See Yamaha FG Serial Numbers, Interior Markings, and Labels – 1966 to 1981for more information.
Handbuild in Taiwan, solid spruce top, solid mahogany back and sides. African mahogany neck with Indian rosewood fretboard. Serial number 1202026. Dating SG’s by serial number. The “History of Yamaha Guitars“, a good but far from complete book on Yamaha guitars, gives the following serial number chart for SG’s (and SX) guitars: Made in Japan, 1966-1984. Year Serial Number Sequence 1966 0398-3951 1967 3952-7433 1968 7434- 1 1970 2 1971 1 1972 8 1973 5 1974. Check the neck joint of the guitar if you can't find the serial number anywhere else. Look at the first letter of the serial number, which indicates which year the instrument was made. Yamaha's guitars serial numbers repeat every 10 years, so additional research may be needed to find the exact year your guitar was made.
Yamaha Acoustic Guitar Serial Numbers
- See Yamaha FG Serial Numbers, Interior Markings, and Labels – 1966 to 1981 for more information. Many made in Taiwan Yamaha guitars will have 2 serial numbers ink stamped in easily seen places, the brace under the fretboard and on the neck block. I’ve found most have ink stamped date codes on the inside, on one of the side panels.
- A great source for Ibanez serial numbers is the Ibanez wiki. Yamaha acoustic and classical guitar serial numbers can be found near the soundhole label or stamped inside the guitar. Yamaha uses a date code where letters will correspond with the year and month numbers. H-Z represents numbers.
Yamaha Bass Serial Numbers
Many made in Taiwan Yamaha guitars will have 2 serial numbers ink stamped in easily seen places, the brace under the fretboard and on the neck block. I’ve found most have ink stamped date codes on the inside, on one of the side panels. They are based on the Republic of China calendar starting January 1, 1912, the start of the Minguo era. This happens to be the same numbering system as Korea, because its fonder Kim Il-sung was born in 1912.
The first 2 digits of the codes in Taiwan made Yamaha FG guitars are the year based on the Minguo era. Year 1 is 1912, therefore the 61st year is 1972. Then the 2 digit Month. Then the 2 digit Day. Year.Month.Day 62.12.27 equals December 27th, 1973.
61 = 1972
62 = 1973
63 = 1974
64 = 1975
65 = 1976
66 = 1977
67 = 1978
68 = 1979
69 = 1980
1974 made in Taiwan FG-110.
Since the serial number on the brace is 40131535 (Jan 31, 1974) is later, the date on the side must be when that part was made.