

There are many exceptions and sometimes letter prefixes were used. This would also explain why the occasional pre-1932 Martin guitar appears with a decal.įrom 1970-1975 all numbers were stamped into wood and assigned a six digit number. This implies that a number of ukuleles built in 1930 remained in the factory until being sold in 1932. Interestingly, the original order for Martin decals was placed in June of 1932. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons Sign In Register. Howdy, Stranger It looks like youre new here. Help required trying to get a date on a Mike Stern MS1511 -tried a few obvious sites and no joy Home Guitar.
EASTMAN GUITAR SERIAL NUMBER DATING SERIAL NUMBERS
The Martin logo decal on the front of the headstock. Yamaha Serial Numbers and dating a guitar - Help needed. For example 4102607 would be the 26th guitar of 2007. The prefix is usually 410 or 411 if production is more than 99 instruments in one year. The previous two digits are the guitar number. The last two digits are the year of manufacture. The Martin brand stamped on the back of the headstock. The serial number is stamped in the headblock. Ukuleles did not carry serial numbers but can be roughly identified and dated by the headstock: 1895 to 1932 Fortunately, they are often signed by the builder. Therefore dating a Nick Lucus guitar by serial number. Many of these unique instruments pop-up today and don’t fit any clear category. So a later 1933 Nick Lucas guitar could easily have a label printed in 1928 with a 1928 serial number. Ukuleles, taropatches, tiples and Hawaiian guitars were introducedĪfter workers at the Nazareth factory had been employed for a period of years they were permitted to fashion an instrument for themselves at the plant. Some pre-1898 guitars have the date penciled on the top just inside the sound hole.īefore 1929, the model size and style designation was generally written on a paper label and glued inside the top of the instrument case. Number of bids and bid amounts may be slightly out. Model numbers were marked on the neck block, inside the body. Find great deals on eBay for peerless guitars and eastman guitars.

Zoebisch & Sons” (Zoebisch was the sole distributor of Martin at the time). The original instruments had a paper label that read: “Martin and Coupa” 1833 to 1867 Prior to serial numbers, the different instruments were identified by the Martin brand which was stamped into the back of the headstock, the upper portion of the back or on the back binding strut visible through the soundhole (the eased blocking reinforcing the center joint between the 2 back pieces).

Martin began producing instruments in 1833.
