Martin Serial Numbers And Identification

Martin Serial Number Lookup

Enter the serial stamped on your Martin’s neck block to find its year. Then use the photo guides to compare the model stamp, logo, tuners and construction.

If you're unsure which clues to collect, start with how to find out how old your guitar is.

By Joe Dampt · Updated October 13, 2026

Martin Model Histories And Year Changes

Once you have the serial date and model stamp, use the matching history to see which specifications changed during that model’s production. Dreadnoughts, Orchestra Models and other Martin families have different timelines.

Dreadnoughts

D-21 HistoryThe original run, binding, saddles, neck reinforcement and bridge plates.
D-28 And D-28S HistoryBody joints, bracing, herringbone and the rosewood transition.
D-35 And D-35S HistoryThree-piece backs, lighter bracing and the 12-fret D-35S.
D-45 HistoryPrewar production, inlay changes and the 1968 return.

Orchestra Models

OM-18 HistoryEarly bridges, pickguards, tuners and the 1934 name change.
OM-28 HistoryThe original Orchestra Model and its later return.
OM-45 And Deluxe HistoryStandard and Deluxe appointments during the original production run.

Small Bodies, Nylon And Four Strings

Small And Early Martin HistoryBody sizes, style changes, steel strings and 14-fret models.
Classical Martin HistoryThe G, C and N families and their construction changes.
Martin Tenor HistoryFour-string model families, body joints and production periods.
Martin Plectrum HistoryLong-neck four-string models, OM-18P production and later special orders.

12-Strings, Archtops And Electrics

D12-20 And D12-35 HistoryThe two 12-string dreadnoughts and their production changes.
Martin Archtop HistoryC, R and F models, soundholes and carved or pressed tops.
Martin Electric HistoryThe E, F and GT families and changes to their designs.
D-18E And D-28E IdentificationFactory electric dreadnought pickups, controls and model differences.

Martin Logos, Tuners And Construction

Martin Dating Photo Guides

Compare your guitar with dated photographs. Captions describe visible details, known repairs and replacement parts, and features that need a closer view.

Logo Evolution

Blank headstocks, rear stamps, gold script and vertical pearl lettering, with dated examples and notes on refinished headstocks.

Open The Logo Evolution Guide

Original Grover clipped-end plates and gears with replacement buttons on Joe’s 1937 Martin 0-17

Tuner Evolution

Compare Grover, Kluson and Waverly plate shapes, gears, buttons and housings in dated photos.

Open The Tuner Evolution Guide

Serial number on the neck block of a 1930 Martin 0-21 with no model stamp above it

Neck-Block Stamps

Serial-only blocks, model stamps and the 1967 hand-stamping change, plus maker’s marks found elsewhere inside the guitar.

Open The Neck-Block Stamps Guide

Rectangular bridge with straight front and back edges on Joe’s 1937 Martin 0-17

Construction Features

Compare body joints, bridges, pickguards, woods, inlays and neck reinforcement using dated photographs.

Open The Construction Features Guide

Front body, bridge and pickguard of Joe’s 1937 Martin 0-17 in its case

Prewar Martins

Identify prewar and wartime Martins through X-bracing, scalloped profiles, bridge plates, neck changes and repair history.

Open The Prewar Martins Guide

000-21 model designation and serial number on Joe’s 1956 Martin neck block

Model Numbers

Read the body-size and style codes in a model stamp, with an interactive decoder, comparison tables and dated examples.

Open The Model Numbers Guide

Where To Find Your Martin’s Serial Number

Look through the soundhole toward the neck. The serial is usually below the model name on the thick wooden neck block. Guitars made before model stamping became routine around October 1930 may have a serial alone.

Annotated Martin neck-block photo with arrows identifying the D-28 model stamp and serial number 216614 — **Model And Serial Number Locations**
The arrows identify D-28 as the model and 216614 as the serial number. Enter the serial number in the lookup.

Watch Joe locate the neck-block number. Use a light and photograph the whole stamp, including any letters.

Compare Serial-Only, Model And Maker’s Stamps

How To Date A Martin Guitar

1. Read The Number

Copy every digit from the neck block. Check the instrument type before selecting a chart.

