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Serial
Numbers and Dates of Manufacture
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Dating
a Japanese
made Fender by its serial number is not always totally accurate.
Fender obviously operated a certain degree of mix and match in
their production of the instruments so dating has become an inexact science.
The following
table will give you a reasonable idea of its date of manufacture.
In 1998/1999 official Fender Japan mass export to the UK/USA/Europe stopped
with the 'B' serial number prefix.
From mid -1997
serial numbers have the prefaced line 'Crafted in Japan'. Prior to that
export
guitars were prefaced with the line 'Made in Japan'. Aside from
the general misconception that with guitars "older is
better" there is no difference between either a Made In
Japan or a Crafted In Japan model. Whoever is selling
whichever model, will claim it is best, but in reality there is no
difference. From experience of 100's of Fenders both USA and
Japanese I have found the Japanese product generally to be of
superior quality all round.
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