PRS serial number lookup by guitar family
Reviewed 1 primary sourceSee sources
Use this PRS serial number lookup to check the year for a specific guitar family. A Core electric, an SE and an acoustic can use different prefixes, so choose the family first. The result is a dating clue, not an authenticity check.
How PRS year prefixes work
For US set-neck guitars, the year prefix is followed by a sequence number. A single digit repeats across decades: 5 can mean 1985, 1995 or 2005. This lookup requires the prefix and the reviewed sequence range to agree. SE and acoustic families use their own tables below.[1]
US year-prefix chart
| Prefix | Possible years |
|---|---|
0 | 1990, 2000 |
1 | 1991, 2001 |
2 | 1992, 2002 |
3 | 1993, 2003 |
4 | 1994, 2004 |
5 | 1985, 1995, 2005 |
6 | 1986, 1996, 2006 |
7 | 1987, 1997, 2007 |
8 | 1988, 1998 |
9 | 1989, 1999 |
08 | 2008 |
09 | 2009 |
10 | 2010 |
11 | 2011 |
12 | 2012 |
13 | 2013 |
14 | 2014 |
15 | 2015 |
16 | 2016 |
17 | 2017 |
18 | 2018 |
19 | 2019 |
20 | 2020 |
21 | 2021 |
22 | 2022 |
23 | 2023 |
24 | 2024 |
Formats and serial ranges by family
Core / US set-neck electric
Reviewed set-neck sequence ranges for 1985–2022 and 2024; not S2, SE or Private Stock.
Where to look: Back of the headstock.[1]
- Set-neck: one-digit year: 1985–2007. The one-digit prefix repeats across decades. The result also requires agreement with the approximate sequence range.
- Set-neck: two-digit year: 2008–2024; 2023 range excluded. 2023 is excluded because the published sequence interval conflicts with earlier ranges. Gaps stay unknown.
| First | Last | Year |
|---|---|---|
0001 | 0400 | 1985 |
0401 | 1700 | 1986 |
1701 | 3500 | 1987 |
3501 | 5400 | 1988 |
5401 | 7600 | 1989 |
7601 | 10100 | 1990 |
10101 | 12600 | 1991 |
12601 | 15000 | 1992 |
15001 | 17900 | 1993 |
17901 | 20900 | 1994 |
20901 | 24600 | 1995 |
24601 | 29500 | 1996 |
29501 | 34600 | 1997 |
34601 | 39100 | 1998 |
39101 | 44499 | 1999 |
44500 | 52199 | 2000 |
52200 | 62199 | 2001 |
62200 | 72353 | 2002 |
72354 | 82254 | 2003 |
82255 | 92555 | 2004 |
92556 | 103103 | 2005 |
103104 | 114940 | 2006 |
114941 | 132401 | 2007 |
132402 | 146419 | 2008 |
146420 | 159132 | 2009 |
159133 | 170591 | 2010 |
170592 | 183862 | 2011 |
183863 | 196410 | 2012 |
196411 | 206059 | 2013 |
206060 | 215491 | 2014 |
215492 | 224954 | 2015 |
224955 | 236147 | 2016 |
236148 | 248633 | 2017 |
248634 | 271078 | 2018 |
271079 | 298384 | 2019 |
298385 | 315748 | 2020 |
315749 | 340165 | 2021 |
340166 | 354905 | 2022 |
375043 | 397950 | 2024 |
The source gives approximate years; a serial number is not proof of authenticity.[1]
5 0001: Prefix 5 plus sequence 0001 supports approximately 1985. Format example, not a verified instrument.[1]5 22000: The same prefix 5, with sequence 22000, supports approximately 1995. Format example, not a verified instrument.[1]24 375043: The 24 prefix agrees with the beginning of the reviewed 2024 interval. Format example, not a verified instrument.[1]
CE bolt-on, 1988–2008
Full serial: year prefix, model code 7 or CE, then sequence.
Where to look: On the neck plate at the back of the guitar.[1]
- CE with model code 7: 1988–1998.
