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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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  • 1 month later...

I've also got the mystery MR factory code on mine - sorry can't post pics at the moment but it has a made in Korea sticker on it, the rest of the serial number says it was manufactured in 09/2001 and number 0334. It is an Epi LP Extreme - White Pearloid top. I've found that all other Epis of this particular finish also have the MR factory code. I read that Epiphone were contacted directly and they said it could be a misprint and it was meant to be MK (Muse, Korea) but I find it difficult to believe that they'd get it wrong on a lot of guitars. It's a mystery!

 

Hi,

 

I just bought an Epiphone Les Paul (Custom, I guess) with "Gibson" written vertically on the truss rod cover from a pawn shop for a $185! There's no sticker saying "Made in Korea" and the serial # is MR01080370. I did some research and found different opinions attributing the factor of origin, so I wrote to the Gibson Customer Service and they said that this is consistent with a Korean production code.

 

Hope this helps!

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made at the Mirr factory, China August 01

 

Hi Pete, thanks for your reply. I specifically asked about the Mirr factory, but the answer was that my serial # is "consistent with a Korean production code". Also, as far as I know, Epiphone moved the production from Korea to China only in 2002, while mine was built on Aug 2001. It's kind of a mystery anyway...

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Greetings people!

 

I have what purports to be a Dot Vintage Sunburst with a serial number of GG05080972.

Following the advice on this forum this suggests that it was made May 2008, but where is GG?

 

Any ideas?

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made Aug 05

 

From the first post of this thread....

Thanks Pete

OK, August 05..Thanks

Maybe it's not 1st quality, but damned if I can tell why. (I know..shut up and play it!!!)

 

Are "GG"s common...anybody else out there got one?

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I am friends with a guy whose two sons were in the band The RedWalls... they were popular for a bit, played on the Tonight Show, Letterman, but, well you know the story...

 

Anyway, one of the boys wants me to sell his Epiphone Casino and I am having a hard time verifying which model it is. It is blond, serial number is R99F 0936, and it says "Casino NA" on the sticker in the f-hole. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

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  • 3 months later...
  • 3 months later...

so glad i came across this thread, the serial on my new casino had my head wrecked for a bit because there was no letter in the S/N. Also worked out that my es339 was made in china, i questioned the feel of the es339 compared to my Riviera and Casino (both Korean), The es339 just doesnt feel/Play as good, is this the norm with Chinese models comparted to Korean?

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made at the Samick factory, Korea Feb 93

 

 

Thanks for your help.. after reading the entire thread, I was thinking that, But I wasnt sure.. The serial lineup and the different decryption explanations had me going nuts..

 

Thanks again, I just picked this up with a emperor Regent from a Older Man, who upgraded to the GB series Ibanez

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there's not such a thing like a norm between korean and chinese Epis....

 

could you tell where it was made if it was not written on it ?

 

it's always just the guitar - not the country

 

I could tell a difference in the quality,feel and sound long before today finding this thread, and was just a question of interest. Either way if its guitar or origin , it just has little flaws that the others don't.

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  • 2 months later...

there are two 2 too much... [lol]

 

the serial format usually was like FFYYMMXXXX

 

FF - factorycode, could be one or two digits

YY - Year

MM - Month

XXXX - production number / batch

 

around mid of 2008 it changed to 'non letter prefix'

 

format is

 

YYMMFFXXXX(X)

 

though there are some exceptions for example used on the LP Tribute/Tribute plus models

 

they start with F3XXXXX

 

we haven't cracked the code completely... [-(

 

there is some (not up to date) information in the first post of this thread

Good info to have

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  • 2 months later...

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