Yamaha Guitar Serial Number Search Best

Whether you discover you have a rare 1968 Nippon Gakki FG-150 (currently worth $1,200+) or simply confirm that your reliable 2015 FG-800 was born in Indonesia, that number unlocks a deeper appreciation for Yamaha’s legacy.

| Serial Prefix / First Digit(s) | Likely Year | Factory Origin | Model Range | |--------------------------------|-------------|----------------|--------------| | 1 or 01 | 1971, 1981 | Nippon Gakki (Japan) | FG-200, FG-300 | | 2 or 02 | 1972, 1982 | Nippon Gakki (Japan) | FG-1500, L-52 | | 3 or 03 | 1973, 1983 | Nippon Gakki (Japan) | FG-160, G-100A | | 4 or 04 | 1974, 1984 | Nippon Gakki (Japan) | FG-180 Red Label | | 5 or 05 | 1975, 1985 | Nippon Gakki (Japan) | FG-230, FG-350 | | 6 or 06 | 1976, 1986 | Nippon Gakki (Japan) | FG-335, L-15 | | 7 | 1977, 1987, 1997 | Japan / Taiwan | FG-331, Pacifica 112 | | 8 | 1978, 1988, 1998 | Taiwan / Korea | FG-340, CGX series | | 9 | 1979, 1989, 1999 | Korea / China | FG-365, APX-4 | | JPN | 2005–2015 | Japan (Handcrafted) | LL-16, LS-6 | | IDN | 2010–Present | Indonesia | FG-800, F-310 | | CHN | 2015–Present | China | FS-800, CSF-1M | yamaha guitar serial number search best

Have a serial number you can’t crack? Post it in the comments below, and our community of Yamaha enthusiasts will decode it for free. Whether you discover you have a rare 1968

Find your serial, match the first 1-2 digits to the most plausible decade based on your guitar’s condition. A worn headstock means 1970s; pristine plastic means 2000s. Common Yamaha Serial Number Pitfalls (And How to Fix Them) Even with the best search method, you may hit a wall. Here are the three most common problems: Problem 1: "My 1960s Yamaha has NO serial number." Solution: Yamaha did not consistently stamp serial numbers on very early Dynamics or entry-level classical guitars before 1967. You must rely on the internal paper label and bridge shape. Consult a vintage Yamaha forum with photos. Problem 2: "The decoder says 1980, but the guitar looks like 1970." Solution: Yamaha reused serial ranges. A number starting with "6" could be June of 1976 OR 1986. Cross-reference the tuning pegs: Metal butterbean pegs = 1970s. Sealed chrome tuners = 1980s. Problem 3: "I found a 'Made in USA' Yamaha." Solution: Genuine but rare. Yamaha had a brief US assembly plant in Georgia in the mid-1980s. The serial number will start with a "G." The best search tool for these is the vintage Yamaha catalogs on Archive.org . The Ultimate Best Practice: The 3-Step Search Protocol To guarantee you get the correct result, do not rely on a single website. Follow this protocol: Find your serial, match the first 1-2 digits