This post is for any of you who have used the Fender's serial number lookup page and would like to know what all the abbreviations and/or acronyms mean when you look up your guitar. (PS: the Fender lookup is a great resource, but it won't cover vintage instruments. For that, you can see our serial number database, which covers Fender and many other brands.) I will be adding to this list regularly. PLEASE see more info at bottom of page that explains how the Fender lookup works! Fun fact: Did you know the Fender lookup also covers EVH, Gretsch, Jackson, and Charvel instruments?
NOTES:
1. Abbreviations/acronyms appear alphabetically below. We suggest using “Control+F” to search for specific entries on this page.
2. There may be more than one abbreviation for the same term. If a term is not abbreviated (i.e., “BAJA” = Baja) then it won’t appear here. Note the Fender site abbreviates terms for space. So in a long name “Deluxe” may appear as “DLX.” While in a shorter name it may be spelled out “DELUXE.”
3. Though abbreviations show some consistency, it appears Fender employees make them up as needed and don’t follow an established company list.
Fender Abbreviations
Last updated 11/28/2022.
2PT = 2-point tremolo
2TS = 2-tone sunburst
3C = 3 color
3PU = 3 pickup
3TS or 3TSB = 3-tone sunburst
AANJ = all access neck joint
ABB or AGD BRK BRST = aged Brooklyn burst (Gretsch)
ACAR = aged candy apple red
ACB = aged cherry burst
ACT or ACTV = active
AFF = Affinity Series
AGN = aged natural
AGV = blue agave
AJB = Aerodyne Jazz Bass
ALL-MAH = all mahogany
AM = American
AMB = amber
ANN or ANNY or ANV = anniversary
ARF = apple red flake
AT = arch top
ATB = antique burst
ATO = antique olive
AVRI = American Vintage Reissue
AWT = arctic white
AZG = Aztec gold
AZS = Arizona sun (finish)
BAR or BARI = baritone
BCB = black cherry burst
BCR = buttercream
BCS = black cherry sunburst
BGM or BMM = burgundy mist metallic
BGY MST = burgundy mist
BIGSBY TELE = Tele w/ Bigsby tremolo
BKD = baked (maple)
BLBST = blue burst
BLD = blonde
BLK or BK = black
BLU or BL = blue
BLZ = blizzard pearl
BPG = black pickguard
BRST = burst
BRSTL = Bristol fog (Gretsch finish)
BSB = brown sunburst
BTB = butterscotch blonde
CAB = cabronita / cabinet (amp)
CAPRI = capri orange
CAR = candy apple red
CB = center block (Gretsch)
CCOLA = candy cola (finish)
CDG = Cadillac green (Gretsch)
CHOC = chocolate
CIJ = crafted in Japan
CLSC = classic
CM = caramelized maple fingerboard
CME = Chicago Music Exchange
CML = copper metallic
CNARY DIAMND = canary diamond (finish)
COA = certificate of authenticity
COLL = collection
CONT = contemporary
COOKED ASH = caramelized ash
COP = classic copper
CRB = candy red burst
CRT = crimson transparent / crimson red transparent
CS = Custom Shop / coil split / cherry sunburst
CSTM = custom
CV = classic vibe
DC = double cutaway
DE = dealer exclusive
DE9000 = DE-9000 Black Dove Single Coil pickup
DKA = Dinky archtop (Jackson)
DKR = Dakota red
DLX = deluxe
DMND = diamond (anniversary)
DNB or DPB = daphne blue
DREAD = dreadnought
EBM = electron blue
EBY or EB or E = ebony (fingerboard)
ED = edition
ELCTRMTC or EMTC = Electromatic (Gretsch)
EOB = Ed O’Brien (Strat)
EUR = European voltage (amps)
EVH = Eddie Van Halen
FB = fixed bridge / fingerboard
FBJ = Fender Blues Junior
FDR = Fender Deluxe Reverb
FEND or FEN = Fender
FF = foto flame
FL = fretless
FLO = flame orange
FLOWER = paisley
FMIC = Fender Musical Instrument Corporation
FMSV = firemist silver
FMG = firemist gold
FMT = flame maple top
FR = Floyd Rose
FR YLW = Ferrari yellow
FRD = fiesta red
FRG = frost gold
FRGE GLOW = forge glow (Gretsch finish)
FSR = Factory Special Run / Fender Special Run
FT = flat top
G-5 VG = Roland VG Stratocaster
GC = Guitar Center (special run)
GC/MF = Guitar Center / Musician’s Friend
GC-1 = Roland GC-1 Stratocaster
GMM = gunmetal metallic (finish)
GPG = gold annodized pickguard
GRB = green burst
GRG = Georgia green (Gretsch)
GRN or GR = green
H = humbucker
HBL = honey blonde
HBST = honey burst
HH = 2 humbuckers
HHH = 3 humbuckers
HLW or HLLWBDY = hollow body
HNYDPPR = Honey Dipper (Gretsch)
HRR = hot rod red
HSC = hard shell case
HSH = humbucker/single coil/humbucker pickup configuration
HSS = humbucker, single coil, single coil pickup configuration
HT = hardtail
HUM = humbucking
HWY1 = Highway One
INS = inca silver
J5 = John 5
J BASS or J BAS or J-BASS or JZZ = Jazz Bass
J ISBELL = Jason Isbell
JA = Jim Adkins
JAG = Jaguar
JAZMSTR = Jazzmaster
JEL = Jake E. Lee signature (Charvel)
JPM = jade pearl metallic
JR = junior
JUGG = Juggernaut (Jackson)
JV = Japan vintage / Jimmie Vaughan
KE = Kelly body style (Jackson)
LAQ = lacquer
LBX = lunchbox (amp head)
LH = left handed
