Fender Banjo Serial Numbers
Leo Fender Banjo Serial Numbers
Amazon 2010 annual report. Although Fender began producing Fender and Squier instruments in Korea in 1988, its digital records only go back to mid-1993, with little if any information available on serial numbering from 1988 through 1992. It is accepted that there were serial numbers with and without letter prefixes at that time, but as definitive information is lacking, serial-number dating for Korean instruments made before 1993 is highly uncertain. Digital records beginning in 1993 show some “CN” and “VN” prefixes on the serial numbers of Korean-made instruments (these numbers almost certainly occur before 1993, but there is no documentation of this). Serial numbers without letter prefixes have been found dating through 1996; these are six-, seven- and eight-digit serial numbers with the first numeral (or first two numerals in the eight-digit numbers) indicating year of manufacture. A seven-digit serial number beginning with six, for example, indicates 1996; a seven-digit number beginning with seven denotes 1997; an eight-digit number beginning with 98 denotes 1998, etc. A “KC” prefix was introduced on Korean-made instruments in 1997, designating instrument made in Korea at the Cort factory.