Here's the lowdown on the JV Strat from my Tokyo guitar hunting trip. It arrived on Sunday morning! The US postal service woke me up with it. Sunday morning delivery. Who knew?
The pics are at:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLandingSignin.jsp?Uc=4ogncvq.27ywvafu&Uy=sderis&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0
The body is serial # JV01833 which would probably put it circa 1982 (JV serial numbers produced 1982-84). There is a "Y" stamped in the control cavity, as well as a "B" stamped in the neck inset. The neck is marked "3-20-87" in pencil with a "J" above. On the heel is a round sticker with "BA" written in pen. Also a magic marker "420" with what looks like could possibly be a Japanese character on the left. The shopkeeper told me he thought it was a custom shop US neck, but he wasn't sure. I think maybe a custom shop Japanese neck? Is there such a thing?
The neck and middle pick-up's are stamped with "211782", and are not RWRP. Probably original. 1982, maybe? The bridge pick-up is a Van Vandt and is RWRP with the middle.
The neck is a beautifully orange amber aged slab-board maple. Nice wear marks where they should be, and a very cool cigarette burn on the headstock.
Nice grain on the body, maybe ash? It seems pretty light but I don't have a weight.
The knobs and pickup covers are nicely aged and the pickguard is mint green.
Does anyone have any info on these neck markings? I'd like to have a good history.
She looks sweet, and plays like butter. Very resonant, with a decent hunk of neck, nice jumbo frets and fat tone.
The pics are at:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/ShareLandingSignin.jsp?Uc=4ogncvq.27ywvafu&Uy=sderis&Upost_signin=Slideshow.jsp%3Fmode%3Dfromshare&Ux=0
The body is serial # JV01833 which would probably put it circa 1982 (JV serial numbers produced 1982-84). There is a "Y" stamped in the control cavity, as well as a "B" stamped in the neck inset. The neck is marked "3-20-87" in pencil with a "J" above. On the heel is a round sticker with "BA" written in pen. Also a magic marker "420" with what looks like could possibly be a Japanese character on the left. The shopkeeper told me he thought it was a custom shop US neck, but he wasn't sure. I think maybe a custom shop Japanese neck? Is there such a thing?
The neck and middle pick-up's are stamped with "211782", and are not RWRP. Probably original. 1982, maybe? The bridge pick-up is a Van Vandt and is RWRP with the middle.
The neck is a beautifully orange amber aged slab-board maple. Nice wear marks where they should be, and a very cool cigarette burn on the headstock.
Nice grain on the body, maybe ash? It seems pretty light but I don't have a weight.
The knobs and pickup covers are nicely aged and the pickguard is mint green.
Does anyone have any info on these neck markings? I'd like to have a good history.
She looks sweet, and plays like butter. Very resonant, with a decent hunk of neck, nice jumbo frets and fat tone.