Four 4 Digit Serial Number Examples

[Sigmania]

Going to collect examples of these to try and figure out the number ranges for different years.

Pretty clear that a bunch of these are out of sequence... Look at the TST and AST 56 guitars. The TST56 are basically 1983/84 guitars and the AST56 are 1985/86. But the numbers are out of sequence on a bunch of them it looks like.

0619 (January stamps, 1=16 , TST60YS, eborej)
0703 (TST56, export/QMI logo)
0800 (TST62, SRV owned, export logo)
0837 (ST100 OW, 9=26 neck, 9=1 body, Spag logo)
0846 (TST80 GS, script/QMI logo)
0977 (TST56, June neck stamp, 6=5, 6=7 YSO body, E pickups, export logo, )
1214 (TST56, export/QMI logo )
1429 (TST56, export/QMI logo)
1985 (AST56, script QMI logo, 4-6 body, 4=6 neck)
2045 (AST56, SRV owned, script logo)
2101 (TST60OW, script/QMI logo)
2115 (TST60 or 80 GS, script/QMI logo)
2169 (TST60, script/QMI logo)
2222 (TST80MB, script/QMI logo)
2229 (AST56, script/QMI logo, Vintage Series)
2387 (TST80, 4=9 A Neck code, 4=9 YSO body, script deal with slogan worn off)
2607 (AST56, script/QMI logo, Vintage Series)
2657 (AST56, June body stamp, 6.1,script/QMI logo, Vintage Series)
2678 (AST56, script/QMI logo, V marked pickups, Vintage Series)
2732 (TST56, export/QMI logo)
2905 (TST60 or 80 MR, script logo)
3091 (AST56, script/QMI logo, Vintage Series)
3121 (AST56, script/QMI logo, V marked pickups, Vintage Series, lefty)
3173 (AST56, script/QMI logo, V marked pickups, Vintage Series)
3770 (TTE50N ?, script Breezy)
3825 (AST56, script/QMI logo, Vintage Series)


1982 catalog




1983 US Catalog shows TST-56 with a V neck.




TST60 has a '54 V neck

1983 & 1984 catalog specs




1985 1986 catalog shows AST-56 with a V neck

 

[Sigmania]

Can anybody help me ID a Tokai Goldstar?

TST80YSO ?

SN 2387

V Neck!

 

[Sigmania]

TST80MB

SN 2222

With DiMarsio VS-1 with PAF stickers!

TOKAI/TST-90(1982年製) | スタジオベル

 

[Sigmania]

tokai tst-80 初期4桁シリアル ラッカー塗装 2p... - ヤフオク!

SN2115

TST60 or 80GS ?

 

[Sigmania]

TST80 ?

https://www.justanswer.com/musical-...kai-goldstar-sound-strat-cherry-red-2907.html

 

[Sigmania]

TST80 GS

SN 0846

O-4402 エレキギター Tokai Goldstar Sound ソフ... - ヤフオク!

 

[Sigmania]

TST60 BB

SN 2169

V neck, E pickups

即決85800円[トーカイ][TOKAI] GOLDSTAR SOUND[... - ヤフオク!

Description:

Early 1980's "Tokai" GOLDSTAR SOUND "TST-60/Maple Neck/Black" has been maintained. Serial number "2169". The main parts are fully original (the arm is also original). However, the spring cover is an external product on hand, but it is almost perfect and there is no change in the screw hole. The pickup is "E" stamped, the tremolo block is made of steel, and the saddle is made by "FINAL PROSPEC". Wiring for controls etc. is fully original (confirmed). Since it is a used The water seal of the head logo is beautiful without burning. Plated parts such as pegs, saddles, and screws are cleaned as much as possible. There is almost no decrease in frets. Please make your own adjustments as necessary. Please confirm the state with an image. Please make a successful bid for "TST-60 " at this opportunity. We have done as much maintenance as possible, such as cleaning the body and parts, frets and fingerboards, and replacing strings, so you can use it immediately. Since there is no case, I will pack it strictly and send it. Please refer to the images and comments when bidding. Please wait until the auction ends. Please refrain from complaints or cancellations after a successful bid because it is a second-hand product. Also, we cannot accept cancellation of bids during the auction, so please wait until the auction ends. The packing shipping fee is 2700 yen for Okinawa and Hokkaido, and 2200 yen for Kyushu to Tohoku. Please transfer according to the amount of money for a successful bid. * Please contact us if you have a specific arrival time.

