Looking to figure out when your Fender guitar or bass was built? Check out our guide complete with serial numbers for. The serial number alone in any of these. A Note on Hamer Serial Numbers. In 1974 Hamer used a four digit number stamped into the wood starting with guitar #0000 and, until the launch of the Sunburst, this system was used on all guitars.

1. Squier Guitar Serial Number Lookup

Some of the earliest ones actually popped up in late 1962 as well. 0L00001 to L L20000 to L L59000 to L F Series - CBS Era 1965 - 1976 After the CBS purchase of Fender in 1965, the factory switched to a new serial sequence with numbers that continued the same general format used prior to the takeover. These are generally referred to as F series due the large Fender branded F on the neckplates of the era. This period also saw a switch from the orginal four-bolt neckplate of the '60s to a three-bolt neckplate in just one example of cost-saving costs introduced under CBS. 100000 to 110000 late 1965 110000 to 2 200000 to 2 210000 to 2 250000 to 2 280000 to 3 300000 to 3 340000 to 3 370000 to 5 500000 to 5 580000 to 6 690000 to 7 Post 1976 Starting in 1976, Fender transitioned to a new serial number scheme and moved the placement of most serial numbers to the headstock of the instrument.

Also, thanks to Jol Dantzig for helping to paint the “big picture.” Custom-made Firebird made for Scotti Hill of Skid Row. Photo: Peter A.

For additional information on Hamer Guitars. You can e-mail or phone 860-509-8888 [] [] [] [][] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] [] Contact. P.O.Box 35677-I Las Vegas, Nv. 702-878-4948 fax 702-878-4959 or e-mail.

It gave me a warm glow to read! The others in the roundup included some much more recognised brands and corresponding higher priced guitars that were less impressive. Over the last 5 years or so the UK guitar press (that I've seen) has given Hamer instruments accross the boars fab reviews irrespective of the country of manufacture, and nicely in context with their competition. So about that neck profile.!

The Standard lasted only through ’97 and the move, when it became part of the Import series. Relocation In ’97, Kaman/Ovation found itself with excess capacity in its New Hartford, Connecticut, factory and operating a second (Hamer) factory in suburban Chicago. This did not really make good business sense.

IIRC, the 'XT Series' are not Korean, but of Chinese/Indonesian origin. I was told directly from the guy who handled Hamer's import line that the serial numbers assigned have nothing at all to do with the year, and that was not a reliable way to date your guitar. The numbers have more to do with batch and location codes than production year. The import numbering scheme is not at all like the USA progression. I have an XT that was built in Indonesia- never saw one from Korea.

There is nothing wrong with the imports. I'm just trying to save you the trouble of buying an import, upgrading it with parts that you can never recoup the cost on, deciding it still isn't like the USA models, taking a huge hit on resale on the import and purchasing a used USA model.

As with the Gibson, this was a limited edition guitar. Artist – 25th Anniversary In ’99, Hamer continued its juggernaut with the introduction of a flurry of new semi-hollow Artist models in celebration of the company’s 25th anniversary. Actually, this is misleading because, as we’ve documented, the company really began in ’73 and kind of evolved into existence over the next couple of years. However, ’74 was the year the first Standard (Explorer) appeared, so that is apparently the marker being used.

Over the past twenty-two years. Obviously Hamer also makes many one-of-a-kind custom instruments and the hardware and style of 'production' instruments may be different on Special Order instruments. It also does not include specially ordered very limited production instruments that were not generally available. Therefore the list is not exhaustive. The dates are also approximate and several models do not appear in catalogues. It should be remembered that Hamer will build instruments to order so any model is in practice still available.

Squier Guitar Serial Number Lookup

Mexican-made (MIM) Fenders carry a serial number on the headstock starting with an M. Some exceptions include a handful of special editions and signature models as well as the split US/Mexican-made California series which all have a 'AMXN' at the beginning of their serials. MZ3 + 5 or 6 digits 2003 MZ4 + 5 or 6 digits 2004 MZ5 + 5 or 6 digits 2005 MZ6 + 5 or 6 digits 2006 MZ7 + 5 or 6 digits 2007 MZ8 + 5 or 6 digits 2008 MZ9 + 5 or 6 digits 2009 MX10 + 6 digits 2010 MX11 + 6 digits 2011 MX12 + 6 digits 2012 MX13 + 6 digits 2013 MX14 + 6 digits 2014 Exceptions There are a number of exceptions to all these serial number schemes. As mentioned above, many reissue models use serial numbers that don't really correlate to their age. Additionally, there have been plenty of artist models, limited editions and other rare models that use a unique serial number. Examples include the 35th anniversary series, many of the uniquely finished Strats from the early '80s, as well as various export-specific models which carry a serial number starting with FN. Again, the serial number alone in any of these cases is not definitive and the best approach is to combine that with other methods like the neck and body dates, as well as just the features of the specific instrument.

And like the Sunburst Archtop, the Artist Archtop played more name games as it evolved. The Artist Archtop was an equal double-cutaway (as with most Hamers, upper horn slightly extended) with a mahogany body and ivoroid-bound carved flamed maple top. Other features similar to the Sunburst Archtop included a mahogany neck, Hamer three-and-three headstock (blackface), a bound 22-fret, 243/4″ scale rosewood fingerboard with crown inlays, finetune bridge, stop tailpiece, twin humbuckers, three-way select, volume, and two tones. There were two primary differences; first the Artist Archtop was a semi-hollowbody with a sound chamber and f-hole, and the second was in pickups, which were Seymour Duncan Seth Lovers.

After 2009, the letter changed to a format starting with US then two digits that tell the year of the current decade. Here's the breakdown of Post-1976 American-made Fender serials. Fender Japan serial numbers can usually be found on the back of the neck near the neck joint.

It gave me a warm glow to read! The others in the roundup included some much more recognised brands and corresponding higher priced guitars that were less impressive. Over the last 5 years or so the UK guitar press (that I've seen) has given Hamer instruments accross the boars fab reviews irrespective of the country of manufacture, and nicely in context with their competition. So about that neck profile.! Paying guest torrent.

Hamer Serial Numbers GUITARS AND BASSES OF HAMER U.S.A. 1975 -1996 The guitars and basses described in these pages are those which have been produced by Hamer U.S.A.

Early Indonesian Slammers from ’96 featured a “Slammer by Hamer” logo, with “Slammer” in the Hamer block lettering and “by Hamer” small underneath. Three guitars and one bass were offered. All were in a more conventional Fender-style mode.

Curiously enough, most have held their own very well in the used in vintage markets in terms of value, a tribute to their intrinsic quality and the heart that the Hamer folks put into their products. Looking at the company today, it’s interesting that Hamer still has somewhat of an ambivalent image, somewhere between high-end boutique and budget vintage, perhaps best summarized (yea, perpetuated) by its own well-used advertising slogan, “modern vintage.” Well, after surviving this long, Hamer can now lay claim to some “real vintage” guitars, too. The founders may not have quite gotten it, but Hamer guitars sure didn’t turn out to be a mistake.