How to Identify and Price Your Vintage Guitar: A Simple Guide
Whether you’ve just discovered a dusty, old guitar case in a crawlspace or inherited an instrument from a loved one, figuring out what you have and, most importantly, how much it’s worth can be daunting. With so many different guitar brands, each with various methods for dating and serializing instruments, it can be tricky to pin down the details. But don’t worry — we’re here to make this process much simpler for you.
If you rather skip the stress of combing through all of the particulars and ins and outs, or you have any questions at all, give us a call at 516-221-0563 and we’d be more than happy to help! You can also leave a comment at the end of this blog post.
Step 1: Identify the Brand
The first step in identifying your guitar is determining its brand. You can usually find this information on the headstock (the top part of the neck where the tuners are located). If it’s an acoustic guitar, look inside the sound hole for a label, which might also include the model name and serial number.
In addition to the brand, it’s helpful to find the model number, which may also be listed on the headstock or label.



Step 2: Find the Serial Number
Next, the most crucial piece of information for dating your guitar is the serial number. The location of the serial number can vary by manufacturer:
- Gibson: On solid-body guitars, the serial number is typically located on the back of the headstock. For hollow-body models, you’ll usually find it on a label inside the bass-side F-hole. Acoustics have information listed inside the sound hole.
- Fender: The serial number could be on the neck plate (1954 and newer), bridge plate (1950-1954), or even the front or back of the headstock (modern-made), depending on the production year.
- Gretsch: On vintage Gretsch guitars, the serial number is often hand-scribed on the back control covers or inside the control cavity, and sometimes even on top of the headstock.
- Rickenbacker: Usually stamped on the jack plate or the top of the headstock
- Martin: (or other acoustics) Listed on the inside label or neck block (block of wood where the neck joins the body)



Once you’ve found the brand, model, and serial number, you’re well on your way to identifying your guitar! You can use resources that list serial number ranges for vintage instruments (such as Fender’s Serial Number Guide or Gibson’s Serial Number Guide) to cross-reference your guitar’s serial number and get an approximate year. If the brand doesn’t have a publicly listed serial number list, it may be helpful to purchase Gruhn’s Guitar Guide which has many of these and much more in-depth information.
For an easier option, you can always call us once you have this info, and we will be able to tell you what you have.
Step 3: Narrowing Down the Year
If you’re still not sure about the exact year of your guitar, there are a few additional steps you can take to get closer to your answer. One of the most reliable methods is to check the potentiometers (the volume and tone controls).
Look for any codes printed or stamped on the underside or side of the potentiometers. The first three digits typically indicate the manufacturer code (for example, “304” stands for Stackpole, and “137” for CTS). The following digits represent the year and week of manufacture. For instance, a code like “1376547” means the part was made by CTS in the 47th week of 1965, so your guitar would likely be from late 1965 or early 1966. While this method isn’t foolproof, it can provide valuable context when combined with other clues. When in doubt, feel free to type in what information you have into Google, and see if any results look identical to the guitar you’re trying to identify. It’s not a perfect system either, but will certainly help point you in the right direction.



You can also contact us with this info, and we will be able to answer your questions from here!
Step 4: Check the Neck Heel and Body Routes
For some brands and guitars (like Fender), there may be additional manufacturing dates located on the neck heel or inside the neck pocket/body routes. If you’re comfortable disassembling the guitar, you might find a handwritten date or a stamped mark on the neck or body. This can give you a more precise idea of the guitar’s production year.
If you are uncomfortable disassembling your guitar, you can always bring it to us or ship it, and our skilled employees will happily get this information for you.
Step 5: Determine the Value
Once you’ve gathered all the information about your guitar’s make, model, color, and year, it’s time to determine its value.
The easiest way to get a rough estimate is by consulting the most recent edition of the Vintage Guitar Price Guide. This resource lets you look up the year, make, model, and even the color of your guitar to get an idea of its value in excellent condition. Keep in mind the color of the guitar, as this can significantly change the value, and whether it is original or refinished. It is also important that all the hardware is original to the guitar, as any replacement parts, repairs, or mods will impact overall value.
If you’re still unsure or need more help, don’t hesitate to reach out to us! We do this every day and would be happy to assist you. Feel free to give us a call or drop us a message below — we’re always here to help!
2 responses to “How to Identify and Price Your Vintage Guitar: A Simple Guide”
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I have a Custom Kraft guitar that I can’t find any information on. I have found several but none with this headstock.
Can you help identify it and estimate its worth ? -
Hi there, we would be happy to help! We just sent you an email, be on the lookout in case it goes to spam. It should be coming from luigi@wellstrungguitars.com
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