Matsushita Selector Switch?

[Sigmania]

I found a couple in the thread where I posted 01xxxxx serial numbers from 1991 and 1992 where I had pot dates to help.

Six Digit Serial Numbers Starting With 01xxxx 1991 1992

The 2 switches I found seem to date to 2-3 years prior.





The others were this YM-50 type.

 

[Sigmania]

Homer, you’re amazing.

I just checked the all caps no serial thread that includes the period of the early 2000s to 2006 or so and found this…

I saw one other but the picture was a bad angle and couldn’t see the label.


All Caps "MADE IN JAPAN" No Serial Guitars

 

[Sigmania]

Looks like they cover the entire no serial number period. This is huge. Will probably reveal all sorts of information over time. Goldmine.

This one is too hard to see but on a 2009 no serial Goldstar with a date stamped neck pocket.

Upper And Lower Case "Made In Japan" No Serial Guitars

 

[Homer J. Simpson]

The 2 switches I found seem to date to 2-3 years prior.

Or 7-8 years after: I'm likely not the only one who remembers these switches with mixed feelings. Like I said, they were suddenly in every other guitar in the late 80s and in short, IIRC they tended to become noisy and unreliable so they started ending up on my workbench often enough to cause these blurry memories, with the only way to fix being spraying deoxit through the slit and IIRC I broke one just by soldering new pickup wires to it (IOW heating the crap 2 more times) - but of course that workbench perspective is pretty skewed. So maybe this is not such a big help if the years - for whatever reason - tend to be that far apart. :/

 

[ATO]

Or 7-8 years after: I'm likely not the only one who remembers these switches with mixed feelings. Like I said, they were suddenly in every other guitar in the late 80s and in short, IIRC they tended to become noisy and unreliable so they started ending up on my workbench often enough to cause these blurry memories, with the only way to fix being spraying deoxit through the slit and IIRC I broke one just by soldering new pickup wires to it (IOW heating the crap 2 more times) - but of course that workbench perspective is pretty skewed. So maybe this is not such a big help if the years - for whatever reason - tend to be that far apart. :/

True, these switches are still available new and many will have been replaced. I replaced mine with a Grigsby but I kept the VLX53 with the guitar.

There are endless images of these switches on the web, the code hasn't changed changed in 35 years, haven't seen one with a later letter than L though.

 

[Sigmania]

Switch code 39 1

1980年代 Tokai SS オリジナル アッセンブリー H... - Yahoo!オークション

 

[Homer J. Simpson]

"1980" debunked.

 

[Sigmania]

Lol. I honestly don’t believe anything a seller says. I typically don’t even read listings and instead just look at what I can see.

 

[Sigmania]

Unmarked switch

TOKAI 3-point switch & electrical parts for 2PU Good condition 1984 TOKAI SD40AMRR

TOKAI トーカイ 3点式スイッチ＆電装パーツ 2PU... - Yahoo!オークション

 

[Homer J. Simpson]

Likely not unmarked, that's the 3-way switch with the date code stamped onto the epoxy/phenolic resin plate.

 

[ATO]

Switch 381 - August 83 - only the 2nd half of the code visible (3) though this is likely to be 9=3
L14947

https://www.tokaiforum.com/threads/...earn-more-about-this-please.19461/post-155224

 

[Homer J. Simpson]

The 1979 ST Foldout catalog seems to describe the same "soft 5-way" functionality for the older CRL-type switch:

The ST series has also adopted a newly developed 3-stage 5-position switch,
It is a smooth changeover without the stiffness of a 5-step switch.
The new design allows for smooth switching without the clunky feeling of a 5-step switch, and at the same time, the positions are perfectly aligned.

Sigmania posted the corresponding section with a somewhat difficult to understand translation in 2021. So it's not like the "cool" switch was introduced only 1981, I wonder what the difference in feel and action between the 2 types is?

 

[Sigmania]

Just spotted this from the 1981 "My super goods" ad.

1980s - 1981 MY SUPER GOODS "Oldies but Goldies" Ad

switch

A 3-stage, 5-position high-precision switch that prioritizes operability and reliability. There are no scratching noises or breakdowns, and the policy of prioritizing functionality has been well-received. Many musicians use this switch to replace their old or beloved guitars, and this is a project team original design that significantly changes the concept of a switch. Parts are currently on sale. (S-130 ¥1,400)

 

[ATO]

1981 ST55 MB
1022181
10=4 neck
10=6 body
Switch date Sept 81 (19 3)

Seen quite a few 1981 55's with the 10=6 code

 

[Sigmania]

Sweet

 

[ATO]

https://www.tokaiforum.com/threads/1983-fender-style-serial-numbers.28625/post-216220

 

[Sigmania]

SN 20594

1984/85

Body code: 5=2 BL

Switch code 44 3

Rare made in Japan left handed, lefty, LH Tokai Breezysound Telecaster. | Reverb

 

[Sigmania]

This is interesting....

Switch code looks like 1D 7. December 1981 ???

And no idea why the decal says BASS on it...

This may be a very early version of the .38 Special?

Tokai .38 Special 38 1982 Candy Blue Early Spaghetti Logo Model | Reverb

 

[ATO]

This is interesting....

Switch code looks like 1D 7. December 1981 ???

And no idea why the decal says BASS on it...

This may be a very early version of the .38 Special?

Tokai .38 Special 38 1982 Candy Blue Early Spaghetti Logo Model | Reverb

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Weird! The 38 basses say bass on them. Must be a factory mistake, can't see the decal being a repro.

 

[ATO]

Although having said that the decal does look a bit weird, the word special is right in the edge, it's not like that on other 38 decals. Wonder if its just a sticker and it's been lifted off a bass?