The Hot Rod Deluxe is possibly the best-selling Fender guitar amplifier of all time. There have been a number of incarnations (including a current LTD lacquered-tweed limited edition, with a run of just 250 units), but if you have an older amp (pre-2003), the easiest way to determine the production date is to look at the chart below. Inside your amp's cabinet is a little sticker, usually to the right of the speaker. It should say "quality assurance" on it and have someone's handwritten initials and a 2-letter code on the bottom line. The first letter indicates the year it was made, the second letter the month. As an example, if your amp says "JB," then it was made in February of 1999. Amps built after 2002 do not have this tag.

FIRST LETTER: G=1996, H=1997, I=1998, J=1999, K=2000, L=2001, M=2002

SECOND LETTER: A=January, B=February, C=March, D=April, E=May, F=June, G=July, H=August, I=September, J=October, K=November, L=December