We’ve developed a Martin Serial Number Decoder so you can check the manufacturing date of your guitar. You can also search for guitar and mandolin serial numbers manually in the databases below.
Table of Contents
Martin Guitar Serial Number Lookup
To find the production date of your Martin guitar is relatively easy because Martin simply used serial numbers in sequence starting from 1898, except for their electric solid-body guitars. Therefore, Martin guitar serial number can accurately indicate its production date.
By peering into the sound hole of the guitar towards the neck, one can observe that both the model and serial numbers are imprinted on the neck block. The model number is located above the serial number.
Since the 19th century, Martin has made one of the best flat-top acoustic guitars. All Martin Guitars have been numbered in sequential order since 1898. Except for the electric models. Because Martin had estimated that in 1898 around 8000 instruments had been built, the series numbering starts in 1898 with 8000.
Martin Serial Number Since 1898
| Serial Numbers | Year |
|---|---|
| 8001 – 8349 | 1898 |
| 8350 – 8716 | 1899 |
| 8717 – 9128 | 1900 |
| 9129 – 9310 | 1901 |
| 9311 – 9528 | 1902 |
| 9529 – 9810 | 1903 |
| 9811 – 9988 | 1904 |
| 9989 – 10120 | 1905 |
| 10121 – 10329 | 1906 |
| 10330 – 10727 | 1907 |
| 10728 – 10883 | 1908 |
| 10884 – 11018 | 1909 |
| 11019 – 11203 | 1910 |
| 11204 – 11413 | 1911 |
| 11414 – 11565 | 1912 |
| 11566 – 11821 | 1913 |
| 11822 – 12047 | 1914 |
| 12048 – 12209 | 1915 |
| 12210 – 12390 | 1916 |
| 12391 – 12988 | 1917 |
| 12989 – 13450 | 1918 |
| 13451 – 14512 | 1919 |
| 14513 – 15484 | 1920 |
| 15485 – 16758 | 1921 |
| 16759 – 17839 | 1922 |
| 17840 – 19891 | 1923 |
| 19892 – 22008 | 1924 |
| 22009 – 24116 | 1925 |
| 24117 – 28689 | 1926 |
| 28690 – 34435 | 1927 |
| 34436 – 37568 | 1928 |
| 37569 – 40843 | 1929 |
| 40844 – 45317 | 1930 |
| 45318 – 49589 | 1931 |
| 49590 – 52590 | 1932 |
| 52591 – 55084 | 1933 |
| 55085 – 58679 | 1934 |
| 58680 – 61947 | 1935 |
| 61948 – 65176 | 1936 |
| 65177 – 68865 | 1937 |
| 68866 – 71866 | 1938 |
| 71867 – 74061 | 1939 |
| 74062 – 76734 | 1940 |
| 76735 – 80013 | 1941 |
| 80014 – 83107 | 1942 |
| 83108 – 86724 | 1943 |
| 86725 – 90149 | 1944 |
| 90150 – 93623 | 1945 |
| 93624 – 98158 | 1946 |
| 98159 – 103468 | 1947 |
| 103469 – 108269 | 1948 |
| 108270 – 112961 | 1949 |
| 112962 – 117961 | 1950 |
| 117962 – 122799 | 1951 |
| 122800 – 128436 | 1952 |
| 128437 – 134501 | 1953 |
| 134502 – 141345 | 1954 |
| 141346 – 147328 | 1955 |
| 147329 – 153225 | 1956 |
| 153226 – 159061 | 1957 |
| 159062 – 165576 | 1958 |
| 165577 – 171047 | 1959 |
| 171048 – 175689 | 1960 |
| 175690 – 181297 | 1961 |
| 181298 – 187384 | 1962 |
| 187385 – 193327 | 1963 |
| 193328 – 199626 | 1964 |
| 199627 – 207030 | 1965 |
| 207031 – 217215 | 1966 |
| 217216 – 230095 | 1967 |
| 230096 – 241925 | 1968 |
| 241926 – 256003 | 1969 |
| 256004 – 271633 | 1970 |
| 271634 – 294270 | 1971 |
| 294271 – 313302 | 1972 |
| 313303 – 333873 | 1973 |
| 333873 – 353387 | 1974 |
| 353388 – 371828 | 1975 |
| 371829 – 388800 | 1976 |
| 388801 – 399625 | 1977 |
| 4399626 – 407800 | 1978 |
| 407801 – 419900 | 1979 |
| 419901 – 430300 | 1980 |
| 430301 – 436474 | 1981 |
