Number |verified| — Korg M1 Serial

The "solid feature" regarding the Korg M1 Serial Number is:

website, and receive a Response Code to unlock the software. License Management: Current versions are managed via the KORG Software Pass Korg M1 Serial Number

Authenticity: Verifying the unit is a genuine 1988–1995 original. The "solid feature" regarding the Korg M1 Serial

Maintenance and record-keeping

  • Photograph the serial and save images with date and seller info.
  • Note PCB date codes and any service tags alongside the serial for provenance.
  • If you service the unit, keep invoices tied to the serial to preserve value.
  • Note: This is a general rule of thumb. Some units may follow different factory codes.
    • The serial is almost always on a holographic sticker (to prevent counterfeiting).
    • M1EX-70000 to 99999 were the final units sold in 1994-1995. These are desirable because they have the most reliable keybed (the "newer" Fatar mechanism) and updated capacitors.
    • Lack of public decoding table: Korg hasn’t published a simple, authoritative public key tying every M1 serial to an exact year and factory. Enthusiast communities and repair shops have reconstructed partial correlations, but these are based on samples and should be treated as approximate.
    • Serial tampering: On older keyboards, serial plates can be removed or altered, and internal boards might carry their own identifiers that don’t match the external plate. When verifying authenticity, inspect both the chassis plate and internal PCB labels.
    • Overlap with variants: M1EX, rackmount M1R, and later reissues may use related but distinct numbering schemes; don’t assume all “M1” labeled gear shares the same serial format.