Dating Your Guild® Guitar

The following charts contain the most accurate information we have for discerning the manufacture date of Guild guitars by serial number.

Unfortunately, some documentation has been lost or destroyed over the years, resulting in some holes in the historical record in addition to a small number of anomalies, inconsistencies and outright dating errors. That said, the information compiled and presented here is the most comprehensive data set we have for dating Guild guitars. Please refer to the notes preceding each chart on how to best interpret the data.

Two other highly reliable resources for dating Guild instruments are The Guild Guitar Book and Gruhn’s Guide to Vintage Guitars, both of which are excellent references that often prove helpful with questions regarding dating, specifications and historical context of many Guild instruments.

Unfortunately, once again, records of Guild serial numbers before 1960 are at best sketchy, preventing us from being able to assure dating accuracy before that year. Nonetheless, the charts below contain the best information we have on the approximate last serial numbers produced each year before 1960. There are no corresponding model names or numbers available.

 

1952-1960

YEAR APPROXIMATE LAST SERIAL NUMBER PRODUCED
1953 1000-1500
1954 1500-2200
1955 2200-3000
1956 3000-4000
1957 4000-5700
1958 5700-8300
1959 12035


1960-1969

This chart displays the first and last serial numbers of guitars produced in each year from 1960 to 1969 (inclusive); no corresponding model names or numbers are available.

YEAR FIRST NUMBER PRODUCED LAST NUMBER PRODUCED
1960 12036 14713
1961 14714 18419
1962 18420 22722
1963 22723 28943
1964 28944 38636
1965 ** 46606** (see next chart)
1966 ** 46608** (see next chart)
1967 ** 46637** (see next chart)
1968 ** 46656** (see next chart)
1969 ** 46695** (see next chart)


1965-1969

From 1965 to 1969 (inclusive), Guild used a separate serial numbering system for each guitar model. This chart details the year, model and beginning/ending serial numbers for each instrument during that period.

