial Number
- ▶On the label inside the guitar (visible through the sound hole)
- ▶On the neck block inside the body
Tips
- ▶Taylor serial numbers give you the most precise date of any major brand — down to the exact day.
- ▶Bob Taylor co-founded the company in 1974 in Lemon Grove, CA before moving to El Cajon in 1992.
Spotting Counterfeit Taylor Guitars
Taylor counterfeits are less common than Gibson or Fender fakes but do exist, especially for popular models like the 214ce and 814ce. Taylor's unique construction makes fakes easier to spot.
Manufacturing Origin▼
- ▶Taylor guitars are only made in two locations: El Cajon, California (USA) and Tecate, Mexico. Any Taylor claiming to be made in China, Indonesia, or elsewhere is fake.
- ▶The label inside the guitar should say "El Cajon, California" or "Tecate, Mexico." Any other manufacturing location is a red flag.
NT Neck Joint▼
- ▶Taylor's patented NT (New Technology) neck joint uses a precision bolt-on system that's extremely difficult to replicate. The neck pocket should be tight with no visible gaps.
- ▶The neck angle is adjustable via shims at the factory. Fakes lack this precision engineering and often have neck angle issues.
Serial Number & Verification▼
- ▶Taylor serial numbers encode the exact date (year, month, day) and production sequence. Enter it above — if the decoded date doesn't make sense, it's likely fake.
- ▶Contact Taylor directly with the serial number for verification. Taylor's customer service will confirm whether a serial number is in their database.
- ▶Taylor maintains an excellent customer service reputation and actively helps buyers verify authenticity.
Build Quality▼
- ▶Taylor's finish quality is consistently excellent. Orange peel, runs, or uneven coating are not consistent with Taylor production.
- ▶Check the Expression System (ES) electronics — Taylors use proprietary pickup systems. Generic undersaddle pickups in a claimed Taylor are a giveaway.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I read a Taylor serial number?▼
For modern Taylors (11 digits): the first 2 digits are a model/line code, digits 3-4 are the year, digits 5-6 are the month, digits 7-8 are the day, and digits 9-11 are the daily production sequence. This gives you the exact date your guitar was made — for example, 21011130001 would be a 2021 guitar made on January 11.
Where are Taylor guitars made?▼
Taylor's flagship guitars are made in El Cajon, California. The Baby Taylor, GS Mini, and Academy series are made at Taylor's Tecate, Mexico facility. All factory and model information can be decoded from the serial number using the tool above.
What is the Taylor NT neck?▼
The NT (New Technology) neck is a bolt-on neck joint patented by Taylor in 1999. Unlike traditional dovetail mortise-and-tenon joints, the NT system allows precise adjustment of the neck angle without steam or major disassembly. This makes neck resets straightforward and ensures consistent neck geometry from the factory — it's widely considered one of the most important acoustic guitar design innovations in decades.
What is V-Class bracing?▼
V-Class bracing is a Taylor-proprietary internal bracing system developed by Master Guitar Designer Andy Powers and introduced in 2018. It replaces the 160-year-old X-bracing standard by using two stiff "V" shaped beams that run the length of the top. V-Class produces improved sustain, better intonation, and more even volume across the strings compared to traditional X-bracing.
Taylor Links & Resources
Taylor Gallery
More About Taylor
Taylor Guitars was founded in 1974 by Bob Taylor and Kurt Listug, who were 18 and 21 years old respectively, in a rented shop in Lemon Grove, California. They purchased the shop's tools and inventory from the retiring previous owner for $3,750 — an amount Listug's parents helped finance. The company moved to its current location in El Cajon, California in 1987 and has been headquartered there since.
Taylor's approach to acoustic guitar building has been consistently oriented toward engineering and innovation rather than tradition. The company pioneered the bolt-on neck for steel-string acoustics, enabling easier neck resets and more consistent neck angles. Their ES (Expression System) pickup technology, developed in-house, became one of the most widely respected acoustic-electric systems in the industry.
The V-Class bracing system, introduced in 2018, is Taylor's most significant acoustic design innovation. It replaced the traditional X-brace with a chevron pattern that improves the instrument's ability to hold intonation while also enhancing sustain. The system was universally praised and is now standard across the 800 and 900 series. Taylor's 11-character serial numbers — which encode the exact year, month, day, and production sequence — are among the most informative of any guitar manufacturer.