Rickenbacker was founded in 1931 by Adolph Rickenbacker and George D. Beauchamp. The company is known for electric guitars and basses.
The serial number is one of the most useful tools for dating your Rickenbacker guitar.
Table of Contents
Where to Find a Rickenbacker Serial Number
On most post-1960 Rickenbacker guitars, the serial number is on the output jack plate. The full serial number includes the digits at both ends of the plate. On many guitars, the code is split around the jack. On some older instruments, the serial number may appear in one straight line instead of being split.
Some Rickenbacker guitars have the serial number on the bridge plate. On others, it is on a separate metal plate near the lower strap peg.
The early serial numbers often look like a digit (or some digits), then a letter, then more digits. For example, 4C6355 or 5V352. From late 1960 to 1986, Rickenbacker used two-letter serial numbers. From 1987 to 1998, the format changed to a letter and a number. After 1998, the serial number starts with the last two digits of the year.
Rickenbacker Guitar Serial Number Decoder
Enter the serial number and click the Check button. The decoder will show the production year of your Rickenbacker guitar.
If the decoder gives no result, use the manual guide below.
Early Rickenbacker Serial Number (Pre-1954)
Many early instruments are very hard to date by serial number alone.
Some early Rickenbacker instruments have serial numbers, but these numbers do not indicate the year of manufacture. That is why pre-1954 Rickenbacker guitars, lap steels, and other early models usually need to be dated by other details.
To date these guitars, check the model features, hardware, pickup type, control layout, and pot codes.
Another important source of information for this period is patent numbers. A patent number does not give the exact build year, but it can give you an earliest possible date. If a patent number appears on a part, the instrument must have been made after that patent date.
Use this patent reference chart:
| Patent Number | Part | Patent Date | Patentee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.839.395 | Hand vibrato tailpiece | January 5, 1932 | C.O. Kauffman |
| 1.881.229 | Molded musical instruments and necks | October 4, 1932 | A.P. Young |
| 2.089.171 | Frying Pan and horseshoe pickup | August 10, 1937 | George D. Beauchamp |
| 2.130.174 | Headless electric violin instruments | September 13, 1938 | George D. Beauchamp |
| 2.152.783 | Roller vibrato tailpiece | April 4, 1939 | Paul M. Barth |
| 2.241.911 | Vibrola Spanish guitar | May 13, 1941 | C.O. Kauffman |
| 2.310.199 | Tubular body for electric violin | February 9, 1943 | George D. Beauchamp |
| 2.310.606 | Detachable horseshoe pickup | February 9, 1943 | Paul M. Barth |
| 3.091.150 | The Sceusa neck | May 23, 1963 | Peter P. Sceusa |
| DES. 208.329 | Bantar | January 5, 1932 | F.C. Hall |
Letter Prefix Rickenbacker Serial Number 1954-1959
From 1954 to September 1959, Rickenbacker used a letter-prefix serial number system on solidbody instruments. These serial numbers were usually stamped on the jack plate or the bridge.
In this format, the digits before the letter show the model series, the letter shows the instrument type, the first digit after the letter shows the last digit of the year, and the last three digits show the production number. Each model had its own number sequence.
For example, 6C8456. Here 6 is the 600 series, C means combo guitar, 8 means 1958, and 456 is the production number. A serial such as 4B9123 would mean a 400-series bass from 1959, production number 123.
The model prefix tells you which series the instrument belongs to. The most common prefixes in this system are listed below.
| Prefix | Model Series |
|---|---|
| 4 | 400 or 425 |
| 6 | 600 |
| 65 | 650 |
| 8 | 800 |
The letter in the middle identifies the type of instrument.
| Letter | Instrument Type |
|---|---|
| C | Combo guitar |
| B | Bass |
| M | Mandolin |
| V | 3/4-size guitar |
Some instruments from this period use special formats, including some 450 models, 3/4-size guitars, basses, mandolins, and a few shorter serial forms. See the exceptions section for more details.
