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 →Built at Gibson's dedicated Memphis factory, which was opened specifically for semi-hollow and hollow-body guitars requiring specialized skills and tooling. The factory closed in 2019 as part of Gibson's post-bankruptcy restructuring.
Decode Gibson 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 →Built at Fender's Ensenada, Mexico facility — the world's highest-volume Fender factory. Mexican-made Fenders share many components and processes with their US-made siblings at a more accessible price point.
Decode Fender serial numbers →Indonesian Squiers, initially produced at Cort-Tek's Surabaya factory. Quality has improved substantially over the decades and these are now considered comparable to earlier Korean production.
Decode Squier serial numbers →Built in Gibson's own Qingdao, China factory — unlike most import guitars, Epiphones are not contracted out to third-party factories. A major quality upgrade in 2007 improved materials and construction significantly.
Decode Epiphone 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 →Built at FujiGen in Matsumoto, Nagano — Ibanez's top-tier production facility employing over 500 people. J.Custom models sit above Prestige as the pinnacle, with hand-selected tone woods and meticulous finishing.
Decode Ibanez serial numbers →Built at PRS's Stevensville, Maryland facility on Kent Island. A 90,000-square-foot expansion in 2008 significantly increased production capacity.
Decode PRS serial numbers →A PRS SE (Student Edition), originally made by World Musical Instrument Co. in Korea. Korean SE models are generally considered the most desirable of the import line.
Decode PRS serial numbers →Features Taylor's patented NT (New Technology) bolt-on neck, introduced in January 1999 — widely considered one of the most significant acoustic guitar design innovations of the 20th century, allowing precise neck angle resets without steam.
Decode Taylor serial numbers →Among the first instruments built at Taylor's Tecate, Mexico facility, which opened in 2000 initially just to build guitar cases before expanding to instrument production.
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 the Fender factory in Corona, California after Fender purchased Jackson in 2002. Custom Shop one-off builds and USA Select batch models are crafted alongside Fender Stratocasters by dedicated Jackson builders.
Decode Jackson serial numbers →An ESP Standard — the Japan-made professional series built at ESP's Tokyo facility. Positioned between the import LTD line and the hand-built ESP Originals, the Standard series was retired in 2014 and relaunched as E-II for export markets.
Decode ESP / LTD serial numbers →A Korean-built LTD. The 1000-series LTDs from Korea are widely regarded as the sweet spot for quality vs. price in the entire ESP lineup.
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 →A Korean Gretsch Electromatic. Early models were built by Peerless ("KP" prefix); production shifted to the SPG/Samick factory ("KS" prefix) around 2007. Peerless-built Electromatics have developed a strong collector following.
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 the World Musical Instrument (WMI) factory in Incheon, South Korea. The Diamond Series launched at the 1998 NAMM with six models, transforming Schecter from a boutique shop into an accessible brand. Jerry Horton of Papa Roach debuted the C-1 in the "Last Resort" video in 1999.
Decode Schecter 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 2005?
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