Can anyone help me please?

[Jim (Jim)]

 I'm trying to date my Ibanez acc/elec but the serial number does not seem to conform to the normal Ibanez serialisation sequence as there is no letter before it!The model# is AE410BK and the serial# is 840402781 can anyone enlighten me please?I'd be very grateful.

[Johns (Johns)]

 Jim:

According to Jim Donahue's IbanezVintage.com site:

"Acoustics are a little harder but usually start with the year and then the month. So, 7502001 is February 1975."

According to this scheme, your serial number indicates an April '84 manufacture date. However, I would confirm that the AE410 was indeed available in 1984. If it's a newer guitar, then they have changed the serial number scheme and I'm clueless.

BTW, check the neck block on the inside of the guitar, you might find another serial number burned into the wood. If so, let me know what it is. All of mine have had an earlier date than the paper label. I'm interested in seeing if there's some correlation between the two.

[Jim (Jim)]

 Thanks John,I've had a look but can see no other serial # on the guitar.There is no visible neck block as the end of the neck is covered by the contour of the inside of the sound hole.Sorry if my description is a bit hard to understand but I'm new at this.Thanks again for your help though!  JIM