Yamaha employs a convoluted serial number system that can be complex and illogical. Adding to the challenge, a significant portion of the serial numbers repeat every ten years, creating confusion.
Yamaha electric guitar typically has the serial number stamped or punched on the headstock, while Yamaha acoustic guitar usually has the serial number written somewhere inside the sound cavity.
Table of Contents
Yamaha Letter Coding System
The serial number coding systems below only apply to the Yamaha electric guitars.
Since 2000, the letter system for year and month has been applied at all Yamaha plant locations.
The table below explains the meaning of the letters. As you can see in the table, the letter of the year is repeated every decade.
Letter Coding System Chart
| LETTER | YEAR | LETTER | MONTH |
|---|---|---|---|
| H | 1961, 1971, 1981, 1991, 2001, 2011 | H | January |
| I | 1962, 1972, 1982, 1992, 2002, 2012 | I | February |
| J | 1963, 1973, 1983, 1993, 2003, 2013 | J | March |
| K | 1964, 1974, 1984, 1994, 2004, 2014 | K | April |
| L | 1965, 1975, 1985, 1995, 2005, 2015 | L | May |
| M | 1966, 1976, 1986, 1996, 2006, 2016 | M | June |
| N | 1967, 1977, 1987, 1997, 2007, 2017 | N | July |
| O | 1968, 1978, 1988, 1998, 2008, 2018 | O | August |
| P | 1969, 1979, 1989, 1999, 2009, 2019 | P | September |
| Q | 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, 2020 | X | October |
| Y | November | ||
| Z | December |
Yamaha Serial Number Japan
TENRYU/WADA FACTORY.
From 1946 to 1968 a 5-digit sequential system is used. However, there is no indication of the year of production in this system.
A nice and simple 6-digit system is used in the period from 1969 to 1984.
The first two numbers represent the year.
The next two digits represent the month.
The last two digits represent the number of the unit (serial number).
Example: 800629
The 29th guitar was built in June 1980.
In the short period of 1985-1986, a 6-digit serial number has been used but the month is not displayed.
The first 2 numbers are the year.
The last 4 digits are the number of the unit (serial number).
Example: 860123
This stands for the 123rd guitar built in 1986.
Yamaha Serial Number Custom Shop
In the 1966-1985 period, successive serial numbers from 001 to 1042 were used.
To find the production year, you have to make a rough estimate.
The closer to 001 it is closer to 1966 and the closer to 1042, the closer to 1985.
From 1986-1990 the serial numbers have 1 letter followed by 4 digits.
The letter represents the month and follows the same system for months as the most common system. To decode the letter values, see Yamaha letter coding system.
The first number stands for the year.
The last 3 digits represent the number of the unit (serial number).
Example: K8123
This would be a guitar built in April 1988 and the 12th guitar of that day made in the custom shop.
The K is April according to the coding system and the year must be 1988, since this system was only used between 1986 and 1990.
Between 1991 and 1996 one used a 2-letter, 3-digit, then 1-letter system.
The first letter is the year and follows the same coding system.
The second letter is the month and also follows the same coding system.
The 3 numbers represent the unit number, but in this case, the unit numbers started with 701 for unclear reasons. So the first unit of the day was not 001, but 701.
The last letter is an unknown internal factory code.
Example: KN712J
The serial number belongs to the 12th guitar produced in July 1994.
From 1997 to 2003, the same method was applied as for 1991 to 1996 with 2 differences. There is no more internal factory code at the end, and the unit numbers start at 001 instead of at 701.
Example: HL032
The sample serial number here represents the 32nd guitar built in May 2001.
From 2004 to 2022 a 3 letter 3 digit 1 letter system is used.
The first 2 letters represent the year in this case. So you get the decade here.
The third letter represents the month according to the coding system.
The 3 digits represent the number of the unit (serial number).
The last letter is an internal factory code. To decode the letter values, see Yamaha letter coding system.
Example: QNK026C
This guitar in the sample serial number was the 26th guitar built in April 2007.
The Q stands for a 0 and the N is a 7, which means 07 for 2007.
Yamaha Serial Number Music Craft
From 1997 through 1999 the same system is used as that for “Custom Shop 1991-1996” except that the unit number starts at 501 except for 701.
From 1999 to 2000 a 2 letter 3 digit system was used.
The first letter is the year.
The second letter is the month.
The 3 digits are the number of the unit (serial number). The unit number starts at 200. To decode the letter values, see Yamaha letter coding system.
Example: PX267
This was the 67th guitar made in October 1999.
From 2001 to 2022 they used a system with 3 letters 3 digits 1 letter.
The first 2 letters represent the year.
The third letter represents the month and the 3 digits are the number of the unit (serial number).
The last letter is an internal factory code.
Example: QJH055B
This would be the 55th guitar that was built in January 2003.
Yamaha Serial Number Taiwan
Kaohsiung factory.
An 8-digit system is applied here from 1971-2001.
