If you want to know how old your Ibanez is or where it was made, start with the serial number. First, you need to understand what a serial number looks like and where it’s located.
What Does an Ibanez Serial Number Look Like?
Ibanez uses a variety of serial number formats. Guitars were produced by many companies in different countries (Japan, Korea, Indonesia, China), with different numbering schemes at each factory.
Typically, an Ibanez guitar’s serial number is a combination of letters and numbers.
For example: F0414210
But in some cases, the serial number may consist solely of numbers.
For example: 8071234
Where To Find Your Ibanez Serial Number ?
If you’re looking for the serial number on an electric guitar, here are a few places it might be found:
- Printed on a sticker on the back of the headstock;
- Stamped on the headstock itself;
- Stamped on the metal cover plate between the neck and the body.
If you need the serial number on an acoustic guitar, look in the following places:
- Stamped or written on a label inside the hollow body;
- Stamped on the neck block inside the guitar.
Ibanez Serial Number Decoder
If you’ve managed to find the serial number on your guitar, the next step is identification. First, try checking it with a serial number decoder.
The Ibanez Serial Number Decoder is a tool that allows you to quickly identify the year and manufacturer of your guitar.
If you can’t find the information you need through the decoder or have any doubts, try searching manually, using the guide and charts.
How to Identify the Year and Country by Ibanez Serial Number?
Ibanez began using serial numbers on its guitars in September 1975.
As mentioned above, Ibanez doesn’t have a single serial number format. Ibanez instruments were manufactured in various countries, including Japan, Korea, Indonesia, and China. Each factory in each of these countries used different numbering schemes.
There are several commonly used serial number formats. We’ll cover these first. Then we’ll look at the rarer and more special schemes.
1 Letter + 6 Digits Serial Number Format
This format was widely used in Japan and Korea.
Depending on the period, the letter may indicate either the production month or the factory.
| First Letter | What the Letter Means | Country | Year Identification | Year range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-L | Month code (A=Jan … L=Dec) | Japan | Digits 1-2 = year | 1975-1986 |
| F, I, H, T | Factory code | Japan | Digit 1 = last digit of year | 1987-1996 |
| A, C, P, Y | Factory code | Korea | Digit 1 = last digit of year | 1987-1995 |
| T only | Terada factory | Japan | Digits 1-2 = year | 1998-2022 |
How to use the table?
Example 1
Serial: G770544
- First letter = G
- G is between A-L
- Letter = month code
- Digits 77 = 1977
Country: Japan
Year: 1977
Example 2
Serial: F529157
- First letter = F
- F = Japanese factory code
- First digit = 5
Country: Japan
Year: 1995 (because this system was used only 1987-1996)
Example 3
Serial: P315821
- First letter = P
- P = Korean factory
- First digit = 3
Country: Korea
Year: 1993
Example 4
Serial: T990544
- First letter = T
- Two digits 99 clearly indicate the year
Country: Japan
Year: 1999
Month Identification (Japan 1975-1986)
Early Japanese Ibanez serials encoded the month directly in the letter, making them among the easiest to date accurately.
| Letter | Month |
|---|---|
| A | January |
| B | February |
| C | March |
| D | April |
| E | May |
| F | June |
| G | July |
| H | August |
| I | September |
| J | October |
| K | November |
| L | December |
Important notes
- If the letter is A-L – this is ALWAYS Japan (1975-1986)
- If the letter identifies a factory, the year digit is interpreted only within the known production range
1 Letter + 7 Digits Serial Number
(Japan & Korea, late 1980s-2000s)
In this format, the letter usually identifies the factory, while the digits encode year and production sequence.
| First Letter | Country | Factory | Year Logic | Year Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | Japan | FujiGen | First 2 digits = year | 1997-2025 |
| E | Korea | Sung-Eum | First digit = year, next two = month | 1987-1995 |
| S | Korea | Samick | First digit = year, next two = month | 1990-1995 |
How to Read the Year?
