'80 F-100; Stock Hardware/Finish?

[Danley]

...So my dad's recent acquisition is the below F-100 , which I enjoy thinking I have partial custody of when I visit my parents; at first touch thought it has to be the most comfortable, "familiar" feeling guitar I've ever played, and sounds great (worn, wide/flat maple neck, flat radius/big frets, wide string spacing, everything metal on it feels a cm thick and sturdy... Feels to me a bunch like a hot rod Fender Mustang with a Strat scale neck). Cool that I'm only a few miles from the factory too

I've got the bug; so does my Dad, who immediately purchased a Tribute ASAT as a display of satisfaction. I'm now more active in searching for another such guitar myself (if my dad doesn't trade me for my '66 Mustang )

Brought me to question whether the finish and hardware haven't been altered on my dad's example; I understand that there were many options/customizations available in the early days... Is it conceivable that the matte/stain finish and black (non-wrinkle) trim could have been standard to this guitar? Hardly matters to me either way, but the combo seems not to come up often, in online pics anyway...

[Elwood]

The matte (thick black that chips some) finish hardware was used for a few years.
A quick guess; It looks like the guitars original finish was sanded off (looking under the control plate usually
holds some clues)and some coats of clear applied. The fresh mahogany looks great.Most mahogany F-100's I see have a rootbeer tint or a dark burst .
I totally agree with the comfort statement. Almost everyone I've played seems like an old friend.

elwood

p.s. I regret selling my '67 fastback, tho' I might feel different if it stayed in the family

[yowhatsshakin]

That is one gorgeous looking guitar! Congrats.

- Jos

[KenC]

It looks to me like it could be stock, probably from '82 or '83. Among my examples, the earliest smooth black parts are on a G-200 from late '81, and the latest were on an SC-2 from early in 1983. The large dot markers would put it toward the early end of that range. It's hard to judge the finish, but to me it looks like Clear over mahogany (AKA "Root Beer"). Can you post a closer pic?

All of the hardware on the headstock and body looks original to this period.

Ken

[Fumble fingers]

beautiful guitar !! .... didn't G&L use low wide frets in those years ?

[Craig]

beautiful guitar !! .... didn't G&L use low wide frets in those years ?

Yes.

[Danley]

Thanks for the clarifications, did confirm that the guitar was sold to my dad as an '81 ... May make the stock matte black more likely

I'll have to grab some better pics... The finish is in fact matte as well, looks very similar in color overall to a few on eBay right now. Also, yep, the frets are especially large/wide, love it.

And my Mustang isn't a car