Some Observations Regarding
The dating of Gustav Becker Clocks
using Serial Numbers
(with photographs)

Per the Blue Book of Electric Guitars, Dean's serial numbers are straight forward with the first two digits equaling the year of manufacture and the remaining numbers equaling the instrument number. So it appears you have a 1951 Dean or an import model? All of our guitars have a serial number on the back of the headstock (or the neck plate on older guitars). The serial number represents the date and time your guitar was built, in a specific format. Please enter the full serial number, with dashes.

First two numbers in the sequence are the last two digits of the production year. If you see a seven digit serial number on the back of a Dean guitar, you can be sure that it was produced in United States. Dean's more affordable line made outside the US may require looking at features and hardware and some knowledge of the line. If the serial number of your Kramer starts with the following serial numbers, it is NOT a USA Made or 'American' series Kramer: 1) Two letters followed by a serial number (e.g. AA1234, AC1234, FA1234, FC1234, SA1234) 2) One letter followed by five letters (e.g. B12345) The only exception to this would be some of the 'E' series neckplates did have one letter followed by five letters (e.g. Number and serial number can be found on the rating plate. The history of the Dean serial numbering system is as follows: Old Style - The model number is included in the serial number string.

-- DRAFT 11/2002 --

Here's another link with a serial number dating chart . Worth looking at, butthey mention nothing about Braunau factory !
http://www.bhi.co.uk/hints/gbecker.htm

I have seen many people selling Gustav Becker clocks applya date to them based on the serial number on the movement. In many cases Ibelieve the dates provided may be incorrect. I'm not anexpert, nor do I claim to be. As a beginning collector of European,Austrian, & German clocks, I hate to see people be mislead intentionally oraccidentally, when there is information out there that can help.

Many people are inappropriately dating clocks made in theBraunau factory using the Gustav Becker Freiburg factory chart that iscontained within the books listed below. This yields a completely bogusdate and is false and misleading.
Please note that I am merely passing along what I see in the books listed belowand you, of course, may do with the information what you wish. I urge youto do your own research and/or consult an expert before making any expensivebuying decisions. Naturally, if anybody has better information that I do,please pass that along to me and I will happily correct anything that is inerror.

The conclusions I've drawn are as follows:
1) It is relatively easy to tell on most clocks whether a clock was made inFreiburg or in Braunau by looking at the trademark stamped on the back of theclock
2) Clocks made in the GB Freiburg factory can be dated with some level ofaccuracy based on the serial number.
3) Clocks made in the GB Braunau factory cannot be dated with anyaccuracy, as the factory was possibly opened in 1888.
4) According to the books, Freiburg was making close to 100k clocks a year by1880, so one might assume that Braunau was making somewhat less than that peryear.

The 2 books I am using for reference are:
1) Gustav Becker Story - 1847-1927 - by Karl Kochmann @ 1974 1993edition ISBN 0-933396-29-5
2) Clock & Watch Trademark Index - European Origin - by Karl Kochmann@1988 ISBN 0-933396-34-1

1) Reference Book - Gustav Becker Story
Page 32, near the top
GUSTAV BECKER
Braunau - Bohemia, Former Austrian - Hungarian Danube Fed. ( now Broumov, CSR )
Gustav Becker, assembly plant since the year 1888. After the annexation ofBohemia, year 1918 * (*after ww-I)
into Czechoslovakia, Becker Clocks were marketed with the stamp: MADE in BRAUNAUTSCHECKOSLOVAKIA
....
Note: Serial number index not traceable. Plant closing year unknown.

Page 35, 3/4 of the way down the page

Braunau works - Numbering system-or index not traceable.

1) Reference Book - Clock & Watchtrademark Index
Page 293, near the bottom
GUSTAV BECKER
... ...
The Braunau works operated as independent branch factory. No serial numberrecords are found.
... ...
GUSTAV BECKER
Braunau - Bohemia
Former Austrian Danube Federation no Czechoslovakia 036/4
After annexation of Bohemia:* (after WWI) the production of the former Beckerbranch factory
was sold with embossement since 1918

Page 294,
Same chart as in 'The Gustav Becker Story', above.

Photographsof Trademarks

Note: There are lots of different GB stamps , theseare just a few

Dean Bass Serial Number Lookup

Example of trademark stamps with Braunau works ( SN100k+ , 500k+ )

Example of trademark stamps with Freiburg / Silesiaworks

IExample of trademark stamps with Freiburg/ Silesia works
Oddly enough, on this one, it's on the right side not the left.

Example of a very early trademark stamp with Freiburg/ Silesia works ( SN 89603k )

Dean Guitar Serial Number Lookup

Example of a very early trademark stamp with Freiburg/ Silesia works ( SN 35k )

Example of a very early trademark stamp with Freiburg/ Silesia works ( SN 25k )

Having recently learned that Freiburg/Silesia is inPoland, there may be some issues in calling these 'German' clocks...but probably not.

Dean Guitars Serial Number Lookup

Copyright 2002 by Dean Kinard.

Not responsible for errors or inaccuracies. Forreference only, use at your own risk. Sources used are listed above.

Dean Fryer Serial Number Lookup

Dean Bass Serial Number Search

• I have a guy wanting to trade me a Dean for one of my Jacksons. Problem is, he says it is a Dean Vendetta 3.0, and the only guitar I can find that looks like the one he has, is a cheap Dean Vendetta XM.
  He has provided the serial number but I cant find anywhere I can look up the serial number to find out any info on it.
  Anybody know a place to look these things up?
• Check out the forums here: http://www.deanguitars.com/home.php

• Check out the forums here: http://www.deanguitars.com/home.php

  
  Preciate that.
  Im looking, but Im not finding anything there either. :arg:

• Preciate that. Im looking, but Im not finding anything there either. :arg:

  
  try making a post on the Dean board - lots of knowledgeable folks.
  For the most part - the USA models will have 'Made in the USA' with YY - SERIAL on the back of the headstock. In the late 90's (1996 I believe) the serial #'s for the USA models were stamped on the fret board after the last fret.
  There are Czech Republic guitars that will have Hand Crafted in the Czech Republic on the back of the headstock with a serial # (nothing to denote year.)
  The Korean and Chinese guitar serials for the most part don't give a year or any other indication. They did start putting a year # somewhere in them, but they are imports and the year really doesn't matter for their worth.
  There were some bolt on USA and Czech models. Not many.
  EDIT -
  Vendetta 3.0 information (serial # will not be different between import models)
  * Neck Through Construction
  * Solid Mahogany Body
  * Maple Neck with Rosewood Fingerboard
  * Dual Humbuckers
  * Tune-O-Matic Bridge
  * String-Throught Body Design
  * Classic Dean V Ferrule Pattern
  * 24 frets
  * 25.5 Scale
  * Black Hardware
  * Pearl Evil Eye Inlay
• Thanks for the help guys!
  I seen where my membership/log in was just approved on the Dean boards so I will be posting something there in a few minutes.
  Im starting to think this is going to be all for naught though. I think I pissed the guy off when I told him I thought his guitar looked a hell of a lot like the Dean Vendetta XM model.
  He exploded right away with, 'Well, if it is indeed the XM, what do I have to add to make this an even trade?'
  I answered, 'A real guitar man! Im sorry but I just DO NOT like basswood guitars. If it is not the Vendetta 3.0, Im not interested.'
  Havent heard from him since...
• I am a 4.0 owner
  the 3.0 has the neck through and the solid color.
  The 4.0 had the quilt and maple cap.