HOW TO READ A IBANEZ SERIAL NUMBER

[gemberbier]

I have a new SZR720BB with a serial number of S08093814 Made in China.

can I assume it was made in the Saehan factory in China.
there was mention on some retail web sites there these were made in a custom shop in china?
Any information on that this factory and that fact or fiction out there?

A "custom shop"?
In China?
"Made in China" stands for "made with cheap labor".
Using the word on these guitars is just a way to make more money: they are just not as crappy as the rest.
Seahan Korea were the manufacturers of "Vester" and "Rock Axe" and "Ax Tech".
They did some own development on tremolo systems, that never made a breakthrough. I have one on a hardrock carved top tele model. The tremolo had a blocking device, so that you could use it as a hardtail.

Anyway, Vester were budget guitars (Squier level) and what came after that was even cheaper, because nobody knew the brands (that was during or just after the Fender-Vester lawsuit).
And the Chinese factories work even cheaper, so I hope you didn't pay too much for this 2008 guitar. They are NOT collector's items and NEVER will be.

For a player's guitar that doesn't really matter, as long as YOU are satisfied with the sound of it.


Ginger

[atkinsg]

Thanks for the info.
I did a bit more research after your post.
There are a lot of issues around both china and korea for guitar factories and worker abuse.
A lot of info on cort out there.
Always been a lot of mystery around ibanez fender and epiphone offshore manufacturing. The cort stuff really brings all of this out in the open. Really disgusting stuff.

Back to the guitar.
Build quality is actually quite good, surprising actually.
Usual off shore electronics. Small cheaper pots etc.
Defiantly a cheap player for sure, no delusions there.

[buckonewdaddy]

will try to put sum pics up 2morrow

I got my guitar a few years ago for xmas and was trying to learn some more about it from the serial number. And a google search brought me here. I read the first post on how to translate the serial but im having trouble with mine.
It says made in Korea on it, but no letters in the serial.
Says model P N 5
       serial number 29303836
 any info like when it was made would be appreciated TKS

Welcome,

PN5
Never heard of it...
Pics please...


Ginger

[Nightwulph]

Hello, I've been reading about the serial numbers and I know what mine means, I was just wondering if I could get some history on this particular one and if the last 4 numbers of the serial mean how many there were made etc..

Ibanez V300WN    Model#  81081720H    Hand Crafted in Japan.

I assume it's from Aug, 1981 given the other info on here,  but what does 1720 mean, and H is Hoshino... Just wondering if there is any other info on this particular model, can't seem to find any, anywhere else.
As in, how many were made, where exactly it came from, etc.

I'll post a picture as soon as I can get my camera working.
Thank you in advance for any information.

[Juha T]

1981 catalog

http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/expansion.php?cat_id=294&now=3

WN (Walnut) colour option is not listed in the catalog but this happens sometimes.

1720 is probably running production number of all guitars. H may mean Hoshino or anything else.

[Nightwulph]

Thanks bro, I was happy to buy this from a friend from work for  $200.00, Do you or anyone else know what the value of this guitar might be off hand?

P.S.   I got a picture of it in it's original case.
Also the guitar is in mint condition, it was barely played from what I was told and that is the original case it came in.

[Juha T]

$200 is a good price, I guess max price is around $300 for mint with OHSC.

[mcushway]

Hello all,

This is my first post here.  I recently bought a project to rebuild.  I believe it is an RG 140 (still doing some research).  I know it's not the greatest model, but its my first and everybody needs to start somewhere.  The serial number on the headstock sticker is P901523.  There are no numbers stamped into the neck plate.  I have read through the serial number info at the beginning of the tread but it only makes my head spin, so I thought I would ask the experts.  I'm trying to determine where it was made and I'm unclear if its a 89 or a 90.  Also is there a way to determine what color it was from the factory? Any help on this would be great.  Thanks in advance.

-Mike

[Nightwulph]

Hiya mcushway, I am fairly new to the Ibanez world, but I've read your post and I figure I can help either way,...

P901523

Assuming the rest of the posts are correct, this means that it's from Korea, Peerless Factory,  Year 1990, with 1523 being the production number.
Other then that, I'm not too sure, the model number should have been around the serial number somewhere indicating if it was an RG140 or something else.  If you find the model number, it will also have what color it was originally from the factory,  usually ending in   -BK for black or any other color.