2. Match The Year

Serial 224411 falls after 217215, the last number for 1966, and before 230095, the last for 1967. That puts it in 1967.

3. Check The Guitar

Read the model-number decoder and compare the dated construction features. Replaced parts don’t change the original serial date.

Model, Condition And Martin Guitar Value

Two Martins from the same year can have different models, repairs and originality. Use the Martin dreadnought value guide or send Joe photos after you identify the guitar.

Martin Guitar Serial Number Chart

This chart starts at 8001 in 1898. The starting figure of 8000 comes from an estimate of earlier production. A stamp reading exactly 8000 needs individual verification. Each later row shows the first and last serial for that year, calculated from the year-end totals.

Use the separate charts below for LX, Backpacker, mandolin and Mexico-made ukulele sequences. A year-end table cannot establish the day an instrument was completed or sold. Monthly production averages do not locate an individual guitar within a particular month.

Serial tables last checked October 5, 2026.

Martin Guitar Serial Ranges, 1898 To 2025
Year	First Serial	Last Serial
1898	8,001	8,348
1899	8,349	8,716
1900	8,717	9,128
1901	9,129	9,310
1902	9,311	9,528
1903	9,529	9,810
1904	9,811	9,988
1905	9,989	10,120
1906	10,121	10,329
1907	10,330	10,727
1908	10,728	10,883
1909	10,884	11,018
1910	11,019	11,203
1911	11,204	11,413
1912	11,414	11,565
1913	11,566	11,821
1914	11,822	12,047
1915	12,048	12,209
1916	12,210	12,390
1917	12,391	12,988
1918	12,989	13,450
1919	13,451	14,512
1920	14,513	15,848
1921	15,849	16,758
1922	16,759	17,839
1923	17,840	19,891
1924	19,892	22,008
1925	22,009	24,116
1926	24,117	28,689
1927	28,690	34,435
1928	34,436	37,568
1929	37,569	40,843
1930	40,844	45,317
1931	45,318	49,589
1932	49,590	52,590
1933	52,591	55,084
1934	55,085	58,679
1935	58,680	61,947
1936	61,948	65,176
1937	65,177	68,865
1938	68,866	71,866
1939	71,867	74,061
1940	74,062	76,734
1941	76,735	80,013
1942	80,014	83,107
1943	83,108	86,724
1944	86,725	90,149
1945	90,150	93,623
1946	93,624	98,158
1947	98,159	103,468
1948	103,469	108,269
1949	108,270	112,961
1950	112,962	117,961
1951	117,962	122,799
1952	122,800	128,436
1953	128,437	134,501
1954	134,502	141,345
1955	141,346	147,328
1956	147,329	153,225
1957	153,226	159,061
1958	159,062	165,576
1959	165,577	171,047
1960	171,048	175,689
1961	175,690	181,297
1962	181,298	187,384
1963	187,385	193,327
1964	193,328	199,626
1965	199,627	207,030
1966	207,031	217,215
1967	217,216	230,095
1968	230,096	241,925
1969	241,926	256,003
1970	256,004	271,633
1971	271,634	294,270
1972	294,271	313,302
1973	313,303	333,873
1974	333,874	353,387
1975	353,388	371,828
1976	371,829	388,800
1977	388,801	399,625
1978	399,626	407,800
1979	407,801	419,900
1980	419,901	430,300
1981	430,301	436,474
1982	436,475	439,627
1983	439,628	446,101
1984	446,102	453,300
1985	453,301	460,575
1986	460,576	468,175
1987	468,176	476,216
1988	476,217	483,952
1989	483,953	493,279
1990	493,280	503,309
1991	503,310	512,487
1992	512,488	522,655
1993	522,656	535,223
1994	535,224	551,696
1995	551,697	570,434
1996	570,435	592,930
1997	592,931	624,799
1998	624,800	668,796
1999	668,797	724,077
2000	724,078	780,500
2001	780,501	845,644
2002	845,645	916,759
2003	916,760	978,706
2004	978,707	1,042,558
2005	1,042,559	1,115,862
2006	1,115,863	1,197,799
2007	1,197,800	1,268,091
2008	1,268,092	1,337,042
2009	1,337,043	1,406,715
2010	1,406,716	1,473,461
2011	1,473,462	1,555,767
2012	1,555,768	1,656,742
2013	1,656,743	1,755,536
2014	1,755,537	1,857,399
2015	1,857,400	1,972,129
2016	1,972,130	2,076,795
2017	2,076,796	2,161,732
2018	2,161,733	2,258,889
2019	2,258,890	2,366,880
2020	2,366,881	2,454,224
2021	2,454,225	2,576,415
2022	2,576,416	2,711,440
2023	2,711,441	2,829,083
2024	2,829,084	2,935,987
2025	2,935,988	3,043,480

