Yamaha Guitar serial numbers – dating your guitar
Information gathered from the web:
Serial numbers on Yamaha guitars repeat every ten years due to the way they are formed.
The first letter indicates the last digit of the year of production. (Their numbering system began with “H” for 1.)
The second letter indicates the month.
The first two numbers indicate the day of the month.
The last three numbers represent order of production on the day the guitar was made.
Example: hm02316 = the 316th unit made on June 2 of 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991, or 2001.
| First Letter | Years |
| H | 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991, 2001 |
| I | 1962, 1972, 1982, 1992, 2002 |
| J | 1963, 1973, 1983, 1993, 2003 |
| K | 1964, 1974, 1984, 1994, 2004 |
| L | 1965, 1975, 1985, 1995, 2005 |
| M | 1966, 1976, 1986, 1996, 2006 |
| N | 1967, 1977, 1987, 1997, 2007 |
| O | 1968, 1978, 1988, 1998 |
| P | 1969, 1979, 1989, 1999 |
| Q | 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000 |
| Second Letter | Month |
| H | January |
| I | February |
| J | March |
| K | April |
| L | May |
| M | June |
| N | July |
| O | August |
| P | September |
| X | October |
| Y | November |
| Z | December |
A lot of people have written in to say, “Hey! My Yamaha serial number looks nothing like this!” To you folks, we offer the following: Several other serial number configurations used by Yamaha over the years. If you still can’t figure it out, please see Yamaha contact info at the bottom of this page.
Alternate serial number configurations for Yamaha Classical and Acoustic Guitars
Custom Shop, Made in Japan, 1966-1985:
001-1042 in sequence
Custom Shop, Made in Japan, 1986-1990:
Letter-####, like so: J7012.
The letter at the beginning represents the month, so J would be March (see chart above).
The number following the letter is the year, in this case 7 for 1987.
The last three numbers indicate unit number. 012=12th unit.
Custom Shop, Made in Japan, 1991-1996:
Letter-letter-###-letter, like so: HP213J.
Using the charts, we see that H=1991 and P=September. 213=unit number; and that last letter is an internal code.
Custom Shop, Made in Japan, 1997-2003:
Letter-letter-###, like so: NK333.
Using the chart, N=1997 and K=April. The three numbers are again, unit number. Unit number 333 in this case.
Custom Shop, Made in Japan, 2004-:
Letter-letter-letter-###-letter, like so: QLY111C.
Q=0 and L=5, so 2005. Y=November. 111 is the unit number; and the final letter is an internal code.
Yamaha Music Craft, Made in Japan, 1997-1999:
Letter-letter-###-letter, like so: ON521J. (That first letter is an “oh” not a zero.)
The first letter is the year; O=1998. The second letter is the month; N=July. The three numbers are the unit number; this started over each month at 500, so unit number 21. The final letter is an internal code.
Yamaha Music Craft, Made in Japan, 1999:
Letter-letter-###, like so: PM222.
The first letter is the year; P=1999. Second letter is the month; M=June. The last three numbers are the unit number. During 1999, they starting the count each month at 200 rather than 500. (See previous entry for Yamaha Music Craft for more on the numbering.)
Yamaha Music Craft, Made in Japan, 2001-:
Letter-letter-letter-###-letter, like so: QIL123A.
The first two letters are the year; Q=0 and I=2, so 2002. The third letter is the month; L=May. The three numbers are the unit number; 123. The final letter is an internal code.
Tenryu/Wada Factory, Made in Japan, 1946-1968:
#####. 12233. Just five digit numbers in sequence. No year of manufacture can be determined.
Tenryu/Wada Factory, Made in Japan, 1969-1984:
######. Six numbers, like so: 710502.
The first two numbers are the year. In this case 1971. The second two numbers are the month; here, May. The final two numbers are the unit number.
Tenryu/Wada Factory, Made in Japan, 1985-1986:
######. Six numbers like so: 860021.
