Martin Guitar Serial Numbers – When Was Your Martin Guitar Built

Updated August 15th, 2023 . 

Published Categorized as Guitar Information, Martin
Martin Guitar Serial Numbers

What year is the model of your guitar? Ever wanted to know but aren’t quite sure. Well, it’s quite easy to determine using the serial number on your Martin guitar.

Where Do I Find the Serial Number?

On Martin Guitars the serial number is usually located on the heel of the neck inside the soundhole. So you’ll need to look through the soundhole towards the neck.

This may be hard to read so you may need to shine a light in there (flashlight, smartphone etc).

There will usually be 2 numbers in there. The first number (the top number) will be the model number. The second number (the bottom number) will be the serial number.

Once You?ve found Your Serial Number

Once you?ve found your serial number check out the table below. This shows all of the serial numbers of Martin?s guitars since 1898!

The serial number for each year shows the serial number of the last guitar that was built in that year.

So, if your serial number is 240121 for example then your Martin guitar was built in 1968. The number is above 230095 so it was built after 1967 but it’s less than 241925 so it was built before the end of 1968 ? so it was built in 1968.

The Martin Guitar Serial Numbers Tables

Year BuiltLast Serial No. of That Year
18988348
18998716
19009128
19019310
19029528
19039810
19049988
190510120
190610329
190710727
190810883
190911018
191011203
191111413
191211565
191311821
191412047
191512209
191612390
191712988
191813450
191914512
192015848
192116758
192217839
192319891
192422008
192524116
192628689
192734435
192837568
192940843
193045317
193149589
193252590
193355084
193458679
193561947
193665176
193768865
193871866
193974061
194076734
194180013
194283107
194386724
194490149
194593623
194698158
1947103468
1948108269
1949112961
1950117961
1951122799
1952128436
1953134501
1954141345
1955147328
1956153225
1957159061
1958165576
1959171047
1960175689
1961181297
1962187384
1963193327
1964199626
1965207030
1966217215
1967230095
1968241925
1969256003
1970271633
1971294270
1972313302
1973333873
1974353387
1975371828
1976388800
1977399625
1978407800
1979419900
1980430300
1981436474
1982439627
1983446101
1984453300
1985460575
1986468175
1987476216
1988483952
1989493279
1990503309
1991512487
1992522655
1993535223
1994551696
1995570434
1996592930
1997624799
1998668796
1999724077
2000780500
2001845644
2002916759*
2003978706
20041042558
20051115862
20061197799
20071268091
20081337042
20091406715
20101473461
20111555767
20121656742
20131755536
20141857399
20151972129

See more at: https://www.martinguitar.com/about/martin-story/serial-number-lookup

Exceptions

In 1981 & 1982 the serial numbers 900001 to 902908 were used on Sigma guitars ? so these serial numbers aren’t on any Martin guitars. So the serial numbers for Martin Guitars built in 2002 are 845645-900000 and 902909-916759.

Why is the First Number not 1?

The reason the first number isn?t 1 is that the first guitars in production by Martin weren?t numbered like this. But once they started this numbering system they estimated that they had built 8347 guitars before starting the system ? so the first one in the system is 8348.

Thanks for reading

I hope this helps you to discover when your Martin guitar was built if you are curious or need to know it for any other reason. If you are interested in how to find serial numbers on other guitar Models check out our Gibson Guitar Serial Number guide. 


Photo Credit

By Lehigh Valley, PA from Lehigh Valley, PA, USA (C.F. Martin Guitar Co.Uploaded by clusternote) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

By Nate Pallesen

Nate is just your average (above average) guitar player. He's no Joe Satriani, Jimi Hendrix or Jimmy Page - wait this site is about acoustic guitars (sorry) He's no Django Reinhardt, Chet Atkins, or Michael Hedges, wait? who!? He's no Robert Johnson, Eric Clapton or Ben Harper - more familiar? Anyway you get the point :-)

8 comments

    1. Hi Howard

      Thanks for your message.

      I haven’t seen a list for 2017 yet. When I wrote this post (March 2017), they only had up to 2015 on the Martin site – https://www.martinguitar.com/about/martin-story/serial-number-lookup/ – and they have now updated with the 2016 serial numbers. Not sure when they did that exactly, but they do seem to be slow to update them. Probably your best bet is to contact Martin and see if they can send you a list of 2017 serial numbers.

  1. Hi. The number and serial of this Martin is:
    D-28
    246416
    Can you confirm the year of manufacture and
    Did the owner register this guitar?
    Thank you. Kind regards, Karin

  2. I have a D-18 and cant seem to find a matching serial number so I can date and value it #221439 AND it has double pick guards . Can anyone advise please

  3. Hello,
    I have a Martin model LX1E.
    Serial# 285739 Made in Mexico
    Can you tell me when this guitar was made?
    I have not been able to do so on my own.

    Thanks

  4. hi there, I recently inherited a Martin d28 guitar serial 264644 here in canada and was hoping you might help me find out any personal information about this guitar please. I inherited it from my deceased uncle Joe ‘king’ LeBlanc and I really hope for some info about it please.

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