The first digit represents the year.
The second and third digits represent the month.
The fourth and fifth numbers represent the day of the month.
The last three digits are the number of the unit (serial number).
Since there is only one digit for the year, there are duplicates with this system because it repeats itself every decade.
Example: 60708077
This example serial number was the 77th guitar built on July 8, 1976, 1986, or 1996.
At the end of 2001, the Kaohsiung factory changed the 8-digit system into a 3-letter 6-digit system.
The first 2 letters represent the year.
The third letter represents the month.
The first 2 digits are the day of the month.
The last 4 digits are the number of the unit (serial number).
Example: QNJ220071
The sample serial number is the 71th built guitar on March 22, 2007.
For year: Q (0) + N (7) = 07 (2007). For month J=March (see table below).
3-letter Coding System chart
| LETTER | YEAR | LETTER | MONTH |
|---|---|---|---|
| H | 1 | H | January |
| I | 2 | I | February |
| J | 3 | J | March |
| K | 4 | K | April |
| L | 5 | L | May |
| M | 6 | M | June |
| N | 7 | N | July |
| O | 8 | O | August |
| P | 9 | P | September |
| Q | 0 | X | October |
| Y | November | ||
| Z | December |
Around 1971 Yamaha moved the production of acoustic guitars from Japan to Taiwan. Parts and materials from the factory in Japan were also shipped to the new factory. The first Taiwanese productions had both Japanese-made parts and new Taiwan-made ones.
Sometimes you can find two different serial numbers inside the body. One inside the body under the sound hole and 1 on the neck block.
The number above the neck block is Taiwanese and a valid serial number for the guitar.
The neck block is a part that was already made in Japan, so this is not the correct serial number for the guitar.
Yamaha Serial Number Indonesia
YMMI (YAMAHA MUSIC MANUFACTURING INDONESIA).
From 1990 to 1996 an 8-digit serial number was used in this factory.
The first digit is the year.
The 2nd and 3rd digits are the month.
The 4th and 5th digits are the day of the month.
The last 3 digits are the number of the unit (serial number).
Example: 40707142
This is the 142th guitar from this factory built on July 7, 1994.
From 1997-1999 the same system is applied here as for 1990-1996, except that there are now 9 digits. The last 4 (instead of 3) is the number of the unit (serial number).
In 2000 the system changed from 9 to 10 digits. The first 2 digits represent now the year, the rest is the same coding method.
YMMI changed its coding to a 3-letter 6-number system in 2001.
The first 2 letters represent the year.
The third letter represents the month.
The first 2 digits are the day of the month.
The last 4 digits are the unit number (serial number). To decode the letter values, see Yamaha 3 letter coding system.
Example: HKP220234
This is the 234th guitar built on September 22, 2014.
Dating Yamaha Guitar by Pickup
The older models of Yamaha electric guitars have a number on the back of the pickup. This is the production date.
However, this date is based on the Japanese Showa calendar, which spans from 1926 to 1989.
25 years must be added to the year on the pickup to determine the date according to the Gregorian calendar. An addition of 88 years applies for the Heisei period (1989-2019).
What applies to pickups also applies to the potentiometers. These were made before the guitar. For the year of construction of the guitar, approximately half a year must be added.
Yamaha History
Yamaha is a well-known brand in the world of musical instruments, and its history goes back over a century. The company was founded in 1887 by Torakusu Yamaha in Hamamatsu, Japan. Initially, the company produced reed organs and pianos, but it later expanded into the production of other instruments, including guitars, drums, and synthesizers.
In 1955, Yamaha began producing guitars, starting with the FG180 model. This acoustic guitar was very popular, and it helped establish Yamaha as a major player in the guitar market.
Over the years, Yamaha has produced a wide range of guitar models, including electric guitars such as the SG series and the Pacifica series.
In addition to guitars, Yamaha has also produced a range of other instruments, including drums and percussion instruments. Yamaha’s drum division was established in 1967, and it has since become one of the most popular brands in the world of drumming.
Yamaha has also been a major player in the world of electronic keyboards and synthesizers. In 1974, Yamaha introduced the iconic CS-80 synthesizer, which became a favorite of musicians in the 1970s and 1980s. Their DX7 was one of the most popular synthesizers of the 1980s.
In addition to instruments, Yamaha has also produced a range of audio equipment, including mixers, amplifiers, and speakers. Yamaha’s audio equipment is known for its high-quality sound and innovative features.
Today, Yamaha is one of the largest manufacturers of musical instruments in the world, with production facilities located around the globe. The company continues to innovate and produce high-quality instruments that are used by musicians of all levels, from beginners to professionals.
I’ve never owned a Yamaha guitar; fate just didn’t align that way. However, every time I had the chance to play one, it was always an interesting and unique experience. There’s something special about the quality, both in the materials and the construction of these guitars, that really impressed me. Well, maybe one day I’ll get myself a Yamaha. Time will tell.