Fender Stratocaster - Reissue Strat Serial Numbers

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Reissue Strat Serial Numbers

Fender American Vintage Reissue Stratocasters have serial numbers that begin at V000001 in 1982 and are now approaching V200000 in 2008.  Each American Reissue Stratocaster that left the factory had one of these V serial numbers stamped into the neckplate.  As a general rule of thumb, serial numbers can be used to denote a year range for a particular guitar.  A few popular books state that the serial numbers re-started with V0000001 when the new Corona, Ca factory opened.  This is not true.  At no time did the serial numbers re-start.

 As a broad generality V000001-V004000 denote a 1982 guitar, V004000-V010000 denote a 1983 guitar, and V010000-V016000 denotes a 1984 guitar.  If you look at my fullerton inventory, you can see that this is just a broad generality.  From my experience, any serial number below V016000 denotes a guitar made at the fullerton plant (1982-1984).  Of course, there are exceptions to this generalization.  I have come across many guitars with a serial number in the V012000's with a 1982 neckdate.  I have also come across guitars with a V012000 serial number with a 1986 neckdate.
 
A possible explanation is that Fender just had a large box filled with neckplates and thus placed on guitars in a semi-random fashion.  Of course, the box would not contain 10,000 neckplates but rather a couple thousand at the most.  This makes it possible to place a guitar into a rather tight year range just by using serial number.  The only way to correctly date an AVRI is to correlate the serial number, neckdate, and the codes on the pots. 

  • V000559 neckplate

  • V000690 neckplate

  • V002918 neckplate

  • V008399 neckplate

  • V020488 neckplate

  • V036176 neckplate