MODEL 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969
A50 AB101 to 136 AB137 to 162 AB163 to 203 AB204 to 240 N/A
A150 N/A N/A N/A AI101 to108 AI109 to 113
A350 N/A N/A N/A OD101 to 109 OD110 to 112
A500 N/A AF101 to 102 N/A AF103 to 115 N/A
ARTIST AWARD AA101 AA102 to 113 AA114 to 139 AA140 to 157 AA158 to 167
BB195-241 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
GEORGE BARNES a/e N/A N/A N/A N/A OF101 to 104
CA100 N/A N/A N/A OH101 to 113 OH114
CE100 EF101 to 211 EF212 to 396 EF397 to 549 EF550 to 719 EF720 to 760
D25 N/A N/A N/A OG101 to 192 OG203 to233
D35 N/A N/A N/A OJ101 to 1003 OJ1004 to 1592
D40 AJ101 to 333 AJ334 to 1136 AJ1137 to 2244 AJ2245 to 2825 AJ2826 to 3218
D44 AC101 to 166 AC167 to 318 AC319 to 435 AC436 to 488 AC489 to 570
D50 AL101 to 192 AL193 to 301 AL302 to 513 AL514 to 584 AL585 to 698
D55 N/A N/A N/A OI101 to 105 OI106 to 113
DD238-395 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
DE400 EH101 to 126 EH127 to 233 EH234 to 276 EH277 to 301 N/A
DE500 EI101 to 107 EI108 to 116 EI117 to 136 N/A EI137 to 141
F20 AG101 to 316 AG317 to 1534 AG1535 to 2499 AG2500 to 2793 AG2794 to 2822
F30 AI101 to 341 AI352 to 1142 AI1143 to 1855 AI1856 to 2270 AI2271 to 2554
F47 AK101 to 128 AK129 to 218 AK219 to 418 AK419 to 488 AK489 to 583
F50 AD101 to 119 AD120 to 190 AD191 to 291 AD292 to 355 AD356 to 418
F112 N/A N/A N/A OA101 to 511 OA512 to 695
F212 AN101 to 228 AN229 to 810 AN811 to 1558 AN1559 to 2009 AN2010 to 2271
F312 AS101 to 136 AS142 to 230 AS231 to 335 AS336 to 376 AS377 to 497
F412 N/A N/A N/A OB101 to 110 OB111 to 114
F512 N/A N/A N/A OC201 to 206 OC207 to223
JET STAR BASS SD101 to 108 SD109 to 327 SD328 to 343 N/A N/A
MARK I CA101 to 110 CA317 to 996 CA997 to 1973 CA1974 to 2156 N/A
MARK II CB101 to 247 CB248 to 967 CB968 to 1773 CB1774 to 2018 N/A
MARK III CC101 to 252 CC253 to 666 CC667 to 992 CC993 to 1203 N/A
MARK IV CD101 to 128 CD129 to 292 CD293 to 491 CD492 to 541 N/A
MARK V CE101 to 120 CE121 to 137 CE138 to 195 N/A N/A
MARK VI N/A N/A CF101 to 128 CF129 to 175 CF176 to 197
M20 ¾ Some AH #'s N/A N/A N/A OE101 to 102
M65 ¾ EC101 to 182 EC183 to 267 EC268 to 322 EC323 to 334 N/A
M65 ED101 to 160 ED161 to 194 ED195 to 270 ED271 to 335 ED336 to 414
M75 N/A N/A N/A DD101 to 138 DD139 to 237
M85 N/A N/A N/A BB101 to 109 BB110 to 194
S50 SA101 to 201 SA202 to 490 SA491 to 584 N/A N/A
S100 SB101 to 169 SB170 to 220 SB221 to251 SB252 to 269 N/A
S200 SC101 SC102 to 153 SC154 to 166 SC167 to 191 N/A
ST100 N/A N/A N/A ES101 to 275 ES276 to 318
STARFIRE II EK101 to 387 EK388 to 2098 EK2099 to 2819 EK2820 to 3028 EK3029 to 3098
STARFIRE III EK101 to 387 EK388 to 2098 EK2099 to 2819 EK2820 to 3028 EK3029 to 3098
STARFIRE IV EL101 to 276 EL277 to 1167 EL1168 to 1840 EL1841 to 2223 EL2224 to 2272
STARFIRE V EN101 to 194 EN195 to 927 EN928 to 1807 EN1808 to 2141 EN2142 to 2272
STARFIRE VI DB101 to 174 DB175 to 274 DB275 to 329 DB330 to 339 N/A
STARFIRE XII N/A DC101 to 586 DC587 to 896 DC897 DC899 to 910
STARFIRE BASS BA101 to 177 BA178 to 654 BA655 to 1696 BA1697 to 1946 BA1947 to 2043
T50 EB101 to 196 EB197 to 391 EB392 to 558 EB559 to 607 EB608 to 652
T100 EE101 to 601 EE602 to 1939 EE1940 to 2794 EE2795 to 3003 EE3004 to 3109
X50 EA101 to 202 EA203 to 326 EA327 to 491 EA492 to 502 EA503 to 506
X175 EG101 to 107 EG108 to 160 EG161 to 239 EG240 to 322 EG323 to 346
X500 DA101 to 106 DA107 to 138 DA139 to 180 DA181 to 235 DA236 to 244


1970-1979

This chart displays the first and last serial numbers of guitars produced each year from 1970 to 1979 (inclusive); no corresponding model names or numbers are available.

YEAR FIRST NUMBER PRODUCED LAST NUMBER PRODUCED
1970 46696 50978
1971 50979 61463
1972 61464 75602
1973 75603 95496
1974 95497 112803
1975 112804 130304
1976 130305 149625
1977 149626 169867
1978 169868 195067
1979 195068 211877 (to Sept. 30, 1979)


1979-1983

From 1979 to 1983 (inclusive), Guild resumed using separate serial number prefixes for each guitar model. This chart details the year, model and last serial number produced for each instrument during that period.