The first two numbers are the year; 1986. The last four numbers are the unit number; 21.
Kaohsiung Factory, Made in Taiwan, 1971-2001:
########. Eight numbers, like so: 10918111.
The first number is the year; 1971. The second and third numbers are the month; 09=September. The fourth and fifth numbers are the day; 18th. The final three numbers are the unit number; 111.
Kaohsiung Factory, Made in Taiwan, 2001-:
Letter-letter-letter-######. Three letters, six numbers, like so: QIM183112.
The first two letters are the year; Q=0 and I=2, so 2002. The third letter is the month. M=June. The first two numbers are the day; 18th. The final four numbers are the unit number; 3112.
YMMI (Yamaha Music Manufacturing Indonesia), Made in Indonesia, 1990-1996:
########. Eight numbers, like so: 20918022.
The first number is the year; 1992. The second and third numbers are the month; 09=September. The fourth and fifth numbers are the day; 18th. The last three numbers are the unit number; 22.
YMMI, Made in Indonesia, 1997-1999:
#########. Nine numbers, like so: 803180011.
The first number is the year; 1998. The second and third numbers are the month; March (03). The fourth and fifth numbers are the day; 18th. The last four numbers are the unit number; 11.
YMMI, Made in Indonesia, 2000-:
##########. Ten numbers, like so: 0002180013.
The first two numbers are the year; 00=2000. The third and fourth numbers are the month; 02=February. The fifth and sixth numbers are the day; 18th. The last four numbers are the unit number; 13.
YMMI, Made in Indonesia, 2001-:
Letter-letter-letter-######, like so: QIM180013.
The first two letters are the year; Q=0 and I=2, so 2002. The third letter is the month; June (see chart above.) The first and second numbers (following the 3 letters) are the day; 18th. The final four numbers are the unit number; 13.
Alternate serial number configurations for Yamaha Electric, Archtop, and Bass Guitars
Made in Japan, 1966-1984. For SG, SX, and BB series.
| Year | Serial Number Sequence |
| 1966 | 0398-3951 |
| 1967 | 3952-7433 |
| 1968 | 7434-10844 |
| 1969 | 10645-12331 |
| 1970 | 12332-13492 |
| 1971 | 13493-15121 |
| 1972 | 15122-18058 |
| 1973 | 18059-23745 |
| 1974 | 23746-36150 |
| 1975 | 36151-38104 |
| 1976 | 38105-39943 (SG-175, SX-125) 1001-1390 (SG1000) 1001-1126 (SG2000) |
| 1977 | 001391-002365 (SG1000) 001251-002610 (SG2000) 001001-001270 (BB1200) 001271-001320 (BB2000) |
| 1978 | 002366-003110 (SG1000) 002611-003760 (SG2000) 001321-002965 (BB1200) 002001-002380 (BB2000) |
| 1979 | 003111-004445 (SG1000) 003761-005088 (SG2000) 002966-004000 (BB1200) 002381-002920 (BB2000) |
| 1980 (through July) | 004446-005329 (SG1000) 005081-005375 (SG2000) |
| 1980 (through December) | 013001-024215 |
| 1981 | 025410-059618 |
| 1982 | 059620-096639 |
| 1983 | 096640-126845 |
| 1984 (through July) | 126846-146196 |
Made in Japan, 1984-1986:
Letter-letter-letter-letter-###. Four letters and a number, like so: LJQH013.
(See chart at the top of the page.) The first letter is the year; 1985. The second letter is the month; March. The third and fourth letters are the date; QH=01. The three numbers at the end are the unit number.
Made in Japan, 1984-1996:
Letter-letter-####. Two letters, four numbers, like so: MI0031.
The first number is the year; 1986. The second number is the month; February. The four numbers are the unit number; 31.
Made in Japan, 1986-1989:
#-letter-#####. 5I04013.
