deadletteroffice Member. You can call Fender Custom Shop and give them the serial number. They will tell you what that serial number came from. You will at least then know if the guitar matches the plate.

Furthermore, do Fender custom shop guitars have serial numbers?

Custom Shop serial numbers (and AVRI serials) don't follow the same patterns as production models. You can't usually tell the year of a CS guitar by the serial. You usually would contact Fender Consumer Relations with the serial for info on what the guitar is.

Subsequently, question is, how do I know what Fender guitar I have? At the top of the neck plate, on the front or at the back of the headstock or on the cover plate of the vibrato (Stratocasters), or at the end of the heel of the neck.

Correspondingly, how do I find my Fender Custom Shop serial number?

Finding your serial number on your Fender should be very easy. They are almost always on either the top of the neck plate (the piece of metal on the back of the guitar near the neck), on the headstock (the top part of the guitar where the strings attach), or close to the body at the bottom of the neck.

How do you date a Fender custom shop guitar?

The only way to definitively date U.S. instruments with “V”-prefix serial numbers is to remove the neck and check the butt end of the neck heel for a production date, which may be stamped or written there. CBS sold Fender in March 1985.

Related Question Answers

How do you decode a fender serial number?

Four or five digit serial number on the neck plate with no letters, 1954 - 1963. Serial number on neckplate starts with an L, 1963 - 1965. Big F on the neckplate with a six digit serial, 1965 - 1976. Serial number starts with a letter followed by six or seven digits, 1976 - present.

How old is my Fender guitar?

In order to tell how old your Fender is you will have to find the identification number or neck number. The serial number location has changed a few times of the years. From 1950 to 1954 Fender guitar unique numbers were stamped in the bridge cavity cover plate.

How do you tell what year a guitar was made?

For US instruments, the serial number will start with a letter. That letter indicates the decade. The second character will usually be a number. That number indicates the specific year.

How do you read a Fender Squier serial number?

The serial number is on a sticker on the back of the neck, close to the attachment point with the body. Some more recent Squiers, including the Vintage Modified series (the serial numbers start here with SH), were in Introduced in 2007. The VM series has "Crafted in India" on the back of headstock.

Which Fender Strats are made in America?

Fender offer two Standard Strats - the MIM (Made in Mexico) or Standard Stratocaster, and MIA (Made in America) or American Standard Stratocaster. With a price difference of around $600 brand new, the MIM is seen as a way of getting Fender quality on a relatively small budget.

How do you read a Mexican Fender serial number?

A new serial-numbering scheme was adopted toward the end of 2009 using the number “10” as a prefix, followed by a space, followed by seven digits.

DATING YOUR MEXICAN-MADE FENDER INSTRUMENT.

SERIAL NUMBERS	PRODUCTION DATES
MN4 + 5 or 6 digits	1994-1995
MN5 + 5 or 6 digits	1995-1996
MN6 + 5 or 6 digits	1996-1997

Are Korean fenders any good?

Korean Strats aren't as good as MIA, but they're still pretty good. Just as good as MIM standard of the same spec. IMO, try before you buy. But, you won't be disappointed [unless it's a Squier, but they're not bad at all in the higher price ranges, or you get one from a dud factory].

How do I check my Fender Japan serial number?

If your serial number starts with “JD” followed by an eight-digit number, the first two digits designates the year of manufacture. However, there are some exceptions in this transition period in 2012.

DATING JAPANESE-MADE FENDER INSTRUMENTS.

SERIAL NUMBERS CIRCA
JV + 5 digits	1982-1984
V + 6 digits	1996-1997

Are Mexican Fenders good?

Even with that said, a Mexican Fender – although lacking some of the superior parts and more modification options of the American – is still a great instrument and an outstanding price with several musicians out there who actually swear by them over their pricier counterparts.

How do you find the serial number on a guitar?

You can look up a serial number either in Gruhn's Guide or run the number in the manufacturer's database. The serial number itself will give you date information and the database will have a description of the guitar so you can check the specs of the guitar in question.

How do I know what model my Stratocaster is?

Serial numbers tell you the year, month and factory. Other than a few exceptions to the system, they won't tell you the model. The easiest way is to post photos and the specification (as best you know it) here, and someone will probably recognise the model.

How can you tell a fake Telecaster?

It's hard to tell without more pictures but the "TELECASTER" font looks wrong, and as others have pointed out the headstock shape is wrong. It could be a fake, a partscaster or another brand of Tele copy with a fake decal on it.

Where is Fender serial number?

The serial number on most Fender guitars and basses is usually located on the back of the headstock or neckplate.

What is a Fender Special Run?

"FSR" stands for Fender Special Run. These products are specially commissioned by individual dealers and built to their specifications. As they aren't regular production models, FSR instruments and amps aren't generally available to every dealer, and Fender seldom provide specs or listings for them on its website.

How much is a Fender Stratocaster worth?

Of the eight models featured here, the Player Stratocaster is Fender's entry level Strat and can be had for under $700. The higher-priced models including the American Ultra HSS $1899 and the American Acoustasonic $1999 carry higher price tags but offer meticulous attention to accurate detail and premium appointments.

How do I register my Fender guitar?

Register your Fender: 3 quick steps

1. Sign up. Create your Fender profile to get started.
2. Register. Enter serial number or add your product manually.
3. You're in! Access your orders, gear, product info and offers.

Are Fender guitars made in China?

Yes. As mentioned, the new modern player series is made in China.

Where is the manufacture date on a serial number?

The first 2 digits are the year of manufacture, and the next 3 digits are the Julian date (day of the year). For the 2020 base station, the date code is listed under the serial number on the product item label. This is a four digit code.

When did CBS buy fender?

January 5, 1965

Where are Fender guitars made?

In addition to its Scottsdale headquarters, Fender has manufacturing facilities in Corona, California (US) and Ensenada, Baja California (Mexico).

How do you age a guitar neck?

The guitar body, neck and the headstock are easy to age. Manufacturers do it by enhancing the varnish's 'fraying', usually with a very fine grit sandpaper. It's simple, but you need patience.

How do you tell if a Telecaster is American made?

Generally the Mexican Teles have four screws holding the bridge to the body, Americans have three. The American neck will have rolled fretboard eges, while the Mexican will have a more square profile. Those two things are pretty obvious, and might help some.

How do you date a Fender Telecaster 52 Reissue?

The only way to date a 52 RI is to read the date in the neck pocket and on the neck. Serial # on the bridge plate do not really help.

How do you date a Fender Precision Bass?

Fender dating

The general rule of thumb is that a bass guitar is as old as its newest part, or at least its most recently dated part. So, if you have a Fender with a neck date of 1964 and the pots are dated 1965, then you have a 1965 Fender bass guitar.