Need help identifying

[NicoleWellington]

Hello everyone. My father recently passed and while going through his things , I came across an electric G & L guitar. No ne in the family plays so it will be put up for sale.. However, I am having a hard time identifying the model. All I know is that it is an ASAT American. I am hoping those of you here can give me some more information so I can price accordingly. Thank you in advance.

[Fumble fingers]

do you have any pictures of the back side , the number plate is probably on the neck plate where the neck bolts to the body .... over the years the name has changed , so a back side picture will help determine the correct name through the ID number ...... the current version of that guitar is called a ASAT Special , your looks beautiful with the black crinkle trim and what looks to be a metal pick guard it most likely is called just " ASAT " ....

sweet guitar , hope you put it up for sale here first in the market place and give us first crack at it

[KenC]

Hi Nicole,

I'm very sorry for your loss. As Fumble Fingers said, this appears to be an ASAT (without the "Special"). Based on what I can see of the finish and the hardware, my initial guess is that it's probably from the early to mid 1990s. A photo of the headstock would be helpful for nailing down the year. For valuie, the overall condition will be a key factor, i.e., dents and chips in the finish and on the back of the neck, wheter the frets are still in good condition, etc. Do you have the case the guitar came in, and if so is it clean and in good repair?

Ken

[Craig]

Very sorry to hear about the loss of your father.

It looks like it might be a 1996-97 ASAT. See this G&L Catalog page: 1996-97 Catalog, Page 2.
Note: there was a misprint on the ASAT and ASAT Special (the photos were swapped).

The pickguard looks like a 3-ply plastic pickguard to me.

Please do post the serial number which will be located on the triangular shaped black powder-coated neck plate on the back of the guitar's body.
The serial number will be in the form of "GXXXXXX" . Note: Many 3-bolt guitar plates in the range 52000 to 55000 were mis-stamped with a B-prefix instead of the
usual G-prefix. It was a mistake and the plates were used rather than wasting them. Reference: Serial number significance.

See this post for help in determining the value: Is there a good source for getting G&L instrument values?.

We do have a member's free Marketplace and if you would like to post your Ad, I will waive the current requirements (See: New GbL Marketplace Guidelines), so that you can post your Ad prior to the 30 days membership requirement.

Hope this helps. PM or EM me if you need assistance in posting your Ad.

[Fumble fingers]

sorry for your loss , We just laid my sister to rest this Friday too so my mind is not quite all the way here either ..... I got excited about your guitar and didn't mention my condolence in the first post ... also welcome to the forum

[NicoleWellington]

Thank you everyone for the replies. I have added some additional pictures. The guitar itself is in excellent condition. My father took extremely good care of all his guitars. I found a case but it doesn't seem to be the original one

[NicoleWellington]

Anyone able to offer anymore help on identifying?

[Katefan]

Hi Nicole,

Early BBE made G&L's with 3-ply black plastic pick guards which this guitar has along with its other appointments puts it circa 1994/95. My guess is that it is a 1994 model.
ASAT's of this time period (post 1992) like Ken C mentioned are called ASAT Specials.
Sad re your Dad's passing.

Cheers,
KF

[Craig]

Anyone able to offer anymore help on identifying?

I've been out of town and away from the site from about a week.

Now that I have the serial number, I have emailed one of my contacts at G&L and asked him to
look up the factory log information on this guitar's serial number. I also sent him the photos you posted.

I will post the information I get from him as soon as I hear back.

Stay tuned.

[NicoleWellington]

Anyone able to offer anymore help on identifying?

I've been out of town and away from the site from about a week.

Now that I have the serial number, I have emailed one of my contacts at G&L and asked him to
look up the factory log information on this guitar's serial number. I also sent him the photos you posted.

I will post the information I get from him as soon as I hear back.

Stay tuned.

Wow! Thank you so much

[Craig]

Anyone able to offer anymore help on identifying?

I've been out of town and away from the site from about a week.

Now that I have the serial number, I have emailed one of my contacts at G&L and asked him to
look up the factory log information on this guitar's serial number. I also sent him the photos you posted.

I will post the information I get from him as soon as I hear back.

Stay tuned.

Wow! Thank you so much

I have heard back from Dave:

Hi Craig,

My guess is the number is G032485 and the black crinkle makes it hard to make out the last digit. G032486 is shown as a Legacy in Cherryburst. G032485 is an ASAT Standard in gold metallic, rosewood #2 neck. Completed November 20, 1992. Noted “1993 NAMM”. Looks like that’s the guitar in the photos.

Thanks, Craig.

Dave

So the model name is "ASAT", the serial number is G032485 and it was built for the Winter 1993 NAMM show.

Hope this helps.

[NicoleWellington]

Anyone able to offer anymore help on identifying?

I've been out of town and away from the site from about a week.

Now that I have the serial number, I have emailed one of my contacts at G&L and asked him to
look up the factory log information on this guitar's serial number. I also sent him the photos you posted.

I will post the information I get from him as soon as I hear back.

Stay tuned.

Wow! Thank you so much

I have heard back from Dave:

Hi Craig,

My guess is the number is G032485 and the black crinkle makes it hard to make out the last digit. G032486 is shown as a Legacy in Cherryburst. G032485 is an ASAT Standard in gold metallic, rosewood #2 neck. Completed November 20, 1992. Noted “1993 NAMM”. Looks like that’s the guitar in the photos.

Thanks, Craig.

Dave

So the model name is "ASAT", the serial number is G032485 and it was built for the Winter 1993 NAMM show.

Hope this helps.

