The Yamaha serial number is usually found on the headstock. On acoustic guitars, look for the serial number inside the sound hole.
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Yamaha Guitar Serial Number Decoder
Enter your guitar serial number in the decoder below and click the Check button. The decoder will show when and where the guitar was made.
Yamaha Serial Number Japan
Tenryu/Wada Factory Serials
From 1946 to 1968, Yamaha used a five-digit sequential serial number system. These numbers do not show the production year.
From 1969 to 1984, Yamaha used a six-digit system.
The first two digits is the year.
The next two digits show the month.
The last 2 digits are the guitar’s serial number.
From 1985 to 1986, Yamaha also used six-digit serial numbers, but the month was no longer included.
The first two digits show the year.
The last 4 digits are the serial number.
Custom Shop Serials
From 1966 to 1985, Yamaha Custom Shop guitars used sequential serial numbers from 001 to 1042. Because of this, the production year can only be estimated.
From 1986 to 1990, Yamaha used five-character serial numbers with one letter and four digits.
The first letter shows the year.
The next digit is the month.
The last 3 digits are the serial number.
Example: L8818.
This guitar was made in May 1988 and was the 18th guitar produced on that date. The letter L represents May in Yamaha’s coding system. See the chart below.
Yamaha Month Code Chart
| Month | Letter |
|---|---|
| January | H |
| February | I |
| March | J |
| April | K |
| May | L |
| June | M |
| July | N |
| August | O |
| September | P |
| October | X |
| November | Y |
| December | Z |
Yamaha Year Code Chart
| LETTER | YEAR |
|---|---|
| H | 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991, 2001, 2011, 2021 |
| I | 1962, 1972, 1982, 1992, 2002, 2012, 2022 |
| J | 1963, 1973, 1983, 1993, 2003, 2013, 2023 |
| K | 1964, 1974, 1984, 1994, 2004, 2014, 2024 |
| L | 1965, 1975, 1985, 1995, 2005, 2015, 2025 |
| M | 1966, 1976, 1986, 1996, 2006, 2016 |
| N | 1967, 1977, 1987, 1997, 2007, 2017 |
| O | 1968, 1978, 1988, 1998, 2008, 2018 |
| P | 1969, 1979, 1989, 1999, 2009, 2019 |
| Q | 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2020 |
From 1991 to 1996, Yamaha used a six-character system.
The first letter shows the year according to Yamaha’s coding system.
The second letter is the month.
The next three digits are the instrument’s serial number, starting with 701.
The last letter is the internal factory code.
From 1997 to 2003, Yamaha used a five-character system. It worked the same way as the previous six-character system, but the factory code at the end was removed and the unit numbers started with 001 instead of 701.
Since 2004, Yamaha has used a seven-character system.
The first two letters are the year.
The third letter shows the month.
The next 3 digits are the unit number.
The last letter is the internal factory code.
Example: QPM044C. This is guitar number 44, made in June 2009.
Yamaha Year Code Chart Since 2004
| Letter | Year |
|---|---|
| H | 1 |
| I | 2 |
| J | 3 |
| K | 4 |
| L | 5 |
| M | 6 |
| N | 7 |
| O | 8 |
| P | 9 |
| Q | 0 |
Music Craft Serials
From 1997 to 1999, Yamaha Music Craft instruments used the same serial number system as Custom Shop guitars from 1991 to 1996. The difference is that Music Craft serial numbers started with 501 instead of 701.
From 1999 to 2000, Yamaha used a five-character system.
The first letter shows the year.
The second letter is the month.
The last three digits are the serial number, always starting with 200.
Example: PL201. This was the first guitar made in May 1999.
Since 2001, Yamaha Music Craft has used a seven-character system.
The first two letters show the year.
The third letter is the month.
The next three digits are the serial number.
The last letter is the internal factory code.
Example: QPX021B. This is the 21st guitar made in October 2009.
Yamaha Serial Number Taiwan
From 1971 to 2001, Yamaha guitars made in Taiwan used an eight-digit serial number system.
The first digit is the year.
The second and third digits show the month.
The fourth and fifth digits are the day of the month.
The last 3 digits are the unit number.
Because the year is shown by only one digit, the same number repeats every decade. For example, a 7 could mean 1977, 1987, or 1997.
Example: 804228013. This serial number identifies the 13th guitar made on April 22 in 1978, 1988, or 1998.
At the end of 2001, Yamaha introduced a new system with three letters and six digits.
The first two letters show the year.
The third letter is the month.
The first two digits show the day of the month.
The last four digits are the unit number.
Yamaha Serial Number Indonesia
From 1990 to 1996, Yamaha’s YMMI factory in Indonesia used an eight-digit serial number.
The first digit shows the year.
The second and third digits are the month.
The fourth and fifth digits show the day of the month.
The last three digits are the unit number.
Example: 50109155. This is the 155th guitar made at the factory on January 9, 1995.
From 1997 to 1999, Yamaha used a nine-digit system. It worked the same way as the previous system, except that the serial number used four digits instead of three.
In 2000, Yamaha changed to a ten-digit system.
The first two digits are the year.
The third and fourth digits show the month.
The fifth and sixth digits show the day of the month.
The last four digits are the unit number.
Since 2001, Yamaha has used a nine-character system with 3 letters and 6 digits.
The first two letters show the year.
The third letter is the month.
The next two digits show the day of the month.
The last four digits are the production number.
Example: HPI170112. This is the 112th guitar made on February 17, 2019.