"The only amps which can be directly dated
from the serial number are the SLO100 and SM 100 and those X88's
which have the serial number stamped into the chassis (most of
them). On these amps and preamps the first two digits are the
year of manufacture and the other numbers are an actual serial
number. So the first SLO 100 was 86001. Only five SLO's were
built in 86.
The first SLO built in 87 was 87006. The first X88 was 88040.
The first SM100 was 89119. Around 1994 we switched to adhesive
sticker serial numbers for the X88 beginning with the number 88.
Only 25 more were made, and the last one with this numbering
system was 88024, in 2004. We no longer make the SM100, so now
only SLO's use the date code serial number system.
The latest SLO built is 082001. [May 2008]
The other amps had different numbering, generally with the first
numbers representing the model. We have records of most of these
but there are some missing gaps in the early 90's. People can
email or call for dates if they have the serial numbers.
Japanese Soldanos and the Hot Rods
The first SL60, SP77 and the SL105 power amp were made in Japan
by our Japanese distributor of the time and used a system which
he devised. There is no way to tell the exact date of these but
they were all built around 1990, before being discontinued and
replaced by the American built SP77 and Hot Rod 50 which
replaced the SL60 around 1991. These used numbers beginning with
77 on the SP77's, or 277 for 240 volt SP77's, and numbers
beginning with 50 for the Hot Rod 50's. So the first Hot Rod 50
was 50-001, and the first American SP77 was 77000. When the Hot
Rod 50 serial numbers reached 700 they skipped to 1700 in 1995
and the Hot Rod 50+ assumed the numbers beginning with 50-701.
The last Hot Rod 50 was 501987, built in 2005.
The Hot Rod 50 is now replaced by the Hot Rod 50 Avenger, same
amp but in a black chassis and no Slave Out and with a variable
Depth knob instead of the XL fixed bass boost introduced in
1997. These now use the Avenger numbering system which uses
numbers beginning with A. The Hot Rod 50+ was upgraded in 2006
to include the Depth knob and delete the Slave Out. The last
original HR50+ was 50-1348. The most recent HR50+ is 50-1393.The
Hot Rod 100+ have serial numbers beginning with 100. The first
one was 100-001 built in 1994.
These were discontinued in 2001, the last one being 100-404. The
Hot Rod 100+ was re-introduced in 2006 in black with the
addition of the Depth knob and the deletion of the Slave Out.
the numbering system continued, with the first of the new ones
being 100-405. The most recent one was 100452 made in April this
year.
Summary:
SP77 years 1991 - 2002 77001 through 77739, 277001 through
277626
Hot Rod 50 years 1991 - 2005 50-001 through 50-700, 50-1700
through 50-1987
Hot Rod 50+ years 1995 - 2006 50-701 through 50-1348
new Hot Rod 50+ years 2006 - present 50-1349 through 50-1393
Hot Rod 100+ years 1994 - 2001 100-001 through 100-404
new Hot Rod 100+ years 2006 - present 100-405 through 100-452
Avengers
The Avenger debuted in 2003 and the serial numbers begin with A.
The original Avenger was 100 watts. The first one was A001 and
the latest is A333. A 50 watt version was introduced in 2005 and
these have serial numbers beginning with A5, so the first one
was A-501. They are now up to A555. Effects loop was added as an
option in 2005 for both the 50 and 100 watt Avengers and these
use the same numbering respectively with the addition of an L at
the end of the number. The Avengers with Effects loop are called
Hot Rod Avengers and those with no loops are called Avengers.
The first Hot Rod 50 Avenger was A522-L. The first Hot Rod 100
Avenger was A235-L. The most recent HR50 Avenger is A558-L and
the latest HR100 Avenger is A335-L.
Obviously we will have a numbering problem when we get up to 500
100 watt Avengers.
Lucky 13 serial numbers begin with L100 or L50 for 100
and 50 watt models.
Combos had a -C suffix
The Lucky 13 was first built in 2000. They are now up to
L100-221 and L50-093.
Atomic 16 amps were built between 1996 and 2002. Their numbers
begin with 16, from 16001 to 16486. Those built as heads rather
than combos had an -H suffix and there were some 2x12 combos
with serial numbers from
A212-01 to A212-010.
Astroverbs are basically Atomic 16's with reverb. Their
numbers begin with
AV.AV001 was built in 1997. The most recent is AV629. There was
a limited series of 60 pieces in 1997 called the Astroverb
Limited and these were all purple and signed by Mike Soldano.
Their numbers were AVLTD-01 to AVLTD-60.
There were 32 Astroverb 2x12 combos built between 1997 and 2005
numbered AV212-01 to AV212-31. A single Astroverb 2x10 combo was
built in 1998, AV210-01
Surf Boxes had simple serial numbers, 1 through 96, built
between 1996 and 2003.
Decatone serial numbers begin with D. The first was built in
1997. They are now up to D-454.
Supercharger GTO pedals had simple serial numbers, from 001 in
2001 to 996 in 2007.
Space Boxes were numbered SB-001 in 2003 through SB-092 this
year.
X99's had numbers beginning with 99, from 99-001 in 1992 through
99300 in 2003.
Reverb-O-Sonics had numbers beginning with the speaker
configuration, 212-, 410- or 210-. The 212 is the only one still
produced. All started in 1994.
212's are up to 212317.
410's ended in 2000 at 410082-S. The S suffix denotes the S mod,
a bass boost.
210's ended in 2001 with 210034.
There are some special serial numbers, by request.
People's names, funny names, special numbers, etc. Some of these
are not recorded in the regular serial number logs. Of course we
have also seen bogus imitation Soldano amps with strange
numbers.
Please contact Soldano amplifiers for clarification or questions
about sepcific amps as there may be some errors above. "
[Source: Bill Sundt, Soldano, email 2/6/2008 ]
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