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Korg Serial Numbers (early types)

Posted under Early Korg Serials at . Last updated 2025-01-04 16:49.
Tags: history, Korg, reference

Year-based and Other Numbers (c.1966–1981)

Most of the early serial numbers for models introduced up to c.1977 seem to be a two-digit year number followed by a distinct four-digit series for each model (yynnnn). This is shown by the existence of duplicates of the complete numbers e.g. there are two 760051s but they are different models. (See Appendix: Collisions) n.b. this means that serial numbers cannot be used to determine production numbers for these models.

However, some models have either four or five digits, but no year ((n)nnnn), and there is at least one instance of an eight-digit number.

Sometimes a particular model may change from one system to another, or perhaps use different systems in different national markets; in some cases the importer/rebadger may have used their own serial numbers which are unlike Korg’s.

Several early Korg products were rebadged, mostly as Univox for import to the USA. Some of these seem to use their own numbering.

To some extent, it is possible to determine which national market group a particular device was originally sold in by checking the rated mains voltage. [1] Roughly, that’s 100V — Japan; 117V — North, Central & northern South America, Taiwan; 220V — continental Europe, most of Africa, most of South America; 240V — former British empire countries. [2] In some instances there seem to be distinct serial numbers for the different markets.

modelintro.
year		number typeexamples
Donca Matic Rockmate [3] (beatbox) next model 1966 nnnnnn
  1. s/n not very legible.
Mini Pops Doncamatic (organ module) next model | previous model ? y​y​nnnn
Doncamatic Mini Pops 5 [4] (organ module) next model | previous model 1966 y​y​nnnn
Mini Pops 7 /
SR‑95 (beatbox) next model | previous model		 1966 nnnnn
  1. ‘Contessa’ branded
y​y​nnnn
Mini Pops 3 /
SR‑55 (beatbox) next model | previous model		 1967 y​y​nnnn
  1. Anomalous number; might actually be 69013?
  2. s/n amended manually from 721108.
Mini Pops 20 S (beatbox) next model | previous model 1969? y​y​nnnn
JR‑5 [5] (beatbox) next model | previous model 1971? y​y​nnnn
Mini Pops Junior /
MP‑J [6] (beatbox) next model | previous model		 1972 y​y​nnnn
  1. ‘Contessa’ branded
Synthesizer Traveler /
F‑1 [7] (multi-effects pedal) next model | previous model		 1972? y​y​nnnn
  1. Duplicate sales — see Korg Duplicate Sales, Synthesizer Traveler 720604
Donca Matic Stage Man /
SM‑20 (beatbox combo amplifier) next model | previous model		 I’ve seen the introduction date given as 1973 to 1979, but the earlier end of that range seems more likely. The only s/n example I’ve seen seems to be 1975 but it’s not absolutely clear that it is a serial number rather than something else.
? y​y​nnnnnn
VCF /
Synthe Pedal /
FK‑1 [8] (filter module with pedal) next model | previous model		 1973? y​y​nnnn

The model name in North America (* 117V) is Synthe Pedal and imported by Unicord, but in Japan and elsewhere († 240V, ‡ 220V) is VCF. The 240V and 220V models found have ‘Keio Giken’ as the manufacturer, but that may be a consequence of their date; they seem to have been released later than the others — but this impression may change.

  1. Difficult to read s/n.
Mr.Multi /
FK‑2 [9] (multi-effects pedal) next model | previous model		 1973? y​y​nnnn
K‑1 /
miniKORG /
miniKORG‑700 (unitary keyboard synthesiser) next model | previous model		 1973 K‑1 numbers seem not to form a single continuous sequence. Most are 117V models, Univox-branded.
0nnn–
3nnn
  1. Wrong s/n (2281) in MS title.
  2. This MS article questions whether this is 3342 or 3347; but the synth is identifiable from the scratched rear label as the same as 3342 a1. (Note however that the last picture in a1 is not of the same instrument at all.)
5nnn

5nnn numbers are 100V, Korg branded
6nnn

6nnn numbers are 220V, Korg-branded

  1. 6559 has a Hohner International label. Possibly they acted as distributors in some countries? (Update, 2022-04-14: This is now confirmed with the discovery of a Hohner UK brochure from c.1977 featuring a range of Korg keyboards, beatboxes and pedals.)
7nnn
8nnn

most 7/8nnn numbers are 240V, Korg-branded

*7816 is 230V
K‑2 /
miniKORG 2 /
miniKORG‑700S (unitary keyboard synthesiser) next model | previous model		 1974 (0|1)nnnn

Some K‑2s use four or five digits. This mostly looks like a single series, but dropping the leading zero after about 1300.