Sigma-Martin Exception

Numbers 900001 to 902908 were used for Sigma-Martins in 1981 to 1982 and are excluded from regular 2002 production. The lookup handles that exception separately.

Martin Serial Numbers For 2025 And 2026

Martin’s actual 2025 guitar range is 2,935,988 to 3,043,480. For a higher serial, ask Martin to confirm the production year. The chart doesn’t estimate a 2026 cutoff from past production rates.

Other Martin Instrument Serial Charts

These tables list the last serial for each year or group of years. Where a table groups or skips years, it can only narrow the date to that interval.

Little Martin LX Serial Numbers

LX instruments use a separate sequence. This chart starts with the year-end total of 41279 for 2005, so lower numbers may be from 2005 or an earlier year.

Little Martin LX Serial Numbers
Year Or Interval	Last Serial
2005	41,279
2006	54,016
2007	69,850
2008	85,266
2009	98,332
2010	115,197
2011	129,934
2012	145,612
2013	172,822
2014	205,052
2015	236,580
2016	263,886
2017	284,726
2018	319,828
2019	344,677
2020	361,282
2021	388,199
2022	406,762
2023	417,282
2024	429,400
2025	438,508

Backpacker Serial Numbers

Backpackers have their own sequence. The first entry covers 1992 to 2006, so it won’t give you an exact year.

Backpacker Serial Numbers
Year Or Interval	Last Serial
1992 to 2006	178,146
2007	188,539
2008	195,761
2009	203,818
2010	211,612
2011	220,586
2012	229,812
2013	239,535
2014	249,963
2015	260,267
2016	267,880
2017	274,525
2018	280,524
2019	288,018
2020	293,493
2021	298,351
2022	303,162
2023	307,434
2024	310,826
2025	311,991

Martin Mandolin Serial Numbers

These are the early mandolin year-end totals. Gaps in the table can only give a range of years. Martin also used 259996 to 260020 for mandolins in 1976. From 1991, mandolins shared the guitar sequence, including 509122; production ended in 2002.

Martin Mandolin Serial Numbers
Year Or Interval	Last Serial
1895	23
1896	112
1897	153
1898	359
1899	577
1900	800
1901	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	10,245
1923	11,020
1924	11,809
1925	12,520
1926	13,359
1927	13,833
1928	14,170
1929	14,630
1930	14,892
1931	15,290
1932	15,476
1933	15,528
1934	15,729
1935	15,887
1936	16,156
1937	16,437
1938	16,580
1939	16,747
1940	16,957
1941	17,263
1942	17,405
1946	17,641
1947	18,303
1948	19,078
1949	19,559
1950	20,065
1951	20,496
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	25,139
1972	25,239
1973	25,339
1974	25,679
1975	25,895
1976	26,070
1977	26,101
1979	26,112
1980	26,156
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
1991	26,297

Navojoa Solid Wood Ukulele Serial Numbers

Use this sequence for Mexico-made solid wood ukuleles.

Navojoa Solid Wood Ukulele Serial Numbers
Year Or Interval	Last Serial
2010	1,282
2011	3,607
2012	6,702
2013	9,266
2014	10,829
2015	13,298
2016	15,594
2017	17,465
2018	19,924
2019	22,337
2020	24,189
2021	27,497
2022	32,393
2023	34,983
2024	37,638
2025	39,634

Navojoa HPL Ukulele Serial Numbers

HPL means high-pressure laminate. This sequence is separate from solid wood ukuleles and the regular guitar chart.

