Need help with potential st-80 purchase

[BobVance_WV]

Hey everybody,

Looking to purchase a ‘81 ST-80 in Candy Apple Red and washed everyone’s thoughts are on this piece around legitimacy and overall thoughts.

Any help is much appreciated!

 

[Sigmania]

Interesting.

Looks like it has been around some moisture? Japan?

The body is an ST80 body.

We were just talking about that MADE IN JAPAN sticker. I have not noticed one before 1983, so this would be interesting if it is legit.

And it would be curious to have MADE IN JAPAN sticker if the guitar were in Japan. Would love to know where it is located.

It is hard to read in the picture, what is the serial number? Does it start with a 0 or a 1?

Any chance you have a photo of the end of the neck?

 

[Sigmania]

Volume pot changed obviously.

 

[BobVance_WV]

Interesting.

Looks like it has been around some moisture? Japan?

The body is an ST80 body.

We were just talking about that MADE IN JAPAN sticker. I have not noticed one before 1983, so this would be interesting if it is legit.

And it would be curious to have MADE IN JAPAN sticker if the guitar were in Japan. Would love to know where it is located.

It is hard to read in the picture, what is the serial number? Does it start with a 0 or a 1?

Any chance you have a photo of the end of the neck?

View attachment 38371

It’s an 81. I’ve asked for a picture of the end of the neck as well. We’ll see what happens.

 

[Sigmania]

You are totally justified in asking for pics. Some stuff does not add up so far so it would really help in understanding what this is. Definitely a head scratcher.

 

[Sigmania]

The main thing that seems odd I guess is the MADE IN JAPAN sticker. This would be the earliest I have seen.

For comparison, here is my 1981 ST80R.

Also has an A stamped pickguard I just noticed. I had read that was phased out in 1980, so that is wrong.

 

[Sigmania]

So if the neck matches the body code, or reasonably close, then I would say it is legit and that is the earliest MADE IN JAPAN sticker I have noticed.

If not, it is a Partscaster.

Neck should have an "A" stamp also.

 

[BobVance_WV]

So if the neck matches the body code, or reasonably close, then I would say it is legit and that is the earliest MADE IN JAPAN sticker I have noticed.

If not, it is a Partscaster.

Neck should have an "A" stamp also.

Thank you so much! I’ll post the pic once I receive it. Have you seen many candy apple red guitars? Not sure how rare it is

 

[Sigmania]

It's not candy apple red. Tokai calls it metallic red (MR).

The color is fairly common, but any ST80 is uncommon. Painted ones are even less common.

 

[BobVance_WV]

It's not candy apple red. Tokai calls it metallic red (MR).

The color is fairly common, but any ST80 is uncommon. Painted ones are even less common.

From the seller

 

[BobVance_WV]

From the seller

 

[Sigmania]

None of that addresses the question about the neck. Until you see a picture of the neck code, I would consider it a potential Partscaster.

 

[felixcatus]

$2K is quite expensive for an ST80!

 

[Sigmania]

$2,000 ? Wow.

He definitely needs to show pics of the neck code.

There’s a very good chance this is a partscaster.

 

[felixcatus]

$2,000 ? Wow.

He definitely needs to show pics of the neck code.

There’s a very good chance this is a partscaster.

Yep, and even (if it should be?) full factory original, 'rare color' or not, I think it is pretty high priced!