Identifying Martin Stringed Instruments

For More information on the Martin History, please check the section Martin History.

Prior to serial numbers, the different instruments were identified by the Martin brand which was stamped into the back of the headstock, the upper portion of the back or on the back binding strut visible through the soundhole (the eased blocking reinforcing the center joint between the 2 back pieces).

The original instruments had a paper label that read: “Martin and Coupa”
1833 to 1867    The brand read: “C.F. Martin New York”.
1867 to 1898    The brand read: “C.F. Martin & Co. New York”.
1898 onward    The brand reads: “C.F. Martin & Co. Nazareth, Pa.”
1888 to 1898    Paper label includes: “Charles A. Zoebisch & Sons” (Zoebisch was the sole distributor of Martin at the time).
1898    Serial numbers begin at #8000
1929    Model numbers were marked on the neck block, inside the body.

Some, actually from my experience, quite a lot of the pre-1898 guitars have the date penciled on the top just inside the sound hole. Before 1929, the model size and style designation was generally written on a paper label and glued inside the top of the instrument case.

1895    Mandolins were introduced
1915    Ukuleles, taropatches, tiples and Hawaiian guitars were introduced
1923    Tenor banjos were introduced

Ukuleles did not carry serial numbers but can be roughly identified and dated by the headstock:

1895 to 1932    The Martin brand stamped on the back of the headstock.
1930 onward    The Martin logo decal on the front of the headstock.
1895 to 1934    Bar frets
1934 onward    Standard frets

Martin started serializing with number 8001 simply because they accounted for some 8000 instruments built prior to 1898. This information was found in a very old book on Martin guitars.

Unlike some other manufacturers, using Martins serial numbers to date your instrument is accurate. The serial number can be found on the neck block. Look inside of the soundhole and towards the neck, the model number and serial number will be stamped on the mahogany block otherwise known as the neck block. The model number is on top, the serial number is below it. Also, when reading the chart below, remember...the number shown beside the year is the LAST number used for that year. So, for instance, if the serial number you are looking to date is number 9311, the instrument was made in 1902, as 9310 is the last serial number used in 1901

Martin Guitars Serial Numbers: 
1898    x8,348  
1899    x8,716  

Year	Last Serial # That Year		Year	Last Serial # That Year
1900-1950			1951-Current
1900	9128		1951	122799
1901	9310		1952	128436
1902	9528		1953	134501
1903	9810		1954	141345
1904	9988		1955	147328
1905	10120		1956	152775
1906	10329		1957	159061
1907	10727		1958	165576
1908	10883		1959	171047
1909	11018		1960	175689
1910	11203		1961	181297
1911	11413		1962	187384
1912	11565		1963	193327
1913	11821		1964	199626
1914	12047		1965	207030
1915	12209		1966	217215
1916	12390		1967	230095
1917	12988		1968	241925
1918	13450		1969	256003
1919	14512		1970	271633
1920	15848		1971	294270
1921	16758		1972	313302
1922	17839		1973	333873
1923	19891		1974	353387
1924	22008		1975	371828
1925	24116		1976	388800
1926	28689		1977	399625
1927	34435		1978	407800
1928	37568		1979	419900
1929	40843		1980	430300
1930	45317		1981	436474
1931	49589		1982	439627
1932	52590		1983	446101
1933	55084		1984	453300
1934	58679		1985	460575
1935	61947		1986	468175
1936	65176		1987	476216
1937	68865		1988	483952
1938	71866		1989	493279
1939	74061		1990	503309
1940	76734		1991	512487
1941	80013		1992	522655
1942	83107		1993	535223
1943	86724		1994	551696
1944	90149		1995	570434
1945	93623		1996	592930
1946	98158		1997	624799
1947	103468		1998	668796
1948	108269		1999	724077
1949	112961		2000	780500
1950	117961		2001	845644
			2002	916759*
			2003	978706
			2004	1042558
			2005	1115862
			2006	1197799
			2007	1268091
			2008	1337042

 

PRODUCTION TOTALS:

   Year        Serial # Range                 (Total production) 
    1898    8001-8349 (347)               1950    112962-117961 (4999)
    1899    8350-8716 (367)               1951    117962-122799 (4837)
    1900    8717-9128 (411)               1952    122800-128436 (5636)
    1901    9129-9310 (181)               1953    128437-134501 (6064)
    1902    9311-9528 (217)               1954    134502-141345 (6843)
    1903    9529-9810 (281)               1955    141346-147328 (5982)
    1904    9811-9988 (177)               1956    147329-152775 (5446)
    1905    9989-10120 (131)             1957    152776-159061 (6285)
    1906    10121-10329 (208)           1958    159062-165576 (6514)
    1907    10330-10727 (397)           1959    165577-171047 (5470)
    1908    10728-10883 (155)           1960    171048-175689 (4641)
    1909    10884-11018 (134)           1961    175690-181297 (5607)
    1910    11019-11203 (184)           1962    181298-187384 (6086)
    1911    11204-11413 (209)           1963    187385-193327 (5942)
    1912    11414-11565 (151)           1964    193328-199626 (6298)
    1913    11566-11821 (255)           1965    199627-207030 (7403)
    1914    11822-12047 (225)           1966    207031-217215 (10184)
    1915    12048-12209 (161)           1967    217216-230095 (12879)
    1916    12210-12390 (180)           1968    230096-241925 (11829)
    1917    12391-12988 (597)           1969    241926-256003 (14077)
    1918    12989-13450 (461)           1970    256004-271633 (15629)
    1919    13451-14512 (1061)         1971    271634-294270 (22636)
    1920    14513-15484 (1335)         1972    294271-313302 (19031)
    1921    15485-16758 (909)           1973    313303-333873 (20570)
    1922    16759-17839 (1080)         1974    333873-353387 (19513)
    1923    17840-19891 (2051)         1975    353388-371828 (18440)
    1924    19892-22008 (2116)         1976    371829-388800 (16971)
    1925    22009-24116 (2107)         1977    388801-399625 (10824)
    1926    24117-28689 (4572)         1978    399626-407800 (8174)
    1927    28690-34435 (5745)         1979    407801-419900 (12099)
    1928    34436-37568 (3132)         1980    419901-430300 (10399)
    1929    37569-40843 (3274)         1981    430301-436474 (6173)
    1930    40844-45317 (4473)         1982    436475-439627 (3152)
    1931    45318-49589 (4271)         1983    439628-446101 (6473)
    1932    49590-52590 (3000)         1984    446102-453300 (7198)
    1933    52591-55084 (2493)         1985    453301-460575 (7274)
    1934    55085-58679 (3594)         1986    460576-468175 (7599)
    1935    58680-61947 (3267)         1987    468176-476216 (8040)
    1936    61948-65176 (3228)         1988    476217-483952 (7735)
    1937    65177-68865 (3688)         1989    483953-493279 (9323)
    1938    68866-71866 (3000)         1990    493280-503309 (10032)
    1939    71867-74061 (2194)         1991    503310-512487 (9177)
    1940    74062-76734 (2672)         1992    512488-522655 (10167)
    1941    76735-80013 (3278)         1993    522656-535223 (12567)
    1942    80014-83107 (3093)         1994    535224-551696 (16472)
    1943    83108-86724 (3616)         1995    551697-570434 (18737)
    1944    86725-90149 (3424)         1996    570435-592930 (22495)
    1945    90150-93623 (3473)         1997    592931-624799 (31868)
    1946    93624-98158 (4534)         1998    624800-668796 (43996)
    1947    98159-103468 (5309)       1999    668797-724077 (55280)
    1948    103469-108269 (4800)      2000   724078-780500 (56422)
    1949    108270-112961 (4691)     2001   780501-845644 (65143)
                                                     2002   845645-916759 (71115)
                                                     2003   916760-978706 (61947)
                                                     2004   978707-1042558 (63852)
                                                     2005   1042559-1115862 (79904)
                                                     2006   1115863-1197799 (81937)

Martin Mandolin Serial Numbers

Year / Last Number

 

1895    x,x23  
1896    x,112  
1897    x,155
1898    x,359  
1899    x,577  

 

1900    x,800
1901    x,881  
1902    1,171  
1903    1,348
1904    1,507  
1905    1,669  
1906    2,026
1907    2,357  
1908    2,510  
1909    2,786

 

1910    3,098  
1911    3,431  
1912    3,847
1913    4,162  
1914    4,462  
1915    4,767
1916    5,007  
1917    5,752  
1918    6,370
1919    7,237  

 

1920    8,761  
1921    9,627
1922    10,196  
1923    11,020  
1924    11,809
1925    12,520  
1926    13,359  
1927    13,833
1928    14,170  
1929    14,680  

 

1930    14,892
1931    15,290  
1932    15,476  
1933    15,528
1934    15,729  
1935    15,887  
1936    16,156
1937    16,449  
1938    16,580  
1939    16,747

 

1940    16,957  
1941    17,263  
1942    17,405
1943    none  
1944    none
1945    none
1946    17,641  
1947    18,303  
1948    19,078
1949    19,559  

 

1950    20,065  
1951    20,521
1952    20,902  
1953    21,452  
1954    21,952
1955    22,254  
1956    22,629  
1957    22,985
1958    23,111  
1959    23,262  

 

1960    23,512
1961    23,663  
1962    23,938  
1963    24,139
1964    24,339  
1965    24,439  
1966    24,564
1967    24,639  
1968    24,839  
1969    24,989

 

1970    25,039  
1971    25,065  
1972    25,289
1973    25,339  
1974    25,679  
1975    25,895
1976    26,045* 
1977    26,101  
1978    None
1979    26,112  

 

1980    26156  
1981    26,215
1982    26,225  
1983    26,247  
1984    26,254
1985    26,263  
1986    26,273  
1987    26,279
1988    26,281  
1989    26,283  

 

1990    26,291

 

 

1951    20,5211952    20,902   1953    21,452   1954    21,9521955    22,254   1956    22,629   1957    22,9851958    23,111   1959    23,262   1961    23,663   1962    23,938   1963    24,1391964    24,339   1965    24,439   1966    24,5641967    24,639   1968    24,839   1969    24,989 1971    25,065   1972    25,289 1973    25,339   1974    25,679   1975    25,8951976    26,045*  1977    26,101   1978    None1979    26,112   1981    26,2151982    26,225   1983    26,247   1984    26,2541985    26,263   1986    26,273   1987    26,2791988    26,281   1989    26,283