2nd hand S500 USA

[Frank99]

Hi,

We skipped the Tibutes from Thomann and our guitar tech found a 2nd hand S500 USA, serial CLF30592, vintage white, at 750$ asking in a private sale. It's not in the registry. Seller thinks it's a 1998, but looking at the numbers in the registry, it would be a mid 2003 assembly/delivery.















Before travelling 200 miles to see the guitar, I would like to know what you think of it.
It looks like a standard S500 USA, but there's no certificate, no build spec sheet, no original hard case.
Can you see any signs of tampering or inconsistencies?

It looks very clean to me, almost like a respray job.

Thanks,


Frank

[Fumble fingers]

Craig can find out about the guitar based on the serial number, you can email G&L and get a Authentic Certificate ...... looks like a sweet guitar with locking tuners !! ... from the pictures it looks nice and stock with no altercations ...... I have one just like it that's a 1997 3 bolt neck , otherwise looks identical to yours right down to the color and locking tuners ...... 750.00 seems like a fair price if it's in good condition and the S500 is a fabulous guitar , the original case doesn't bother me since it seems to have a real nice case that goes with it ....

[WitSok]

I'm not familiar with what locking tuners would have been used, but locking tuner would have been a factory option . The knobs look like they are from a Legacy. I belive the standard for S-500 was knurled chrome (same as on ASAT). I don't know if this was an option on the S-500 - it wouldn't surprise me if it was an option. If there is any tinkering it isn't obvious. Looks pretty good to me.

Dan

[Fumble fingers]

my S500 has the chrome knobs , good eye , it could be that it was ordered that way ...... for some reason I'm having a hard time posting pictures form the Photo bucket

[Frank99]

Thnaks, this is very reassuring.
Bell knobs are now standard. Maybe Craig can tell when they were introduced?
Tuners look like Schaller, were these optional on the USA S500 in 2003?

Thanks again,

Frank

[Craig]

Thnaks, this is very reassuring.
Bell knobs are now standard. Maybe Craig can tell when they were introduced?
Tuners look like Schaller, were these optional on the USA S500 in 2003?

Thanks again,

Frank

Bell knobs became standard on S-500 models in 2014.

Locking tuners were standard beginning in 1992. They were Sperzel locking tuners until 1998, when they changed to Schaller locking tuners.
In 2010 or 2011, they changed to non-locking tuners but locking tuners were/are optional.

Hope this helps.

[Ches]

Those pots must have been changed because the original knobs were held in place with a set screw. Since the pot values for the PTB are somewhat unique, I'd go into the transaction with the assumption it does not have standard PTB wiring.

[Frank99]

Went to see the guitar with the guitar tech. Seller turned out to be a semi-trader. Didn't know anything about the history of the guitar.

Couldn't work out a deal with the seller. Had a good time in Den Bosch anyway, visiting two luthiers and one pub.

Thanks


Frank