The numbers appear as the 5th and sixth digits in the serial number.

They were made by Terada and usually have an Orange Epiphone label.

These labels say Union Made in the lower left corner and are sometimes hand-stamped with Made in Japan at the bottom.

When supplies ran out, these labels were replaced with a new batch that were printed Made in Japan in the lower right corner.

Pre-1970 Union Made labels are distinguishable from labels used on Japanese intruments by the printed model name of the intrument only.

I just have the serial from the seller, 102012444 Here are some images from seller.

Your guitar was made at the Saein Plant, KoreaChina January 2002 Production Number: 2444: Maybe the seller has it bass ackwards.Good luck.

Also the truss rod cover is almost overlapping the diamond motif too.

I might be way off the mark but it couldnt hurt to get one of the guys in the know to look it over for you.

Your guitar was made at the Saein Plant, KoreaChina January 2002 Production Number: 2444: Maybe the seller has it bass ackwards.Good luck.BTW its a nice custom and it looks legit to me.

I had initially tried with and I on guitar dater and it worked but then he insisted that it was a 1.

Any help out there It is decaled on the back of the headstock along with the hand-crafted in China sticker and the inspectioncard QC sticker.

For your serial to begin with a 1, it would have had to have been made in the years 2010-2019 (unless they change the format, again).

Also, Korean Epis arent fake, but arent the exact same to the Chinese.

They have some differences that would be seen on fake epis.but can be real.

If it seems like a great deal, aka way too cheap, then it is a sign that its fake.

Although, Ive seen Sheratons from the 80s with stickers instead of stamps.

Or is actually stamped on the headstock Because the newer epis are coming from China with no letters.

Thats my 2 cents.Theres some some real knowledgeable folks on epis over at the epi forum who could probably tell for sure.

It doesnt say Les Paul on the headstock (or anywhere else for that matter).

There is nothing on the back, but at the top of the body there is a plate that says HAND-CRAFTED IN KOREA BY EPIPHONE, The Epiphone Company, Nashville, Tennessee USA, then this serial number; 099040300.

I have checked every forum and website I can find (including Guitar Dater) and the serial number isnt recognized.

Epiphone Serial Number No Letters