Help with info on Bacchus for a newb

[uzeurillus1on]

So I’m fairly new to the Japanese market…I have someone on another forum trying to trade me two Bacchus single cuts for my 1996 Marshall 2555sl. The value on my amp is pretty easy to ascertain but I’m having a hard time identifying exactly what these guitars are and what they’re worth. If anyone could provide me any more details and an idea of what these are worth, how rare they are, if they’re killer guitars or not, etc I would really appreciate it. Here are links to the two guitars:

Bacchus gold top

Bacchus Blue sparkle

Thanks in advance!

 

[Sigmania]

I'm going to post the pics here for you, so people don't have to glick a blind link.

 

[Sigmania]

 

[uzeurillus1on]

Thanks! What do you guys think! Are these worth trading for a limited Marshall head?

 

[Sigmania]

I'm not a Deviser authority. Will wait for someone who is.

 

[uzeurillus1on]

Bueller?

 

[guitar hiro]

@uzeurillus1on I have some experience over a period of years with the Bacchus brand.

Your gold top looks like a circa 1996/1997 BLS-95 GO (GO is gold aka gold top)
The spec should be 2 piece/center seam maple top, 2 piece/center seam mahogany body back, medium length/off-set tenon.
The BLS-95 model was a precursor to the 1998 catalog model BLS-120. BLS-120 had an upgraded 1 piece back and long neck tenon. Also serialized and typically more desirable with a corresponding typically higher selling price point.

The blue top with the black back looks like a circa 2004 BLS-59 with a custom color top and custom color back color finish. These will typically have the HB (honey burst) top color finish with a cherry color finished back and neck. I have seen one or two examples in GO aka gold aka gold top color finish with a dark back.
Your example should have a 2 piece/center seam maple top, 1 piece mahogany body back, long neck tenon and the 1021** serial number (again) indicates a circa 2004 example.
The BLS-59 was the post BLS-120 example LP Standard type from Bacchus.

I have owned several BLS-95 examples, several BLS-120 examples and several BLS-59 examples; all great guitars but as the line moved forward in time from circa 1996 to circa 2005. My favorites have always been the BLS-59 examples but they are all good guitars IMO.
Neck thicknesses became thicker as the line went forward in time that's why I prefer the BLS-59 examples.

Cheers

 

[uzeurillus1on]

What are your thoughts on value of these? Do you know if they’re nitro or poly? The finish is kind of important to me for some reason I like the feel of nitro or even thin poly like an American Strat. Epiphones always felt like they were encased in plastic. If this feels like an epiphone it will make the decision easy.

 

[guitar hiro]

Value is what the market will bare



BLS-95 should be urethane aka poly

BLS-59 should be nitro lacquer top coat over a poly under coat.

Both finishes should be super thin.



any of these will leave an Epi in the dust, IMO

 

[uzeurillus1on]

Value is what the market will bare



BLS-95 should be urethane aka poly

BLS-59 should be nitro lacquer top coat over a poly under coat.

Both finishes should be super thin.



any of these will leave an Epi in the dust, IMO

Sounds like in your opinion these got better over the years as opposed to the other way around?

 

[guitar hiro]

Sounds like in your opinion these got better over the years as opposed to the other way around?

Yes, tenon construction became more vintage correct at least for the humbucker equipped examples, finishes improved IMO and neck thickness typically increased, which I prefer.