WHEN MY AMERICAN VINTAGE STRATOCASTER WAS MADE?
The Vintage and the American Vintage reissues produced since 1982 were fitted with a serial number stamped on the neck plate beginning with the letter “V”.
The serial number scheme provided here could be of some help in dating Vintage, American Vintage, American Original, and American Vintage II Stratocasters, although marking on the body and neck are the most accurate elements for dating a Stratocaster. This scheme is drawn from a database of 736 Vintage reissues and AVRI instruments.
The serial number scheme provided here could be of some help in dating Vintage, American Vintage, American Original, and American Vintage II Stratocasters, although marking on the body and neck are the most accurate elements for dating a Stratocaster. This scheme is drawn from a database of 736 Vintage reissues and AVRI instruments.
Please note that a few Stratocasters might have serial numbers that do not perfectly follow this pattern, but this doesn’t indicate any lack of authenticity. In fact, Fender Stratocasters were built like a kit and put together from components stored on shelves or in bins and some parts might have been fabricated many months before assembly.
VINTAGE, AMERICAN VINTAGE, AMERICAN ORIGINAL AND AMERICAN VINTAGE II STRATOCASTERS SERIAL NUMBERS
- Until mid-2012, all ’57 and ’62 Stratocasters featured a 7-digit serial number beginning with the letter “V” followed by 6 numbers. These numbers did not directly indicate the year of production, but some patterns could be discerned from the serial number, despite the lack of strict chronological order.
However, exceptions are possible. For instance, I’ve seen a 2005 guitar with a serial number starting with “V132”, typically associated with 2001 AVRI Stratocasters, and a 2006 AVRI guitar with a serial number starting with “V144”, commonly found on 2003 Stratocasters.
Additionally, it appears that a few neck plates stamped with serial numbers falling between the “V073” and “V078” series (usually found on 1995 instruments) were also used for a few 1999 models.
This scheme was not adopted for the American Vintage ‘70s Stratocaster, which instead featured a serial number composed of a "V" prefix followed by a 5-digit serial (see the bottom page for further details).
Additionally, it's worth noting that the first three Stratocasters manufactured in Corona oddly featured the following serial numbers: V000001, V000002, and V000003.
- Since mid-2012, Fender adopted a new serialization scheme for American Vintage reissue Stratocasters. Serial numbers now begin with a “V” followed by a 7-digit number, with the first two digits providing the year of production.
This scheme was used for the last ’57 and ’62 reissues, as well as for all the ’56, ’59, and ’65 American Vintage Stratocasters manufactured between mid-2012 and 2017. It was also used for the American Original and American Vintage II strats (excluding ‘70s style models).
Serial number stamped on the 4-bolt neck plate of an early Vintage reissue Stratocaster (Courtesy of Real Vintage)
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New serialization scheme, '56 Stratocaster (Courtesy of Bax Shop)
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Serial Number stamped on the 3-bolt neck plate of a '70s Stratocaster (Courtesy of Bax Shop)
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4-bolt Avri and american original Serial Number Scheme
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1982
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V000001-V008xxx
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1983
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V004xxx-V015xxx
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1984
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V006xxx-V016xxx
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1985
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V006xxx-V018xxx
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1986
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V012xxx-V025xxx (The most between V017-V025)
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1987
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V022xxx-V032xxx (The most between V026-V031)
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1988
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V026xxx-V039xxx (The most between V032-V036)
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1989
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V030xxx-V050xxx (The most between V041-V045)
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1990
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V043xxx-V052xxx (The most between V046-V050)
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1991
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V048xxx-V059xxx (The most between V051-V054)
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1992
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V050xxx-V068xxx (The most between V057-V063)
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1993
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V058xxx-V072xxx (The most between V065-V068)
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1994
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V062xxx-V078xxx (The most between V073-V077)
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1995
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V071xxx-V082xxx (The most between V077-V080)
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1996
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V073xxx-V098xxx (The most between V091-V095)
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1997
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V094xxx-V102xxx (The most between V095-V099)
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1998
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V097xx-V115xxx (The most between V098-V103 and in the V112)
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1999
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V113xxx-V125xxx (The most between V114-V122; Probably a few in the V07 Series and in the V09 Series)
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2000
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V118xxx-V134xxx (The most between V122-V131; Probably a few in the V07 Series)
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2001
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V127xxx-V138xxx (The most between V130-V137)
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2002
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V132xxx-V145xxx (The most between V137-V140)
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2003
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V138xxx-V145xxx (The most between V143-V145)
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2004
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V141xxx-V150xxx (The most between V144-V148)
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2005
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V147xxx-V158xxx (The most between V150-V157)
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2006
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V151xxx-V163xxx (The most between V156-V160)
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2007
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V154xxx-V177xxx (The most between V165-V176)
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2008
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V174xxx-V188xxx (The most between V177-V187)
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2009
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V185xxx-V192xxx (The most between V187-V190)
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2010
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V188xxx-V197xxx (The most between V191-V195)
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2011
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V191xxx-V202xxx (The most between V197-V200)
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2012,
Old Scheme |
V197xxx-V208xxx
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2012,
New Scheme |
V12 + 5-digit number
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2013
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V13 + 5-digit number,
A few V12 + 5-digit number |
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2014
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V14 + 5-digit number,
A few V13 + 5-digit number |
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2015
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V15 + 5-digit number,
A few V14 + 5-digit number |
...And so on
AMERICAN VINTAGE ‘70S STRATOCASTER serial numbers
The American Vintage ‘70s Stratocasters made between 2005 and 2012 featured a serial number stamped on the 3-bolt neck plate. The serial number was composed of a “V” followed by a 5-digit number. Once again, the numbers did not provide the year of production, but it’s possible to make some sense out of the serial number, despite of the lack of sheer chronology.
Please note that FSR models may have a different serialization scheme.
Please note that FSR models may have a different serialization scheme.
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2005
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V0001-V010xx
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2006
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V010xx-V017xx
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2007
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V017xx-V025xx
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2008, 2009, 2010
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V025xx-V041xx
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2011
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V035xx-V059xx
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2012
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V045xx-V08xxx
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