Serial Number Chart for Electric, Archtop, and Bass Guitars In the following charts, you can determine the year of manufacture for a Yamaha electric, archtop, or bass guitar. The first step is to find the serial number—a combination of letters and/or numbers— and the 'Made in. ' label (Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Korea, or China) on the.
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Yamaha FG Series - Nippon Gakki Resource
Yamaha Acoustic Guitar Serial Number Lookup. Here's an example from an old Yamaha of mine where 53 indicates 1978 being the 53rd year of Hirohito's reign.it's an. Find the current Blue Book value and worth of your new and used guitars, both acoustic, electric and amplifier. The number one source of guitar and amplifier pricing and information so you can find the price and value of your used guitars and amplifier. Use this site for a pricing guide and source of information on all guitars.
- This is the Yamaha VIN decoder. Every Yamaha car has a unique identifier code called a VIN. This number contains vital information about the car, such as its manufacturer, year of production, the plant it was produced in, type of engine, model and more.
- Faq.yamaha.com Support FAQs Search Result: Acoustic Guitars Serial Number Chart For Acoustic and Classical Guitars. Back to the list Go to Product Information. Serial number acoustic color corrected.jpg acoustic a2 color corrected.jpg acoustic a5 color corrected.jpg acoustic a9 color corrected.jpg acoustic a12 color corrected.jpg.
The Folk Guitar (FG) series made by Yamaha in the late 60s and 70s were extremely fine guitars modeled after Martin flatops. If you can get your hands on one of these, they are of very good value, especially the 'red labels' made in Nippon Gakki, Japan, prior to moving production to Tiawan. The tone of most of the ones I have played is exceptional for the dollar. Challenges can include finding ones with good necks (they were lightly built which probably accounts for the nice tone). Also, the frets are usually small and nut width a little narrower than modern day standards. In my quest for information, I had difficulty finding a good Yamaha resource, so I put this bit of information together focused on the FG Series that were made in the Nippon Gakki facilities.
zoogle-video#handleVimeoPostMessage'>REFERENCE AUDIO - YOUTUBE
Yamaha Guitar Serial Number Lookup 60 S
Stones in My Passway- 1969 Yamaha FG-150
Blind Willies Lament- 1969 Yamaha FG-230
Hochatown - 1970 Yamaha FG-75
FG SERIES MODEL GUIDE
Information gathered from the web:
Serial numbers on Yamaha guitars repeat every ten years due to the way they are formed.
The first letter indicates the last digit of the year of production. (Their numbering system began with “H” for 1.)
The second letter indicates the month.
The first two numbers indicate the day of the month.
The last three numbers represent order of production on the day the guitar was made.
Example: hm02316 = the 316th unit made on June 2 of 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991, or 2001.
| First Letter | Years |
| H | 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991, 2001 |
| I | 1962, 1972, 1982, 1992, 2002 |
| J | 1963, 1973, 1983, 1993, 2003 |
| K | 1964, 1974, 1984, 1994, 2004 |
| L | 1965, 1975, 1985, 1995, 2005 |
| M | 1966, 1976, 1986, 1996, 2006 |
| N | 1967, 1977, 1987, 1997, 2007 |
| O | 1968, 1978, 1988, 1998 |
| P | 1969, 1979, 1989, 1999 |
| Q | 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000 |
| Second Letter | Month |
| H | January |
| I | February |
| J | March |
| K | April |
| L | May |
| M | June |
| N | July |
| O | August |
| P | September |
| X | October |
| Y | November |
| Z | December |
A lot of people have written in to say, “Hey! My Yamaha serial number looks nothing like this!” To you folks, we offer the following: Several other serial number configurations used by Yamaha over the years. If you still can’t figure it out, please see Yamaha contact info at the bottom of this page.
Alternate serial number configurations for Yamaha Classical and Acoustic Guitars
Custom Shop, Made in Japan, 1966-1985:
001-1042 in sequence
Custom Shop, Made in Japan, 1986-1990:
Letter-####, like so: J7012.
The letter at the beginning represents the month, so J would be March (see chart above).
The number following the letter is the year, in this case 7 for 1987.
The last three numbers indicate unit number. 012=12th unit.
Custom Shop, Made in Japan, 1991-1996:
Letter-letter-###-letter, like so: HP213J.
Using the charts, we see that H=1991 and P=September. 213=unit number; and that last letter is an internal code.