- CE with letters CE: 1998–2007.
- CE with two-digit year: 2008.
| First | Last | Year |
|---|---|---|
7 0001 | 7 0270 | 1988 |
7 0271 | 7 1830 | 1989 |
7 1831 | 7 3200 | 1990 |
7 3201 | 7 4540 | 1991 |
7 4541 | 7 7090 | 1992 |
7 7091 | 7 8820 | 1993 |
7 8821 | 7 10700 | 1994 |
7 10701 | 7 13000 | 1995 |
7 13001 | 7 14680 | 1996 |
7 14681 | 7 17130 | 1997 |
7 17131 | 7 19580 | 1998 |
CE 17131 | CE 19580 | 1998 |
CE 19581 | CE 20749 | 1999 |
CE 20750 | CE 21599 | 2000 |
CE 21600 | CE 23199 | 2001 |
CE 23200 | CE 25389 | 2002 |
CE 25390 | CE 26399 | 2003 |
CE 26400 | CE 27900 | 2004 |
CE 27901 | CE 29377 | 2005 |
CE 29378 | CE 31800 | 2006 |
CE 31801 | CE 32783 | 2007 |
CE 32784 | CE 33881 | 2008 |
The source gives approximate years; a serial number is not proof of authenticity.[1]
8 7 0001: Year prefix 8, model code 7 and sequence 0001 support approximately 1988. Format example, not a verified instrument.[1]8 CE 17131: CE is one of the two published model codes in 1998. Format example, not a verified instrument.[1]08 CE 32784: The two-digit prefix and CE sequence support approximately 2008. Format example, not a verified instrument.[1]
CE bolt-on, 2016–2023
Only the 2016–2023 year prefixes in the separate modern CE table.
Where to look: Use the full serial printed on your instrument. The article does not give a separate serial-location rule for modern CE guitars.[1]
- Modern CE year prefix: 2016–2023. Dates the year prefix only. PRS does not provide sequence ranges in this modern CE table.
The source gives approximate years; a serial number is not proof of authenticity.[1]
16 12345: The modern CE prefix 16 indicates 2016. Format example, not a verified instrument.[1]
S2 series
2013–2024 reviewed ranges. Include the two-digit year before S2; do not enter the S2 sequence alone.
Where to look: Back of the headstock.[1]
- S2 year and sequence: 2013–2024. The source repeats sequence S2043719 in both 2019 and 2020. Both intervals are kept; the year prefix must agree. The 2023–2024 gap is not filled.
| First | Last | Year |
|---|---|---|
S2000001 | S2003820 | 2013 |
S2003821 | S2010529 | 2014 |
S2010530 | S2017390 | 2015 |
S2017391 | S2023214 | 2016 |
S2023215 | S2027902 | 2017 |
S2027903 | S2036779 | 2018 |
S2036780 | S2043719 | 2019 |
S2043719 | S2049421 | 2020 |
S2049422 | S2059387 | 2021 |
S2059388 | S2065338 | 2022 |
S2065339 | S2067488 | 2023 |
S2071820 | S2078569 | 2024 |
The source gives approximate years; a serial number is not proof of authenticity.[1]
SE electric, Korea
A–U prefixes, 2000–2020.
Where to look: Back of the headstock.[1]
- SE electric, Korea prefix: A–U prefixes, 2000–2020.. Only the exact listed prefixes are supported; later letters are not extrapolated.
| Prefix | Year |
|---|---|
A | 2000 |
B | 2001 |
C | 2002 |
D | 2003 |
E | 2004 |
F | 2005 |
G | 2006 |
H | 2007 |
I | 2008 |
J | 2009 |
K | 2010 |
L | 2011 |
M | 2012 |
N | 2013 |
O | 2014 |
P | 2015 |
Q | 2016 |
R | 2017 |
S | 2018 |
T | 2019 |
U | 2020 |
The source gives approximate years; a serial number is not proof of authenticity.[1]
A12345: On the Korean SE electric family, A means 2000. Format example, not a verified instrument.[1]
SE electric, Indonesia
IA–IE (2014–2018) and CTIA–CTIG (2018–2024).
