The Interceptor Guitar & Bass: 3rd style Interceptor SSS

[yowhatsshakin]

This is part 6 in a 7 part series. As per usual, let me thank Gabe Dellevigne and Greg Gagliano for any and all assistance to make sure it is as accurate as possible! Other installments can be found here:

1. The Interceptor Guitar & Bass: Introduction and history
2. The Interceptor Guitar & Bass: 1st X-body Interceptor II
3. The Interceptor Guitar & Bass: 1st X-body Interceptor III
4. The Interceptor Guitar & Bass: 2nd X-body Interceptor HH
5. The Interceptor Guitar & Bass: 3rd style Interceptor HSS
6. The Interceptor Guitar & Bass: The Interceptor Bass

This is a late addition to this series. The most common version of the 3rd Interceptor has the HSS configuration as described in the previous installment. But that was not the only available version. They were also available in the HH and SSS configuration. Although Greg Gagliano mentions it in the description of the 1992 Interceptor, I never really paid attention to the remark how rare the HH and SSS configurations are. I mention the numbers found for the different versions in the Registry at the bottom of the previous installment, which at the time of writing in 2017 amounted to 1 SSS, 2 HH, and 6 HSS, including the 2 discussed before. Not many at all. In the mean time a 3rd HH has been registered and another 2 HSS versions, and the numbers have been updated in the previous installment to stay current.

That one (previously known) SSS (S/N G022500) is registered to GNLDAVE himself. But here I present a second SSS! And whereas G022500 is registered as having a Blue/Black combo, this one with S/N G024394 has a swamp ash body with a uniform Clear Blue finish. The ash is something different given maple is used on many of the other instruments in this series. And Greg communicated to me that the combination of a rare SSS configuration with an uncommon non-combo finish makes this instrument super rare. Its neck date is MAR 10 1989 with a body date of JUN 15 1989, i.e. the body is much younger than the neck. Since usually necks are the constrained resource at G&L this is a rare occurrence. The Long-Horn body still has bevels which do not stand out as much as when a combo is used.



This one has the 3rd type of vibrato available on the 3rd style Interceptor: the standard Dual-Fulcrum Vibrato.


The SSS shared the same wiring harness with the HSS and Invader, i.e. 3 mini-toggle switches to turn each pickup on or off combined with a single volume and tone control. Hence, no Passive Treble Bass (PTB) circuit typical for other contemporary non-SC triple single coil MFD models.


It should be stated here that this wiring harness is identical to the Broadcaster/pre-1990 ASAT. This means the (CTS) 250kΩ Audio Taper volume pot has a 200pF treble bleed capacitor between signal and wiper and the (CTS) 250kΩ Audio Taper tone pot is in series with a 6.8kΩ resistor to ground and has a 100,000pF treble bleed capacitor.



This guitar has a beautiful rosewood fingerboard on a pre-BBE #3 neck, i.e. 12” radius and 1¾" nut width. Note that the nut is the standard Micarta nut used in these days without any string lock mechanism. Neither does it use locking tuners on the sleek, matching colored, Ray Ransdell designed sickle headstock.



Sonically, the pickups are amazingly sweet. With DC-R values around 4kΩ they are undoubtedly contemporary Skyhawk MFD single-coils. With the on/off switches you can easily do the stutter otherwise only available on guitars with separate volume controls for each pickup. And there is plenty of quack when 2 neighboring pickups are selected. It should also be noted that these mini-switches provide the same functionality as nowadays is achieved with the presence of an expander switch, i.e. it is easy to select neck+bridge or all 3 pickups together.

I have never seen pictures of the other 3rd style Interceptor SSS and would love to see some. Maybe this piece can inspire whomever is the current owner to do so? Who knows?

In the next installment, two low-ender Interceptor Basses will be discussed to close out the series.

- Jos

[tomanche]

Nice post Jos! A couple things:
The second paragraph says "3rd Interception" but should read "Interceptor." That darn autocorrect (gave me trouble with "biggee" below )! Then there's "difference" rather than "different."
When giving the dates, you name both as "neck date" rather than one "body" and one "neck." No biggee—small typo.
But, to my eye, that body date has a "U" in the middle rather than an "A"; it looks like a rounded bottom, not two legs, and straight sides rather than angled. That would make the body date JUN 15 1989. And now I see that that does make the body younger, so it's just a typo.

[yowhatsshakin]

Nice post Jos! A couple things:
The second paragraph says "3rd Interception" but should read "Interceptor." That darn autocorrect (gave me trouble with "biggee" below )! Then there's "difference" rather than "different."
When giving the dates, you name both as "neck date" rather than one "body" and one "neck." No biggee—small typo.
But, to my eye, that body date has a "U" in the middle rather than an "A"; it looks like a rounded bottom, not two legs, and straight sides rather than angled. That would make the body date JUN 15 1989. And now I see that that does make the body younger, so it's just a typo.

You are correct on each of them. I have the dates right on my site but didn't check them. That's what you get when you use a previous installment as a template

And thanks!

- Jos

P.S. And now I know at least one person read it with full attention

[sam]

Congratulations Jos, sweet score!

Was waiting to see this one, certainly lives up to expectations. Love the additional background the Interceptor.

Ain’t it great when the stars align.

[yowhatsshakin]

Congratulations Jos, sweet score!

Was waiting to see this one, certainly lives up to expectations. Love the additional background the Interceptor.

Ain’t it great when the stars align.

True dat!

- Jos

[y2kc]

Yes the sss version is rare. I only have one and it is two tone - yellow/gold and resides with the original strings in its original shipping box. New Old Stock. I have not seen any other sss
examples besides the one pictured here. Thanks for posting this.

y2kc

[yowhatsshakin]

Yes the sss version is rare. I only have one and it is two tone - yellow/gold and resides with the original strings in its original shipping box. New Old Stock. I have not seen any other sss
examples besides the one pictured here. Thanks for posting this.

y2kc

Sorry, but I don't see pictures. Hence, your Interceptor SSS does not exist ...

- Jos

[y2kc]

You are probably right. Seriously who would make a gold and yellow guitar?

[y2kc]

I just checked my list and this guitar is listed Gold/Blond. Beautiful guitar GO2241X. Possibly a Namm model Mr. Smith picked up.
This guitar may have an ebony board as well. It is stunning and I don't even like this model.

Stay safe,

y2kc