MODEL 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983
ARTIST AWARD JA100012 JA100043 JA100067 JA100097 JA100107
B301-B302 BB100400 BB100846 N/A N/A N/A
B301A-B302A BC100061 BC100196 BB100235 N/A N/A
B401-B402 N/A BD100212 BD100335 N/A N/A
B50 BA100002 BA100012 BA100168 BA100212 BA100249
BLUES BIRD N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
BRIAN MAY N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
CE100 KA100015 KA100077 KA100136 KA100159 KA100169
D15 N/A N/A N/A N/A AH100617
D15/12 N/A N/A N/A N/A EL100064
D17 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
D17/12 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
D25 DA100914 DA105752 DA109433 DA111910 DA112936
D25C N/A N/A N/A N/A EH100098
D35 DB100503 DB102097 DB103268 DB103743 DB104078
D40 DC100247 DC101105 DC101638 DC101782 DC101889
D40C N/A DG100542 DG100818 DG100959 DG101002
D46 N/A DL100131 DL100622 N/A DL100784
D47CE N/A N/A N/A N/A GE100026
DS48CE N/A N/A N/A N/A GF100024
D50 DD100212 DD100944 DD101382 DD101588 DD101737
D52 N/A N/A N/A N/A EK100034
D55 DE100236 DE100661 DE101058 DE101186 DE101247
D62 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
D64 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
D66 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
D70 N/A N/A EF100151 EF100208 EF100250
D80 N/A N/A N/A N/A EG100014
D212 N/A N/A AA101085 AA101529 AA101895
D312 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A AG100019
F20 FA100051 FA100244 FA100394 FA100490 FA100524
F30 FB100073 FB100235 FB100382 FB100440 FB100472
F30R N/A GG100123 GG1-174 GG100203 GG100207
F40 FC100015 FC100197 FC100381 FC100393 N/A
F42 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
F44 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
F45CE N/A N/A N/A GG100006 GG100409
F45/12 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
F46 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
FS46BASS N/A N/A N/A N/A BF100008
FS46CE N/A N/A N/A N/A EJ100205
FS46CE/12 N/A N/A N/A N/A GH100005
F50 FD100018 FD100286 FD100424 FD100484 FD100535
F50R FE100025 FE100261 FE100340 FE100426 FE100431
F112 FF100199 FF100277 FF100286 FF100294 N/A
F212 FG100014 FG100194 FG100308 FG100324 FG100342
F212C FH100001 FH100056 FH100424 N/A N/A
F212XL ------------------ FJ100233 FJ100401 FJ100486 FJ100525
F412 FK100045 FK100221 FK100342 FK100385 FK100405
F512 FL100040 FL100225 FL100362 FL100440 FL100477
G37 DF100052 DF100814 DF101339 DF101579 DF101774
G45 N/A N/A N/A GD100002 GD100050
G212 DH100035 DH100248 DH100398 DH100419 DH100436
G312 DJ100014 DJ100164 DJ100235 DJ100263 DJ100281
M80 N/A HA100003 HA100229 HA100339 HA100350
MARK II CA100005 CA100246 CA100424 CA100510 CA100570
MARK III CB100014 CB100163 CB100283 CB100305 CB100367
MARK IV CC100017 CC100101 CC100199 CC100218 CC100232
MARK V CD100021 CD100064 CD100089 CD100124 CD100137
MKS10CE N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
NIGHT BIRD N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
PROTOTYPES N/A LL100031 LL100108 LL100147 LL100198
S25 N/A N/A AC100159 AC100293 AC100339
S60 - S65 ED100050 ED100349 ED100499 ED100500 N/A
S60D EC100019 EC100169 EC100207 N/A N/A
S70 EE100019 EE100154 EE100246 N/A N/A
S250 N/A N/A AB100154 AB100236 AB100250
S260 N/A N/A N/A N/A AK100030
S275 N/A N/A N/A AF100139 AF100110
S280 - S281 N/A N/A N/A N/A HC100050
S282 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
S284 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
S285 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
S300 EA100023 EA100112 EA100468 N/A EA100470
S300A EB100023 EB100039 EB100229 N/A EB100230
SB201-SB202 N/A N/A N/A AE100426 AE100452
SB600 SB602 SB603 N/A N/A N/A N/A BE100050
SB604 N/A N/A N/A N/A BH100266
SB605 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
SB608 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
SF4 GA100051 GA100439 GA100686 GA100713 GA100713
STUDIO 24 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
T50 N/A N/A N/A HD100019 N/A
T250 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
X79 N/A N/A AD100304 AD100342 AD100509
X80 N/A N/A N/A N/A HD100023
X82 N/A N/A JF100107 JF100311 JF100430
X88 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
X92 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
X100 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
X170 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
X175 JC100014 JC100082 JC100177 JC100184 JC100205
X500 JB100036 JB100082 JB100136 JB100144 JB100148
X701-X702 N/A N/A N/A JD100174 JD100234


1984-1989

From 1984 to 1989 (inclusive), Guild continued using separate serial number prefixes for each guitar model. This chart details the year, model and last serial number produced for each instrument during that period.