Custom Shop, Made in Japan, 1997-2003:
Letter-letter-###, like so: NK333.
Using the chart, N=1997 and K=April. The three numbers are again, unit number. Unit number 333 in this case.
Custom Shop, Made in Japan, 2004-:
Letter-letter-letter-###-letter, like so: QLY111C.
Q=0 and L=5, so 2005. Y=November. 111 is the unit number; and the final letter is an internal code.
How To Know If Yamaha Guitar Is Original
Yamaha Music Craft, Made in Japan, 1997-1999:
Letter-letter-###-letter, like so: ON521J. (That first letter is an “oh” not a zero.)
The first letter is the year; O=1998. The second letter is the month; N=July. The three numbers are the unit number; this started over each month at 500, so unit number 21. The final letter is an internal code.
Yamaha Music Craft, Made in Japan, 1999:
Letter-letter-###, like so: PM222.
The first letter is the year; P=1999. Second letter is the month; M=June. The last three numbers are the unit number. During 1999, they starting the count each month at 200 rather than 500. (See previous entry for Yamaha Music Craft for more on the numbering.)
Yamaha Music Craft, Made in Japan, 2001-:
Letter-letter-letter-###-letter, like so: QIL123A.
The first two letters are the year; Q=0 and I=2, so 2002. The third letter is the month; L=May. The three numbers are the unit number; 123. The final letter is an internal code.
Tenryu/Wada Factory, Made in Japan, 1946-1968:
#####. 12233. Just five digit numbers in sequence. No year of manufacture can be determined.
Tenryu/Wada Factory, Made in Japan, 1969-1984:
######. Six numbers, like so: 710502.
The first two numbers are the year. In this case 1971. The second two numbers are the month; here, May. The final two numbers are the unit number.
Tenryu/Wada Factory, Made in Japan, 1985-1986:
######. Six numbers like so: 860021.
The first two numbers are the year; 1986. The last four numbers are the unit number; 21.
Kaohsiung Factory, Made in Taiwan, 1971-2001:
########. Eight numbers, like so: 10918111.
The first number is the year; 1971. The second and third numbers are the month; 09=September. The fourth and fifth numbers are the day; 18th. The final three numbers are the unit number; 111.
Kaohsiung Factory, Made in Taiwan, 2001-:
Letter-letter-letter-######. Three letters, six numbers, like so: QIM183112.
The first two letters are the year; Q=0 and I=2, so 2002. The third letter is the month. M=June. The first two numbers are the day; 18th. The final four numbers are the unit number; 3112.
YMMI (Yamaha Music Manufacturing Indonesia), Made in Indonesia, 1990-1996:
########. Eight numbers, like so: 20918022.
The first number is the year; 1992. The second and third numbers are the month; 09=September. The fourth and fifth numbers are the day; 18th. The last three numbers are the unit number; 22.
YMMI, Made in Indonesia, 1997-1999:
#########. Nine numbers, like so: 803180011.
The first number is the year; 1998. The second and third numbers are the month; March (03). The fourth and fifth numbers are the day; 18th. The last four numbers are the unit number; 11.
YMMI, Made in Indonesia, 2000-:
##########. Ten numbers, like so: 0002180013.
The first two numbers are the year; 00=2000. The third and fourth numbers are the month; 02=February. The fifth and sixth numbers are the day; 18th. The last four numbers are the unit number; 13.
YMMI, Made in Indonesia, 2001-:
Letter-letter-letter-######, like so: QIM180013.
The first two letters are the year; Q=0 and I=2, so 2002. The third letter is the month; June (see chart above.) The first and second numbers (following the 3 letters) are the day; 18th. The final four numbers are the unit number; 13.
Alternate serial number configurations for Yamaha Electric, Archtop, and Bass Guitars
Made in Japan, 1966-1984. For SG, SX, and BB series.
