Year Identification / Serial Numbers

Excerpt from The PRS Guitars Book, written by Dave Burrluck

Serial Number Year-Code Prefix

All guitars and basses have serial numbers which start with a year prefix. The prefix is the last one or two digits of the production year, and it applies to all models below.

Prefix Number	Year or Years
0		1990	2000
1		1991	2001
2		1992	2002
3		1993	2003
4		1994	2004
5	1985	1995	2005
6	1986	1996	2006
7	1987	1997	2007
8	1988	1998
9	1989	1999
08			2008
09			2009
10			2010
11			2011

Set-Neck Serial Numbers

The serial number of a set-neck model is located on the back of the guitar’s headstock.

After the year prefix, the remaining digits indicate the sequential order of set neck models built.

Approximate Serial Numbers	Year
0001 - 0400	1985
0401 - 1700	1986
1701 - 3500	1987
3501 - 5400	1988
5401 - 7600	1989
7601 - 10100	1990
10101 - 12600	1991
12601 - 15000	1992
15001 - 17900	1993
17901 - 20900	1994
20901 - 24600	1995
24601 - 29500	1996
29501 - 34600	1997
34601 - 39100	1998
39101 - 44499	1999
44500 - 52199	2000
52200 - 62199	2001
62200 - 72353	2002
72354 - 82254	2003
82255 - 92555	2004
92556 - 103103	2005
103104 - 114999	2006
115000 - 128400	2007
128401 - 143000	2008
143001 - 157200	2009
157201 - 169000	2010
169001 -	2011

CE Models

Approximate Serial Numbers	Year
7 0001 – 0270	1988
7 0271 – 1830	1989
7 1831 – 3200	1990
7 3201 – 4540	1991
7 4541 – 7090	1992
7 7091 – 8820	1993
7 8821 – 10700	1994
7 10701 – 13000	1995
7 13001 – 14680	1996
7 14681 – 17130	1997
7 or CE 17131 – 19580	1998
CE 19581 – 20749	1999
CE 20750 – 21599	2000
CE 21600 – 23199	2001
CE 23200 – 25389	2002
CE 25390 – 26399	2003
CE 26400 – 27900	2004
CE 27901 – 29377	2005
CE 29378 - 31699	2006
CE 31700 - 32799	2007
CE 32800 - 33600	2008

EG Models

The year of manufacture is determined the same way for the EG models. Like the CE models the serial number is located on the neck plate on the back of the guitar. The following number determines the model: 5 or EG for the EG models, then the sequential number for that particular model.

Approximate Serial Numbers	Year
5 0001 – 0920	1990
5 0921 – 1290	1991
5 1291 – 2070	1992
5 2071 – 2870	1993
5 2871 – 3190	1994
5 3191 - 3300	1995

Swamp Ash Special Models

The year of manufacture is determined the same way for the Swamp Ash Special. Like the CE and EG models the serial number is located on the neck plate on the back of the guitar. The following number determines the model: 8 or SA for the Swamp Ash Special, then the sequential number for that particular model * the first 200 Swamp Ash Specials were given a CE serial number.

Approximate Serial Numbers	Year
8 00001 – 00410	1997
8 or SA 00411 – 00760	1998
SA 00761 – 00969	1999
SA 00970 – 01179	2000
SA 01180 – 01399	2001
SA 01400 – 01899	2002
SA 01900 – 02099	2003
SA 02100 – 02287	2004
SA 02288 – 02700	2005
SA 02701 – 02800	2006
SA 02801 – 02900	2007
SA 02901 – 03000	2008

Bolt-On Bass: Sequential Serial Numbers

After the year prefix, these models use a code digit of "4", indicating a bolt-on neck bass. This is followed by the sequential number for that particular model. The serial number will be located on the neck plate on the back of the bass.

Approximate Serial Numbers	Year
4 0001 – 0030	1989
4 0031 – 0140	1990
4 0141 – 0200	1991

Set-Neck Bass: Sequential Serial Numbers

After the year prefix, these models us a code digit of "9", indicating a set-neck model bass. This is followed by the sequential number for that particular model. The serial number will be located on the back of the headstock.

Approximate Serial Numbers	Year
9 0001 – 0230	1986/87
9 0231 – 0350	1988
9 0351 – 0680	1989
9 0681 – 0730	1990
9 0731 – 0800	1991

Electric Bass: Sequential Serial Numbers

After the year prefix, these models use a code of "EB", indicating Electric Bass. This is followed by the sequential number for that particular model. The serial number will be located on the back of the headstock.

Approximate Serial Numbers	Year
EB 00007 – 00072	2000
EB 00073 – 00199	2001
EB 00200 – 00422	2002
EB 00423 – 00501	2003
EB 00502 – 00650	2004

SE Model Serial Numbers

The serial number on SE model guitars can be found on the back of the headstock.

The year of manufacture for SE guitars can be determined by the letter prefix prior to the sequence of numbers that follow.

Prefix Letter	Year
A	2000
B	2001
C	2002
D	2003
E	2004
F	2005
G	2006
H	2007
I	2008
J	2009
K	2010
L	2011

Acoustic Serial Numbers

The serial number of an acoustic is located on the label inside the sound hole of the guitar.

All acoustic serial numbers begin with the letter "A", and are followed by the two digit year prefix.

Prefix Letter	Year
A09	2009
A10	2010
A11	2011

The remaining digits indicate the sequential number of acoustics built to date.

Approximate Serial Numbers	Year
0001 – 0190	2009
0191 – 0517	2010
0518 –	2011

Amplifier Serial Numbers

The serial number of an amp is located on the back of the amp in the upper right corner.

All amplifier serial numbers begin with the code "AMP" and are followed by the two digit year prefix.

Prefix Letter	Year
AMP08	2008
AMP09	2009
AMP10	2010
AMP11	2011

The remaining digits indicate the sequential number of amplifiers built that year. This sequence resents each year.

Approximate Serial Numbers	Year
0001 – 0052	2008
0001 – 0912	2009
0001 – 0575	2010
0001 –	2011

Speaker Cabinet Serial Numbers

The serial number of an speaker cabinet is located on the back of the cabinet in the upper right corner.

All cabinet serial numbers begin with the code "SPK" and are followed by the two digit year prefix.

Prefix Letter	Year
SPK09	2009
SPK10	2010
SPK11	2011

The remaining digits indicate the sequential number of cabinets built that year. This sequence resents each year.

Approximate Serial Numbers	Year
0001 – 0366	2009
0001 – 0260	2010
0001 –	2011