| 436475 – 439627 | 1982 |
| 439628 – 446101 | 1983 |
| 446102 – 4533000 | 1984 |
| 453301 – 460575 | 1985 |
| 460576 – 468175 | 1986 |
| 468176 – 476216 | 1987 |
| 476217 – 483952 | 1988 |
| 483953 – 493279 | 1989 |
| 493280 – 503309 | 1990 |
| 503310 – 512487 | 1991 |
| 512488 – 522655 | 1992 |
| 522656 – 535223 | 1993 |
| 535224 – 551696 | 1994 |
| 551697 – 570434 | 1995 |
| 570435 – 592930 | 1996 |
| 592931 – 624799 | 1997 |
| 624800 – 668796 | 1998 |
| 668797 – 724077 | 1999 |
| 724078 – 780500 | 2000 |
| 780501 – 845644 | 2001 |
| 845645 – 916759 | 2002 |
| 916760 – 978706 | 2003 |
| 978707 – 1042558 | 2004 |
| 1042559 – 1115862 | 2005 |
| 1115863 – 1197799 | 2006 |
| 1197800 – 1268091 | 2007 |
| 1268092 – 1337042 | 2008 |
| 1337043 – 1406715 | 2009 |
| 1406716 – 1473461 | 2010 |
| 1473462 – 1555767 | 2011 |
| 1555768 – 1656742 | 2012 |
| 1656743 – 1755536 | 2013 |
| 1755537 – 1857399 | 2014 |
| 1857400 – 1972129 | 2015 |
| 1972130 – 2076795 | 2016 |
| 2076796 – 2161732 | 2017 |
| 2161733 – 2258889 | 2018 |
| 2258890 – 2366880 | 2019 |
| 2366881 – 293493 | 2020 |
| 293494 – 2576415 | 2021 |
| 2576416 – 2711440 | 2022 |
| 2711441 – 2829083 | 2023 |
| 2829084 – 2935987 | 2024 |
| 2935988 – ******* | 2025 |
Martin Serial Number For E-18, EM-18, EB-18 Guitars
An exception to the order set of serial numbers and production year is the electric solid body guitars E-18, EM-18, and EB-18 bass, produced from 1978 to mid-1980.
| Serial Numbers | Year |
|---|---|
| 1000 – 1099 | 1978 |
| 1100 – 2831 | 1979 |
| 2832 – 3645 | 1980 |
Little Martin (LX) Serial Number
| Serial Numbers | Year |
|---|---|
| last number 41279 | 2005 |
| 41280 – 54016 | 2006 |
| 540167- 69850 | 2007 |
| 69851 – 85266 | 2008 |
| 85267 – 98332 | 2009 |
| 98333 – 115197 | 2010 |
| 115198 – 129934 | 2011 |
| 129935 – 145612 | 2012 |
| 145613 – 172822 | 2013 |
| 172823 – 205052 | 2014 |
| 205053 – 236580 | 2015 |
| 236581 – 263886 | 2016 |
| 263887 – 284726 | 2017 |
| 284727 – 319828 | 2018 |
| 319829 – 344677 | 2019 |
| 344678 – 361282 | 2020 |
Martin Backpacker Serial Number
| Serial Numbers | Year |
|---|---|
| last number 178146 | 1992-2006 |
| 178147 – 188539 | 2007 |
| 188540 – 195761 | 2008 |
| 195762 – 203818 | 2009 |
| 203819 – 211612 | 2010 |
| 211613 – 220586 | 2011 |
| 220587 – 229812 | 2012 |
| 229813 – 239535 | 2013 |
| 239536 – 249963 | 2014 |
| 249964 – 260267 | 2015 |
| 260268 – 267880 | 2016 |
| 267881 – 274525 | 2017 |
| 274526 – 280524 | 2018 |
| 280525 – 288018 | 2019 |
| 288019 – 293493 | 2020 |
Martin Serial Number Decoder
Enter the serial number into the form below, click the “Check” button, and the decoder will show you the year your Martin guitar was manufactured and the country in which it was made.
Martin Mandolin Serial Number Database
Martin mandolin serial number can typically be found stamped on the inside of the instrument, either on the back strip or the neck block. You can spot them by peering through the sound hole.
For Martin mandolins was used a different serial number system than for guitars. Only from 1991 to 1993 are the serial numbers of the mandolins from the same set used for guitars. From 1994 to 2002 mandolins were only made to order, after which Martin stopped the production of mandolins in 2002.