Where to look: Back of the headstock.[1]
- SE electric, Indonesia prefix: IA–IE (2014–2018) and CTIA–CTIG (2018–2024).. Only the exact listed prefixes are supported; later letters are not extrapolated.
| Prefix | Year |
|---|---|
IA | 2014 |
IB | 2015 |
IC | 2016 |
ID | 2017 |
IE | 2018 |
CTIA | 2018 |
CTIB | 2019 |
CTIC | 2020 |
CTID | 2021 |
CTIE | 2022 |
CTIF | 2023 |
CTIG | 2024 |
The source gives approximate years; a serial number is not proof of authenticity.[1]
CTIA12345: CTIA is a listed Indonesian SE prefix for 2018. Format example, not a verified instrument.[1]
US acoustic
A09–A23 prefixes, 2009–2023. Not SE acoustic.
Where to look: On the label inside the sound hole.[1]
- US acoustic prefix: A09–A23 prefixes, 2009–2023. Not SE acoustic.. Only the exact listed prefixes are supported; later letters are not extrapolated.
| Prefix | Year |
|---|---|
A09 | 2009 |
A10 | 2010 |
A11 | 2011 |
A12 | 2012 |
A13 | 2013 |
A14 | 2014 |
A15 | 2015 |
A16 | 2016 |
A17 | 2017 |
A18 | 2018 |
A19 | 2019 |
A20 | 2020 |
A21 | 2021 |
A22 | 2022 |
A23 | 2023 |
The source gives approximate years; a serial number is not proof of authenticity.[1]
A091234: A09 means 2009 for the US acoustic family; do not read it as the Korean SE A prefix. Format example, not a verified instrument.[1]
SE acoustic, China
CTCA–CTCG prefixes, 2017–2023.
Where to look: Use the SE acoustic China table; the article does not give a separate SE acoustic serial-location rule.[1]
- SE acoustic, China prefix: CTCA–CTCG prefixes, 2017–2023.. Only the exact listed prefixes are supported; later letters are not extrapolated.
| Prefix | Year |
|---|---|
CTCA | 2017 |
CTCB | 2018 |
CTCC | 2019 |
CTCD | 2020 |
CTCE | 2021 |
CTCF | 2022 |
CTCG | 2023 |
The source gives approximate years; a serial number is not proof of authenticity.[1]
CTCA1234: CTCA means 2017 in the Chinese SE acoustic table. Format example, not a verified instrument.[1]
Limits and unresolved numbers
- PRS labels its sequence ranges approximate. A matching serial does not establish a day, month, value, condition or authenticity.[1]
- The published 2023 set-neck interval starts at 035906, overlapping many older ranges. We omit that entire interval rather than change it. The repeated identical 18 / 2018 prefix rows appear once here.[1]
- The S2 table shares S2043719 between 2019 and 2020 and leaves a gap before the 2024 interval. We preserve both boundaries and require the printed year prefix; missing intervals stay unknown.[1]
- Private Stock, EG, Swamp Ash Special, basses, amplifiers and cabinets are outside this tool’s scope.
- Unlisted later years and prefixes, missing year prefixes, and numbers outside reviewed ranges return no match. A no-match result does not mean the guitar is fake.
Check with PRS
- PRS year-identification tables: Compare the full serial and instrument family with PRS’s source. For unresolved numbers, use PRS Support’s Submit a request link.[1]
Sources
Facts on this page are restated in our own words from the manufacturer documents below. Formats change between factories and years, so check the document for your instrument’s era.
- Year IdentificationPRS Guitars · Year-code prefixes; set-neck, CE, S2, Korean/Indonesian SE, US acoustic and Chinese SE acoustic tables. 2023 set-neck interval excluded; identical repeated 2018 prefix rows deduplicated. · retrieved
Primary publishers: PRS Guitars. Spotted an error? Email the address in the footer with the model and the document you are using.