Serial number dating / Music Man
Music Man serial number lookup
Find the year a Music Man was built, read from Music Man’s own numbering scheme.
Can't read a digit? Type ? in its place. Looked-up serials are kept, never tied to you. How it works
Type the serial or code from the instrument. We read it as you type.
Cross-check with a pot code
The number stamped on a potentiometer inside the guitar. It dates the part, not the whole instrument.
Example Music Man serials and how they read
Made-up serials in each of Music Man’s formats, read by the dater above.
| Serial | Reads as | Format |
|---|---|---|
| B123456 | 1976–1983 | Pre-EB StingRay bass, USA |
| C123456 | 1979–1983 | Pre-EB Sabre bass, USA |
| 88123 | 1988 | Ernie Ball guitar headstock (YYNNN), USA |
| G123456 | 1976–1980 | Pre-EB guitar, USA |
How Music Man serials date
- Ernie Ball guitar headstock (YYNNN)
- Pre-EB StingRay bass
- Pre-EB Sabre bass
- Pre-EB guitar
- Ernie Ball numeric series
More on Music Man serial numbers
How sure is it
Every result carries its confidence. Treat the year as a strong guide, not proof: a serial can be replaced, a neck and body can be from different years, and reissues copy old numbering. For anything that matters, confirm the year against the neck date, the pot codes and Ernie Ball Music Man's serial database.
Other brands
This is one of many brands the serial number dater covers.