Capri and Hollowbody Rickenbacker Serial Number 1958-1960
From 1958 to October 1960, Rickenbacker used a different serial number system on Capri and Hollowbody guitars. These serial numbers were usually placed on the output jack plate.
A serial number from this period usually begins with 2 or 3. That first digit shows the number of pickups. The letter after it shows the tailpiece type. The letter T stands for a standard tailpiece, and the letter V stands for a tailpiece with vibrato.The remaining digits show the production number. In 1960, the letter R also appears on some Deluxe models.
So a serial like 2T412 would mean a 2-pickup guitar with a standard tailpiece, while a serial like 3V214 would mean a three-pickup guitar with a vibrato tailpiece.
Early 1958 serial numbers are shorter than later ones.
The letter meaning:
| Letter | Meaning |
|---|---|
| T | Standard tailpiece |
| V | Vibrato tailpiece |
| R | Deluxe model code used in 1960 |
Transitional Rickenbacker Serial Number September 1959-October 1960
From September 1959 to October 1960, Rickenbacker used a transitional serial number format on solidbody instruments. In this period, the serial number still begins with the model digits, but the middle letter changes to A. The first digit after A is usually 9 for late 1959 or 0 for 1960. The rest of the number is the production sequence.
A serial number from this period can look like 4A9234. Here 4 is the model series, A marks this transitional format, 9 points to late 1959, and 234 is the production number.
Two-Letter Rickenbacker Serial Number 1960-1986
From late 1960 to 1986, Rickenbacker used a two-letter serial number system on all models. These serial numbers are usually found on the jack plate. The letters are at one end of the jack plate, and the digits are at the other end. Read together, they make the full serial number.
This format usually looks like 2 letters + 2 or 3 digits. The first letter shows the year. The second letter shows the month. The digits are the production number.
For example, CE245.Here C means 1963, E means May, and 245 is the production number.
The first letter is the year. See the meaning in this chart:
| First Letter | Year |
|---|---|
| A | 1961 |
| B | 1962 |
| C | 1963 |
| D | 1964 |
| E | 1965 |
| F | 1966 |
| G | 1967 |
| H | 1968 |
| I | 1969 |
| J | 1970 (or 1960*) |
| K | 1971 |
| L | 1972 |
| M | 1973 |
| N | 1974 |
| O | 1975 |
| P | 1976 |
| Q | 1977 |
| R | 1978 |
| S | 1979 |
| T | 1980 |
| U | 1981 |
| V | 1982 |
| W | 1983 |
| X | 1984 |
| Y | 1985 |
| Z | 1986 |
*One important detail is the letter J. It can mean 1960 or 1970.
The second letter shows the month:
| Second Letter | Month |
|---|---|
| A | January |
| B | February |
| C | March |
| D | April |
| E | May |
| F | June |
| G | July |
| H | August |
| I | September |
| J | October |
| K | November |
| L | December |
On some older instruments from this period, the serial number may appear in one straight line instead of looking split around the jack. But the reading logic stays the same.
Letter+Digit Rickenbacker Serial Number 1987-1996
From 1987 to 1996, Rickenbacker used a letter-and-digit serial number format on all models. The serial number is on the jack plate. The letter and the first digit are above the jack. The other digits are below it. The letter shows the month. The digit after the letter shows the year. The remaining digits show the production number.
A serial number from this period can look like H51234. In this example, H means August, number 5 means 1992, and 1234 is the production number.
