We Buy Vintage Guitars Info-Fender Serial Numbers-1950's and 1960's Stratocasters

Wanna know what year your Stratocaster was born? Use the handy chart below. Please note: There is some crossover of serial numbers between years as Fender wasn't very scientific about using serial numbers in exact sequence. This means for instance, that it is possible to have an early February 1957 Stratocaster with a serial number lower than a late December 1956 Stratocaster.

Number Stamped on Chrome Neck Plate

1960 - 40000 to 58000
1961 - 55000 to 72000
1962 - 72000 to 93000
1963 - 93000 to 99999

L-Series (1963 to late 1965)

1963 - L00001 to L20000
1964 - L20000 to L55000
1965 - L55000 to L99999

F-Series (late 1965 to mid-1976)
(Large Letter Fender Style "F" on Serial Plate)

1965(Late) - 100000 to 110000
1966 -110000 to 200000
1967 - 180000 to 210000
1968 - 210000 to 250000
1969 - 250000 to 280000

Number Stamped on Tremolo Spring Cover Plate

The first 100 or so Strats had the
serial number stamped into the plastic tremolo cover starting with numbers
0100 - 0199

Number Stamped on Chrome Neck Plate

1954 - 0001 to 6000
1955 - 6000 to 9000
1956 - 9000 to 16000
1957 - 16000 to 25000
1958 - 25000 to 30000
1959 - 3000 to 40000

Please note that some serial numbers in 1957 and 1958 may start with the characters "0" or a hyphen "-" .

Serial plates have been found from 1957 and 1958 with two totally different serial numbers stamped on them with one on the front and one on the back.

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