1997 ASAT Three Custom Shop ?

[FZTNT]

I recently bought this guitar and can find little info as to what exactly it is. I believe the date because of the pics of the neck. I can't seem to find any build info on this variation. It could be a one off. The G&L web site kind of skips over the years from 1996 right to 1998. Interestingly it has a serial number of B052080 seeming to be one of the few (i assume) with the nixed up Base numbered neck plates. It's black metallic swamp ash, Maple neck, Rosewood FB. Any one have any thoughts?
Thanks, Tom

[blargfromouterspace]

Have you got a photo of underneath the pick guard?

Pretty sweet whatever it is

[Craig]

I recently bought this guitar and can find little info as to what exactly it is. I believe the date because of the pics of the neck. I can't seem to find any build info on this variation. It could be a one off. The G&L web site kind of skips over the years from 1996 right to 1998. Interestingly it has a serial number of B052080 seeming to be one of the few (i assume) with the nixed up Base numbered neck plates. It's black metallic swamp ash, Maple neck, Rosewood FB. Any one have any thoughts?
Thanks, Tom

[image]http://www.guitarsbyleo.com/GALLERY2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15668&g2_serialNumber=3[/image]

[image]http://www.guitarsbyleo.com/GALLERY2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=15669&g2_serialNumber=3[/image]

That is a standard production ASAT III. Here's the 1996-07 G&L Catalog page:


Also, see: Production List of G&L Instruments (USA) and List of Regular Production ASAT-style guitars (USA).

Regarding the serial number beginning with 'B', see:Serial number significance.

Hope this helps.

[yowhatsshakin]

Hi Tom,

What you have there is one of the ASAT III guitars built in 1996-1999. These guitars are mentioned in the Production List for G&L Instruments (USA) where I copied this entry from:
[left][size=150][b]Guitars[/b][/size][/left]

Guitar Model	Years of Production	Estimated Production
ASAT III	1988 - 1991, 1996 - 1998	Approx. 150 between 1988 and 1991

as well as the List of Regular Production ASAT-style guitars (USA) where I copied this entry from:
[center][i]It's impossible to own too many ASAT-style guitars.[/i][/center][center]--Anonymous Wise Man[/center][center][size=150][b]Regular production ASAT-style guitars[/b][/size][/center]

hack4Modelwidth	Description
ASAT III	First production run from 1988 to 1991. Guitars from this first production run are rarebirds; see the ASAT III: Rarebird page on this site for more information. Second production run from 1996 to 1998. Ash body (1988 to 1991 as standard, 1996 to 1998 on premier finished guitars), alder body (1996 to 1998 as standard), ebony board (1988 to 91), maple or rosewood board (1988 to 1998). Fitted with three S-500 MFDs using standard ASAT circuitry.

(Ed. note: I did correct the inconsistency in the starting year of the period in the second record itself as well as between the tables. Most likely I am the root cause of these errors anyway.)
As you see, it is not stated how many were produced in the latter time frame in both tables.

Hope this helps,

- Jos

[Craig]

(Ed. note: I did correct the inconsistency in the starting year of the period in the second record itself as well as between the tables. Most likely I am the root cause of these errors anyway.)
As you see, it is not stated how many were produced in the latter time frame in both tables.

Hope this helps,

- Jos

I have corrected the dates in that table entry.

Thanks.

[SouthpawGuy]

( Just posted this in another thread, might as well post it here also ... )

That's an ASAT III alright. Mine is also from the late '90s with a three bolt neck in blue burst finish.

It has a saddle lock bridge, like an ASAT Special, and pickups from an S500 which are larger than ASAT Classic pickups.

Mine has a five way switch. I think some also had a mini switch between the volume and tone pots to combine the neck and bridge pickups.






.

[FZTNT]

So to clarify, this guitar was not a "Custom Shop" Product? Merely a regular production model.

Thanks, Tom

[Craig]

So to clarify, this guitar was not a "Custom Shop" Product? Merely a regular production model.

Thanks, Tom

Yes that is correct, your 1997 ASAT III is a regular production model. It was not a Custom Creations (G&L Custom Shop) model.

Hope this helps.

[NickHorne]

Well, a regular production example of a really great, special guitar! Lots of us wish they were still available.
I hope you're enjoying yours She's great looking too.

[FZTNT]

Thanks all, It's good to know that there are good people out there with a lot of information on these guitars. I truly appreciate the hard work it took to gain and organize this knowledge.
The bad news is...I don't have this guitar in my hot little hands yet (actually they are not so little and it's freezing here in the DC area right now).
Its stuck at some customs brokerage place in North Dakota waiting for the US Government to release it from the clutches of the Canadian guitar zombies. Hurry up and wait, but I will post more pics when it does get here. There's a massive snow storm coming so that will probably delay it further. Oh well, great things are worth waiting for. Got the S-500 signature today so that too shall help pass the time.

Tom

[Fumble fingers]

Fabulous III !! ..... the color is a beauty ...... don't let the Custom Creations thing bother you , I have a CC and the names on the build sheet are they same as my regular ( custom for me ) builds