No S/N Rhoads

[pinto79]

I need everyone's help. My friend has a neck-thru Rhoads that has no serial number on the fretboard. There is a pearl inlay there instead. The body was originally routed for a Flush-mount Khaler but was later re-routed and an OFR was installed. It's Ferrari Red, pups are J80 and J50N, Ebony Fretboard w/ Shark Fins and the pearl block at the "23rd" fret where the S/N usually is.

Under the Clearcoat in the original Khaler route is the number 4878. My friend has been told that it is a pre-production guitar. It plays like a dream and sound amazing, but we'd like to know the truth about this one.

Can anyone help?

Thanks!

[Jim Shine]

Re: No S/N Rhoads

That number is a work order number and nothing special. Sounds like the serial number was hacked out and covered up with an inlay.

[cruster]

Re: No S/N Rhoads

Why would someone hack out the serial number and cover up the spot with an inlay?

[pinto79]

Re: No S/N Rhoads

Ok... Here's the Trem Cavity:


and the last inlay:



Sorry for the large pics...
Anyone have any other ideas?

[Jim Shine]

Re: No S/N Rhoads

[ QUOTE ]
Why would someone hack out the serial number and cover up the spot with an inlay?

[/ QUOTE ]

To hide the fact it is stolen.

[xenophobe]

Re: No S/N Rhoads

^ what he said

[Zerberus]

Re: No S/N Rhoads

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Why would someone hack out the serial number and cover up the spot with an inlay?

[/ QUOTE ]

To hide the fact it is stolen.

[/ QUOTE ]
+1

BTW,it´s definitely NOT a PrePro, but Judging by the pickups and Nibs I´d say an early Ontario Rhoads... These were still "made to order", in the sense that each guitar was essentially a One off and the current USA Production style of "batches of 12" wasn´t introduced yet, nor were the U0 serial numbers [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[cruster]

Re: No S/N Rhoads

I wish there were a graemlin for sarcasm. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] Wasn't implying the OPs friend stole it, but that was the first thing that popped into my head. Can the factory match work orders to serials? Just curious.

[Zerberus]

Re: No S/N Rhoads

In pure theory they could, but they won´t [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[kinde69]

Re: No S/N Rhoads

Fretends (not sure if the term are right) looks like San Dimas period RR. That time all customs have those covered ends. Weird that SN are covered...

[Newc]

Re: No S/N Rhoads

"Pre-Pro" [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

There were only two "pre-pro" Rhoads, and Randy got them both [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

But yeah, if it was not originally ordered with that block on the end, then it's probably been stolen and modded.
Then again, whoever ordered it may have known about sanding off serials, so he ordered the inlay, figuring that if it WAS ever stolen, he could easily ID it as it would (theoretically) be the ONLY RR with an inlay at the last fret.

[Jim Shine]

Re: No S/N Rhoads

I am sure the factory still would have placed a serial number somewhere, unless it was some employee or artist guitar. I think it is safe to say its modded, just look at the trem route.

[peedenmark7]

Re: No S/N Rhoads

modded for sure.. and if the factory were too have installed the inlay why wouldnt it be a shark ?
probably a ripped guitar at some point.

[Newc]

Re: No S/N Rhoads

But it's a Custom Shop piece, so you could order it with any inlay anywhere.
While the pic isn't that great, it does appear that the block inlay is close in figure and colors to the 21st fret inlay. Given the fairly wide fluctuations in MOP, I doubt that someone had the serial number removed and then somehow found such a close match for the cover-up inlay.
But like I said, the picture of the inlay is blurry, but they do appear to be very similar.

[pinto79]

Re: No S/N Rhoads

I reason the route is so bad is that it was done later to mod out the Khaler. The original part of the route that is still visible is very well done and painted the correct factory colour. I'm not very good with my camera so I can't figure out how to take a really good close-up. The MOP does match perfectly, like it was taken from the same batch. It sound like the mystery will remain! Thanks to all of you for your insight!

My friend who owns this one wants to have the floyd route filled and have the guitar re-finished to the factory colour and re-fit a Khaler to it.