Amp dating / Fender
Fender amp dating
Enter the code or serial from your Fender amplifier and we read it against Fender’s own scheme to tell you the year it was built.
6 code formats
Can't read a digit? Type ? in its place. Looked-up serials are kept, never tied to you. How it works
Your answer appears here
Type the serial or code from the instrument. We read it as you type.
Example Fender serials and how they read
Made-up serials in each of Fender’s formats, read by the dater above.
| Serial | Reads as | Format |
|---|---|---|
| A01234 | 1963–1966 | Serial, A + five digits (about 1963-1977) |
| B212345 | 2002–2006 | Serial, B + six digits (1995 on) |
| A612345 | 1976 | CBS-era serial (A prefix) |
| F412345 | 1984 | CBS-era serial (F prefix) |
| B12345 | 1975–1976 | CBS-era serial (B prefix) |
How Fender amps date
- Tube-chart date code
- CBS-era serial (A prefix)
- CBS-era serial (F prefix)
- Serial, A + five digits (about 1963-1977)
- Serial, B + six digits (1995 on)
- CBS-era serial (B prefix)
More on Fender amp codes
Where to find the code
The tube chart is the paper label inside the back of the cabinet; its two-letter stamp dates the amp. The serial is on the back panel or the chassis.
When the serial has no date
Where the serial cannot give a year, the transformer and speaker carry a date code that can. The pot and speaker code reader decodes it. This is one of the amps the amp dater covers.