Dean Guitar Serial Number Lookup/Decoder

Dean Guitars serial numbers are typically found on the back of the headstock, with USA models often featuring a 7‑digit number where the first two digits represent the year (e.g., “05”XXXXX for 2005). In the late 1990s, USA models were sometimes stamped on the fretboard. Import (Korean/Chinese) models often have less consistent numbering, often starting with a letter representing the factory or month.

• USA Models: Usually 7 digits. The first two digits are the year (e.g., 05XXXXX = 2005). Some mid‑90s models have the serial number stamped on the end of the fretboard.
• Import Models (Korean): Often start with a letter followed by 6–7 digits (e.g., E7XXXXX). These are harder to date, as they often do not follow a strict year‑first pattern, though some may indicate the year in the first or second digit.
• H-prefix Imports (India): Many modern imports follow H + YYMM + sequence (example: H22020143 = 2022, February, sequence 0143). Entries like H22020 143 are spacing variants of the same serial once normalized.
• 12‑String Basses: Often follow a format of “E” + 6 digits (2000–2005), “US” + 8 digits (2006–2015), or “WK” + 8 digits (2017–2018).
• Czech Republic Models: Often labeled “Hand Crafted in the Czech Republic” on the back of the headstock, but typically lack year‑identifying serial numbers.

If the serial number is ambiguous, checking for “Made in USA” or “Hand Crafted” on the headstock is the first step, as import models generally do not follow a consistent, easily decoded date formula.