Sweetwater.com has detailed pics of every guitar they have in stock and their system for item numbers is the guitar's serial numbers...I checked their website and even the new American Specials have 09 serial numbers...I know new lefty tele's were backordered until March at some other big box stores...so maybe that's when they start rolling out the '10 models...I would think by April you'll be able to get it figured out.

I found a 2010 serial number. Zoom in on the back of the neck.

10001708- is on a new Highway 1

http://www.sweetwater.com/guitargallery ... 0010001708

Edited to remove the Z...Fingers moving too fast I guess.

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

It does not have a letter, just the bold type number 10, followed by a six digit serial number.

Well that method should see us right for the next 89 years

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No no and no

Like automobiles, the Fender 2010s start in 2009.
If you look at Fender's own description of serial number dating:
http://www.fender.com/support/usa_instruments.php
you'll see, for example, that a 2005 instrument serial number could start
with a Z4 or a Z5.

Actually, that's not correct. If you go by the neck and body dates of some early-model-year Fenders, they are indeed made in that year (for instance, 2005), but may carry a leftover serial decal from the year prior.

To use your example, a Strat manufactured in February of 2005 might actually carry a serial that starts with Z4. That's simply because they have a bunch of decals left over and don't want to toss them.

Anybody else see anything?

I'm going to bump this to see if anybody's found anything.

My new 2010 American Deluxe Ash in Tobacco Burst w/ the new & fabulous N3 pups has a "DZ9....." headstock serial #. So it is apparent 2009 leftover parts may have been plentiful enough to keep 2010 serial numbers off instruments for a while. At least thru May thus far...

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"Another day in paradise!"

yep!
I looked at the 2010 highway one tele and no Z just larger 10.