Hopefully someone else can clarify, for now that's what I've gathered from the previous posts in this thread.

[Marshallove]

Hey all, I'm new to this forum so, hello to everyone!

I have an Ibanez Destroyer II that I'm unclear about, meaning the year, factory etc. I was scanning through lots of these posts and am still a bit confused.

So here's the scoop, Ibanez Destroyer II, cherry sunburst w/ dark red back. set neck, rosewood board.
The back of the headstock says, Crafted in Japan. Serial # I815095.

Any ideas, and or info, would be much appreciated.


Thanks!

[onsmrx]

Looks like a 81 model from September. Is it in this catalogue?

http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/expansion.php?cat_id=64&now=3

[Marshallove]

Looks like a 81 model from September. Is it in this catalogue?

http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/expansion.php?cat_id=64&now=3

Yep, it looks exactly like that guitar in the catalogue, save for different pickups that i put in, and locking tuners.

Awesome! thanks onsmrx! 

[iruxol]

Hi,

Perhaps you serial number experts could help me identify my pickups. They are allegedly Super 70 but I doubt it. Both of them have 21 05 29 written on the back, have your standard ibanez three screws and are black with no covers.

Anyone has an idea?

Thanks

[hands]

hi
i just bought a aw30 serial# E800444. pic in the 1979 catalog. From the reading ive done here , i assume... this was built in the month of may, 1980, 444th built that month..( or 444th of total production of this model that year)

Correct??

so...  solid sitka spruce top, select rosewood sides and back. certificate inside says Handcrafted from select solid woods in japan. with Honda signature,

This guitar sounds better than any iv ever played!!  been 25 years since i've owned one. So... is this a series 1?

my humble opinion is this is not laminate. grains  match in and out. its possible its a 4 piece back not 2 but...?

what do i need to do to keep it in shape? anything special? any info to share?

plus it would be nice to know i paid a reasonable price. Even though i cant help but giggle when i hear it played. It strikes a cord inside. pun not intended 
thanks john

[gemberbier]

hi
i just bought a aw30 serial# E800444. pic in the 1979 catalog. From the reading ive done here , i assume... this was built in the month of may, 1980, 444th built that month..( or 444th of total production of this model that year)

Correct??

so...  solid sitka spruce top, select rosewood sides and back. certificate inside says Handcrafted from select solid woods in japan. with Honda signature,

This guitar sounds better than any iv ever played!!  been 25 years since i've owned one. So... is this a series 1?

my humble opinion is this is not laminate. grains  match in and out. its possible its a 4 piece back not 2 but...?

what do i need to do to keep it in shape? anything special? any info to share?

plus it would be nice to know i paid a reasonable price. Even though i cant help but giggle when i hear it played. It strikes a cord inside. pun not intended 
thanks john

Until now, we found NO Artwood acoustic with a Fuji Gen serial number.
But... this is the first AW-30 from 1980 in our list. So, it could be that the cheaper Artwoods were made at Fuji Gen's for a while.
Shortly after that these guitars were most likely made at the Daion factory (D serial #).

Maintenance tips:
When you replace your strings, buy a good set (80-20 bronze, 85-15 bronze or phosphor bronze) gauge .012-.053 (for d'Addario) or .012-.054 (for most other brands) a bottle of fretboard oil and some 0000 grade steel-wool.
First you remove your strings, than you clean the skin-grease off your fretboard with 0000 steel-wool ONLY LENGTHWISE and NEVER on LACQUERED FRETBOARDS such as the maple ones.
When it has been cleaned you apply some drops of fretboard oil and rub it in the wood in such a way that it you get every spot. "Feeding" old naked hardwood is necessary to prevent dehydration and cracking.
Do the same with the headstock veneer and the bridge.
After you're done, you'll see that the colour of the wood has come back.
Now you put your strings on, starting with strings 1 and 6 working outside > in.
 
First put your ball ends into the bridge and then measure the length toward the correct post and ADD 3 inches and cut them off before you start winding them.
This way you will get only about 3 turns on your posts. That's better for the tuning stability. You can't have too much string stretching on the post...
For the care of your lacquered wood, such as the top and the back and sides, I advice MARTIN guitar polish. It's mild and has a nice waxy smell.
Enjoy your axe.


Ginger