MODEL 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
ARTIST AWARD JA100122 JA100127 JA100133 JA100147 JA100203 JA100227
ASHBORY BASS N/A N/A AJ23 AJ1109 AJ1235 N/A
B30 N/A N/A N/A B300100 B300230 B300310
B50 BA100269 BA100306 BA100326 BA100212 BA100249 BA300310
B301-B302 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
B301A-B302A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
B401-B402 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
BLUES BIRD N/A BJ100060 BJ100215 BJ100216 N/A N/A
BRIAN MAY BHM150 BHM286 BMH316 N/A N/A N/A
CE100 KA100175 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
D15 AH100924 AH101371 AH101815 D1500642 ? D151898 D151898
D16 AH100924 AH101371 AH101815 N/A N/A N/A
D15/12 EL100144 EL100211 N/A N/A N/A N/A
D17 AL100092 AL100402 AL100575 AL100886 AL100888 N/A
D17/12 GC100026 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
D25 DA113675 DA114523 DA115528 DA001232 ? DA252265 D252986
D25/12 N/A N/A N/A D2512467 N/A D251005
D25C EH100101 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
D30 N/A N/A N/A D3000367 ? D300719 D300921
D35 DB104288 DB104477 DB104697 DB104754 DB104754 N/A
D40 DC101972 DC102066 DC102190 D0400233 DC400482 D400640
D40C DG101032 DG101068 DC102190 D0400233 DC400482 D400640
D46 DL100839 DL100870 N/A N/A N/A N/A
N/A GE100047 GE100049 N/A N/A N/A N/A
DS48CE GF100026 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
D50 DD101789 DD101878 DD101928 DD101210 D500447 D500478
D50/12 D5012014 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
D52 EK100054 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
D55 DE101298 DE101374 DE101406 DE101407 N/A DE101376
D60 N/A N/A N/A D0600113 D600234 D600306
D62 KB100046 KB100060 N/A N/A N/A N/A
D64 KC100031 KC100051 KC100193 N/A N/A N/A
D65 N/A N/A N/A D0650012 N/A N/A
D66 KD100110 KD100162 KD100208 N/A N/A N/A
D70 EF100263 EF100280 N/A N/A N/A N/A
D80 EG100017 EG100019 N/A EG100024 N/A N/A
D100 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
D212 AA102114 AA102395 AA102792 N/A N/A N/A
D225 N/A N/A N/A N/A D225768 N/A
D312 N/A N/A DJ100299 DJ100300 N/A N/A
DE500 AG100148 AG100153 AG100169 N/A N/A N/A
DETONATOR JH000341 JH100580 N/A N/A N/A N/A
F20 FA100545 FA100595 FA100663 N/A N/A N/A
F30 FB100509 FB100527 N/A N/A N/A N/A
F30R N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
F40 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
F42 KG100036 KG100065 N/A N/A N/A N/A
F44 KH100078 KH100186 KH100249 F0440017 N/A N/A
F45 N/A N/A N/A F0450311 F450535 F450664
F45CE GB100533 GB100683 GB100839 N/A N/A N/A
F45/12 GJ100030 N/A GJ100157 N/A N/A N/A
F46 KJ100029 KJ100089 KJ100121 N/A N/A N/A
FS46BASS N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
FS46CE EJ100306 EJ100370 EJ100401 N/A N/A N/A
FS46CE/12 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
F50 FD100600 FD100650 FD100693 N/A N/A N/A
F50R FE100462 FE100479 FE100505 FE100515 N/A N/A
F112 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
F212 FG100358 FG100382 N/A N/A N/A N/A
F212C N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
F212XL FJ100545 FJ100567 N/A N/A N/A N/A
F412 FK100445 FK100476 FK100506 FK100578 N/A N/A
F512 FL100519 FL100543 FL100569 N/A N/A N/A
G37 DF101890 DF101990 DF102135 N/A N/A N/A
G45 GD100053 GD100080 N/A GD100089 N/A N/A
G212 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
G312 DJ100287 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
GF25 N/A N/A N/A GF250409 GF250715 GF250845
GF30 N/A N/A N/A GF300269 GF300498 GF300604
GF40 N/A N/A N/A GF400082 GF400086 N/A
GF50 N/A N/A N/A GF500212 GF500290 GF500322
GF50R N/A N/A N/A FE100512 N/A N/A
GF50/12 N/A N/A N/A GF50120043 N/A N/A
GF55 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A GF100002
GF60M N/A N/A N/A GF600048 GF600082 N/A
GF60R N/A N/A N/A GF60R0087 GF600206 GF600275
GX SERIES N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
JF30 N/A N/A N/A JF300234 JF300618 JF300663
JF30/12 N/A N/A N/A JF30120198 J230398 J230561
JF50 N/A N/A N/A JF500050 JF500112 N/A
JF50/12 N/A N/A N/A JF501250007 N/A N/A
JF55 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A FE100562
JF65M N/A N/A N/A JF650031 N/A N/A
JF65R N/A N/A N/A JF65R0019 N/A FE100516
JF65/12 N/A N/A