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OK heres some BCR info for ya. ST-3's cant really be dated by serial # per se, most BCR guys use the body / neck contours & hardware to date boltons. The earlier "PRODUCTION" st-3's had a thin headstock/neck transition and were very prone to cracking, the bolts for the lock nut are in the round of the neck, later ones the bolts just touch the edge of the flat of the headstock & later ones have even a bit more meat around the bolt. early body's have recessed plates and a smaller route for the trem springs, you cant get to the trem arm section of it from the rear route. early ones have top hat knobs, grovers, edge trems and dimarzios, there are also 2 LIC trems one was a gotoh, dont know who made the other. the earlier ones had a drop in arm the had a set screw in the collar. ive seen some later ones that also had 3 digit #'s stamped into the heal & neck pockets. the later ones & early class axe are nearly identical since class axe used the left over Cali parts for i believe the first 2 yrs, they didnt have a wood shop setup right away. as for serials i find the B00xx - B6xxx's to be the most consistent, the b7000-b9999 & BCxxxx/bcxxxxx are all over the place. CAxxx were class axe built, they had different routes than the cali made ones. the squared off fretboard end is found on some later ones, some people question the origins of those necks. Tho 24 fret bolton had a squared end and are legit handmades. after class axe the used a BO prefix on the plates.
oh and the logos changed a bit too, early logos are a bit larger and do not say MADE IN USA. they changed around 87.
ive had alot of ST-3's over the years, and can say if you find a real early one BUY IT.
oh and the logos changed a bit too, early logos are a bit larger and do not say MADE IN USA. they changed around 87.
ive had alot of ST-3's over the years, and can say if you find a real early one BUY IT.
Here's a blue one I worked on. Meh, maybe slightly more rounded, maybe not. 
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