These are the year digits used in the 1987 to 1996 system:
| Year Digit | Year |
|---|---|
| 0 | 1987 |
| 1 | 1988 |
| 2 | 1989 |
| 3 | 1990 |
| 4 | 1991 |
| 5 | 1992 |
| 6 | 1993 |
| 7 | 1994 |
| 8 | 1995 |
| 9 | 1996 |
The month letters stayed the same as in the earlier two-letter system:
| Letter | Month |
|---|---|
| A | January |
| B | February |
| C | March |
| D | April |
| E | May |
| F | June |
| G | July |
| H | August |
| I | September |
| J | October |
| K | November |
| L | December |
Rickenbacker Serial Number 1997-1998
From 1997 to 1998, Rickenbacker kept the same basic letter-and-digit serial number layout on the jack plate, but the code changed. The letter still shows the month. The number after it shows the year. The remaining digits show the production number. The difference is that 0 was used again for 1997 and 1 was used again for 1998. The month letters also changed in this period.
A serial number from this period can look like M0345. In this example, M means January, number 0 means 1997, and 345 is the production number.
These are the only year digits used in this short 1997 to 1998 system.
| Year Digit | Year |
|---|---|
| 0 | 1997 |
| 1 | 1998 |
The month letters moved forward in the alphabet in this period. The letter O was skipped to avoid confusion with the number 0.
| Letter | Month |
|---|---|
| M | January |
| N | February |
| P | March |
| R | April |
| S | May |
| T | June |
| U | July |
| V | August |
| W | September |
| X | October |
| Y | November |
Modern Rickenbacker Serial Number Since 1998
In 1998, Rickenbacker changed the beginning of the serial number. Instead of letters, the serial starts with 2 digits. These numbers represent the last 2 digits of the year. The rest of the serial is the production number.
A serial number from this period can look like 040372. In this example, 04 means 2004 and 0372 is the production number.
A serial number like 241158 means 2024, production number 1158.
Rickenbacker Special Serial Numbers and Exceptions
Some Rickenbacker serial numbers do not follow the main patterns shown above. Most of these exceptions are found on earlier instruments. There are also a few later cases where the serial number can cause confusion even if the format looks normal.
These are the main special formats and exceptions:
Model 450 Serial Number
Period: 1954 to September 1959.
The Model 450 uses a special serial number format: 4C####A. The 4 points to the 400 series. The C means combo guitar. The first digit after C is still the last digit of the year in the 1950s. The remaining digits are the production number. The final A is part of this special format.
So a serial like 4C7123A would read as a 400-series combo guitar from 1957, production number 123, using the special Model 450 style.
Rickenbacker 3/4 Guitar Serial Number
3/4-size Rickenbacker guitars use special serial number layout. The were 3 main formats: V###, V####, and ####A. In these formats, the first numeral is the last digit of the year.
Regular solidbody guitars switched to the transitional A-format serial number in September 1959, while 3/4-size models continued to be produced in their special formats until October 1960.
Rickenbacker Bass Serial Number
Period: 1954 to September 1959.
Early Rickenbacker basses can use the B#### format. In this case, B identifies the instrument as a bass. This is a special form inside the early serial number family. It does not look like the usual combo-guitar format because there are no model digits before the letter. The first numeral after B is the year and the remaining numerals are the production sequence.
Rickenbacker Mandolin Serial Number
Period: 1954 to September 1959.
Early Rickenbacker mandolins can use the M### format. Here, M identifies the instrument as a mandolin. Use the first digit after it as the year. The remaining numerals work as the production sequence.
Short Early Rickenbacker Serial Number
Some early Rickenbacker serial numbers use the shorter #C## format. Because this format is less common, it is best checked together with the model’s features.
There are a few additional complications with Rickenbacker guitar serial numbers:
A replacement jack plate is one of the most important. Rickenbacker says a new plate can keep the original serial number only if the old plate or its remains are returned. If not, the new plate gets a special sequence serial number. That means the number may be real, but it may not be the original plate from the guitar.
Another important point is that the serial number does not always tell the full story. The serial number does not reliably identify the original finish or even the exact model number. So if a guitar has unusual features, changed parts, or a missing plate, the serial number should be checked together with the hardware and construction details.
If the serial number is missing, replaced, or does not fit the expected format, the guitar should be dated by other details as well. That is especially important on earlier Rickenbacker instruments.