Unsure of model and make year of my road warrior....
Sat Jan 14, 2023 10:25 am
Posted in a different thread, but thought it may be more appropriate in this section of the forum. Bought this ASAT on Craigslist years ago, been a great deal - toured with it for years, has seen stages in every US state - currently collecting dust (as you can see, needs some TLC).
Interested in learning more about the potential make year(s), and if it's a custom piece or a standard model. Everything is how I bought it, no changes have been made on my end, but looks like tuning machines were swapped by PO? Hadn't seen the color on any other post so thought I'd ask some G&L lore masters what I have!
additional photos can be added if necessary in aiding in identifying.
thanks!
Yon
Interested in learning more about the potential make year(s), and if it's a custom piece or a standard model. Everything is how I bought it, no changes have been made on my end, but looks like tuning machines were swapped by PO? Hadn't seen the color on any other post so thought I'd ask some G&L lore masters what I have!
additional photos can be added if necessary in aiding in identifying.
thanks!
Yon
Re: Unsure of model and make year of my road warrior....
Sat Jan 14, 2023 11:50 am
YonBonChovi wrote:Posted in a different thread, but thought it may be more appropriate in this section of the forum. Bought this ASAT on Craigslist years ago, been a great deal - toured with it for years, has seen stages in every US state - currently collecting dust (as you can see, needs some TLC).
Interested in learning more about the potential make year(s), and if it's a custom piece or a standard model. Everything is how I bought it, no changes have been made on my end, but looks like tuning machines were swapped by PO? Hadn't seen the color on any other post so thought I'd ask some G&L lore masters what I have!
additional photos can be added if necessary in aiding in identifying.
thanks!
Yon
Welcome to our site!
Your guitar is a standard ASAT model and based upon the features I am guessing the possible build years are: 1996 or 1997.
The Sperzel tuners, the 3-ply black plastic pickguard, the headstock decals and the body color (Silver Metallic is a standard finish) are clues.
Your photos do make it look almost like Gold Metallic, but I think the lighting and possible flash is affecting the photos.
Reference post: List of Regular Production ASAT-style guitars (USA).
See the 1996-97 G&L Catalog in our Gallery, here's the link to it (look at Page 2 and note that the ASAT and ASAT Special photos should be swapped):
http://www.guitarsbyleo.com/GALLERY2/main.php?g2_itemId=692 .
Your guitar had been registered in our G&L Registry but without a current owner and Silver Metallic was selected for the body color.
Here is a link to the entry: Registry entry for G045354.
BTW, the body wood is likely Alder.
To get the actual completion date and other specs, contact Memo Romero [G&L Service Manager] and ask him to look up the serial number in the Factory log books. His email address is repairs@glguitars.com.
Hope this helps.
Re: Unsure of model and make year of my road warrior....
Sat Jan 14, 2023 11:51 am
Hello, G045354 is in the GbL registry as an ASAT, silver metallic finish (looks kinda gold to me in the pics but may be aged-yellowing).
No dates in the registry post, but the range of SN's from G045300-G046300 were used from '95-'97.
Nice guitar! The tuners are Sperzels, but non-locking. I'm not sure if they were stock tuners.
Hah! looks like Craig beat me by a minute or two!
No dates in the registry post, but the range of SN's from G045300-G046300 were used from '95-'97.
Nice guitar! The tuners are Sperzels, but non-locking. I'm not sure if they were stock tuners.
Hah! looks like Craig beat me by a minute or two!
Last edited by john o on Sat Jan 14, 2023 11:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Unsure of model and make year of my road warrior....
Sat Jan 14, 2023 11:51 am
Hey Yon,
Beautiful looking guitar! The S/N places it around 1995-1996. It has a gorgeous Silver Metallic which has the fine particulate in contrast to the Silver Sparkle of e.g. a John Jorgenson Signature. A similar finish can be found on this 1989 ASAT shown on Grag Gagliano's website or this ASAT III on my own website. But you see both still have a white enameled aluminum pickguard instead of the BWB triple ply plastic guard on yours. Another indicator your guitar is from the BBE-era is the absence of the "by Leo Fender" script logo on the headstock. Since it has black powder-coated hardware, your model would be called an ASAT in the day, in contrast to the ASAT Special which has chrome hardware. The black hardware was discontinued in 1998 and has since only been seen on the 2009 C.L.F. Centennial ASAT and on some recent test mules (see CLF Research YouTube vids with Dave McLaren).
As far as the tuning machines go, they are legit. G&L was using both Schaller and Sperzel machines in those years. Which ones were used depended on inventory and availability.
BTW, your guitar already has an entry in the Registry.
Hope this helps,
- Jos
Beautiful looking guitar! The S/N places it around 1995-1996. It has a gorgeous Silver Metallic which has the fine particulate in contrast to the Silver Sparkle of e.g. a John Jorgenson Signature. A similar finish can be found on this 1989 ASAT shown on Grag Gagliano's website or this ASAT III on my own website. But you see both still have a white enameled aluminum pickguard instead of the BWB triple ply plastic guard on yours. Another indicator your guitar is from the BBE-era is the absence of the "by Leo Fender" script logo on the headstock. Since it has black powder-coated hardware, your model would be called an ASAT in the day, in contrast to the ASAT Special which has chrome hardware. The black hardware was discontinued in 1998 and has since only been seen on the 2009 C.L.F. Centennial ASAT and on some recent test mules (see CLF Research YouTube vids with Dave McLaren).
As far as the tuning machines go, they are legit. G&L was using both Schaller and Sperzel machines in those years. Which ones were used depended on inventory and availability.
BTW, your guitar already has an entry in the Registry.
Hope this helps,
- Jos