OK, well I waited a week, but seems like Wild Bill has lost interest in showing photos of his Reborn with inked S/N
. Shame because it does shed important light on the question of dates for those guitars.
Bill did email me with very clear close-up photos, & I could post them here, but I guess they?re really still his property? However, I suppose the following description is in order:-
Overall Appearance ? the guitar is an early LS60 Reborn with sunburst finish. It?s in good condition, but close-up photos show the expected tarnish/grime/wear consistent with age. More specifically ?
Decals ? headstock decals appear absolutely correct ? standard Tokai MOP inlaid logo & gold-screened ?Les Paul Reborn? decal ? all with correct placement & size etc. I compared this closely to other Reborns & Love Rocks of known vintage, and it looks fine.
Tuners ? the headstock has double-ring Gotoh tuners (stamped "Tokai" in single line) which appear to be original to the guitar ? photos show no extra holes & no extra shadows - so no sign of ever being changed.
Serial Number ? the number is 800xxxx & is inked in black on the rear of the headstock (in normal position - the "8" is a little smudged). According to the Registry that number corresponds to 1978, however, AFAIK the double-ring tuners are only typical for 1980 to early 81, and most Reborns are from 79 or 80 (AFAIK 1978 was mostly the elusive ?Les Paul Model?). So I wonder if the inked 800xxxx actually indicates 1980, in which case the 1980 S/N?s are more complex than we previously thought.
60-Impressed Fretboard ? the end of the Fretboard is impressed ?60?, which is invariably taken as a sure sign of authenticity. Only slight question mark here is that the number is not cleanly impressed, so it?s just about arguable that it could have been added by someone. The two-piece plain-sawn centre-matched top is exactly as it should be for an early LS60.
In summary ? the guitar appears completely genuine & appears to confirm that the inked numbers are indeed from the early period, circa 1978-1980 (unless Tokai re-issued their own re-issues) :-? .
Ian.