The prefix table
| Prefix | Country | Plant | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| JV | Japan | Fujigen | 1982–1984 |
| SQ | Japan | Fujigen | 1983–1984 |
| CN0–CN9 | Korea | Cort | 1990–2000 |
| VN0–VN9 | Korea | Sung-Eum | 1990–2000 |
| NC0–NC9 | China | Not identified | 1990–2000 |
| KC + year | Korea | Cor-Tek (Cort) | 1993–2010 |
| KV + year | Korea | Saehan (Sunghan) | 1993–2010 |
| CY + year | China | Yako | 1997 onwards |
| ICS + year | Indonesia | Cort | 2005 onwards |
| IC + year | Indonesia | Cort | 2000 onwards |
| IS + year | Indonesia | Samick | 2000 onwards |
Where a prefix is followed by “+ year”, the two digits immediately after the letters are the year: CY05123456 is 2005.
CN and NC are not the same thing
This is the mistake worth guarding against. CN is Korean, from the Cort plant. NC is Chinese. They are the same two letters in the opposite order, printed small on a decal that is often worn, and transposing them moves the instrument between countries and sometimes between years.
If one reading produces a date that does not fit what you know about the instrument, try the other.
Check the country marking
The JV and SQ instruments
The first Squiers, built at Fujigen in 1982, were not budget instruments. They were Fender's answer to Japanese manufacturers producing copies that were beating the American originals of the period on build quality, and they were made to a standard that reflected that.
They are the only Squiers that command serious money, and consequently the only ones worth faking. A JV serial on its own is not enough — the neck stamp, the pot codes and the body routing all need to agree before a JV premium is justified.
Examples
- JV12345 — Japan, 1982–1984
- CN4123456 — Korea, 1994–1995
- NC3123456 — China, 1993–1994
- ICS16045678 — Indonesia, 2016
The series name is not the date
Affinity, Bullet, Classic Vibe and Contemporary have all run for many years across several plants. Knowing a guitar is a Classic Vibe tells you about its specification, not its age, and the same model has frequently been built in more than one country in the same year.
Common questions
- What is the difference between CN and NC on a Squier serial?
- CN identifies Korean production from the Cort plant; NC identifies Chinese production. They are easily transposed when reading a worn decal, and the country marking on the headstock is the reliable check.
- Which Squiers are worth the most?
- The JV and SQ instruments built at Fujigen in Japan between 1982 and 1984. They were built to a much higher specification than later Squiers and are the only ones that command significant prices.
Last reviewed 29 July 2026. Spotted something wrong? Report a correction.