T/ST100 TG

[ATO]

I made an offer on this and ended up buying it. It's hard to get a good image of the colour, the years have not been kind to the nitro colour which looks solid dark green or even black until you get very close. It is translucent green when you shine a light on it, I expect the colour would have been great when new. I've tried to get close to the actual colour in these images. Neck is 2=5 A and body is 2=5 TG. It definitely started out as a block logo Springy (can make out springy sound), that logo was removed and replaced with the goldstar fanatics decal. I think this was done in the factory, the remnants of the original decal are invisible unless you are looking under a bright light at a certain angle, had the owner not pointed it out I'd probably never have seen it.
Pups are VS1s apart from the middle U. All the screws, even the trem cover are gold (threads are at least). Nitro V neck. 2 piece body. It's scruffy but it plays great. I'd say Feb 83 for the build date can't be later given the block decal. I've got an ST pot to replace the volume, just need to find a middle VS1!

 

[Sigmania]

Oh you are kidding!

Wow! Congratulations!!!!!!

 

[Sigmania]

Edit: Looks like you have two of the original VS-1 pickups and someone put a U in the middle position?

DiMarzio VS-1 Pickups

Looking forward to hearing more about it.

Again, congratulations! That may be the deal of the year!

 

[Sigmania]

It looks a lot like my ST70 MG R but without the metal flakes.

It's also really dark. No flakes would make it darker I would guess.

 

[ATO]

Thanks. Yes, two VS1s, all three pup covers have dimarzio made in USA inside. Will bide my time till I find another VS1.

 

[Sigmania]

I guess you asked the seller if he still had the other one?

They can be really hard to come by.

Will keep an eye out for one.

 

[ATO]

It does look close to MG without the flakes!

 

[ATO]

I guess you asked the seller if he still had the other one?

They can be really hard to come by.

Will keep an eye out for one.

Edit. Misunderstood your post. No, this seller bought it like this years ago. I've posted on a few forums and FB already. One will turn up eventually.

 

[Sigmania]

Hopefully you can track it down. I'm all about getting things back where they belong. Not everyone is.

Fingers crossed that it works out.

 

[Sigmania]

....I'd say Feb 83 for the build date can't be later given the block decal.

+1

Originally made as a block logo then re-badged before it was shipped out, probably after February.

New catalog with Script logo printed in March 1983 as per Peter Mac in his book.

1983 Goldstars Script Logo

 

[Voidoid56]

Wow. That's new! Nice!

The only interpretation of "TG" I can think of is Teal Green, one of Fender's more rare 60's Custom color, but it's a much lighter metallic, originally turquoise but apparently turning darker and greener with age. Here on a '65 Strat.



One repro paint vendor gives this info about the original paint.

"The original name of this color is Teal and the suffix “Green” was added by Fender. It first appeared in 1962 on Ford/Lincoln cars as Riviera Turquoise Metallic, and on Ford Thunderbirds as Patrician Green."

Tokai's finish designations are generally pretty logical, either descriptive (FO for Flamingo Orange) or close to the Fender names (LB for Lake Placid Blue). It's easy to forget that the originals were far less thoroughly researched in the early 80's than now. Maybe this is what Tokai thought Teal Green looked like? If it's an age-darkened version of something close to the original shade, it's the most dramatic transformation I've seen so far. Doesn't seem that plausible to me.

Or perhaps TG means something completely different? Totally Gorgeous?

 

[ATO]

It's definitely not teal. Could be Trans Green as it would have been much more translucent when new and it's darkened over the years. it's an odd one. I'm aware of another block logo 100 with TG code but never seen any photos of it.

 

[Voidoid56]

Yeah, agreed, trans green is definitely a strong possibility. It does seem to be transparent from the overspray in the routs.

 

[siamackz]

Wow congratulations! Enjoy it in good health!

 

[ATO]

I lived with this guitar for a couple of weeks now and I love it. The VS-1s are superb, far far superior to the single U that now resides in the middle. They are super rare though and I think it's going to be a while until I find one. I took a couple of better shots of the script decal over remnants of the block logo decal. It clearly started life as a Springy and transitioned to Goldie in the factory - should it be called a Springy of or a Goldie lol?!

 

[Ocean87]

That's a really cool find! Congratulations

 

[Sigmania]

I found this other guitar that may have a similar story.

From what I can piece together with the production date stamp (January) and the serial number (SN 13103), it should have a "Rock & Roll Fanatics" block or script decal from January 1983.

But it has the script logo decal that shows up later by June "The Quality Musical Instruments..." decal.

Spaghetti Block Script Logo Transition Period
Vintage tokai strat
1983 Goldstars Script Logo

 

[Sigmania]

BTW, did you notice that you have a 5 digit serial number and not a 4 digit one? It's obviously a TST100, and obviously the neck plate goes with it. Curious.

1982 catalog

 

[ATO]

So that's a month older than mine it seems, yet I've got the fanatics decal. Crazy.

When does an ST become a TST? Is it a date or the Goldstar decal?

 

[Sigmania]

I believe that one may have been re-labeled and sent out later that year with the VII pickups?

I posted on the Strat Talk forum to see if the owner would check and see if they see the ghost of a decal under it. We shall see.

And the TST thing in my mind is concurrent with the AST. The T standing for the "traditional" Fender shape in my opinion. But that is debatable. I have heard all sorts of explanations for what it means and inconsistencies in its use.

So The “T” Stands For…

It does show up in that half year catalog in 1983 that introduces the script logo. So probably ok to link those two, the script logo and TST (with the Fender headstock shape).

1983 half year catalog



VintAxe scans