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Funkle (Funkle)
| | Posted on Thursday, March 07, 2002 - 7:01 pm: | |
Here's a useful explanation (and critacism) of the Ibanez dating system that I nabbed from Ed Romans web site (I edited out most of the Ibanez bashing):
While dating the appearance and disappearance of various models is not always precise, fixing the date of individual instruments has for the most part been a breeze since around 1975 or 1976 when a very logical serial number sequence was implemented.The serial number consists of a letter and six digits.The letter represents the month of manufacture; the next two digits are the year of manufacture: the remaining five digits have an unknown meaning, if any.
Thus, a guitar with a serial number H814657 would translate: H=August: 81=1981; 4657=whatever.
By 1988, at least, the initial letter drops off.
Dating Ibanez Guitars or establishing the year they were made is a little bit tricky. Below is how it was explained to me by Ibanez on 10/22/98.
On all guitars made before and up to 1987 the first two digits of the serial number would designate the year of manufacture. For example a guitar manufactured in 1981 would start out with the numbers "81" and if it was made in in 1985 it would start of with "85".
This is a simple easy intelligent idiot proof system. I have to ask myself why they modified it in 1987. (It will present problems down the road guaranteed)
On all guitars made after 1987, The last digit of the year is the first number of the serial number for example a 1989 guitar would start off with a "9" and a 1993 guitar would start off with a "3". I ask you how will someone be able to tell the difference between a 1988 guitar and a 1998 guitar in years to come. |
Orval (Orval)
| | Posted on Thursday, March 07, 2002 - 10:37 pm: | |
being able to tell the difference between
1988 and 1998 will require the use of catalogs
to determine which models and characteristics
were available in the given years. |
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