The first number is an internal code. The letter is the month; February (see chart). The next two numbers are the date; 4th. The last three numbers are the unit number; 13. There is no indication of year in this configuration–just “sometime between ’86 and ’89.
Made in Japan, 1995-1999:
######. Six numbers, like so: 610101.
The first number is the year; 1996. The next two numbers are the month; 10=October. The final three numbers are the unit number; 101.
Made in Japan, 1994-1997:
#-letter-letter-###. Like so: 7FM123.
The first number is the year; 1997. The letter (2nd position) is an internal code. The next letter (3rd position) is the month; in this case M=June (see chart.) The final three numbers are the unit number.
Made in Japan, 1997-:
#-letter-letter-####, like so: 8FJ0013.
The first number is the year; 1998. The letter (2nd position) is an internal code. the letter (3rd position) is the month; March (see chart.) The final four numbers are the unit number; 13.
Made in Japan, 1988:
Letter-letter-letter-letter-###, like so: SMQI123.
The first letter is an internal code. The second letter is the month; June. The third and fourth letters are the date; QI=02. So, June 2nd, 1988. The three numbers are the unit number; 123.
Made in Japan, 1989-2002:
Letter-letter-letter-letter-###, like so: SKJL321.
The first letter is an internal code (both I and S were used). The second letter is the month; K=April. The third letter is an internal code for Japan. The fourth letter is the year; L=1995. The three numbers at the end are the unit number.
Made in Japan, 2002-:
Letter-letter-letter-###-letter, like so: QJM111E.
The first and second letters are the year; QJ=03. The third letter is the month; M=June. The three numbers are the unit number; 111. The final letter is an internal code (could be E, F, I, or S.)
Made in Taiwan, 1984-2002:
Letter-letter-#####, like so: PH07123.
The first letter is the year; P=1999. The second letter is the month; H=January. The first two numbers (07 in this example) are the day; 7th. The final three numbers are the unit number; 123.
Made in Taiwan, 2002-:
Letter-letter-letter-######, like so: QJM120013.
The first two letters are the year; QJ=03. The third letter is the month; M=June. The two numbers that follow are the day; 12th. The final four numbers are the unit number; 0013 (13).
Made in Korea and Made in China, 2003-:
Letter-letter-letter-####-letter, like so: QKJ0011Y.
The first two letters are the year; QK=04 (see chart.) The third letter is the month; J=March. The four numbers that follow are the unit number; (00)11. The last number is an internal code (could be D, R, U, or Y.)
Believe it or not, this list does not cover all possible serial numbers. Hopefully, this will help many of you! Again, if you’re still having trouble, please contact Yamaha directly as we have posted all the info we have. Thanks!
Yamaha Corporation of America
6600 Orangethorpe Ave.
Buena Park, CA 90620
(714) 522-9011
Outside the USA, please visit the link below to find contact information by country.
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Как проверить гитару по серийному номеру yamaha
| Since 2000, the letter system for year and month is applied at all Yamaha plant locations. The table YEAR AND MONTH CODING SYSTEM explains the meaning of the letters. |
YEAR AND MONTH CODING SYSTEM:
| LETTER YEAR | MONTH |
| H 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991, 2001, 2011 | H Januari |
| I 1962, 1972, 1982, 1992, 2002, 2012 | I Februari |
| J 1963, 1973, 1983, 1993, 2003, 2013 | J March |
| K 1964, 1974, 1984, 1994, 2004, 2014 | K April |
| L 1965, 1975, 1985, 1995, 2005, 2015 | L May |
| M 1966, 1976, 1986, 1996, 2006, 2016 | M June |
| N 1967, 1977, 1987, 1997, 2007, 2017 | N Juli |
| O 1968, 1978, 1988, 1998, 2008, 2018 | O August |
| P 1969, 1979, 1989, 1999, 2009, 2019 | P September |
| Q 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2020 | X October |
| Y November | |
| Z December |
As you can see in the table, the letter of the year is repeated every decade.
