AS-50 Serial # help?!

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Author Message Writersf4011 Username: Writersf4011 Registered: 08-2005 Posted on Tuesday, August 23, 2005 - 11:55 pm:    I found a sunburst AS-50 on consignment in a shop. The serial # on the headstock had been deliberately obliterated. The label inside had a 5-digit number beginning with 90 (and no letter preceding it). I think the cream colored humbuckers were DiMarzios, but I couldn't tell from their not-quite-perfect fit whether they were originals. It's a nice axe in decent condition. The price tag is $799 but the store owner told me it's been there for 6 months and i wouldn't offer anywhere near that. Any help or opinions on this guitar's age, value, etc. would be appreciated. I don't know what to make of the scratched out serial #, whether someone was trying to pass it off as a lawsuit model or what. Any ideas? many thanks. Acetan Username: Acetan Registered: 09-2003 Posted on Wednesday, August 24, 2005 - 12:26 am:    Without pictures, it is kind of hard but, 1) Is it a set neck or bolt on neck? 2) What tells you that it is an "AS-50"? Get the answers to these two questions, we'll go from there. Ace Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Wednesday, August 24, 2005 - 10:39 am:    Writersf4011: It would help to know what shape the headstock is. Take a look at the following message and let us know whether it looks like the first, second or third headstock: http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/cgi-bin/discus/show.cgi?tpc=16&post=701#POST701 Writersf4011 Username: Writersf4011 Registered: 08-2005 Posted on Wednesday, August 24, 2005 - 8:39 pm:    Thanks. The headstock is the first one, on the left -- the more elaborate castle. The interior paper label that has the serial# indicates the model as AS-50. It's a set neck. Acetan Username: Acetan Registered: 09-2003 Posted on Wednesday, August 24, 2005 - 9:32 pm:    Does the label look like this? ...and the serial number at the back of the head should look like this. Writersf4011 Username: Writersf4011 Registered: 08-2005 Posted on Wednesday, August 24, 2005 - 10:16 pm:    I'll have to visit the shop and check for sure, but I believe all the fill-in information on the interior label was handwritten in blue ink, including the AS-50. The serial # on the label was 5 digits beginning with "90..." instead of a letter of the alphabet. Whether it said Made in Japan or Crafted in Japan I don't recall, but that info was printed on the interior label. The serial# on the back of the headstock had been scratched out (intentionally) and I don't think there had been anything else under the scratched area such as Crafted in Japan. Many thanks again for the help. One other question while I'm at it: if those are in fact the original cream colored DiMarzios in it, is it a straight swap size-wise to go to PAFs or similar? (Duh -- it just occurred to me that the scratched out serial number probabaly means it was stolen!) Acetan Username: Acetan Registered: 09-2003 Posted on Wednesday, August 24, 2005 - 10:59 pm:    I bought an MIJ Fender Strat from a guy about ten years ago and the seller had scratched away the "Made in Japan" sign above the serial number. He said he did it because he didn't want people to know that he is playing a non-U.S. Fender. I guess there are all kinds of reasons behind what people do. Ace

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