| Author |
Message |
    
Rickd
Username: Rickd
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, June 23, 2007 - 3:14 pm: | |
http://www.gbase.com/Stores/Gear/GearDetails.aspx? Item=1677553 |
Johns
Username: Johns
Registered: 2-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, June 23, 2007 - 9:10 pm: | |
Rick:
Looks like a mid to late 90s AS80. The serial number would help pinpoint the year. |
Gemberbier
Username: Gemberbier
Registered: 5-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, June 24, 2007 - 10:38 pm: | |
Johns, you're right about the model nr, but:
(quote)
"Narrow headstocks are either:
'94/spring'95 made by Samick with non-waxpotted SUPER FIFTY pickups, that give microphonic feedback,
or:
end of spring (MAY) '95-'96 made by Cort with decent wax-potted SUPER 58's. So you have 16 bad months and 20 good ones with narrow headstocks."
So the serial numbers you can expect, are between S401xxx and S504xxx
and
between C505xxx and C612xxx
because in 1997 they started to use sharper wolf ears instead of Mickey Mouse ears and wide tulip headstocks at Cort's.
The price seems quite reasonable, certainly with a hard case included. I hope for you, it's a C serial number, that saves a lot of work/money.
(quote)
"If you bought a Samick, there is a thread by Hazy with a "z" about waxpotting pickups in a deep fryer. The other solution is changing the pickups for Super 58's."
Ginger |
Rickd
Username: Rickd
Registered: 4-2006
| | Posted on Monday, June 25, 2007 - 8:35 am: | |
thanks guys, thought they stopped using the trad. f-holes before then
just looked strange to me |
Gemberbier
Username: Gemberbier
Registered: 5-2006
| | Posted on Monday, June 25, 2007 - 3:38 pm: | |
I've seen enough. Analysis completed: it was made by Cort, (look at the pickguard bracket, which is of a better quality than the one Samick used).
So the serial number will be between C5xxxxx and C6xxxxx.
What's remarkable, that is the disappearance of the Artstar AS80 from the German catalogue in 1995, while it stayed in the USA catalogue for several years. Here in Holland and Germany we had only one Korean made option: the one with the gold hardware, MOP/abalone/MOP blocks etc.: the AS120.
So, I'm very enthusiastic about the AS120, because we hadn't got the DOT/chrome option made by Cort.
Mike aka Ratfink3 (USA) is very enthusiastic about the Artstar AS80.
If you have one with Super'58 pickups - and this one is - then you have a lovely affordable alternative for an ES-335 DOT.
Ginger |
Johns
Username: Johns
Registered: 2-2001
| | Posted on Monday, June 25, 2007 - 4:26 pm: | |
Rickd:
The catalog pictures of the AS80 from '95-'97 do show some interesting detail differences. In '95 and '96 you have the modern f-holes, wide bridge and a pickguard shape that has a sharper curve/corner at the neck end with a flat bracket.
In '96 the f-holes are traditional shaped, narrow bridge, a pickguard shape that has a softer curve at the neck end and has a rod-type bracket. As Ginger points out, this is the start of the Cort manufacture run.
In '97 the f-hole shape is back to the modern shape. But the body and headstock shape have changed, so it's easy to tell these. |
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