Epiphone Serial Numbers Made In Japan

Brians Evil Twin

Poophoria Sōtō Zen

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.
Compiled by Steven Lister

Brians Evil Twin

Poophoria Sōtō Zen

Brians Evil Twin

Poophoria Sōtō Zen

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.
Compiled by Steven Lister