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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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Hi, I've been looking for a nice epiphone lp online and came across this. I've read the first post but have no idea how to decode this serial. Obviously J means it's made in Japan but from there I have no idea.

 

The # is J11513936

 

thanks for any help

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Hi' date=' I've been looking for a nice epiphone lp online and came across this. I've read the first post but have no idea how to decode this serial. Obviously J means it's made in Japan but from there I have no idea.

 

The # is J11513936

 

thanks for any help[/quote']

 

I think that the Japan made instruments are from the Terada Plant, and have a "T" for the serial #

I tried the dater, and your number was not recognized.

 

Peter will confirm, but I would keep looking.

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Hi' date=' I've been looking for a nice epiphone lp online and came across this. I've read the first post but have no idea how to decode this serial. Obviously J means it's made in Japan but from there I have no idea.

 

The # is J11513936

[/quote']

 

Do you have any idea at all if git is 1991 or 2001?

I keep seeing this breakdown in my mind, but I may be confusing it

with something else... Maybe a Gibson breakdown? Cannot find the site

I saw this on.

 

J = Japan

1 = 2001?

151 = 151st day of year (May 31st)

3966 = production number

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Hey guys i just recently bought an epiphone les paul goldtop off of ebay. Im not 100% about the actual model or even how legit it is. The description stated that he bought it brand new in 2001 however the serial number would suggest it was built in 2003.

 

Is there a way i can find out whether it is an elitist or just a standard with a pretty paintjob and a new truss rod cover?

 

The serial number is U03011946 and the truss rod cover is the vertical word Gibson.

 

Any help is much appreciated.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just purchased a used Epi LP lefty from about the mid 90's. The owner said that he's had it about 15 years. The serial number is 9403209. From what I found at this site... http://fuq.encycmet.com/questions/379/ ...it's a Nashville built instrument from 1994. It is a bolt on neck and has a truss cover that has Gibson on it. All black with no binding. Since web site information can be wrong at times I figured that someone here would have the straigh skinny on this serial number. It's a nice guitar with electric problems that I will be sorting out soon and where and when it ws made is not too important as the guitar is what it is. I'd just like to know. Thanks and I hope to be contributing here soon. Bob

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Peter, No letters at all. My info came from that site link that is in my post. I questioned its accuracy and that is why I ask here. I had a Douglas Shadow Gold Top that looked and played EXACTLY like the Epi I just purchased. Some of the guys over at the Agile forum said that Epiphones and Douglases were made in the same plant. That I could believe because the two are so much alike. I am still wondering about where this is made. The year seems likely to be mid 90's according to the guy I bought it from. My daughter found on the Gibson web site something pertaining to the Epiphones year and month but no factory code. With this info mine would have been made in March of 1994. The info we did find shows that Japan was the only one that may not have had a letter code. They stopped production in Japan in 1993 and moved to Korea for the 1994 run. Again, I am in doubt as to where it was made but with this info I would think Korea. Perhaps early in the Korean run and using what was left of metal plates from Japan, if they had started stampings for the upcoming 94 year? Ya think? Probably not but it is something to consider. I find it interesting, and fun, tracking things like this down.

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Hi, i checked in guitardater but it says serial number not recognised... though using the formula in the first page, i'm guessing the its made in qingdao china, but is my guitar really legit since serial numbers can be faked? serial - 09101506562

i'm using an epiphone les paul standard plus

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thanks for the quick reply =D

i bought it from a private dealer, apparently he orders it from the supplier and sells them..

i bought it for USD$675 (cheaper than retail music shops), for some reason epiphones price in malaysia are alot higher compared to US =(

 

19img3383.th.jpg

97img3385.th.jpg

78img3386.th.jpg

43img3387.th.jpg

 

 

oh, and there isnt any warranty card either, just comes with the owner manual and a poster with all the epiphone models

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phew thanks! Is it normal that there isnt a warranty card? i thought a well known brand like epi would have provided one?

And sorry, im sure this has been asked many times, but hows the quality of the china made epi after 2008? heard alot of bad reviews on chinas qc and production. And how do they compare with indo made ones?

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Wow, I'm glad this thread exists! My main guitar since the mid-ninties has been my Epiphone Les Paul. I don't know anything about it though, I'm not even sure if it's a studio, special, custom or what. I'd love to know anything I can about it. It's all black with cream pickgaurd and pickup rings. No binding or special inlays. It says Epiphone on the headstock in abalone(decal?) and the Truss rod plate reads: Gibson (vertically). The dot inlays look like fake Abalone. I'm pretty sure it's a 3 piece alder body. I got it in 1996 at the Guitar Center in El Cerrito California.

