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Martin Serial Number Lookup: Year Chart Since 1898
Martin runs the most straightforward serial system in the guitar world: one continuous sequence, unbroken since 1898. No prefixes, no encoded dates, no factory codes. Your guitar's number is simply its place in the line of every Martin built since then, which makes dating one a matter of finding where the number falls in the year chart.
Skip the chart. Paste your serial into the free Mbit serial number lookup and it places the year for you.
How the Sequence Works
When Martin started serializing in 1898, the company estimated it had already built about 8,000 instruments, so the sequence began at 8000. Every flat-top guitar since slots into the same ledger. The serial is stamped on the neck block, visible through the soundhole, with the model stamped above it.
Martin Serial Number Year Chart
Each row shows the last serial number built in that year:
| Year | Last serial | Year | Last serial |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1898 | 8,348 | 1990 | 503,309 |
| 1960 | 175,689 | 1995 | 570,434 |
| 1965 | 207,030 | 1999 | 724,077 |
| 1969 | 256,003 | 2000 | 780,500 |
| 1970 | 271,633 | 2004 | 1,042,558 |
| 1975 | 371,828 | 2009 | 1,406,715 |
| 1979 | 419,900 | 2010 | 1,473,461 |
| 1980 | 430,300 | 2015 | 1,972,129 |
| 1985 | 460,575 | 2020 | 2,454,224 |
| 1989 | 493,279 |
Two milestones give a feel for the scale: the millionth Martin left Nazareth in 2004, and the two millionth followed only about a decade later. Production in the 2000s ran faster in a single year than entire decades did before the war, which is why the chart's steps grow so quickly at the bottom.
What the Serial Cannot Tell You
The sequence dates the guitar, nothing more. Wood grades, model changes and transitional features are not encoded, and a handful of instruments sit outside the main ledger: ukuleles, some mandolins, certain import lines and one-off builds. For anything unusual, Martin's own registry is the final word, and I would rather point you there than guess.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Martin's system work?
One continuous sequence since 1898, starting at 8000. Match your serial to the year chart above.
Where is the serial number?
On the neck block inside the body, visible through the soundhole.
When did serials pass one million?
2004. Two million followed in the mid 2010s.
Do all Martins follow this sequence?
Most guitars do. Ukuleles, some mandolins and certain import lines used separate numbering.