Peter Mac said:
Hi guys,
UPDATE: Having just acquired 3 x 1980 ST-80's (S/N 0009568, 0009925, 0013426) GS, GS and BB, and pulling them apart initially some solid evidence has come to light. Neck/Body stamps are 10=1, 10=11, 12=2.
1980 was certainly a huge feature changeover for ST and LS models.
Reborn Old had empressed number but Love Rock had sticker and this change over was around S/N 0009500 also.
After checking their features I have come to these conclusions -
1) Empressing of fingerboards stopped before 0009500.
2) Allen key Truss stopped around 0010000.
3) skunk/rosewood board stopped very early 1980.
4) Both neck and body code have 'A' stamp for ST-80 and higher. So does scratchplate up to S/n 0010000.
5) All 1980 guitars had type 2 neck plate. Type 3 (MIJ Fender) began 1981.
This can now be added to the collective.
Peter Mac
PS: Another Forum member now owns 0009568....and..loving it.
Hi Peter,
Regarding fretboard stamped serial numbers;
The change from stamping to stickering did not occur at the same time for Tokai Fender and Tokai Gibson models. At least not if you only look at serial numbers.
The first stickered ST I have found is 0008454, which is an ST-80:
The first stickered LS I have found is 0009533, which is a LS-60 Reborn Old.
So there's a 1000 guitars between those 2 models, of which several Tokai Fender models with stickers and Tokai Fender models with fretboard stamps. A mix.
Also you can see that the change from fretboard stamp to sticker on LS models was still during the Reborn Old period, not with the change to Love Rock as you suggested.
All these findings were already known, as seen in my Tokai production number thread and most likely I was not the first to notice this
But there is more.
What about a LS-120 Reborn with SN 0008635, while Reborn Old range starts at 0007474 and goes up to at least 0009575?
Or a TE-55N with SN 0010417 with a fretboard stamp?
I found numerous examples of a rosewood board Springys with skunk stripe with SN higher than 0010000, one of them my own ST-55N with SN 0012595. This occurred at the same time with non skunk stripe Springys (most of them higher end models). Again a mix. So your observation that this combo is early 1980 will not hold.
As there is a mix of use of original double ring tuners and single ring tuners on LS in the 0009000s.
And last but very important:
There is no LS after SN 0011696 but the 1980 production range goes to 0016685, so 5000 Tokai Fender models 'produced' after that last LS and no LS?
A similar thing is going on 1979 last LS has serial number 9006403 but the production range goes up to 9009945. The last LSs during 1979 have november and december codes.
There are a few examples op 1979 LSs with 'LS100' stamp in neck pickup cavity and '80' fretboard stamp.
So what could this all mean?
To me:
1. Production stamps like 10=2 etc are the only real indication of production date of the actual guitar.
It would be interesting to see pics of these stamps on late 1979 and late 1980 model. Do you have these Peter?
2. The sequence during production is first production stamp, then serial number, then model type.