Production Tenryu/Wada Factory, Japan
From 1946 to 1968 a 5-digit sequential system is used. However, there
is no indication of the year of production in this system.
A nice and simple 6-digit system is used in the period from 1969 to1984.
The first two numbers represent the year.
The next two digits represent the month and the last two digits represent the number of the unit (serial number).
For example: 800629
The 29th guitar that was built in June 1980.
In the short period of 1985-1986 a 6-digit serial number has been used but the month is not displayed.
The first 2 numbers are the year.
The last 4 digits are the number of the unit (serial number).
For example: 860123
This stands for the 123th guitar built in 1986.
Production Custom Shop, Japan
In the 1966-1985 period, successive serial numbers from 001 to 1042 were used.
To find the production year, you have to make a rough estimate
The closer to 001 it is closer to 1966 and the closer to 1042, the closer
to 1985.
From 1986-1990 the serial numbers have 1 letter followed by 4 digits.
The letter represents the month and follows the same system for months as the most common system.
(see year and month coding system)
The first number stands for the year.
The last 3 digits represent the number of the unit (serial number).
For example: K8123
This would be a guitar built in April 1988 and the 12th guitar of that day made in the custom shop.
The K is April according to the coding system and the year must be
1987, since this system was only used between 1986 and 1990.
In the period of 1991-1996 one used a 2 letter, 3 digit, then 1 letter system.
The first letter is the year and follows the same coding system.
The second letter is the month and also follows the same coding
system. The 3 numbers represent the unit number, but in this case the unit numbers started with 701 for unclear reasons. So the first unit of the day was not 001, but 701.
The last letter is an unknown internal factory code.
Example KN712J belongs to the 12th guitar produced in July 1994.
K N 712 J is the 12 th guitar built in July , 1994 .
In the period of 1997-2003 the same method was applied as for 1991
to 1996 with 2 differences.
There is no more internal factory code at the end, and the unit numbers start at 001 instead of at 701.
For example: HL032
The sample serial number here represents the 32nd guitar built in May 2001.
From 2004 to 2021 a 3 letter, 3 number, 1 letter system is used.
The first 2 letters represent the year in this case. So you get the decade here.
The third letter represents the month according to the coding system.
The 3 digits represent the number of the unit. (serial number)
The last letter is an internal factory code.
For example: QNK026C
This guitar in the sample serial number was the 26th guitar built in April 2007.
The Q stands for a 0 and the N is a 7, which means 07 for 2007.
QN K 026 C is the 26 th guitar built in April , 20 07 .
For the period of 1997-1999 the same system is used as that for «Custom Shop 1991-1996» except that the unit number starts at
501 with the exception of 701.
From 1999-2000.
The first letter is the year. The second letter the month.
The 3 digits are the number of the unit.(serial number)
The unit number starts at 200.
For example: PX267
This was the 67th guitar made in October 1999.
From 2001 to 2021 they uses a system with 3 letters, 3 digits, 1 letter.
The first 2 letters represent the year. The third letter represents
the month and the 3 digits are the number of the unit (serial number).
The last letter is an internal factory code
For example: QJH055B
This would be the 55th guitar that was built in January 2003.
Production Kaohsiung, Taiwan
An eight-number system is applied here from 1971-2001 The first digit represents the year. The second and third digits represent
the month. The fourth and fifth numbers represent the day of the month.
The last three digits are the number of the unit (serial number).
Because there is only one digit for the year, there are duplicates with this system because it repeats itself every decade.
For example: 60708077
This example serial number was the 77th guitar built on July 8 in 1976, 1986 or 1996.
At the end of 2001, Kaohsiung changed the 8-digit system into a 3-letter 6-number system.
The first 2 letters represent the year. The third letter represents
the month. The first 2 digits are the day of the month and the last
4 digits are the number of the unit.(serial number)
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