 

Serial Number: F5090321

 

Something that throws me off... The Neckplate reads: "Hand-crafted in Korea by Epiphone. The Epiphone Company Nashville Tennessee USA"

 

So it says Korean made yet the Serial number starts with F which makes me think it's Japan made. Any info on this guitar would be much appreciated. Thank you!

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My main guitar since the mid-ninties has been my Epiphone Les Paul.

I got it in 1996 at the Guitar Center in El Cerrito California.

 

Serial Number: F5090321

 

Something that throws me off... The Neckplate reads: "Hand-crafted in Korea by

Epiphone. The Epiphone Company Nashville Tennessee USA"

So it says Korean made yet the Serial number starts with F which makes me think it's Japan made.

 

Guitar Dater says:

Your guitar was made at the

Fine Guitars Plant, Korea

September 1995

Production Number: 0321

 

F = Fine Guitars Plant, Korea (for NON-Elitist Models, which yours is).

5 = 1995

09 = September

Prod. # = 0321 for that month

 

Manual/Visual verification of Factory code in Original Post

matches the Production Plant indicated by Guitar Dater.....

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Thank you so much, animalfarm! I love this guitar. Any clue on the model by any chance? It looks exactly like a "Les Paul 100 Ebony" with these 3 visual differences:

 

It doesn't say "les Paul" on the headstock

the truss rod plate reads "gibson"

Different tuning machines than that of the '100 Ebony'

 

 

It's ok if you don't have that info. I appreciate the help!

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Thank you so much' date=' animalfarm! I love this guitar. Any clue on the model by any chance? It looks exactly like a "Les Paul 100 Ebony" with these 3 visual differences:

 

It doesn't say "les Paul" on the headstock

the truss rod plate reads "gibson"

Different tuning machines than that of the '100 Ebony'

It's ok if you don't have that info. I appreciate the help![/quote']

 

Take pictures, then start a "please help ID this Model EPi LP" thread

in the Electrics section. Here's a link to how to post photos frpm

the EPI "Forum Feedback" section, unless you already have a

Photobucket or Imageshack account!

Look forward to the pics, and Welcome aboard! [biggrin]

 

http://forums.epiphone.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=8886

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hey all! I'm new to the board, and am in the process of scraping together the money to get a blonde Dot.

 

My question is: How far back do these codes cover on Epi's made overseas? My little brother has an ET-290 that I bought almost 25 years ago for $95. Just recently figured out what the model number was. We have passed it between myself, my little brother, and one of our other brothers a few times. I've been told ours was made around 1970, but haven't had a way to verify more precisely. Are there any identifiable codes for Epi's that old?

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philpm

from page 1: note that for guitars made prior to 1993, the serial # assigned does not reveal the date or factory where made

 

General wisdom is that serial #s pre-93 were not coded and that no records were kept of what guitar = what production factory. This was due to the outsourcing of production to many different makers after the Michigan production shutdown. Only Epi knows for sure. You can try contacting Epi directly with what you already know about year made, serial, etc. and see what they reply. Best of luck.

 

WELCOME to the forum!

 

Hit every BLUE NOTE baaaaby..., I'm still playing on:-"

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  • 2 weeks later...

I am looking for more information on my guitar. I just bought it for $300 from a local seller (via Craigslist).

 

**Here is what I have so far.**

 

Serial numberU00081288

 

Guitar Info

Your guitar was made at the

Unsung Plant, Korea

August 2000

Production Number: 1288

 

Un Sung Musical Instrument Co.

 

Un Sung Musical Instrument Co., Ltd. was established in 1987, Inchon, Korea. They have productive capability 50,000 of Electric Guitars and basses a year. Not only do they produce guitars for several well known brands by OEM but also have their own line 'Silver Star'.

 

 

newepi.jpg

 

I am looking for dimensions. Nut width, Bracket sizes for pickups, etc. The attached Tremolo is a cool feature but it knocks the guitar out of tune so bad it's horrible. I suspect I can correct this with a new Tusq nut made for guitars with a trem with wide grooves (I play with 11's) and possibly a bridge with rollers instead of the tune-o-matic.

 

Thoughts? I appreciate any assistance you guys can offer. I am very new to guitar, and even more new to electric guitar.

 

Thanks

Matt

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