| Serial Number Format | Era | Key Characteristics | Information Decoded | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | 4 or 5 Digits | Pre-1993 | Simple sequential number; no date code. | Requires contacting Godin directly. | | 7 Digits | Early 1993–1994 | Single-digit year code. | Year, week, day, and production rank. | | 8 Digits | 1995–Late 2007 | Two-digit year code; fiscal year starting Aug 1. | Year, week, day, and production rank. | | 12 Digits | Late 2007–Present | Contains no date information. | Model code, factory second status (0 or 9), and unit number. | | Format: YYWWDRRR | All eras with date codes | Standardized decoding method. | Year, Week, Day, Rank. |
This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview and starting point for your research. The serial number dating systems used by guitar manufacturers can be complex, with occasional undocumented variations, exceptions, or even errors. Therefore, the information provided here should be used as a guide and not as a definitive tool for official authentication, insurance valuations, or legal purposes. For absolute certainty and official records, always contact Godin Guitars directly with your serial number.
This comprehensive guide will help you decode any Godin serial number, identify your guitar's production year, and track down its manufacturing history. The Modern 12-Digit Serial Number System (2007–Present)
For these instruments, there is no reliable online chart to determine the exact date. Your best course of action is to contact Godin's customer service directly with your serial number. They have historical records and can provide you with the exact date of manufacture. godin guitar serial number lookup
Professional inspection
To perform a successful Godin guitar serial number lookup, first identify which format your guitar uses.
On multi-acoustics or thin-line nylon string models (such as the Multiac series), the serial number is often printed on a label visible through the soundhole or access panels on the back. Godin Family Brands | Serial Number Format | Era | Key
Best practices for owners and buyers
YY (Fiscal Year) + WW (Week) + D (Day) + NNNNN (Factory Rank)
Before the 9-digit style became standard, Godin used simpler sequential numbers. | Year, week, day, and production rank
The specific unit's rank in that week's production.
Godin has used three primary serial number formats throughout its history. To look up your guitar, match your serial number format to one of the systems below. 1. The Modern 8-Digit System (August 1993 to August 2005)
Pickup configurations and brand stamps (e.g., early Schaller or custom Godin pickups). Bridge and hardware design. Godin Sub-Brands and Sister Companies
The weekly production count for that specific model line. For example, 123 means it was the 123rd guitar of that line built that week. Example Lookup If your serial number is 12423105 : 12 = Built in the 2012 fiscal year. 42 = Built during the 42nd week of the year (mid-October). 3 = Built on a Wednesday.