Japan (F + 7 digits)
Digits 1-2 = production year
Example: 04 – 2004
Korea (E / S + 7 digits)
Digit 1 = last digit of the year
Digits 2-3 = month
The decade is defined by the known production period
Example 1
Serial: F0414210
- F = FujiGen (Japan)
- 04 = 2004
Country: Japan
Year: 2004
Example 2
Serial: E1020456
- E = Sung-Eum (Korea)
- 1 = 1991
- 02 = February
Country: Korea
Year: 1991
Important Notes
- Japanese serials after November 2004 use the model year, not necessarily the exact build year
- Korean serials in this format are generally very reliable for exact dating
Japanese Production Month Chart (1987-2004)
Used mainly for FujiGen-made guitars to determine the manufacturing month from the production number.
| Production Number Range | Month |
|---|---|
| 00001-05000 | January |
| 05001-10000 | February |
| 10001-15000 | March |
| 15001-20000 | April |
| 20001-25000 | May |
| 25001-30000 | June |
| 30001-35000 | July |
| 35001-40000 | August |
| 40001-45000 | September |
| 45001-50000 | October |
| 50001-55000 | November |
| 55001-60000 | December |
Important note:
This system was used mainly for warranty tracking. In practice, it may not have been applied consistently.
1 Letter + 8-9 Digits Serial Number
(Common for China & Indonesia)
These serials usually encode year, month, and production sequence very clearly.
| Serial Format | Example | Country | Year Range | How to Read the Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Letter + 9 digits | K160600221 | Indonesia | 2001-2022 | First two digits = year |
| Letter + Letter + 9 digits | PR051112345 | Indonesia | 2004-2007 | First two digits = year |
| S + 8 digits | S05030941 | China | 2002-2022 | First two digits = year |
| A + 8 digits | A15060177 | China | 2005-2022 | First two digits = year |
| J + 9 digits | J111214321 | China | 2004-2012 | First two digits = year |
| GS + 9 digits | GS090301145 | China | 2007-2022 | First two digits = year |
| Prefix | Country | Factory |
|---|---|---|
| I, K, J | Indonesia | Cor-Tek / Kwo Hsiao / Sejung |
| S, A, J | China | Sejung/Unknown |
| GS, SS | China | Unknown (often GIO) |
How to Read the Year and Month?
- Digits 1-2 = year
- Digits 3-4 = month
This logic applies consistently across Chinese and Indonesian serials.
Example 1
Serial: K160600221
- K = Indonesia (Kwo Hsiao)
- 16 = 2016
- 06 = June
Country: Indonesia
Year: 2016
Example 2
Serial: GS090301145
- GS = China
- 09 = 2009
- 03 = March
Country: China
Year: 2009
Important Notes
- Factory codes are not always documented
- Dating accuracy is generally high
Digits Only Serial Number (7-10 Digits)
(Mostly Korea, late 1990s-2000s)
These serial numbers do not include factory letters, so dating relies entirely on numeric patterns. These serials were used almost exclusively in Korea, mainly by Cort.
| Digits | Example | Country | Year Range | How to Read the Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 digits | 8071234 | Korea | 1997-2008 | First digit = year |
| 8 digits | 99004321 | Korea | 1997-2008 | First two digits = year |
| 10 digits | 0112004524 | Korea | 1997-2008 | First two digits = year |
How to Read the Year?
- 7 digits – decade ambiguity possible
- 8-10 digits – year usually clear
Example 1
Serial: 8071234
- 8 = 1998 or 2008
Country: Korea
Year: 1998 or 2008
Example 2
Serial: 0112004524
- 01 = 2001
- 12 = December
Country: Korea
Year: 2001
Important Notes
- These serials never indicate Japan
- If the year digit is 7 or 8, the guitar may be from 1997/1998 or 2007/2008.
- Context (model, hardware, logo) is required for accurate dating.
Serial Number with Letter in the Middle or at the End
Used primarily for Indonesian Premium models.
| Serial Format | Example | Country | Year Range | How to Read the Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 digits + Letter | 10701B | Indonesia | 2010-2011 | Letter = year |
| Letter + 4 digits + Letter | J0321D | Indonesia | 2011-2015 | Last letter = year |
How to Read the Year?
- A = 2010
- B = 2011
- C = 2012
- D = 2013
- E = 2014
- F = 2015
Example 1
Serial: 10701B
- B = 2011
Country: Indonesia
Year: 2011
Example 2
Serial: J0321D
- D = 2013
Country: Indonesia
Year: 2013
Note:
These serials do not encode the factory and are mostly linked to Ibanez Premium models.
Rare & Unclear Serial Numbers
| Format | Example | Country | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Z + digits | Z190234 | China | Yeou Chern factory |
| 4L + digits | 4L080500889 | China | Factory unknown |
| KR + 9 digits | KR050602345 | Korea | Factory unknown |
| Handwritten | – | Korea | Artstar models |
Final Notes
- Some Ibanez serial systems overlap and conflict
- Month tables were often designed for internal tracking
- When in doubt, model features and hardware help confirm the year