LPB = lake placid blue
LRL = laurel fingerboard
LTD = limited
MATCAP = matching headstock
MBL = Miami blue
MDB = midnight blue
MDW = midnight wine
MED = medium
MET = metallic
MET GR = gun metal gray
MF/GC = Musician’s Friend / Guitar Center
MHS = matching headstock
MIA = made in America
MIB = mystic ice blue
MIC = made in China
MII = made in Indonesia
MIJ = made in Japan
MIK = made in Korea
MIM = made in Mexico
MOD PLYR = Modern Player
MOP = mother of Pearl
MM = Misha Mansoor (Jackson)
MN = maple neck
MOD = modified
MPL = maple neck (or MPL FB = maple fingerboard)
MRS = metallic red sunburst
MSB or MSTC BLU = mystic blue
MSF = mystic sea foam
MTL = all metal resonator
MUST = mustang
NAT = natural
NITRO = nitrocellulose
NO BAG = no gig bag
NON-TREM = hardtail Stratocaster
OCT = ocean turquoise
OKME = okoume (African hardwood)
OLP = Olympic pearl
ORG = capri orange
OSPK or OSPKA = opal spark (finish)
OV = Ovangkol fingerboard
OWT = olympic white
P BASS = Precision Bass
PERF = performer
PF = Pau Ferro
PH = Precision humbucker (Squier Contemporary Active P-Bass PH has a humbucker in bridge position)
PJ = Precision/Jazz bass (pickups)
PLYR = player
PLSTP = plus top
PM = Pro-Mod (Charvel)
PNML = paranormal (series)
PP = player plus
PPG = parchment pickguard
PPL = purple
PRL = pearl
PTR = pewter
PURP = purple
PWR = power
PWT = polar white / pearl white
QMT or QM = quilted maple top
RDWRN = road worn
REV or RVB = reverb
RI = reissue
RMN = roasted maple fingerboard
RND NCK = round neck
ROADHOUS = Roadhouse (Stratocaster)
RSGLD = rose gold
RVBL = Riviera blue (Gretsch)
RW or R/W = rosewood / Road Worn
S1SW = S-1 switch
SAT or STN = satin
SB = sunburst
SBL = sonic blue
SBM = sky burst metallic
SC = single cutaway
SD = San Dimas (Charvel)
SFG = surf green / satin surf green
SFM = sea foam green / sea foam green metallic
SFP = surf pearl / sea foam pearl
SHAW = Shawbucker
SHG = shoreline gold
SHP = shell pink
SHWCS = showcase
SIG or SGN = signature
SLS = slick silver (finish)
SLVBST = silverburst
SM = spalted maple
SNB = sonic blue
Snbrst = sunburst
SOT = sunset orange transparent
SPEC or SPCL or SPC = special
SPKL = sparkle
SQ = Squier
SRS = series
SRV = Stevie Ray Vaughan
SS = short scale
SSB = sienna sunburst
SSS = 3 single coil pickups
ST = string thru
STD = standard
STRAT = Stratocaster
STRM or STRML = Streamliner (Gretsch)
STRT = Stratocaster
SVB = silverburst
SVS = silver smoke
T.ARM = Tim Armstrong (Gretsch)
TELE = Telecaster
TEX TELE = Texas Tele (Hwy 1)
THLN = thinline
TINT = tinted neck
TOR or TRD = torino red
TPL = tidepool
TQS = tequila sunrise
TRADNL = traditional
TRANS or TR = transparent
TRD = torino red
TREM = tremolo
TRS = transparent / transparent red sunburst
TSPG = tortoise shell pickguard
TWD = tweed
UPGRD = upgraded (later Hwy 1s)
V = 5 string
VBL = vintage blonde
VG = Roland VG Stratocaster
VINT = vintage
VLT = violet
VM = vintage modified
VWT = vintage white
W/GIG or W/G = included deluxe gig bag
WBL = white blonde
WC = with case
WCP = white chrome pearl
WG = Wolfgang (EVH)
WHT = white
WINE = wine red
WLNT = walnut
WPG = white pickguard
WR = wide range
YLW = yellow
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PS: Here are a few I've seen that I can't figure out. If you know what they mean, please put in comments below:
F/L, LQ, 3TT, PROP, PH, RAW, STSW, CFM
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More info on the Fender Serial Number Lookup page
If your serial is in the database, it will tell you the date of manufacture, and it is especially helpful when you want to know the official name of the finish on your guitar (i.e., SOT = sunset transparent orange, SNB = sonic blue, etc.--there are so many!)
Note: if your serial number does not produce a result, it DOES NOT necessarily mean your guitar is not a real Fender. The database is by no means comprehensive. At that point, you should contact Fender support and ask them about your serial.
This post took hours to compile and will help you make sense of the many abbreviations Fender uses. For instance if you were to look up your guitar's serial number, it might give you the model name as, "FSR USA NITRO SAT STRAT MN HBST."
In this case, FSR = Factory Special Run. SAT = satin. MN = maple neck. And HBST = honey burst.
Important hint: look at the model number on the page, often you can click on it, and it will take you to a full product sheet with all specs. But the site will not always provide this, and knowing the naming abbreviations can tell you a lot about your instrument.
So anytime you are looking at a used Fender, take the time to look it up on their website. If you know an abbreviation I missed, by all means, let me know in the comments section below. Good luck!