Import Serial Numbers

[GodWentPUNK]

I was wondering if anyone has any information on Japan serial numbers as to what years the numbers would span over. I've read some other posts (thanks to the search engine working ) that from maybe 95 on that serial numbers were not consistant. I know that serial# cannot help identfy a model but they probally can help target a year of production.

joe...

[fett]

If this helps. My Model 3 has a 27XXXX number and was probably an "80's guitar with a "Guitar" Charvel logo. My Predator has a 32XXXX number and is a "90's guitar with a Toothpaste logo. Who knows? Maybe "2" means "80's and "3" means "90's.

[GodWentPUNK]

Hum? I'll check the serial# on mine. I know by some model options what years my guitars were from. I have 2 Model3's and 2 475 Deluxes.

[dg]

The consensus since I've been a member here is that serial numbers won't help at all for IDing or dating the import bolt-ons. Mudkicker came up with a system for dating Model Series bolt-ons that involves neckplate gaskets & the "TM" or "R" marking of the logo. Here it is:

http://www.jcfonline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25286

[RacerX]

Model series were produced 1986-1988, Kahlers on '86s, JT-6s the last 2 years.

Toothpastes were produced 1989-1991.

[scaristei]

I have a model 3 - serial # 2387XX which the neckplate has a gasket - both the neckplate and the headstock have "TM" and the neck is a "lacquered" headstock (not the plastic cap) and it has a Kahler trem and all the hardware is black (except the trem bar). Is it a '86 or what?

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/stephena310/CharvelModel3.jpg

[scaristei]

Just another thought.....What would happen if we started a page where everyone sent in the "specs" on their imports along with full serial numbers, color, trem type, logo, TM or R, etc....Eventually wouldn't we start to assemble a pretty accurate means of ID'ing these suckers? Any thoughts/agree/disagree/comments?

[jacflash]

So Kahler-equipped Model guitars were only made/sold in 1986? There seem to be a lot of these guitars around.

How about cases? I've seen Kahler-equipped Models with both tweed and chainsaw cases alleged to be "original", in fact I have one of each. Didn't the tweed cases come first, or were they specific to the lower-end models?

Do we know any of the history behind the series? When did the company decide to do a MIJ line, how did they go about putting the designs together, etc.?

Scaristei, I think that's a great idea, and will help as far as I can.

[RacerX]

Just another thought.....What would happen if we started a page where everyone sent in the "specs" on their imports along with full serial numbers, color, trem type, logo, TM or R, etc....Eventually wouldn't we start to assemble a pretty accurate means of ID'ing these suckers? Any thoughts/agree/disagree/comments?

GREAT IDEA! And have one for the Import Jacksons also!

[Accept2]

The Kahler actually carried into 1987. I have a 1987 Model 5 that came with a Kahler.............

[dg]

Scaristei, yours is an '86 by virtue of the Kahler. The gasket & TM stuff can be a big help for figuring out a Model 1, where the trem didn't change. The problem with using anything like that (or tweed vs. plastic case) for dating is that changes didn't always go into effect exactly with the calendar year. Then we get into speculating about whether it was made early or late in a year. San Dimas Jacksons, especially Soloists, were notorious for changes that came in the middle of a given year, and sometimes they would go back & forth. As for compiling a large enough database of serials & features to see if we can use serial #s to date bolt-ons, that would be a very big task. Not only that, but I'm pretty sure that it's already been figured out that they don't follow a logical sequence. The best way to ID or date is still to read catalog scans and discuss it on the JCF.

As for history, the Model Series came about when Grover Jackson sold the company to IMC, a Ft. Worth TX based guitar importer. The decision was made to stop producing Charvels in the US and to begin production of imports. The designs of the bolt-ons were based on various configurations that they had used when making the USA Charvel strats. The neckthroughs were basically the first import Soloists.

[scaristei]

While we are here....I got this off ebay and was wondering if anyone knows anything about this bridge-pickup/trem. The guitar is a beige model 3-A with no neck plate gasket but both neckplate and headstock have "TM" - the Headstock is plastic capped with the pointy headed charvel logo guitar that says jackson/charvel under it.
The bridge has wires coming from each string saddle - the wires go through the unit to a small box in the control cavety. The pickguard has a micro switch and an extra knob...the unit has no name or numbers on it and does not work! Does anyone know anything about this thing?

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/stephena310/Model3-Apickupbridge-trem2.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y281/stephena310/Model3-Apickupbridge-trem.jpg

[jacflash]

It's probably some sort of piezo rig. Here's one that has a similar bridge, only with fine tuners. The description says it's a Schaller product, FWIW.

[dpivar]

Model series were produced 1986-1988, Kahlers on '86s, JT-6s the last 2 years.

Toothpastes were produced 1989-1991.

I have a 1986 Model 6 (Serial number C606073) that has a JT-6. Interestingly, a couple of months back another '86 Model 6 was for sale on Ebay, and it had a Kahler with a serial number of C608xxx (I don't remember the rest, it was higher in sequence than mine though). Perhaps there is no specific cutover time between the two tremolos, and they were both installed in various quantities for a period of time? Here's my guitar:

[RacerX]

Must be some overlap then. Hey, now whenever you put it on the bay, you can by all rights say it's RARE!!1!