11423 is an outlier here, and may not be part of the same series. (Or may have an extra 1 by mistake.) All these are Univox-branded (Univox miniKorg K‑2), imported to the USA; perhaps they used their own numbering for this model?

  1. MS has the wrong s/n in the link and page title (006016).
5nnnn

One Japanese-market 100V K‑2 found. (miniKorg‑700S)

  • 50362
5nnnnn

Other K‑2s have six-digit numbers beginning 5, and are all 240/220V models. The 5 could represent 1975 — but if so, what happened in 1974? Were K‑2s only sold in the US in the first year? Perhaps these are both 74 and 75.

503- numbers seem all to be 240V Korg-branded. One 504- has turned up, for a Korg-branded 220V model which being sold from Sweden, but with an older French label. Perhaps 504- was used for 220V markets? Then there is a Korg-branded 240V 510- instance, which may represent an overflow from the initial 503- block, skipping 504-?
y​y​nnnn

From 1976 to 1979, some K‑2s have regular year-based numbers (no 78s found yet):

*240V miniKorg‑700S†117V miniKorg 2. According to the plates these are imported by Unicord but they aren’t actually branded Univox.‡220V miniKorg‑700S

  1. Wrong s/n (770345) in MS link & title.
K‑3 /
MAXI‑KORG /
KORG‑800DV (unitary keyboard synthesiser) next model | previous model		 1974 K‑3s have two distinct types of serial numbers, 4-digit and year-based 6-digit. From the year component of the 6-digit numbers it seems possible that they were introduced late in 1975, and that all 4-digit numbers are earlier. Both types appear to have been used in all major national markets.
0nnn

0nnn numbers are Univox- or Unicord-branded, 117V (MAXI‑KORG):

  1. also here with new text
[57]nnn

5- numbers (and so far only one 7-) are Korg-branded (KORG‑800DV), and are mostly 100V, except: * 240V, † 220V, ‡ unknown:

  1. Reappeared a week later with new pictures.
  2. 5663 turned up twice in 2017 and again in 2021, the second and third time with a case but otherwise the same pictures. The s/n is difficult to make out; MS says maybe 6668 in a2 text but it looks more like 5663 to me; and the plate seems to also have been misstamped with 5662 during production. With the stamping device having moved on a notch, 5663 seems then to have been added with the plate the right way up rather than waste it. So there probably never was a K‑3 5662.
y​y​nnnn

Most of the 6-digit numbers are 117V Univox-/Unicord-branded (MAXI‑KORG). The remainder are Korg-branded (KORG‑800DV), * 100V, † 220V, ‡ 240V:

  1. also here
RT‑10 (electronic metronome) next model | previous model 1974? nnnnn
  • 41206
WT‑10A [10] (electronic tuner) next model | previous model 1975 ynnnnn?

It seems likely that the first digit of these numbers refers to the year as 197n.

  • 602902
  • 612885
  • 702145
  • 703903
  • 704130 P
  • 704305
  • 813745
  • 821019
  • 830769
  • 910867
  • 913428
  • 913849
  • 913629
  • 918341
  • 922933
  • 923613 a1
  • 923613 a2
  • 923613 a3
  • 923695
900PS (unitary keyboard synthesiser) next model | previous model 1975 y​y​nnnn
  1. The year is isn’t quite clear, but looks like 75. The seller states that it had been owned for 45 years, meaning since 1977, but also gives 1975 as the production year.
  2. The serial number fifth digit here is unclear.
SB‑100 (unitary keyboard bass synthesiser) next model | previous model 1975 y​y​nnnn
  1. The title at Matrixsynth has the wrong number (150150).
  2. MS has wrong s/n (788122) in title.
Mini Pops 35 (beatbox) next model | previous model 1976 y​y​nnnn
  1. with SR‑120 770005 and 781307
Mini Pops 120
(P/W) [11] (beatbox) next model | previous model		 1976 y​y​nnnn
Mini Pops SR‑120 (beatbox) next model | previous model 1976 y​y​nnnn
  1. with SR‑120 781307 and Mini Pops 35 770661
  2. MS has wrong s/n (“80099 or 80039”) in the article text.
  3. with SR‑120 770005 and Mini Pops 35 770661
K‑4 /
PE‑1000 /
Poly Ensemble‑P (piano-strings keyboard w/ synth voice) next model | previous model		 1976 y​y​nnnn

K‑4s seem to have been called the Korg Polyphonic Ensemble PE‑1000 in most markets, but usually (not quite always) Poly Ensemble‑P K‑4 in North America, where they mostly had a veneer or wood-effect vinyl top panel and were usually also branded UNIVOX, until in 1978 this changed to UNICORD. All others in all markets were black vinyl.

