Serial # date of manufacture?

[Brownsound]

How can I tell the date my guitar was made by the serial number? There used to be a database but I can find it now.

Thanks

[silentman]

For most Hamers, the first digit would indicate year of manufacture. The next 5 is the count of guitars made since the system went into effect. Only the early guitars had a different system. To get any closer, serial steve might be of some help.

[Steve Haynie]

The first number in your serial number is the last number of the year it was made. The rest of the numbers are the sequential number of Hamers that were made up to that point, with a few exceptions. You have to know the ranges for a decade to have an idea of the year. As a guideline, numbers below 29000 should all be in the 80's. By 2000 we should have been up to around 50000.

[serial]

The database has been unavailable for years, but there was an OLD version around that people would pick up from time to time (I think that one had about four pages-I'm well over 175 printed pages now). Email me the number and I might be able to narrow it down or get you the actual date, depending on the number.

BTW, something wicked this way comes...