How to date a USA or Mexican Fender or Squier Electric.
NB. All USA Squiers were assembled in 1994.
How to date a Japanese Fender or Squier Electric. Extended CIJ dater.
NB. The first SQs shipped to the USA had JV serial numbers. Be sure you know the difference between JVs and SQs before you pay JV prices for an SQ.
How to date a Indian, Korean, Chinese, or Indonesian Squier Electric:
NB. Pre-1996 dating especially is approximate.
For Squier IIs, and all axes with serial numbers beginning with E, S, etc, defer to How to date a Japanese Electric. NB. The number of trailing digits is immaterial. And Squier II's could not possibly have been assembled before 1987/88, as these represent the transition to Indian and then Korean production, and all the ramifications of such (the serial numbers can be off by years for these particular axes, and neck dates may also be misleading).
For other Squiers, there are many variables:
Korean Squiers:
The popular belief is that the first character in the serial number refers to the factory. We know that a first letter of C refers to Cort, and it is popularly believed that a first letter of S refers to Samick, and a first letter of V probably refers to Vester. Those made by Cort are the most desirable. The second character refers to the decade: N represents Nineties (1990's). And the first number following is the year. So, for example "CN6" = made by Cort in 1996.
Exceptions:
Pro-Tone Series (solid ash bodies) had serial numbers with either a) no preceding letters and 7 digits, with the first number being the year, or b) starting with KC for Korea[n] Cort, followed by 2-digit year.
Stagemaster Deluxe (neck-thru maple necks with basswood wings), and the Double Fat Tele Deluxe (all solid mahogany with set necks), with serial numbers starting with KC for Korea[n] Cort, followed by 2-digit year.
There were also some KV (probably Korea[n] Vester) serial numbers followed by 2-digit year.
The KC and KV forms are apparently associated with the change to Crafted in Korea. So, post-1996 models only would have this form of serial number.
Six-digit serial numbers with no preceding letters, with the first number being the year.
Chinese Squiers:
YN: The second character refers to the decade: N represents Nineties (1990's). And the first number following is the year. So, for example "YN6" = 1996. This form is associated with Made in China Affinitys (with the standard body thickness of 45mm/1.75).
CD/CT/CY, followed by 2-digit year. CY appears on all models produced in China, and is by far the most common form. CD appears limited to some Affinity Strats, and CT appears limited to some Affinity Teles. These forms are apparently associated with the change to Crafted in China, so post-1996 models only would have this form of serial number.
Others:
NC = Squier Strat Bullet.
Indonesian Squiers:
IC = Indonesia[n] Cort (solid agathis from 1998), followed by 2-digit year.
IS = Bullet Series (plywood), followed by 2-digit year.
How to date other Fender products.
How to date Guild guitars.
