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i.d. your Epiphone here -- serial # key, guitardater link + factory codes... a worldwide guide >part 3


Steven Lister

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last update = 27 May 2011

 

Important notice !

 

Guitardater doesn't recognize the serial# system Epiphone is using since mid 2008 !

 

Non prefix serial# doesn't work!

 

Chinese made guitars with F 31xxxx like the "1959" model or the 1960/2010 tribute models

don't work either, or are falsely rated as FujiGen, Japan made instuments.

 

 

To find the i.d. of your 1993 or most later models Epiphone either:

 

1. Use the "keys" and factory letter/number identifiers below -- note that for guitars made prior to 1993, the serial # assigned does not reveal the date or factory where made -- or you can,

2. use the guitar dater project ---disclaimer: the guitardater project does not keep serial # log files of Epiphone products, it is simply a decoder program that uses the same codes keys as below to decifer the number entered by a user and as such it cannot verify the authenticity of any Epiphone guitar

link to the ---> guitar dater project website

if the link fails, then copy/paste into your address bar ---> http://www.guitardat...g/epiphone.aspx

 

the four serial # code keys

 

YYMMFFRRRRR -- new model codes, no letter prefix

Beginning 2008-09 models are appearing w/o a letter prefix to i.d. the factory. Based on what is reported so far, it appears that the serial code may be:

YY = first two digits = year of manufacture

MM = second two digits = month of manufature

FF = third two digits = factory i.d. where made -- the factory code #s identified so far are shown in red print below

RRRRR = remaining digits = ranking number

-- example 08121520333 was made in December 2008, factory 15, 2 unknown significance, 0333 unit produced

[NOTE - pre 1993-94 productions also frequently omitted factory letter codes and appeared as all numbers e.g. 023849354 -- these are Asian made (Korea, Japan, Indonesia) but again the exact factory origin is not usually available from guitardater project or other sources.]

 

FYYMMRRRR

F = factory code (this can be 2 letters as well)

YY = year of manufacture (this can also be just 1 digit for '90s models)

MM = month of manufacture

R = ranking number (may be more or less digits, not necessarily indicative of total units produced)

Example - S02021234 was made in Feb. 2002 from the Samick Korea factory, unit 1234.

 

Another code used on some current Epiphone models

FYYMRRRR

F = factory code

YY = year of manufacture

M = This will be a letter code corresponding to the month (A=January, B=February, etc...).

RRRR = ranking number

Example - R03D0263 was made in April 2003 at the Peerless Korea factory, unit 0263.

 

Epiphone Elite/Elitist models

FYSSSS

F = factory code (this code will be an "F" or "T")

Y = year of manufacture (2 = 2002, 3 = 2003, etc.)

SSSS = sequential ranking number

Example - T41234 is a 2004 Elitist model made at the Terada factory, production rank 1234th unit.

 

FACTORY LETTER CODES

For Epiphone serial numbers that begin with a letter(s), this list identifies the factory (& country) where produced:

B Bohêmia Musico-Delicia (Czech Republic)

BW ____?____ (China)

DW DaeWon (China)

EA QingDao (China) = Epiphone Acoustic

ED is from their Epiphone Dongbei factory. The Chinese Dongbei means North-east.

EE QingDao (China) = Epiphone Electric

F Fujigen (Japan) = Elite/Elitist models

F/FN Fine Guitars (Korea) = non-Elite/Elitist models

GG (two identified -- Epiphone says it has no record of using GG -- may have slipped through system or are 3rds)

I Saein (Korea)

J Indonesia (Jakarta ?) -- note: one Elitist model made in Japan has been reported having a J letter code

K Korea Ins. (Korea)

L ____?____ (Korea)

MC Muse (China)

MR = Mirr factory, China

N--> see FN

O Choice (Korea)

P/R Peerless (Korea)

S Samick (Korea)

SI Samick (Bogor, Indonesia)

SJ SaeJun (China)

SM Samil (Korea)

SN ____?____ (Indonesia)

T Terada Gakki Seisakusyo (Japan)

U Unsung (Korea)

UC Unsung China (China)

Z Zaozhuang Saehan (China)

 

 

FACTORY NUMBER CODES -- for some models starting in 2008, if serial # begins w/numbers

[NOTE: The factories identified by these codes are based on patterns which forum members have observed. The numbers appear as the 5th and sixth digits in the serial number.]

