ESP is an American guitar brand founded in 1975. The company became known for high-end electric guitars, many of them made in Japan. LTD came later as a more affordable line. They are made at factories outside Japan.
The company has changed its numbering formats several times. Older serial numbers can be difficult to decode, while newer formats are usually much easier to read.
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Where to Find an ESP Serial Number
On most ESP guitars, the first place to check is the back of the headstock. Many older bolt on ESP models may have the serial number on the neck plate instead. The earliest guitars may not have a serial number at all. In those cases, you may find extra markings in the neck pocket, on the neck heel, or in a pickup cavity.
On most LTD guitars, the serial number is also found on the back of the headstock. On some older LTD guitars, especially older bolt on instruments, you may also find a number on the neck plate or under the pickups.
ESP Serial Number Decoder
Enter the serial number exactly as it appears on the guitar. Keep all letters and numbers. Do not guess missing digits.
If the decoder gives no result, use the manual guide below.
ESP Headstock Serial Numbers
The back of the headstock is one of the most common places to find an ESP serial number. The format varies depending on the period. Pre-2000 guitars often have an all-numeric date code. Guitars from 2000 to 2015 usually have one or two letter prefixes followed by 7 digits. Newer ESP guitars use a brand-based format.
8-Digit Serial Number Before 2000
Most pre-2000 ESP headstock serial numbers follow the DDMMYNNN format.
- DD = day of the month
- MM = month
- Y = last digit of the year
- NNN = production number
Serial number 15049327, for example, can be read as April 15, 1993, production number 927.
Serial number 17049918 can be read as 17 (day) 04 (month) 9 (year) 918 (production number), but the year digit 9 could mean 1989 or 1999. In cases like this, check the model, logo, hardware, and period-correct specs.
Some older headstock serial numbers have 7 or 6 digits. These are usually shortened versions of the same format, with one or two leading zeros omitted from the day or month. They are not a separate dating system.
For example, 03078541 reads as: July 3, a year ending in 8, and production number 541. The same number may appear as 3078541 if one zero is omitted or 378541 if two zeros are omitted.
Letter-Prefix Serial Number, From 2000 to 2015
Many ESP guitars from 2000 to 2015 have one or two letters followed by 7 digits. The letter prefix identifies the factory or production line. The digits are usually read as YYWWDNN.
- YY = year
- WW = production week
- D = day of the week
- NN = production number
Example: K0905312.
K = factory prefix
09 = 2009
05 = week 5
3 = day 3 of that week
12 = production number 12
The most commonly listed prefixes for this period are shown below.
| Prefix | Meaning |
|---|---|
| K | ESP Kiso Factory |
| S | ESP Sado Factory |
| T | ESP Takada Factory |
| SS | not exactly known |
| CH | Craft House |
| CS | Craft House, used rarely |
| TH | Technical House |
| N | Nagano Factory |
Modern ESP Serial Number Since 2015
Newer ESP guitars use a serial number beginning with E followed by 7 digits.
E-II models use ES followed by 7 digits.
- E = ESP
- The next 4 digits are the production number.
- The next 2 digits identify the year.
- The last digit identifies the series.
Example: E2547162.
E = ESP
2547 = production number
16 = 2016
2 = Signature Series
The last digit is usually read as:
| Last Digit | Series |
|---|---|
| 1 | Custom Series |
| 2 | Signature Series |
| 3 | E II Series |
ESP Neck Plate Serial Number
Some older bolt-on ESP guitars have a 5-digit serial number stamped into the neck plate. This system is less precise than a headstock serial number and usually gives only a likely year range.
Unlike headstock serial numbers, these numbers are not decoded digit by digit. Match the full 5-digit number to the closest known range in the chart below.
| Neck plate serial range | Likely year |
|---|---|
| 592XX | 1989 |
| 601XX to 618XX | 1992 |
| 619XX to 912XX | 1993 |
| 1XXXX to 166XX | 1993 |
| 167XX to 183XX | 1994 |
| 184XX to 244XX | 1995 |
| 245XX to 261XX | 1996 |
| 273XX to 294XX | 1997 |
| 301XX to 357XX | 1998 |
| 339XX to 369XX | 1999 |
| 379XX to 387XX | 2000 |
| 388XX to 416XX | 2001 |
| 402XX | 2002 |
| 4170X | 2003 |
Examples:
A neck plate serial like 60543 fits the 1992 range.
