Dean guitars returned to using the standard serial number format previously used, although not always consistent with the format.

Tropical music sold Dean guitars to Armadillo Enterprises in 1997, who have remained the owners. Tropical Music did not follow the serial number format previously used and did not keep any existing records. During this period, the serial numbers were printed on the last fret of the fretboard.

See the next section in this article for more information.ĭean guitars was bought Tropical Music from the original owner Dean Zelinsky in 1986. Note: If there are any letters before the serial number, or the serial number does not match this format, then your Dean guitar is an import. Dean Guitar serial numbers from 1986 to 1996 have no meaning. The first 2 digits represent the year and the remaining digits typically represent the production number, although this is not consistent.

How do you read Dean guitar serial numbers made in the USA? Dean Guitars manufactured in the USA will have a 6 digit serial number on the back of the headstock. Deciphering Dean Guitar Serial NumbersĪnother way to tell where a Dean guitar is made is by looking at the serial number itself. If the dealer’s website says one thing, but the sticker on the guitar says another, believe what the sticker says. As a result, many Dean dealers have not updated or changed the pictures or specifications. One caveat to that answer is that Dean guitars produced while under the ownership of Tropical Music will have the serial number printed on the last fret, closest to the pickups.Īnother thing to take note of is that over the years certain Dean models have been moved from factory to factory in various other countries for production. Dean Imports usually will have a sticker. Dean Guitars made in the USA will have a stamp followed by the serial number. How do you tell which country your Dean Guitar was made in? Dean guitars will have a stamp or sticker, usually on the rear of the headstock, that says, “Made in “, followed by the country they were made in. In case you want to dig deeper for yourself, most of the information I learned came from the Dean guitars forum, found here. Here is everything I learned from researching the topic. Each time the new owners had a different method of implementing and printing the serial numbers on the guitar.ĭepending on which era the guitar is from will make a difference in how to decipher the serial number on the guitar. Since Dean guitars was founded, they have been bought and sold numerous times. Dean guitars have a long history dating back to the late 1970s when they were founded.

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