Dating Fender Japan Basses

[Craig Williams]

Hi all. I got a crafted in Japan Fender 51 P bass, serial number Q030479. Been around to the serial number sites and best I can get is 2002 to 2004. Is there anyway to tell what the actual year number is? Do the first 2 numeral (03) indicate a 2003 model? Is there any sure way of knowing which factory it came from? I am getting Tokai but I have heard these results aren't always right. Were Tokai soley manufacturing for Fender Japan during this period?

 

[Justinian]

Hi all. I got a crafted in Japan Fender 51 P bass, serial number Q030479. Been around to the serial number sites and best I can get is 2002 to 2004. Is there anyway to tell what the actual year number is? Do the first 2 numeral (03) indicate a 2003 model? Is there any sure way of knowing which factory it came from? I am getting Tokai but I have heard these results aren't always right. Were Tokai soley manufacturing for Fender Japan during this period?

I am unsure about dating your bass, but, congratulations!

 

[Root 5]

Hi all. I got a crafted in Japan Fender 51 P bass, serial number Q030479. Been around to the serial number sites and best I can get is 2002 to 2004. Is there anyway to tell what the actual year number is? Do the first 2 numeral (03) indicate a 2003 model? Is there any sure way of knowing which factory it came from? I am getting Tokai but I have heard these results aren't always right. Were Tokai soley manufacturing for Fender Japan during this period?

Dating Japanese Fenders is not accurate at all. Be aware of that. Going by serial numbers, my ‘75 J should be 1987. But it was made in 1997.