Mandolin Serial Number Chart.
| Serial Number | Year |
|---|---|
| 1 – 23 | 1895 |
| 24 – 112 | 1896 |
| 113 – 153 | 1897 |
| 154 – 359 | 1898 |
| 360 – 577 | 1899 |
| 578 – 800 | 1900 |
| 801 – 881 | 1901 |
| 882 – 1171 | 1902 |
| 1172 – 1348 | 1903 |
| 1349 – 1507 | 1904 |
| 1508 – 1669 | 1905 |
| 1670 – 2026 | 1906 |
| 2027 – 2357 | 1907 |
| 2358 – 2510 | 1908 |
| 2511 – 2786 | 1909 |
| 2788 – 3098 | 1910 |
| 3099 – 3431 | 1911 |
| 3431 – 3847 | 1912 |
| 3848 – 4162 | 1913 |
| 4163 – 4462 | 1914 |
| 4463 – 4767 | 1915 |
| 4768 – 5007 | 1916 |
| 5008 – 5752 | 1917 |
| 5753 – 6370 | 1918 |
| 6371 – 7237 | 1919 |
| 2738 – 8761 | 1920 |
| 8762 – 9627 | 1921 |
| 9628- 10245 | 1922 |
| 10246 – 11020 | 1923 |
| 11021 – 11809 | 1924 |
| 11810 – 12520 | 1925 |
| 12521 – 13359 | 1926 |
| 13360 – 13833 | 1927 |
| 13834 – 14170 | 1928 |
| 14171 – 14630 | 1929 |
| 14631 – 14892 | 1930 |
| 14893 – 15290 | 1931 |
| 15291 – 15476 | 1932 |
| 15477 – 15528 | 1933 |
| 15529 – 15729 | 1934 |
| 15730 – 15887 | 1935 |
| 15888 – 16156 | 1936 |
| 16157 – 16437 | 1937 |
| 16438 – 16580 | 1938 |
16581 – 16747 | 1939 |
| 16748 – 16957 | 1940 |
| 16958 – 17263 | 1941 |
| 17264 – 17405 | 1942 |
| 17406 – 17641 | 1946 |
| 17642 – 18303 | 1947 |
| 18304 – 19078 | 1948 |
| 19079 – 19559 | 1949 |
| 19560 – 20065 | 1950 |
| 20066 – 20496 | 1951 |
| 20497 – 20902 | 1952 |
| 20903 – 21452 | 1953 |
| 21453 – 21952 | 1954 |
| 21953 – 22254 | 1955 |
| 22255 – 22629 | 1956 |
| 22630 – 22985 | 1957 |
| 22986 – 23111 | 1958 |
| 23112 – 23262 | 1959 |
| 23263 – 23512 | 1960 |
| 23513 – 23663 | 1961 |
| 23664 – 23938 | 1962 |
| 23939 – 24139 | 1963 |
| 24140 – 24339 | 1964 |
| 24340 – 24439 | 1965 |
| 24440 – 24564 | 1966 |
| 24565 – 24639 | 1967 |
| 24640 – 24839 | 1968 |
| 24840 – 24989 | 1969 |
| 24990 – 25039 | 1970 |
| 25040 – 25139 | 1971 |
| 25140 – 25239 | 1972 |
| 25240 – 25339 | 1973 |
| 25340 – 25679 | 1974 |
| 25680 – 25895 | 1975 |
| 25896 – 26070 | 1976 |
| 26071 – 26101 | 1977 |
| 26102 – 26112 | 1979 |
| 26113 – 26156 | 1980 |
| 26157 – 26215 | 1981 |
| 26216 – 26225 | 1982 |
| 26226 – 26247 | 1983 |
| 26248 – 26254 | 1984 |
| 26255 – 26263 | 1985 |
| 26264 – 26273 | 1986 |
| 26274 – 26279 | 1987 |
| 26280 – 26281 | 1988 |
| 26282 – 26283 | 1989 |
| 26284 – 26291 | 1990 |
| 26292 – 26297 | 1991 |
| 259996 – 260020 | 1976 |
| 509122 – 533213 | 1991 – 1993 |
Martin guitars have always held a special place in my heart. Their craftsmanship and classic design give them an almost timeless quality. I remember the first time I played one – it was like discovering a hidden gem. The sound was rich and resonant, with a depth that you don’t often find. Having at least one is a must-have!