The first two numerical digits of the serial number (found on the back of the headstock) will tell you what year the instrument was made. For example, for serial number 0236758, the "02" indicates that the guitar was made in 2002; for serial number W10052743, the "10" indicates that the guitar was made in 2010.

Can you look up a guitar by serial number?

Checking a guitar's serial number is a good and easy way to validate a guitar. You can look up a serial number either in Gruhn's Guide or run the number in the manufacturer's database.

How do you find out when a guitar was made?

Look for a date marker on the neck.

There should be a date on the neck and a date on the body. If those two dates match up, that's probably the exact date your guitar was built.