11 = MIC sticker on a '08 Masterbuilt 500

12 = DeaWon or Unsung (China -- uncertainty remains as to which factory)

15 = Qingdao (China) -- electric

16 = Qingdao (China) -- acoustic

17 = China - factory unknown MIC sticker on a J160E

18 = China - factory unknown found on one 2009 model bass

20 = DaeWon or Unsung (China -- uncertainty remains as to which factory)

21 = Unsung, Korea

22 = ??? Korea (factory still unknown)

23 = ??? Indonesia (factory still unknown)[/i]

I = Indonesia (this letter has appeared as the 5th digit on two authentic new models made in Indonesia)

 

 

Member paruwi6172 is now keeping this thread current through your input and PMs to him.

This list was compiled by contributors to the Gibson/Epi forums and is updated with new information that can be confirmed from multiple sources.

This is an attempt to get "control" about the first post,

 

as suggested by Steven Lister and in agreement with Duane

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This list was compiled by contributors to the Gibson/Epi forums and was on this forum but disappeared for reasons unknown. Since several recent posts have inquired about factory codes' date=' I have taken the liberty of re-posting it here (with acknowledgement to Note_Norton and others for keeping it up-to-date and alive).[/quote']

 

Thanx Steven, Norton and everyone who contributed, this is an invaluable resource, the first thing I asked when I joined was where were my Epi's made, and I'm sure that's a pretty common occurence.

 

Good stuff .....

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And a "J" serial would be from...?

 

189964361.jpg

 

DSC00086.jpg

I've never had any definitive answer to where mine is from either.

You are the first person I've come across around here who also has just a "J" in front of numbers.

Mine is an Epi 1997 SG Jr. the # is J97100457. I know it's hard to make out.

I have always wanted to know for sure where it's country of origin was as well.

Anybody know?

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You are the first person I've come across around here who also has just a "J" in front of numbers.

Mine is an Epi 1997 SG Jr. the # is J97100457. I know it's hard to make out.

I have always wanted to know for sure where it's country of origin was as well.

Anybody know?

Is it possible that the "J" stands for Jakarta?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Is it possible that the "J" stands for Jakarta?

 

Good thinking. But despite the amount of people living there' date=' Jakarta hardly knows a a big industrial section. Most factories are in Surabaya or maybe Jogya...

 

 

Steven,

You may want to keep the unconfirmed ones in a seperate section.

 

[b']Unconfirmed[/b]

GG

EZ

G

JK

J Indonesia?

N China

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I noticed that that link doesn't have the location of where it was manufactured, it just tells you how to read the ID...

 

If a simplified version of this thread was stickied, would it be like the introduction topic. It's not made by epiphone like the rule sticky, but its just making it easier for people to access user submitted content that could otherwise be seen on other sites on the internet.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Lighten up y'all, Duane and sexygibson are doing a fine job I think. Heck before we didn't have anyone we could talk to. If we did something wrong we got booted. I know, think I was one of the 1st to get a weeks vacation on the new forum...lol all I did was post a picture of an old peavey reactor that isn't even made anymore and got booted =D> Hell of a lot better now than back then, ppl can post about any guitar on here and not worry about being banded.

Capt

ps...keep up the great work you two!

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Thanks Captain for the kind words.

 

Mr. Lister, I understand your frustration and as I stated earlier the info is great. However, there's certain subject matter I have to get approval from Gibson/Epi to make a sticky. And serial number reference and number of units built is considered proprietary information.

 

At the moment Gibson has an official link in regards to serial number information. And if a customer has a question that particular link will not answer, they should move forward and contact Gibson/Epi Customer Service to receive more individual assistance.

 

Thanks for understanding, and my apologies for not getting back to you in a more expedient fashion regarding your thread.

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