Determining the age of various guitars and pickup models can be difficult; knowing the approximate age of the instrument can determine the specifications on pickups made during that time frame. I have used this for years in determining the type of pickup in a certain year of production. When at all possible use the dating system used on the actual body or neck of the instruments. There are many good books with photos that help you know where to look and also the serial number is another important factor. Pickups in an old Telecaster or Stratocaster can vary from year to year. For instance in 1953 the poles in the Telecaster are all flush with the surface of the bobbin and in 1955 the pole pieces can be raised. If a customer gives me the numbers on the potentiometers and they are original, it usually gives me a close age of the instrument. You must remember, if the code on the pot date is 1956, it doesn’t mean the instrument was made at that time. When builders order components such as pots and capacitors, they may order thousands and only use hundreds over period of time. Again it is best to become familiar with all specifications of that particular instrument. A good source book for dating and specs is VINTAGE GUITARS by George Gruhn.

The Source Code and Date Code are under the framework of the Electronic Industries Association which is a non-profit organization representing manufacturers of electronic products. The EIA Source Code is a numeric symbol, assigned and registered by EIA Headquarters, which may be stamped or marked on any or all products to identify the production source or vender assuming product responsibility.

I spent time talking to Eyvette Bottoms who works in the Engineering and Publication department for the EIA. Eyvette informed me that it has been published annually since 1924. After 20 years if a Source Code number is not used by a company or if the company goes out of business it can be assigned to a new manufacturer. The EIA has developed and issued Standard EIA-476-A on Source and Date Code Marking. The Standard outlines requirements for source and date code marking on component manufacturer identification numbers and their sequence on the component to be marked, along with the lot date code.

The EIA Engineering Department operates in a comprehensive standarization program as evidenced by over 1,000 standards and publications currently available through the EIA. Anyone interested in joining can contact the:

ELECTRONICS INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION
2001 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20006