Help identifying an ASAT

Hi,

This is my first post. I am a 45 year old guitar repairer from the UK.

A friend of mine has a G&L ASAT which would appear to a bit of an oddball. We were wondering if anyone here could give us any information about it.

The guitar has the serial number G023277 on a black heel plate. I believe this dates the guitar to 1987. My friend believes that having the name Leo Fender on the headstock is unusal.

Any info will be appreceiated.

Regards,

Sneferu.

Nice Asat. That guitar was made sometime between 1988 and 1991.

Here is are a couple of threads with information regarding the by Leo Fender headstock decals used on G&L's:

"by Leo Fender" http://guitarsbyleo.com/FORUM/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=2041

"Guitars by Leo" http://guitarsbyleo.com/FORUM/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=5487

Thanks for the replies.

The headstock logo link was very informative, thank you.

Regarding the serial number according to the G&L site that serial is 1987 which is why we thing it's a strange guitar. It looks like a Broadcaster with an ASAT headstock. Was there a change over period from Broadcaster to ASAT where this guitar could have been made?

Thanks again,

Snef.

There were transitional ASAT's.

Here is an 88 that looks more like yours with the plastic string tree and block letter logo.

They were not perfectly sequential but yours is most likely an 88 as there is a G023079 and G023307 in the registry dated 1988 and considering the headstock details.

Great looking ASAT, thanks for sharing info and pics with all.

As far as dating your ASAT, according to the Chronology and Dating page on the http://www.guitarsbyleo.com (I can't copy and paste link now) the first recorded neck plate for 1988 is G023725 which would place yours from 1987.

As always, to remove any question of date remove the neck for neck and body dating.

...the first recorded neck plate for 1988 is G023725 which would place yours from 1987.

As always, to remove any question of date remove the neck for neck and body dating.

Is there a way to search neck "plates" as opposed to neck dates?

G023725 neck is dated March 7 1988.

The serial numbers were not perfectly date sequenced.

There is a G022958 neck dated February 25 1988, a G023007 dated November 4 1985, G022481 April 15 1988, G022879 July 5 1988, G020891 April 4 1988, G022460 July 13 1988, G023307 March 19 1988 and G024175 July 21 1988.

The headstock details help plant it in 1988.

Sneferu,

Your friend's ASAT is from late '87 or '88. The logo puts it no earlier than '87, and the plastic string tree by the D tuner puts it no later than autumn of '88 (although stragglers are always possible with Leo-era G&Ls). I used to own one that was identical to your friend's, and had date stamps from September and October '88. It was an incredible player.

It looks like a Broadcaster with an ASAT headstock. Was there a change over period from Broadcaster to ASAT where this guitar could have been made?

Broadcasters had plastic pick guards. That feature continued into the first year or so of ASAT production, but was replaced in '87 with black crinkle guards like the one on your friend's guitar. The string trees on Broadcasters and early ASATs were also different. Here's one on an ASAT from May '86:



Here's what the single-ply plastic PG looked like, again from a very early ASAT (the strap button was not original):



Broadcasters also only came with a black finish and matching headstock. During the changeover from Broadcasters to ASATs, the only difference between the models was the headstock color and decal (and of course Leo's autograph in the neck pocket). It was pure chance whether any given instrument became a Broadcaster or an ASAT. Ash bodies started showing up around the time that Broadcaster production ended.

There is a good chance that your friend's ASAT has a maple body. If that's the case, the only differences between it and a Broadcaster are cosmetic.

Is there a way to search neck "plates" as opposed to neck dates?

No. I believe the chronology on G&L's website is based on the first (rather than the lowest) serial number used during each year. It only works as a rough guideline, as the plates (and before 1983, the bridges) were pulled at random from bins. I have an F-100 with Sept/Oct '80 date stamps, which has a serial number lower than the "first" G&L according to the chronology (my F-100 is G000504, while the official "first" G&L is G000530). G&Ls had been shipping from the factory for three months before mine was built.

On the subject of serial numbers, my '86 ASAT with both stamps from May (the one in the headstock photo) is G021093, while the one with May/June stamps (in the pick guard photo) is G017616. The Candy Apple Red '88 ASAT I sold was G023772.

Your friend's ASAT is most likely from around the middle of 1988, looks very sweet, and is most likely an excellent player. I hope this helps!

Ken

Thanks Ken, I was using only data I could think of at the time, always looking for more info

Hi,

Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and wisdom regarding this with me it has been very enlightening.

Just one further question if I may. What fretwire would this guitar have had on it originally. The guitar has at sometime had the frets levelled and they are now so low that my finger is on the fretboard whilst bending a string. I don't have the guitar with me at present to enable me to measure the frets, but from memory they looked somewhere in the range medium/jumbo to jumbo rather than anything smaller.

Thanks again,

Snef.

Hi,

Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and wisdom regarding this with me it has been very enlightening.

Just one further question if I may. What fretwire would this guitar have had on it originally. The guitar has at sometime had the frets levelled and they are now so low that my finger is on the fretboard whilst bending a string. I don't have the guitar with me at present to enable me to measure the frets, but from memory they looked somewhere in the range medium/jumbo to jumbo rather than anything smaller.

Thanks again,

Snef.

See this post in this topic: G&L Frets?.