  1. Could be 780186?
  2. MS has wrong s/n (80253) in article text.
  3. s/n unclear in pic; might be 780484, which is more likely as there is no other example of a 9, and notably few 8s, suggesting that production may have ceased in 1978.
K‑5 /
PE‑2000 /
Poly Ensemble‑S (organ-strings keyboard) next model | previous model		 1976 y​y​nnnn

K‑5s were called Korg Polyphonic Ensemble Orchestra PE‑2000 in most markets but usually (one exception) Poly Ensemble‑S K‑5 in North America, where they were also usually branded UNIVOX except one instance of UNICORD. All K‑5s had veneer or wood-effect vinyl top panels.

(see note [12])

  1. MS has the wrong s/n for this in title and url; the first 7 is difficult to make out but there.
  2. MS has wrong s/n (78004) in appearance 2 title.
  3. The 3 given here could actually be an 8.
  4. Difficult to read s/n.
KORG‑770 (unitary keyboard synthesiser) next model | previous model 1976 y​y​nnnn
  1. s/n a little unclear
  2. The Matrixsynth post for 770410 suggests that it previously appeared in 2011 but that was actually PE‑2000 770410.
  3. Also appeared 2023-08 eBay UK. Modded from 100V to 240V. This 770 does seem to be clearly stamped 77059 but it should almost certainly have another digit at the end. n.b. 770059 is another 770, clearly stamped with six digits.
  4. MS has the wrong s/n (074530) in the link but the right one in the page title.
  5. MS has wrong s/n (480035) in title. It has to start with a 7, but the picture is unclear; I’m going with 780035, but it could be 780835?
KA‑180 (combo keyboard amp) next model | previous model I have no information regarding the KA‑180’s introduction date. These are significantly later than the last other 5-digit serial number. But a user manual is available online, which is stylistically identical to the 770 manual, which may indicate a 1976 date. And the knobs are the same type used on it and the other 1976 models, and early (1977?) M‑500s, so this position should be about right.
? nnnnn
  • 78059
  • 78145
M‑500 /
micro-preset (unitary keyboard preset synthesiser) next model | previous model		 1977 y​y​nnnn

*rebadged as Victor (100V, Japan market, black body with aluminium control panel)Early M‑500s had the same knob type as Korg 770s and earlier models; later ones (and all M‑500SPs) had the same as on the PS-series and later models. The change seems to have occurred in mid-1977, but all ‘Victors’ so far have the early type.

  1. Wrong s/n (770323) in MS link & title. Dents and label can be compared with a2 which clearly is 770329.
  2. This M‑500 reappeared in 2023-01 with what seem to be screenshots of the same pictures, but seemingly from the same seller.
  3. Hard to read s/n.
M‑500SP /
micro-preset (unitary keyboard preset synthesiser) next model | previous model		 1977 y​y​nnnn
19nnnn

Some M‑500SPs have numbers in the upper half of the 19- block, so they might have been placed there by Korg later in the production run after they stopped using year-based numbers, on the basis that they weren’t going to sell more than 5,000 MS‑50s?

It seems likely that 95245 is one of these, but with a missing leading 1 on its label. Or it could be a missing 7; however — tentatively — given the numbers found so far, it looks as though 79s stopped in 792-. This fits with the 1978 production which also came to two thousand and something. The first digit of 1(?)95782 is not visible, but I’m assuming it fits in here too; it’s possible that it was also missing.
PS‑3010 (keyboard) next model | previous model 1977 This looks like a year-based number but since there don’t seem to have been more than a few hundred total PS-3300 and PS-3200s made it’s unlikely that there would have been over a thousand of the accompanying controller keyboards. Possibly y​y​m​mnn? (There is one unclear photograph of the serial number on another 3010 here which also starts 80 and ends 10.)
y​y​nnnn?
  1. s/n in text, not pics
  2. with PS‑3200 210221
PS‑3100 (polyphonic unitary/semimodular keyboard synthesiser) next model | previous model 1977

