A single first digit often indicated the year (e.g., "5" for 1995). Often signifies Cor-Tek (Cort) Korean production. "IC" Prefix Indicates I ndonesia, C or-Tek factory. Important Tips for Identification Ibanez Rules DATE YOUR IBANEZ
A serial number beginning with "0612" indicates the guitar was made in December 2006 . Historical and Factory Variations
Before shifting the bulk of its production to Indonesia, Cort’s flagship instruments were built in South Korea. These guitars are highly regarded for their build quality. The Format : 1 Letter + 7 Digits (e.g., KC0311234 ) How to Decode It
Cort acoustic guitars often use a different 10-digit system found on the internal label. YYYYNNNNNN First Four Digits (YYYY): The full year of manufacture. Last Six Digits (NNNNNN): The factory sequence number. Factory Letter Codes Cort Serial Number Checker -UPD-
On the back of the headstock (most common for electric guitars).
: Serial numbers from this era are frequently described as "randomly generated" by the manufacturer.
C210512345
You may encounter serial numbers with a C prefix followed by 7 or 8 digits. In these cases, you can sometimes apply the YMMXXXX formula to the numbers that follow the C. However, there is an important nuance: . If your vintage 1970s or 1980s Cort appears to have a random numeric code, do not force a decode; the number was likely assigned without a systematic date reference.
The Cort Serial Number Checker is a straightforward tool to use. Here are the steps to follow:
🛠️ The Modern Cort Serial Number System (2000–Present) A single first digit often indicated the year (e
A Cort Serial Number Checker is an online tool provided by Cort Guitars, a renowned guitar manufacturer, to help customers verify the authenticity of their Cort guitars. The checker allows users to enter their guitar's serial number and check if it matches the records in Cort's database. This ensures that the guitar is genuine and not a counterfeit.
Older models use a 7-digit numeric system without a factory letter prefix. YYNNNNN First Two Digits (YY): The year of manufacture. Last Five Digits (NNNNN): The sequential production number.
: The factory location. K stands for the main Korea factory. First Two Digits : The year of manufacture. Next Two Digits : The month of manufacture. Remaining Digits : The sequential production number. Example : KC0311234 K : Korea Factory 03 : Made in 2003 11 : Made in November 234 : Production number 234 3. The Chinese Production System Important Tips for Identification Ibanez Rules DATE YOUR