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Epiphone serial number date decoder
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History in short. Epiphone was an independent brand from 1924 to 1957. Since May 10, 1957, Epiphone is part of Gibson and is going to make more and more Gibson models. At the beginning of 1970 the production under license from Gibson moved from the US to Japan. From 1983 there is also produced in Korea and then in 1995 also in Indonesia. In 2004, Gibson opened a factory in Qingdao, China for the production of Epiphone guitars. Although the vast production of Epiphone guitars takes place in these countries, some more exclusive models are still being made in the US. Serial numbers The stamped serial number can consist of a series of numbers, or letter(s) and numbers. Only numbers For an eleven digit serial number, the encoding is as follows: Example: 11051502060 The first two digits are the last 2 digits of the year. (11) The next two digits represent the month. (05) The 5th and 6th digit represent the factory code.. (15) (See list numbered factory codes) The last 5 digits form the series sequence number. Serial number 11051502060 is the 2060th guitar built in May 2011 at the Qingdao factory in China. (Since 2004 Epiphone guitars have been produced in China) Six digit serial numbers The first digit shows the last digit of the year. These are Solidbody guitars built from 1958 to 1960 by Epiphone/Gibson in Kalamazoo, USA. Seven digit serial numbers do not have a factory code, here is the first digit the last year of the decade. The 2nd and 3rd numbers represent the month. These were manufactured in Korea by Samick between 1984 and 1995. Eight and nine digit serial numbers without a factory code. These were used respectively from 1990 and 1988 and also manufactured by Samick in Korea. Letter(s) and numbers One letter five digits The letter indicates the factory code and the first digit is the last digit of the year (since 2002). The factory code can be an F or a T here. (See list Factory code letter) Example: Serial number T32222 is the 2222th guitar of 2003 built in the factory of Terada Gakki Seisakusyo, Japan. One letter six digits The letter indicates the factory code and the first and second digit are the last two digits of the year. Example: Serial number Z051234 is the 1234th guitar built in 2005 at the Zaozhuang Saehan factory in China. Two letters five digits The letters indicate the factory code and the first digit is the last digit of the year. Example: Serial number CI21234 is the 1234th guitar built in 2002 at the Cort, Indonesia factory. One letter seven digits The letter indicates the factory code and the first digit is the last digit of the year. The 3rd and 4th digits represent the month. The last 4 digits form the series sequence number. Because the year is only represented by 1 digit, guitars with this coding from the 80s, 90s or a decade of 2000. (depending on the factory code) Example: Serial number S6031234 is the 1234th guitar built in 1986, 1996 or 2006 at the Samick factory in Korea. Two letters six digits The letter indicates the factory code and the next two digits are the last two digits of the year. The second letter (third character) stands for the month. (A = January, B = February, etc.) The last 4 digits form the series sequence number Example: Serial number R04E0123 is the 123st guitar of May 2004, built in the Peerless factory, Korea. One letter eight digits The letter indicates the factory code, the next two digits are the last two digits of the year. The 3rd and 4th digits represent the month. The last 4 digits form the series sequence number. Example: C99040233 is the 233rd guitar of April 1999, built in the Cort factory, Korea. (This coding method was used until 2010) Two letters seven digits The letter indicates the factory code, the next two digits are the last two digits of the year. The second letter (third character) stands for the month. (A = January, B = February, etc.) The last 5 digits form the series sequence number. Example: S07C00122 is the 122th guitar of May 2004, built at the Samick factory in Korea. (This coding method was used until 2010) Two letters eight digits The 2 letters indicate the factory code, the next two digits are the last two digits of the year. The 5th and 6th figures represent the month. The last 4 digits form the series sequence number. Example: SI02060234 is the 234th guitar of June 2002, built at the Samick factory in Bogor, Indonesia. Two letter nine digits This coding is the same as the coding of Two letter eight digits with the difference that here is 5 digits for it sequence number are used Japan The acoustic guitars from Epiphone, which were manufactured by Matsumoku in Japan from 1970 to 1987, are not reliable serial numbering system, but can be approximately dated by color and inscription from the Epiphone label. Blue label 1970-1975 The first blue labels that were used were leftover labels from the Kalamazoo factory. In the bottom left corner of these labels is printed "Union Made" and stamped, "Made in Japan". Until supplies ran out, they were used from 1970 until the beginning of 1971. Some of these first labels do not include Made in Japan or Union Made. After supplies ran out, new blue labels were used where in the lower right corner "Made in Japan" is printed. Brown or white "Lincolnwood" label 1976-1979 The Lincolnwood label was also used for the acoustic guitars of the Taiwanese "Ep" series from 1979-1980. These labels in the bottom right corner say, 'Made in Taiwan'. From 1980 to 1987 a mottled label was used. China In 2004 Gibson opened a factory in Qingdao, China, which produces Epiphone guitars. No labels have been used here, but stickers with "Made in China" are glued to the neck of the guitars. |
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