Dating your Old Marshall Amplifier?
Does it have a serial number stamped on the chassis?
Marshall amps began featuring aluminum back panels in 1969.
Serial numbers began appearing on the back panels in July 1969.
Note that some models produced from 1979-81 had serial numbers stamped on the front panel (to the left of the power switch).
Reading the serial numbers (1969-1983)
Marshall used a coding system that provided (a) model, (b) serial number, and (c) manufacture date. This sequence of (a)(b)(c) began in 1969 and was valid through 1983.
How to read the serial number (1984-1992)
In 1984, the order of the serial number components changed to (a)(c)(b), but the method used to determine the values for (a) and (c) remains the same. After 1992, a bar code system was introduced.
The first part of the serial number grouping determines the model of the chassis.
|
A/ or /A |
200 Watt |
|
RI |
Reissue Series |
|
S/ or S/A |
50 Watt |
|
SB/ or SB/A |
Super Bass - 100 Watt |
|
SL/ or SL/A |
Super Lead - 100 Watt |
|
SP/ |
Super PA |
|
ST/ or ST/A |
Tremolo - 100 Watt |
|
T/ or T/A |
Tremolo - 50 Watt |
(b) Serial number - The second part of the serial number is the five-digit serial number itself.
(c) Manufacture date - The last character determines the date of manufacture. Since A was used in both 1969 and 1970, Marshall decided that 1971 would start with C. To avoid confusion with the numerals 1 and 0, Marshall elected to skip the letters I and O. Also, for reasons not explained, there are no Q-dated amps. Z was used for two years. Here are the date codes:
|
Date Code |
Year |
Date Code |
Year |
|
A |
1969-1970 |
N |
1981 |
|
C |
1971 |
P |
1982 |
|
D |
1972 |
R |
1983 |
|
E |
1973 |
S |
1984 |
|
F |
1974 |
T |
1985 |
|
G |
1975 |
U |
1986 |
|
H |
1976 |
V |
1987 |
|
J |
1977 |
W |
1988 |
|
K |
1978 |
X |
1989 |
|
L |
1979 |
Y |
1990 |
|
M |
1980 |
Z |
1991-1992 |