Start Here
Write down what you can actually see, leaving blanks where you aren't sure. These four questions give you an order to follow:
- What brand is it? Look for the name under which the guitar was sold.
- What model is it? Find the particular design within that brand's range.
- How old is it? Compare the identifying number and construction with that model's production history.
- What's it worth? Assess the identified guitar's condition, original parts and demand.
Guessing the model before the brand can send you through pages of lookalikes. Several companies have made guitars with similar outlines, so matching a body shape to a familiar photograph doesn't establish who made yours.
Keep any paperwork, loose parts and case with the instrument. If you've just opened a relative's case or found a guitar in storage, my guide to what to do with a guitar you just found covers the immediate handling decisions.
Step One: The Brand
Look at the headstock, the widened end of the neck where the strings attach. The neck is the long, narrow section extending from the body. You'll often find a brand name on the front of the headstock, above or between the strings.
Photograph the whole headstock before trying to decipher a faded name. Include its outline and the tuners, the small mechanisms with turning keys that tighten or loosen the strings. A clear picture preserves details that are easy to miss while reading unfamiliar lettering.
On an acoustic guitar, which uses its hollow body to project sound, look through the soundhole, the opening beneath the strings. There may be a paper label or a name stamped into the wood inside. Some guitars have no paper label, so an empty space isn't proof that one was removed.
Copy the wording as it appears, including smaller text. The large name might be a brand, while another line names a model, distributor or place of manufacture. The brand and the factory that built the guitar aren't always the same business.
If there's no name, photograph the front and back anyway. I can compare the outline, construction and parts, though those clues may support a likely maker rather than a definite answer. My guide to identifying the brand from the headstock takes that step further, including guitars with missing or unreadable names.
Step Two: The Model
The brand tells you which group of guitars to compare; the model tells you which design within that group you have. A model name may appear on the headstock, an interior label or a stamp. If you can't find one, record the visible features below before searching for a match.
Body shape. Look at the body's outer edge, including the narrow waist and any scooped areas beside the neck. Those scoops are called cutaways, and their number and shape help separate designs that otherwise look similar.
Number Of Pickups. On many electric guitars, pickups are the bars or blocks beneath the strings that turn string movement into an electrical signal. Count the separate units and note their shape, then photograph the nearby knobs and switches. Some acoustic guitars have hidden pickups, so you don't need to find one to identify an acoustic.
Solid Body Or Hollow Body. A solid body is mostly solid wood, while a hollow body has an interior air space. Some electric guitars combine hollow sections with a solid center. Openings in the top and a view from the side can help, but don't guess the internal construction from one photograph.
Acoustic Body Size. Notice the width, depth and proportions of the body, rather than calling every acoustic the same size. If a comparison needs measurements, record the body length and widest point without including the neck. You don't need to measure anything for the first set of identification photos.
Fretboard Markers. The fretboard is the playing surface along the front of the neck, beneath the strings. Its markers may be dots, blocks, other shapes or no visible decoration. Include them in the full front photo because they're another way to distinguish similar models.
I compare these features together. A replacement pickup or changed knob can make a guitar look like a different version, while color alone can lead you to a model that merely shares the same paint.
Once you've narrowed the model, my guides to dating a Gibson from its parts and Fender's physical features by era show how its details fit a production period. Compare the whole arrangement before treating one matching part as an answer.
Step Three: The Year
A serial number is the identifying number, sometimes including letters, assigned to an instrument. Depending on the maker, it may be on the front or back of the headstock, on a metal plate, on a label, or stamped inside the body. Copy every visible character and photograph the surrounding area.
Don't assume every number is the serial. A model code identifies a design, and a patent number refers to a protected invention. If several lines appear together, record each line separately instead of joining them into one long number.
Use the chart for the brand you've identified. My guides to Gibson serial numbers, Fender serial numbers and Martin serial and model numbers explain their different numbering systems. A result from the wrong brand's chart has no bearing on your guitar.
Treat the result as a starting point. Some numbering systems overlap, and a plate or neck carrying a number may have been replaced. My guide to what a serial number can't prove explains why a plausible number doesn't confirm original parts or an untouched finish.
I check whether the guitar's construction agrees with the suggested date. A pot code, a maker and date code on an electrical control beneath a knob, can help with some electric guitars. It dates that component, which could predate the guitar or be a replacement, and you shouldn't open the guitar to find it for this first check.
If the evidence only supports a period, keep that uncertainty in your notes. An approximate date is more useful than an exact year based on the wrong clue. The guide to finding the year it was built explains how to work through conflicting dates.
Step Four: What It's Worth
Age alone won't tell you the value. I look at the model and period, then its condition, original parts, repairs and demand from buyers. A worn guitar with its original finish can compare differently from one that's been repainted to look new.
An advertised price isn't a completed sale, and a similar looking guitar may have different parts or repairs. My guide to what decides a vintage guitar's value explains those comparisons. You don't need to decide that yours is valuable before having it identified.
