Early ASAT question - is it original?

[KenC]

I just took the plunge on another ASAT, sight unseen. Actually, I haven't even seen a picture of it yet. It was a "new listing" on Guitar Center's site for several days with no photo posted, and then they put up a picture that was clearly not an ASAT or even a G&L at all.

I called the store out of curiosity and boredom, and this is what the clerk described to me: Serif ASAT logo with small "by Leo Fender", a dark fingerboard with long orange-yellow streaks, black body, large black-covered MFDs, and a black crinkle pickguard. I verified all of this with a second salesman, and the description was identical. Fine, I thought, it has to be an '86 or '87 (due to the decal and the serial number), and could very likely have an ebony board. That made it a definite must-have for me. The strange part, though, was that the salesman said the tuners, bridge and control plate are all bright chrome.

From what I've seen on G&LDP and Greg G.'s website, it seems like bright chrome didn't start appearing on ASATs until well after the logo changed in late '87. I know that necks sometimes lurked in the factory for months or years before they were used, but to have a decal that was clearly out of style compared to the trim sounds unusual to me. I've seen examples in the Gallery of pre-production ASAT IIIs with chrome hardware that date to 1987 and production ASATs with chrome from '88, but they've all had white pickguards and block logos.

Has anybody seen this combination before? I'm having a little bit of trouble picturing the black/chrome combination, but it wouldn't be a showstopper for me. If I end up being on the fence about how the guitar feels and plays, having parts swapped out could sway me toward a return (compared to it being absolutely stock, which would probably make it a keeper regardless).

Maybe I'm just over-thinking this as the anticipation builds. Maybe I'm just slightly disappointed to have discovered that it wasn't all black, although I honestly have never cared for completely black guitars before I connected with this one.

By the way, this one isn't in the Registry, and there are no ASAT entries from that time frame that mention chrome parts - just a couple of pre-production ASAT IIIs.

Any thoughts on whether this may be all original are greatly appreciated!

Ken C

[Michael-GnL-Michael]

It might be easier to avoid generating extra speculation if you waited until you have seen the guitar and can post pictures.

[KenC]

True, but speculation is half the fun...

[guitar_ed]

3 bolt or 4 bolt?

[KenC]

Three bolt, black crinkle with serial number. The serial number would be correct for around '87.

[KenC]

And I just checked the UPS tracking. It hasn't even left Missouri yet, so it will probably get here to Maryland when I'm on a trip next week. That means I probably won't get to see it in person for eight more days!

I know, that's nothing compared to the wait for a custom instrument...