Confused about SL1 serial number / build

[fusioncore]

Hi, anyone / everyone - I just bought an SL1 off ebay, I received it the other day and in checking it out, I noticed the serial number begins with an R, which I definitlely thought was odd. It is R14787, as stamped into the end of the fret board. The 14787 places it as a late summer / early fall of 2004. Opening up the trem cover revealed the sticker with several signatures, and a September 2004 date. But what's with the R?

Also, this feels much heavier than alder. I have several alder guitars, 2 of them being Jacksons, and they are all noticably lighter. The inside of the control and trem cavities are painted white, as the whole guitar is stright up white / black, so I can't get a good look at the wood, except for where the pup wires come into the control cavity - seems to be darker than alder. Could this be a mahogany body, and could the R serial number have anything to do with it being different from any other SL1? Maybe a shop employee's guitar?

Any theories or helpful insights?

Thanks tons.

[fusioncore]

Oh yeah - here's the photo. What a great axe, she's perfect!

[theone1958]

I can't answer your questions, but that sure is a good looking guitar!! Good score, I'd like to know what the "R" means too.

[Cygnus X1]

Reject?

[Brooke]

[StukaJU87]

I guess it means the dummy picked up the R instead of the U when he went to stamp it. Can't trash a guitar because of that.:ROTF:

[Spivonious]

Maybe it was a warranty return?

[Newc]

In-shop Refin?

[Norton]

Retarded?


Cool guitar there!

[Robert Burns]

Quibling over a letter...but that is a great axe man!

[wilkinsi]

BC Rich miraculously turned into a Jackson? :ROTF:

[Jack The Riffer]

Beautiful axe....I have a snow white one also!!!

[fusioncore]

Hmmmmm - thanks for the responses - LOLZ! Here's what I'm thinking. Clearly, the R is not stamped over a U, or anything else. So if it was a referb, recondition, refinish, or anthing else, the fret board would have had to have been replaced, as it has not been sanded down. It is an incredible peice of ebony - proabably the most uniform in color and grain and darkness I have ever seen. (been playing for 30 years, currently have 27 guitars) Hell, it looks like graphite until you get right up on it. The guitar has not been refinished, as there is no evidence of any other color in any pickup route, or any rear cavity, or in the control shaft holes. (yes, I wrote cavity and shaft holes in the same sentance). There is nothing that is not 100% anywhere.

So maybe some dork did pick up an R, instead of a U - like someone mentioned - can't trash an otherwise perfect guitar for that....Maybe that make this a bit of a special peice?

So what about the mystery of the wood? Heaviest alder guitar ever, or is it something else? Keep the ideas coming!

Just because I know everyone likes guitar porn, here's the rest of my stash. I have three more that didn't make this photo.

[Cygnus X1]

I just shit myself.
Sorry.

[fusioncore]

Thanks Cygnus (I think...). I just like to sit there in the middle of them sometimes, and I feel like I rule the world. I know lots of people on this board have more than 27 guitars, and I always enjoy admiring their guitar rooms. Sometimes I've gotten inspired by others collections, on what I should get next. I am starting to run out of inspired ideas, though. Waht do you think I should add next?

doomster