On the basis of year of introduction you’d expect the first PS‑3100s to have 77- numbers, but almost all those found are 71- and 80-. As at May 2024 there’s one 77- found. So if that’s a year-based number, what are the 71s? 1978 and 1979? There’s a distinct cluster of 7121- numbers which show that digits 3&4 are not month. (n.b. the PS‑3100 had a switchable-voltage power supply so there’s no definitive way of telling which national market they were sold in.)

Early PS‑3100s had a misspelling of the Voltage Processor controls as ‘LIMITTER’ (also seen on the cover of the user manual), and this was corrected to ‘LIMITER’ in the 80- models.
71nnnn
77nnnn
80nnnn
  1. s/n given in an accompanying photograph
PS‑3300 (polyphonic semimodular synthesiser) previous model 1977 Again it’s not clear that these are regular year-based numbers. There were supposedly only fifty or so of these built. (Though recently Korg have displayed a reissue with some differences.) Possibly these are y​y​m​mnn? Implying up to five per month?
y​y​nnnn?

Next: ‘Model Number’ types.

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Notes

  1. Note for people used to recent products: In this period linear power supplies were the norm, and setting these up to switch (even manually) between input voltages was regarded as an undesirable expense by most manufacturers. Digital instruments can usually get away with switch-mode power supplies, which can be built to automatically adjust to possible input voltages relatively simply. Even recent analogue instruments are less likely to have national (mains voltage) market differences, due to the use of external power adaptors.  ↖
  2. 220V countries would also include current Chinese empire and former Soviet empire countries, but there may not have been any direct sales there. There are several examples where devices have been converted to a different voltage, including some to 230V. There is also one K1 which does seem to have an original 230V stamp, though I’m not sure where in the world 230V was a standard at the time; perhaps for touring between 220V and 240V areas? Or just a typo.  ↖
  3. The Rockmate was also rebadged as several different brands/model names including Olsen, Lafayette Rockbeat, Knight Combo Sideman, Wexler (see examples here, here, here). To date I haven’t seen any of their serial numbers.  ↖
  4. The name ‘Doncamatic’ may be found as one or two words in different models, and it’s not always clear why.  ↖
  5. The JR‑5 was Univox-branded and seems to be the same machine as the Mini Pops Junior. Tentatively, we might think it was simply renamed early in 1972?  ↖
  6. The code MP‑J does not appear on the units but does appear in Korg catalogues.  ↖
  7. The code F‑1 is found on documentation (see link for 720147) but not on the pedals.  ↖
  8. The VCF (also called Synthe Pedal) was operated with an FK‑1 pedal, and is sometimes listed as the FK‑1, which in fairness is actually written on the numberplate. But contemporary Korg catalogues list the FK‑1 pedal as separate from the VCF. Confused yet? Well in addition some VCFs seem to be partnered with FK‑4 pedals. Make what you will of that.  ↖
  9. There is another Mr.Multi at Matrixsynth which doesn’t seem to have a serial number but does show what may be a 4-digit batch number inside. (7703) Another FK-2 turned up on eBay Japan at 2024-07 with a similar number 7907 inside. It reappeared from the same seller in December and then from two other sellers in January 2025 with the same photos and reduced prioces.  ↖
  10. I’m not clear whether the WT‑10A and WT‑10 are precisely the same thing. Korg themselves seem to do without the A in their current materials but all these examples have it, as did their catalogues at the time. There are slight cosmetic differences between the 6/7- versions and the 8/9- versions.  ↖
  11. The Mini Pops 120 was produced with two case types, a portable version and a not-so-portable woody-cased one. I’m assuming that these are the versions listed in the Korg catalogue as 120P and 120W, and have added the suffixes accordingly.  ↖
  12. The MS article Korg Poly Ensemble S String Synthesizer PE‑2000 K‑5 SN 03044 (2012-02-18) shows another K‑5. While the title claims this is s/n 03044, it should be a six-digit number, probably starting with a year 76- to maybe 79-. However, I can’t make it out. The label saying 03044 seems to be an inventory number added by a studio. (Sentience Studio, from which other clearer labels also appear in several MS articles.)  ↖

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