Strat Serial numbers

[Coachmoe]

I just purchased a new American Series Strat from Sam Ash in Cleveland, Ohio.

It's black with all hang tags, case candy etc. The plastic is still on the pickguard and trem cover.

The serial number is Z 3230422. The neck plate has the 50th Anniversary stamp on it. There are no other date codes written in any of the body cavities or on the back of the pickguard.

I would like to know if this indeed is a 2004 model.

I have done several searches on the Forum and I have not come up with any info on late model or current production Strat serial numbers. None of the links have any info on decoding Fender serial numbers.

Has Fender ever used a serial number system like Gibson? Is there any chance of the newer Fender serial numbers having some kind of pattern? For instance, there is an 04 number in my serial. Could that be the year and maybe 323 might be the day it was built? Does the Z stand for the year?

Does anybody have any info to help me out? You can't even contact Fender with questions ( at least I couldn't find any link on their website ). I'm sooo confused. :\

Thanks in advance for any assistance anyone can offer.

[Marcondo]

Here is how it works on USA Strats except the vintage models which all start with a V.

The first letter in the serial is what decade it was made in and the first number in the serial is the year it was made in.

S 70's
E 80's
N 90's
Z 2000

So yours is a 2003. The neck was probably made in 2003 and the body at a later date.

[Strat-Daddy]

Here is how it works on USA Strats except the vintage models which all start with a V.

The first letter in the serial is what decade it was made in and the first number in the serial is the year it was made in.

S 70's
E 80's
N 90's
Z 2000

So yours is a 2003. The neck was probably made in 2003 and the body at a later date.

That's how it used to be, however, I have seen 3 necks that would indicate by the serial numbers that they would have been made in 2003, but the tags on the heels were in fact, dated 2004. God only knows what Fender is doing.

[Marcondo]

They are just using older necks they never bolted to a guitar.

99% of the people that buy them wont care Fender knows this so uses old parts all the time. Look at it this way lets say we have a factory and we just made 100 new 2005 Strats. If I had 100 necks with 2004 decals on them I sure wouldnt throw away the neck just cause the decal was off by 1 year. The person is still getting a new guitar which is all that matters to most people the average shopper isnt nearly as picky as guitar forum members LOL.

[photoweborama]

mine is the same way 2003 number 2004 neck plate.

[Strat-Daddy]

Not neccessary that big of a deal, but you would think for a "dated" series, they would have made sure the serial number coincide.

[photoweborama]

Not neccessary that big of a deal, but you would think for a "dated" series, they would have made sure the serial number coincide.

Your right, not a big deal, but it is irritating, and a pain to explain...

[manilaboy1vic]

Here is how it works on USA Strats except the vintage models which all start with a V.

The first letter in the serial is what decade it was made in and the first number in the serial is the year it was made in.

S 70's
E 80's
N 90's
Z 2000

So yours is a 2003. The neck was probably made in 2003 and the body at a later date.

Hey mine starts with "DZ......." whats the D?

thanks

[Marcondo]

D is added to the American Deluxe series.

[Dave TV]

I never noticed until you listed the letters.......


S = Seventies
E = Eighties
N = Nineties
Z = well, the other three match.

[Marcondo]

Yep thats how they did it the Z is for zero 2000 wonder what they are gonna do in 2010.

[Crazy Diamond]

If the guitar was made in late 2003 or early 2005 it was given a 50th Anniversary Neckplate.(1954-2004 )
However that does not mean it's a genuine Anniversary "Limited" Edition...genuine Limited Editions come with a Tweed Case with the Embroided Logo inside.

[Camoradi]

I just wonder why you aren't complaining the trees that make the bodies and necks weren't grown, and then felled, in 2004? Does anybody seriously imagine Fender only started making parts for the big Anniversary year on 01/01/04? No, that would be a stupid assumption, wouldn't it? Manufacturing date is the day the parts came together, and be thankful Fender are honest enough, and have the confidence to acknowledge, when the components were made.

[Channelman]

Yep thats how they did it the Z is for zero 2000 wonder what they are gonna do in 2010.

How about T (for teens or tens)?
Channelman

[Marcondo]

Well lets see if they said ZT for 2010 then when 2020 comes ZT could mean 2010 or 2020 since both words ten and twenty start with a T.

Z1 already stands for 2001 so if they used Z10 for 2010 that would cause confusion with the 2001 models that have the second number in the serial start with a 0.

Fender has 5 years to figure out something. Wonder if they are smart enough to already have a plan or will just dream something up in the last months of 2009?

[Don]

Fender doesn't just throw necks away at the end of the year just because they have last years date code on them. They use them until they're gone.

They have stacks of necks and boxes of neck plates. The floor began using the anniversary neckplates when they were told to do so and they used the necks until they ran out.

It's always been this way and really doesn't matter.

Keep in mind that these are factory made items.

[Channelman]

I did mean just a 'T', but I see the problem.
How about:
TE for 2010 - 2019
TW for 2020 - 2029
TH for 2030 - 2039

Well that's just about seen my life thru,
let somebody else sort out the Forties &
Fifties problem.

Channleman

[John Bleedingtoe]

Is there any sort of web-bowser where you can type in any serial number (mine is E457197) and it spews out the specs at construction date?

Mine's been modified so I want to know what it was like when it was a baby.

I also want to buy a duplicate of the original.

Help!!!