That's definitely a lower end model--flat pole pickups, 2-piece seam on headstock and low end tuners--SS-36 for sure! Maybe someone restamped it in 1986!?
The highest model Silver Stars I've seen or heard of are SS-80s (I now am the proud owner of 2!). Peter Mac is probably the best source of info on whether there is a higher model or not--he's writing a book on Tokais.
If you're in the market for a Silver Star, hold out for a better model. The pickups on SS-36/SS-40 models are so-so, and the tuners feel a bit cheap. The necks are made of 2 pieces of wood as well, and the bodies often are 3 pieces. The SS-48/SS-50s have much nicer (high ratio Schaller-style) tuners, good sounding staggered pole pickups and a one piece neck (2 piece body?). The necks on Silver Stars are 41mm at the nut--slimmer than Springys or Goldstars. Models 50 and below have C-profile necks that feel really good IMO. You can often find an SS-48 or 50 for the same price as an SS-36--people don't seem to recognize much difference between them, but I would say it's significant.
SS-80s have V-profile necks which with such a slim neck anyway take a bit of getting used to, or small hands. The necks are quite similar in feel to the neck on my Tokai ES-155. My SS-80s are both finished in nitrocellulose, and have really hot black-backed Dimarzio pickups. One is Sen (Japanese ash) sunburst the other I am almost certain is alder (Silver). They may possibly both have one-piece bodies, although one is painted so it's not possible to tell (no centre seam on the silver one though). They both have stock brass saddles and nut. They're both incredible guitars once you get used to the pickups (I usually keep my vol. at 6 on them!), and the slim neck.
I've never played an SS-60 but they exist--I think they may have a C-profile neck, brass saddles but plastic or bone nut, and less hot pickups. I really like the brass saddles on my SS-80s--I'm not so sure the brass nut is necessarily an improvement, although that's a matter of taste I guess--it does increase sustain.
Hope this helps!
Chris
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Maxxcab
