Built at Gibson's Bozeman, Montana acoustic factory. Master luthier Ren Ferguson, hired from Flatiron Mandolin, oversaw the design of some of the most elaborate flattops Gibson has ever produced.
Decode Gibson serial numbers →Fender Japan, built by FujiGen Gakki. The JV (Japanese Vintage) series (1982–1984) were painstaking recreations of pre-CBS Fenders, so good they embarrassed the US-made Fenders of the same era. Japanese Fenders from this period are now highly collectible.
Decode Fender serial numbers →Built at Fender's Corona, California facility. The Custom Shop was established here in 1987 by master builders John Page and Michael Stevens, and grew to include legendary builders Fred Stuart, J.W. Black, John Suhr, and Gene Baker.
Decode Fender serial numbers →Korean-era Squier, built by Samick and later Cort. The woodwork remained solid though electronics and hardware were cheaper than Japanese models. Korean serial numbers weren't consistently documented until mid-1993.
Decode Squier serial numbers →Korean Ibanez production across Cort, Samick, and World Musical Instruments factories. From 2009 onward, all Prestige production returned exclusively to Japan.
Decode Ibanez serial numbers →An early PRS from the original Annapolis shop. Guitars with serial numbers under 1,000 are highly collectible. Paul Reed Smith spent years hand-building guitars for Carlos Santana, Peter Frampton, and Al Di Meola before founding the company.
Decode PRS serial numbers →Taylor became one of the first acoustic guitar makers to embrace CNC manufacturing in 1989, establishing their reputation for exceptional neck consistency and setup quality.
Decode Taylor serial numbers →Built at Yamaha's Kaohsiung, Taiwan factory, which produced millions of acoustics over 35 years. These "Green Label" guitars were workhorses — affordable, consistent, and used by countless beginners and professionals. The factory closed in early 2007.
Decode Yamaha serial numbers →Built at Yamaha's Hamamatsu custom workshop, which has operated continuously since 1966. These are individually handmade by master luthiers — the same shop that produced the original Red Labels.
Decode Yamaha serial numbers →Built at Jackson's Ontario, California factory. Grover Jackson sold the brand to IMC in 1989 and departed by 1990. Guitars from 1986–1989 are "late Grover era" — still under the founder's direct supervision.
Decode Jackson serial numbers →The golden age of ESP custom instruments. George Lynch's Kamikaze (1985) was ESP's first signature model. James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett of Metallica became prominent endorsees, and ESP competed directly with Jackson for the thrash metal market.
Decode ESP / LTD serial numbers →Built at the Terada factory in Nagoya, Japan — a woodworking shop established in 1912. Terada-built Gretsch guitars are considered by many players to be the best since the 1950s/60s Brooklyn era.
Decode Gretsch serial numbers →Built at Rickenbacker's Santa Ana, California factory, where they've been for over 60 years. Rickenbacker has never outsourced production — every instrument is built by roughly 60 employees producing only 8,000–12,000 guitars per year.
Decode Rickenbacker serial numbers →Features the Hi-Gain pickup, introduced in 1969 to replace the Toaster with a hotter output suited to heavier rock. Vintage reissue models still use the original Toaster design.
Decode Rickenbacker serial numbers →Built at Guild's legendary Westerly, Rhode Island factory — widely considered their golden age. While competitors suffered quality dips in the '70s and '80s, Westerly production maintained consistently high standards for 35 years.
Decode Guild serial numbers →Handcrafted in San Luis Obispo, CA. Steve Morse's signature model launched in 1987 and has been in continuous production for nearly 40 years. Every Ernie Ball Music Man instrument is built by a small team of dedicated craftspeople.
Decode Music Man serial numbers →Is your guitar from 1989?
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