(Added at 12:53 on March 12, 2023)
According to the research, it corresponds to "TST-60 (1954)". The neck is a "soft V" shape. Thank you for your consideration.

 

[Sigmania]

I think I owe bluejeannot an apology.... again...

A while back I was arguing that a 4 digit serial number on a Goldstar with the round guide and maple neck was a TST80 and he was saying 60.

This is what I was going by, the 1982 catalog with the Fender style serial number scheme.



Well, I just realized that a guitar I once owned that had belonged to Hilton Valentine has a 4 digit serial number and a 60 sticker on the neck plate.





Supposedly replaced pickups with Fenders. Hope those weren't VS-1s in a TST80 that I sold...

 

[Sigmania]

Neck profiles on 60 level ST>TST guitars changed between 1982 and 1984.

1982 catalog specs for Springys.

ST50 U neck
ST60 U neck




1984 catalog specs for Goldstars.

TST50 '58U neck
TST60 '54V neck

 

[Sigmania]

TTE50 N

SN 3770

Vintage 1984 Tokai Breezysound TE50 Natural MIJ Japan Telecaster Electric Guitar | eBay

 

[Sigmania]

When you think about it, what the change in 1983 to using a V neck on the TST60 signals is:

1. The were not planning to make a ton of TST60 guitars
2. The days of using Fender style serial numbers were limited

Because you can't have more than 9,999 of them out there or you are duplicating numbers.

 

[ATO]

And my 1983 TST100 TG makes no sense at all as it has a 54 V neck and a 5 digit serial

What's the difference between Old Separate Type and Original Super Tremelo? According to that TST table above it's the only difference between an 80 and 100

 

[Sigmania]

I think that is a bad translation. If you look at the Japanese text they are the same.

And yes, I had noticed yours has a 5 digit serial number. Very interesting guitar.

 

[Sigmania]

More examples of 4 digits:

TST-56 Gallery

AST-56 Gallery

 

[Sigmania]

SN 0837

1982 ST100 OW

VS-1 pickups

Pot dates May 1982

Production date September

Neck: 9=26
Body: 9=1

Tokai Springy Sound

 

[Sigmania]

SRV "owned" Tokais

Stevie Ray Vaughan, Tony Dukes & Tokai

SN 0800 TST-62 (sold for $20,315)
SN 2045 AST-56 (sold for $12,000?)


https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-4417853/?intObjectID=4417853



https://bid.gwsauctions.com/auction/60/item/stevie-ray-vaughans-stage-used-tokai-ast-56-guitar-9945/

 

[Sigmania]

SN 2554

Hard to know what this is.

Control cavity covered in shielding and the tuners may have been CBS style at one point so very important to check the codes on this one. Quite likely a Partscaster.

Tokai Goldstar serial # 2554 TST60 MB

 

[Sigmania]

SN 2356

Another Partscaster.

1983 switch
1987 pots
4 digit serial number (maple board TST60 or 80)
rosewood fretboard
VII MKII pickups (TST50)

tst-56 ? Maybe? Bueller? Bueller?

 

[eborej]

I have a few 1983-84 TST-60s with 4-digit serial numbers and V-shaped necks (YS 0619, GS 1567 & GS 2904). Looks like the only difference between the TST-60s & TST-80s during that period are the pickups.

It's unfortunate that none of the TTE models below the 80s didn't also get V-shaped necks during this period.

 

[Sigmania]

I have a few 1983-84 TST-60s with 4-digit serial numbers and V-shaped necks (YS 0619, GS 1567 & GS 2904). Looks like the only difference between the TST-60s & TST-80s during that period are the pickups.

It's unfortunate that none of the TTE models below the 80s didn't also get V-shaped necks during this period.

Do you happen to have production and switch codes? These 4 digit serial numbers seem to not be linear. I would love some dates that we can pin down for serial numbers.