Thanks so much!!! Does the fact it was made for NAMM warrant any difference in pricing? I do intend on offering it for sale

[Fumble fingers]

NAMM is the biggest guitar show , so it was built extra nice because of that , might not add much but should add maybe a little and make a quicker sell .... cool guitar , I hope you offer it hear first

[FZTNT]

It's very strange...that sure looks like a 6 to me at the end of the serial number. I wonder what the specifics of the Legacy mentioned are? It seems like a fairly benign guitar for a NAMM show guitar but I am not an expert by any means. Could the numbers have gotten transposed wrongly in the log? I would say there is a big difference between a 5 and a 6, even in the crinkle coat. Just my 2 cents. Is it possible to open it up and check under the hood. At least remove the pick guard if not the neck and see if there are any NAMM related notations?

Maybe I'm wrong though...after checking my guitars, here is a shot of one of my Invaders with the crinkle paint ending in an obvious 5, next to a 6. See what you think.



Tom

[NicoleWellington]

It's very strange...that sure looks like a 6 to me at the end of the serial number. I wonder what the specifics of the Legacy mentioned are? It seems like a fairly benign guitar for a NAMM show guitar but I am not an expert by any means. Could the numbers have gotten transposed wrongly in the log? I would say there is a big difference between a 5 and a 6, even in the crinkle coat. Just my 2 cents. Is it possible to open it up and check under the hood. At least remove the pick guard if not the neck and see if there are any NAMM related notations?

Maybe I'm wrong though...after checking my guitars, here is a shot of one of my Invaders with the crinkle paint ending in an obvious 5, next to a 6. See what you think.



Tom

I rechecked the number and it is a 5.. Now, how do I go about pricing?

[Craig]

I rechecked the number and it is a 5.. Now, how do I go about pricing?

See: Is there a good source for getting G&L instrument values?

Hope this helps.

[FZTNT]

Nicole, I will save you the trouble of getting the info off of the web site Craig mentioned, Since I doubted the serial number and in condolence for the loss of your Dad, very sorry. It's odd too that I have another guitar with a serial number ending in 5 on a crinkle plate and it too is very obvious.

Anyway, other than the NAMM Show aspect, the Blue book values your guitar accordingly: It is a Standard ASAT so there is nothing special about that (except they don't make them quite the same now) the 1992 pricing is between $750 (for 80% very good condition) to $850 (95% EXC+ condition). I would say yours falls somewhere in between. There are other things that add to the strength of the valuation such as original case and it's condition and any case candy such as the hang tags, brochures, manual, tools and certificate of authenticity. The NAMM Show evidence would best be proven by markings in the neck pocket or under the pick guard. Obviously, taking the neck off is perhaps not something you are confidant to try but it's really not that hard if you are careful. There are some posts on the subject, or maybe you know someone that can do it. Take pictures! Seeing as it's not some outrageous flame maple, gold hardware superstrat or the like the NAMM show significance may only make it worth another hundred bucks or so. Unless you can find a photo of someone famous holding or playing it...

So, clean it up real well, take the neck off, then the pick guard and see what is revealed. They don't make them quite like those earlier ASAT guitars anymore so you should be able to get a good price. Might take a while but I think it is a fine guitar. If you need help with how to best clean it or re-string it etc. either search the forum or ask and I am sure someone can answer your questions.

Good luck, you can post it on this forum marketplace as Craig mentioned and he can help with that. There is also EBAY, Reverb.com or a local guitar shop (last choice in my mind).

Tom

[Fumble fingers]

I agree on the price , especially without the case candy ..... do you have a picture of the case , inside and out ?? ...... is there anything inside the case you have ?? tools and such like mentioned ??

[NicoleWellington]

So I am going to go to my local Guitar Center and see if they can help with removing the neck. I really don't feel comfortable doing that. Then once that is done, I plan on listing the guitar both here and on Ebay for $850. Does that sound like a fair and reasonable starting price?

[Challenger]

I wouldn't bother paying GC to take the neck off. If they will do it for free, or with the purchase of strings, might be interesting to see what's there. But, you already know the completion date from Dave at G&L and that there was a NAMM show notation. All you are going to likely find is a date stamp for the neck and body, possibly a NAMM notation and model/neck abbreviations. Not really going to find much that you are not already aware of. I think your price sounds reasonable. You can always come down if it doesn't sell right away.

[KenC]

I wouldn't bother paying GC to take the neck off.

I agree completely. Listing the date stamps in an ad won't do anything for the value, and to be perfectly blunt you would run a risk of a GC tech damaging the finish. The neck pockets on these older instruments were hand-fit, and are usually much tighter than anything a tech at Guitar Center is likely to have run across in the past.

You already know the completion date from Dave at G&L and that there was a NAMM show notation.

Nicole, in case you aren't aware, Dave is David McLaren. the Executive Vice President of G&L. He would have gotten this info straight from the production log. I would just mention in the ad that he confirmed the production date and that it was built for NAMM, and not bother with the neck pocket stamps.

Ken

[Fumble fingers]

I wouldn't bother paying GC to take the neck off.

I agree completely. Listing the date stamps in an ad won't do anything for the value, and to be perfectly blunt you would run a risk of a GC tech damaging the finish. The neck pockets on these older instruments were hand-fit, and are usually much tighter than anything a tech at Guitar Center is likely to have run across in the past.

You already know the completion date from Dave at G&L and that there was a NAMM show notation.

Nicole, in case you aren't aware, Dave is David McLaren. the Executive Vice President of G&L. He would have gotten this info straight from the production log. I would just mention in the ad that he confirmed the production date and that it was built for NAMM, and not bother with the neck pocket stamps.

Ken

X2 here ..... you know enough to give accurate description of your guitar and your price seems more than fair

[NicoleWellington]

Ok I went and placed an ad on here. Hopefully it gets approved soon