Searching McIntosh by Serial Number

One911Guy

Active Member
Curious, has anyone tried reaching out to McIntosh with their Serial Number in hopes of getting production dates or subsequent service history performed? Not sure if they keep such notes or records.

Thanks
 
Never heard of much success getting that info from Mc whenever it was attempted.
 
Thanks @62caddy - One would think there would be a Registry of sorts for these. Maybe I'm just reading too much into it.

Berner's McIntosh Compendium is just about the best resource there is for that kind of information. It usually provides a range of serial numbers and production start/end dates for most McIntosh units and from this, you can roughly estimate the production date for a specific unit by the serial number.

Here's the file on the C40. Unfortunately I see the ending serial number (therefore total production) of this unit is unknown so I'm afraid it won't be easy determining when your C40 was produced.

http://mcintoshcompendium.com/Compendium Docs/Pre-Amplifiers/PDFs/C40.pdf
 
A couple years ago I emailed chuck H. with the serial number to my MA7000 asking when it was built or when it left the factory, and he got back to me with the year and month. He didn't however mention whether that was build date or when it left the factory. Either way I was satisfied.
 
What model are you trying to get information on? In the past I have used know dates, based on the original warranty card, to approximate the build year of another same model product I have owned. It's possible someone here might have a unit with a known data that can be used to ballpark the age.
 
This information was closely held, in the perview of Fran,and even though I would often talk to her 2 or 3 times a week, when I would need such information to document warranty service and such it was carefully given.

If you were a owner of new McIntosh I am sure you would expect this information to be closely held by both your dealer and by the manufacturer.

Such information would make a great Roledex for "nere do wells" even today....how many people would you like to know where they could find your expensive gear?
 
@c_dk I am not looking for name and addresses of owners - just a simple build date / sell date, if the unit was ever in for service. Registries exist for exotic sports cars, boats, vintage planes, etc. so I think it is a safe idea. All I want is an approximate build date range of my C40 and if it has been returned for service.
 
@c_dk I am not looking for name and addresses of owners - just a simple build date / sell date, if the unit was ever in for service. Registries exist for exotic sports cars, boats, vintage planes, etc. so I think it is a safe idea. All I want is an approximate build date range of my C40 and if it has been returned for service.

Yeah, what you are looking for is totally reasonable. I think c_dk either misunderstood or went off the deep end.
 
Mac wouldn't put addresses on the Amplifier proof of performance sheets, They wouldn't allow us to take pictures of the systems we installed. The customers could and show them, but we couldn't as a dealer as long as Gordon was alive. We couldn't list customers names in any type of advertising, even though a couple of our Mayors, Commanding Generals and County Judges all owned Mcintosh. Back in the day everybody talked about what Sinatra, Benny Goodman or Hugh Hefner owned. Avery Fisher had a very big Following and they all bragged about owning Fisher. Altec and JBL all loved publicity.
 
I have called McIntosh twice, in the last couple of months, to get the build dates for a couple of amps I was considering purchasing. In both instances, they were able to provide me with the month and year of manufacture.

Both were more recent models, but, in one of the conversations, I was led to believe that they could have helped me with vintage equipment as well.
 
Yeah, what you are looking for is totally reasonable. I think c_dk either misunderstood or went off the deep end.

Well you would have had to have been there trying to get warranty repair for a unit that did not have a issued service agreement.

As a manufacturing company McIntosh's allegiance was to their dealers and to the orginal owners not collectors decades later.

Deep end, I was trying to be diplomatic......they truly have more important things to do.......
 
As a manufacturing company McIntosh's allegiance was to their dealers and to the orginal owners not collectors decades later.

Deep end, I was trying to be diplomatic......they truly have more important things to do.......

It has been several years since I have called McIntosh with a question. That particular call was for a decades out of production amplifier. About an hour later, I had a return phone call. I'd say that was good allegiance - to a product with their name on it - which should be important to all new owners and collectors alike.

I totally disagree with the statement about having more important things to do. McIntosh has created a brand based on heirloom quality products; therefore, they should expect support calls and questions for products that are long out of production. This ensures the high resale value, legendary status, and customer dedication to the brand.

While not McIntosh, this example fits well into this discussion and my point. A couple of years ago, I gave Bryston a call about an amp I purchased 2nd hand. I received a prompt response, while on the phone. "Yes sir, it was built in X week of X year. Oh, and it's still under the 20 year warranty. How can I help you?" This is what I expect and should be the standard for premium highend components. The support person had no idea whether I was the original owner or the 50th owner of that amp. I can say, that type of support and care is the reason I have purchased several brand new Bryston components from dealers over the past few years.
 
Thanks for the many responses. I will reach out to McIntosh next week and make an attempt to get what is is I am looking for.
I know that many of the premium car manufacturers have a service that if contacted with a VIN number that can tell you about the dates and options, etc, that car was born with. I did that for a 1966 VW that I owned decades ago as well as a Triumph TR6 I currently have - The British Car Registry was able to tell me the build date, color, engine number, options car ordered with, original tires, what port is sailed out of and even what ship the car made it's way across the Atlantic on!

If McIntosh does not have this service, they should!!
 
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I've tried for 30 years to get McIntosh date codes and all they will ever do is tell me what date I purchased a piece of gear ,I called last month trying to date code a C-2500 I bought & while looking up my purchase file I was asked why I bought 10 Mc-58s ,I wouldn't buy 1 of those let alone 10 ,I don't think McIntosh has a fully functional date coding system they actively update ,half the gear I've bought from them turned into 10 Mc-58s lol .
 
Interesting.

I called in regards to a pair of floor model MC601s that the local Magnolia/Best Buy had heavily discounted.

When I asked the salesman how old the amps were, he said he thought about 2 years. When I called McIntosh
with the serial numbers, I was told that they were made in July of 2011.

Maybe they have less information in the older equipment database.
 
How “old” is a particular unit? It is not always straightforward.

Prior to the Clarion era, McIntosh used rep firms around the country. Generally, when a dealer ordered an item, it was shipped from the rep, not from the factory.

People these days ask what when was my unit built, or they want to know when the last one was sold.

The final unit off the production line may have sat in the warehouse for months before it was shipped to the rep firm. They may have had it in stock for months before shipping it to the dealer. And the dealer may have had it in their inventory for months before actually selling it (or as a display item for a year or more). The “last one sold” may be long after it was built.

Larry
 
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