Serial number 14238 falls in the second 1993 range. That year appears in two groups: 619XX-912XX and 1XXXX-166XX.
A serial like 17564 points to 1994.
A serial like 34721 is less clear. It falls into the area where the published 1998 and 1999 ranges overlap. In a case like that, the neck plate alone is not enough. So this kind of number should be checked against the guitar itself.
Hidden ESP Serial Numbers and Internal Marks
Not every ESP guitar gives you a clear serial number on the back of the headstock or neck plate. On some older guitars, the best clues are hidden inside the instrument. These marks do not always work like a normal serial number, but they can still help you narrow down the production period.
Pickup Cavity Numbers
Some older ESP guitars have handwritten or stamped marks inside the pickup cavity. These may include short number strings, model codes, assembly notes, or partial dates.
Do not assume every number in the cavity is a true serial number. In many cases, it is just a factory mark or production note. Still, these markings can be useful when the guitar has no clear external serial number.
If you check the pickup cavity, look for:
- date-style number patterns
- handwritten inspection marks
- model-related codes
- matching marks that also appear on the neck or body
A cavity mark is most useful when it matches the guitar’s other features.
Neck Heel and Neck Pocket Markings
On bolt-on ESP guitars, another good place to check is the neck heel and the neck pocket. Older guitars sometimes have pencil dates, short factory notes, or matching assembly marks in these areas.
These marks can be more helpful than a neck plate serial number, especially on guitars from the late 1980s and 1990s.
Look for:
- pencil dates
- stamped dates
- short handwritten codes
- matching numbers on both neck and body
If the neck heel and neck pocket show the same style of marking, that is a good sign the parts belong together.
LTD Serial Numbers
LTD guitars were built in factories outside Japan, and their serial formats are based more on factory prefixes than on the older Japanese ESP dating systems.
Older LTD guitars are more difficult to date than later ones. Serial numbers were less consistent in the early years of production.
On later LTD guitars, the letters at the beginning usually identify the factory or country. The first two digits after the prefix usually give the year.
For example, if those digits are 08, the guitar is usually from 2008. If they are 14, it usually points to 2014.
The most common formats of LTD serial numbers:
| Format | Example | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Letter + 7 digits | U1204567 | Country Prefix + Year + Production Digits |
| Two letters + 7 digits | IS1304567 | Country Prefix + Year + Production Digits |
| Letter + 8 digits | W07195227 | Country Prefix + Year + Production Digits |
| Two letters + 8 digits | IW14082345 | Country Prefix + Year + Production Digits |
| Two letters + 9 digits | IS180104567 | Country Prefix + Year + Production Digits |
The prefixes below are some of the most commonly seen on LTD guitars.
| Prefix | Factory/Country |
|---|---|
| E | Korea |
| U | Korea |
| I | Vietnam |
| L | China |
| IS | Indonesia |
| IR | Indonesia |
| W | World Musical Instrument, Korea |
| IW | Indonesia |
| IX | Indonesia |
| WR | World Musical Instrument, Korea |
| GW | World Musical Instrument, Korea |
| SX | China |
| SK | China |
| RS | China |
| SP | China |
Examples:
- U1204567 = Korean-made LTD, 2012
- L0903124 = Chinese-made LTD, 2009
- IS1304567 = Indonesian-made LTD, 2013
How to Date a Guitar Without a Serial Number
A missing serial number does not mean the guitar cannot be dated. With ESP and LTD, the best approach is to compare several visual details with period-correct specs.
Start by comparing the guitar with old ESP catalogs. The body shape, pickups, bridge type, control layout, finish options, and inlays can often narrow the guitar down to the right period.
Catalog matching is especially useful for older ESP guitars because their serial number systems are not always easy to decode.