For a free photo appraisal, the checklist below gives me the views I need to start. I can explain what the photographs support and which details would need a closer inspection.
The Photo Checklist
Use a plain background and bright, indirect light. Rest the guitar securely, support its neck, and move the camera instead of balancing it upright. You don't need to clean it first.
Take separate, full resolution photographs rather than sending only a collage. Check that lettering is in focus and reflections don't cover it. These are the views I'd ask for:
- Full Front. Include the entire guitar, from the top of the headstock to the bottom of the body. Keep the camera square to the front so the body proportions are clear.
- Full Back. Show the whole back, including the neck and headstock. Keep any visible cracks, worn areas, plates or covers in the photograph.
- Headstock Front. Photograph the widened end of the neck closely enough to read its lettering. Include the complete outline and all the tuners, the mechanisms that adjust string tension.
- Headstock Back. Show the back of that same area, including the tuner mechanisms, stamps and any repair lines. Don't crop out the point where it joins the narrower neck.
- Serial Number Area. Take one readable detail photo and another showing where the number sits on the guitar. Keep any adjacent letters, words or separate lines visible.
- Label Or Soundhole Interior. For an acoustic, photograph any label and visible stamped wording through the opening beneath the strings. Aim a light inside if needed, without inserting tools or lifting the label.
- Bridge And Tailpiece. Show the bridge, the part supporting the strings on the body, and any separate tailpiece that anchors their ends. Include the surrounding surface so extra holes or changes are visible.
- Pickups And Controls. Photograph any bars or blocks beneath the strings, plus the knobs and switches around them. Leave covers and screws in place; an exterior view is enough for this stage.
- Neck Heel. Show the outside of the joint where the neck meets the body, including the back and both sides if accessible. Don't remove the neck to expose hidden markings.
- Case And Case Interior. Photograph any case closed and open, including its lining, badges and accessory compartment. Include loose parts and paperwork separately, keeping them with the guitar afterward.
If you can't get every angle safely, start with the views you can take. You can send me photos for a free appraisal, and I'll tell you what you have and explain anything I can't confirm from the pictures.
What Not To Do Before You Know What You Have
Leave the guitar as you found it while you identify it. Work intended to improve its appearance can damage original surfaces or remove evidence that affects its value.
- Don't Clean It. Household cleaners, water and scrubbing can damage an old finish or label. That damage can reduce what a buyer would pay.
- Don't Polish It. Abrasive polish can remove original finish or metal plating. A brighter surface may come at the cost of material a collector wanted preserved.
- Don't Restring It Yet. New strings aren't needed for identification, and the wrong type or tension can damage some guitars. Old strings usually aren't the source of collector value; avoiding damage is the reason to wait.
- Don't Replace Parts. A worn tuner, knob or bridge may be original to the guitar. Replacements can lower collector value, especially if fitting them requires new holes.
- Don't Have It Fixed Up. Identify the guitar before authorizing repairs, repainting or other cosmetic work. The choice and extent of that work can affect value even when the guitar becomes easier to play.
- Don't Remove Any Label Or Sticker. A label can preserve identification or ownership clues, and peeling a sticker can lift finish. Lost information and surface damage can both complicate an appraisal.
If work has already been done, record what you know and keep any removed parts. It doesn't make identification pointless, and it doesn't automatically make the guitar worthless.
FAQ
There's No Name On The Headstock. Can You Still Tell What It Is?
Often, I can narrow it down from the body, headstock shape, construction and parts. Photograph any interior label or stamp too. If those clues don't establish the maker, I'll explain what's still uncertain.
Does The Serial Number Tell Me The Year?
Sometimes it points to a year; other times it gives a range or several possibilities. It depends on the maker and numbering system. I still check that the guitar's physical details agree with the number.
Should I Clean It Up First?
No, leave it as it is for identification photos. Cleaning or polishing can damage old surfaces or labels. I don't need the guitar to look new to assess what the pictures show.
Is An Old Guitar Automatically Valuable?
No, age alone doesn't establish value. The model, demand, condition, original parts and repairs all affect the comparison. A familiar brand name or an old case doesn't settle it either.
Can You Identify It From A Photo?
A clear full front photo can narrow the possibilities, but I usually need several views to assess the details. Include both sides of the headstock and any numbers or labels. Photos can't reveal every hidden part or repair, so some conclusions may need an inspection.
What If I Can't Find A Serial Number?
You can still work on the brand and model from the guitar's visible features. Don't take it apart searching for a number. Its construction may support an approximate age even if an exact year remains unknown.
Does The Name On The Case Identify The Guitar?
It can be a clue, but cases and guitars get separated. I identify the instrument from its own markings and construction, then check the case alongside it. A case logo doesn't prove the guitar inside is that brand.
Do I Need To Play It Or Plug It In?
No, you don't need to demonstrate it for an initial identification. Clear photos let me start with its appearance and markings. Its playing condition may need assessment later, once we know what it is.
You don't have to fill in every blank yourself. When you're ready, send me photos for a free appraisal, and I'll tell you what you have and what remains uncertain.