| Year | Serial Number Sequence |
| 1966 | 0398-3951 |
| 1967 | 3952-7433 |
| 1968 | 7434-10844 |
| 1969 | 10645-12331 |
| 1970 | 12332-13492 |
| 1971 | 13493-15121 |
| 1972 | 15122-18058 |
| 1973 | 18059-23745 |
| 1974 | 23746-36150 |
| 1975 | 36151-38104 |
| 1976 | 38105-39943 (SG-175, SX-125) 1001-1390 (SG1000) 1001-1126 (SG2000) |
| 1977 | 001391-002365 (SG1000) 001251-002610 (SG2000) 001001-001270 (BB1200) 001271-001320 (BB2000) |
| 1978 | 002366-003110 (SG1000) 002611-003760 (SG2000) 001321-002965 (BB1200) 002001-002380 (BB2000) |
| 1979 | 003111-004445 (SG1000) 003761-005088 (SG2000) 002966-004000 (BB1200) 002381-002920 (BB2000) |
| 1980 (through July) | 004446-005329 (SG1000) 005081-005375 (SG2000) |
| 1980 (through December) | 013001-024215 |
| 1981 | 025410-059618 |
| 1982 | 059620-096639 |
| 1983 | 096640-126845 |
| 1984 (through July) | 126846-146196 |
Made in Japan, 1984-1986:
Letter-letter-letter-letter-###. Four letters and a number, like so: LJQH013.
(See chart at the top of the page.) The first letter is the year; 1985. The second letter is the month; March. The third and fourth letters are the date; QH=01. The three numbers at the end are the unit number.
Made in Japan, 1984-1996:
Letter-letter-####. Two letters, four numbers, like so: MI0031.
The first number is the year; 1986. The second number is the month; February. The four numbers are the unit number; 31.
Made in Japan, 1986-1989:
#-letter-#####. 5I04013.
The first number is an internal code. The letter is the month; February (see chart). The next two numbers are the date; 4th. The last three numbers are the unit number; 13. There is no indication of year in this configuration–just “sometime between ’86 and ’89.
Made in Japan, 1995-1999:
######. Six numbers, like so: 610101.
The first number is the year; 1996. The next two numbers are the month; 10=October. The final three numbers are the unit number; 101.
Made in Japan, 1994-1997:
#-letter-letter-###. Like so: 7FM123.
The first number is the year; 1997. The letter (2nd position) is an internal code. The next letter (3rd position) is the month; in this case M=June (see chart.) The final three numbers are the unit number.
Made in Japan, 1997-:
#-letter-letter-####, like so: 8FJ0013.
The first number is the year; 1998. The letter (2nd position) is an internal code. the letter (3rd position) is the month; March (see chart.) The final four numbers are the unit number; 13.
Made in Japan, 1988:
Letter-letter-letter-letter-###, like so: SMQI123.
The first letter is an internal code. The second letter is the month; June. The third and fourth letters are the date; QI=02. So, June 2nd, 1988. The three numbers are the unit number; 123.
Made in Japan, 1989-2002:
Letter-letter-letter-letter-###, like so: SKJL321.
The first letter is an internal code (both I and S were used). The second letter is the month; K=April. The third letter is an internal code for Japan. The fourth letter is the year; L=1995. The three numbers at the end are the unit number.
Yamaha Recall Vin Lookup
Made in Japan, 2002-:
Letter-letter-letter-###-letter, like so: QJM111E.
The first and second letters are the year; QJ=03. The third letter is the month; M=June. The three numbers are the unit number; 111. The final letter is an internal code (could be E, F, I, or S.)
Yamaha Acoustic Serial Number Lookup
Made in Taiwan, 1984-2002:
Letter-letter-#####, like so: PH07123.
The first letter is the year; P=1999. The second letter is the month; H=January. The first two numbers (07 in this example) are the day; 7th. The final three numbers are the unit number; 123.
Made in Taiwan, 2002-:
Letter-letter-letter-######, like so: QJM120013.
The first two letters are the year; QJ=03. The third letter is the month; M=June. The two numbers that follow are the day; 12th. The final four numbers are the unit number; 0013 (13).
Made in Koreaand Made in China, 2003-:
Letter-letter-letter-####-letter, like so: QKJ0011Y.
The first two letters are the year; QK=04 (see chart.) The third letter is the month; J=March. The four numbers that follow are the unit number; (00)11. The last number is an internal code (could be D, R, U, or Y.)
Yamaha Bass Guitar Serial Number Lookup
Believe it or not, this list does not cover all possible serial numbers. Hopefully, this will help many of you! Again, if you’re still having trouble, please contact Yamaha directly as we have posted all the info we have. Thanks!
Yamaha Corporation of America
6600 Orangethorpe Ave.
Buena Park, CA 90620
(714) 522-9011
Yamaha Guitar Serial Number Lookup
Email Inquires:infostation@yamaha.com
Outside the USA, please visit the link below to find contact information by country.