Navojoa HPL Ukulele Serial Numbers
Year Or Interval	Last Serial
2010	1,672
2011	2,403
2012	2,967
2013	3,382
2014	4,322
2015	4,833
2016	5,616
2017	6,207
2018	6,517
2019	6,682
2020	6,683
2021	7,874
2022	8,876
2023	10,793
2024	12,583
2025	12,840

Navojoa SO Ukulele Serial Numbers

The first entry covers 2000 to 2006. A number in that group won’t give you an exact year.

Navojoa SO Ukulele Serial Numbers
Year Or Interval	Last Serial
2000 to 2006	9,972
2007	10,910
2008	11,724
2009	12,570
2010	12,922

Use Features To Check The Serial Date

A replacement bridge, a tuner change or neck work can leave a guitar with parts from different periods. Compare the details with the same model and year, and ask about its repair history.

Martin Dating Features And Photo Guides
Detail	What To Compare	Photo Guide
Headstock Logos	Blank face, rear stamp, gold outline and pearl lettering.	Logo Evolution
Tuners	Gears, baseplates, buttons, bushings and old screw holes.	Tuner Evolution
Neck-Block Stamps	Serial alone, model plus serial and separate maker’s marks.	Stamp Guide
Binding And Purfling	Body-edge material, herringbone and pearl borders.	Trim Comparisons
Fingerboard Inlays	Pattern and model; account for later recreations.	Inlay Comparisons
Woods	Model, production period and documented wood selection.	Wood Comparisons
Bridge And Saddle	Bridge outline, saddle arrangement and replacement evidence.	Construction Features
Prewar Construction	X-brace position, scalloped profiles, bridge plates and neck changes.	Prewar Martin Guide

When The Serial And Features Seem To Disagree

Identify when the guitar was numbered, which model it is, and which parts are installed today. Those answers may come from different evidence. Use the guides above to compare dated guitars and the changes visible in their photographs.

A Serial With No Model Above It

A serial number identifies a production year, but it does not encode the body size or style. An early maker’s stamp above the serial names the builder, not the model. Use body measurements and style details to identify an unstamped model, then compare the early neck-block markings.

A Feature That Looks Too Early Or Too Late

Joe’s 1930 0-21 has a belly bridge, while the 1937 0-17 has a rectangular bridge. Those two shapes overlap across models. Check the model-specific bridge history before deciding that a part conflicts with the serial.

An Instrument Without A Regular Guitar Serial

Record all maker’s marks and labels, both sides of the headstock, body measurements and interior construction. Use the early-markings guide to build an evidence set. A date range supported by several features is more useful than an exact year guessed from one part.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Read A Martin Serial Number?

Find the serial on the neck block and select the correct instrument type. In the regular guitar chart, each year ends with the listed number. For example, 224411 falls between 217216 and 230095, which dates it to 1967.

Where Is The Serial Number On A Martin Guitar?

On most Martin acoustic guitars, look through the soundhole toward the neck joint. The serial is on the neck block. Many guitars made from late 1930 onward also have the model stamped above it.

What If My Martin Has No Serial Number?

The regular guitar sequence began in 1898. An earlier guitar needs to be identified from its maker’s stamps, construction and provenance. Some other Martin instrument types use different markings or no regular guitar serial. Photograph the entire instrument before drawing a conclusion.

Can A Martin Serial Number Tell Me The Model Or Value?

The serial dates the guitar within its numbering system. Read the separate model stamp to identify the model, then check condition, repairs and replaced parts when assessing value.

Does This Lookup Include 2025 And 2026?

The regular guitar chart includes 3043480 as the last serial for 2025. It doesn’t estimate a 2026 range. Ask Martin to confirm a higher number.

Why Does My Little Martin Show The Wrong Year?

Little Martin LX guitars use a separate serial sequence. Select Little Martin LX in the tool instead of the regular guitar sequence. Backpackers and Mexico-made ukuleles also have separate charts.

What Does Prewar Mean For A Martin Guitar?

In Martin collecting, prewar often refers to 1930s guitars and extends to wartime examples with scalloped braces, before the late-1944 change. It is collector shorthand, not a precise calendar cutoff. Check the actual year, model, brace position and neck width.

Get Help With Your Martin

Send a full front and back photo, both sides of the headstock, the neck-block stamp, bridge and any known repair information. I can help you identify the guitar and discuss its condition and value.

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Martin Serial Number Lookup

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