Ibanez serial numbers - partial

**jim777** · #1 11-15-2007, 04:05 PM

Some cool info from the Ibanez Collectors site:

Japanese built guitars:
1997 to Now
F=Fujigen factory,
2nd & 3rd digit=year made(eg 04=2004)
next 5 digits =month & build number
Jan=5000
Feb=10000
Mar=15000
Apr=20000
May=25000
June=30000
July=35000
Aug=40000
Sept=45000
Oct=50000
Nov=55000
Dec=60000
So an example here is for a recent model with a Serial number F0330210 = Fujigen 2003 June 210th guitar built.

1987 to 1996 example serial number F232104
F=Fujigen
2=1992 as an example
3=March production So 1=Jan 12=Dec
2104 guitar built for that month 2104th made

1975 to 1986
Example serial number C800358
C=March So A=Jan M=Dec
80 = 1980 year of build
0358= 358th guitar built for that month.

Sung Eum Factory
Example serial number E9052345
E=Sung Eum
9=1999
05= May So 01=Jan 12=Dec
2345= 2345th guitar built for that month

I=IIDA Gakki (according to Jim Donahue made some AR300 models in the mid 1980's after Fuji stopped making set necks)

Korean Built Ibanez
P: Peerless factory in Pusan

W=World Factory
Example Serial Number WX32149
X=October...it goes like this for the build months
1=Jan
2=Feb
3=Mar
4=Apr
5=May
6=Jun
7=July
8=Aug
9=Sep
X=Oct
Y=Nov
Z=Dec
3=2003
2149= 2149th guitar built for that month.

Cort Factory Acoustics and Electrics start with C
eg C03071234
C=Factory
03=2003
07=July
1234=1234th guitar built for that month

Samick
S=Factory, 90-95
Saehan Factory: acoustics start with SQ, electrics start with S (after '95)
Sae-In Factory starts with A
These other factories follow the same serial number pattern as the Cort Korean factory.

Yoojin
Y= Factory (some RG140,RG240,RG340)

Indonesian Made Ibanez

These guitars start with the following

K=KWO factory
J=Sejung factory

The example serial number is K031034335
K=KWO
03=2003
10=Oct. So 01= Jan 12=Dec
34335 it is from the Acoustic range
So 00001 to 49999 are Acoustic Guitars, 50000 to 99999 are electric guitars and electric basses
All 3 factories use the same serial number system

jim

Rich · #2 11-15-2007, 04:11 PM

The MIJ serials are in dispute. Mac says that's the way they do it, JD says they don't, and I haven't seen 50k-60k guitars in a few years.

World is Korean.

**jim777** · #3 11-15-2007, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich

The MIJ serials are in dispute. Mac says that's the way they do it, JD says they don't, and I haven't seen 50k-60k guitars in a few years.

World is Korean.

I thought World was Korean as well, the old Samick factory? It seemedinformative enough as a starting point though.

Inzane · #4 11-15-2007, 04:50 PM

Further to what Rich said, the pattern above doesn't seem to fit with my RG550MXXRF 20th anni.

The serial number on my headstock is F0700030.

(ie. There's no mention of what 00000-04999 is supposed to represent.)

**jim777** · #5 11-15-2007, 04:57 PM

It's a work in progress for older guitars and serial numbers, not one that's obviously a brand new guitar

Rich · #6 11-15-2007, 05:10 PM

Actually it's claimed to be 97' to present.

Up to 5k would be Jan under that scheme, etc.

Samick is still there I believe, I'm not sure if World was a new State owned factory or if they did take over an existing. Not guitars I deal with so details I don't particularly concern myself with

**jim777** · #7 11-15-2007, 05:21 PM

Yeah, I don't have info on limited editions or any of the other wildly oddball boxes, like the JS's that start with J, for example.

I guess I'll move this over to chat or someplace, as it will never be complete

mike570 · #8 11-15-2007, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inzane

Further to what Rich said, the pattern above doesn't seem to fit with my RG550MXXRF 20th anni.

The serial number on my headstock is F0700030.

(ie. There's no mention of what 00000-04999 is supposed to represent.)

I noticed this right away on my RFR. My original guess was that the headstock and the neck joint plate number were supposed to be the same, but someone dumped the bag o' heel joint plates all over the factory floor and got them out of order.

**jim777** · #9 11-15-2007, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich

Samick is still there I believe, I'm not sure if World was a new State owned factory or if they did take over an existing. Not guitars I deal with so details I don't particularly concern myself with

I believe Samick built a new factory and sold the old one to the Korean government, which opened World in the old factory. Sort of like Gibson and Heritage, except for the Korean government bit

Rich · #10 11-15-2007, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jim777

like the JS's that start with J, for example.

These date by spec of course

StoneLord · #11 11-15-2007, 09:03 PM

I have a Korean EX series and the serial has no letter at the beginning, just numbers (3072019).
Anyone know about these?

TongueShredder · #12 11-16-2007, 04:03 AM

Man,if they keep changing the format for the serial numbers between the old and new Ibanez, it will be quite confusing......Great piece of info though