1983 Fender Style Serial Numbers

[Sigmania]

Just wanting to log these to get an idea of the number of guitars made in that year and also what fits where.

Rosewood

L06463 (January codes, 1=1 body & neck, switch code 26 1 June 1982)
L07847 (Feb stamp, script World decal) posted it on Reverb
L08805 (April stamp, 4=9, re-badged Fender ST70MRR) Partscaster (A body, no A neck)
L09474 (March stamp, 3=26, TST80)
L09544 (June stamp, script logo, U pickups, TST50)
L09952 (QMI decal)
L09966 (March stamp, 3=16 body, script, TJB45OWR)
L10050 (script QMI decal, TST50BBR)
L10098 (script, TJB45MRR)
L11189 (June stamp, script logo, E pickups, Super Edition)
L11212 (July body stamp, 7=9, TE55N)
L11236 (May stamp, block logo)
L11357 (June stamp, script logo, 6=10A, TST80, bluejeannot's guitar)
L11982 (July script logo, U pickups, TST50MRR)
L12041 (December 3 piece script logo) Outlier, mid 1983 serial neck plate changed??
L12125 (May stamp, block Fanatics decal, TST50) Goldstar Block,
L12441 (March stamp, Special Series TSD, U pickups)
L12968 (Can't see stamp, U pickups, replaced pots)
L13115 (August stamp, TST60YSOR)
L13538 (Sept stamp, 9=3, TST50) Goldstar Script,
L13948 (block logo Fanatics, ST55) Goldstar Block
L14371 (August stamp, 9=3 MB, matching headstock, script logo) Goldstar Script + Rare MB Headstock Strat
L14447 (June stamp, replaced decal)
L14671 (matching headstock, MR, script) Goldstar Script
L14887 (Sept stamp, TTE) Breezy Script
L14947 (August stamp, 9=3 MB, script logo) Rare MB Headstock Strat

L23526 (July stamp, script logo, U pickups) 1983 Goldstars Script Logo

Maple

13103 (January stamp, changed decal to QMI decal?) 1983 Goldstars Script Logo
13695 (February stamp, changed block>script logo) 82/83 ST100
14447 (June stamps) Goldstar
15076 (May stamp) Goldstar
15289 (May stamp, block logo ST55MR)
16131 (June stamp, block logo ST55SO)
16721 (May stamp, E pickups) 1983 Goldstars Script Logo
16925 (August stamp)
18846 (Oct. stamps, TE70YS) Breezy Script
20793 (Dec stamp? Nov. 1983 pot dates, TST50 MR) Goldstar Script,

Six digit

103326 (Jan stamp, 1=1, Sept 1982 switch, TST80 ET)
107628 (June stamp, script logo TST70YS)

 

[Homer J. Simpson]

L06308 Goldstar Script ST50 ("World", no stamp pics) (very late 82 or very early 83?)
L07847 Goldstar Script ("World" BST: 2=3, NST: unknown)

Tentatively:
14447 Goldstar (logo replaced) matching head SO (BST: 6=7, NST: 6=7)
15076 Goldstar (neck swap->unlabeled RW neck) (BST: 5=12)
16926 Goldstar (Fenderized) FO (U-PUs, BST: 8=2, NST: unknown)
18846 Breezy Script, J. Donahue (NST: 10=6 BST: 10=8 (control cavity), 10=9 (NPU cavity))



L12125 Goldstar Block, 1-pc "Fanatics", matching head, U-PUs (BST: 5=12 NST: unknown)
L13538 Goldstar Script, TST50, "MADE IN JAPAN" sticker, U-PUs (NST: 9=3 BST: unknown)
L13948 (or-43) Goldstar Block ("Fanatics", no stamp pics grr)
L14371 Goldstar Script, matching head MB, (no stamp pics)
L14887 Breezy Script (NST: 9=9, BST: 9=9)

Doesn't fit 83 nor 84?:
L20141 Goldstar Script, E-PU (NST: 9=3 BST: garbled =3) Outlier

 

[Sigmania]

This is a messy period.

You have several transitions:
Springy to Goldstar
Block logo to script
Spaghetti to script
1 piece to 3 piece to 1 piece decals
E/U pickups to VII, V, and VS1

Not to mention things being out of phase because of the lawsuit, and getting sent back and re-labeled and all that sort of stuff.

 

[Sigmania]

My guess is those L06 and L07 Goldstars are re-badged Springys from 1982.

Possibly caught up in the seizure and lawsuit?

The Quality decal Goldstars are mid 1983 on and coincide with the mid year catalog and subsequent change of pickups in the fall of 1983.

 

[Homer J. Simpson]

My guess is those L06 and L07 Goldstars are re-badged Springys from 1982.

The L07 has a February body stamp? We won't be able to solve this until we saw more guitars with production stamps and legible serial numbers. How can we get dealers and private sellers to at least note the stamps and for Pete's sake stop obscuring the serial numbers?

 

[Sigmania]

Yeah it's so dumb when they hide serial numbers. I see that a lot in Japanese listings.

 

[Sigmania]

L06308 Goldstar Script ST50 ("World", no stamp pics) (very late 82 or very early 83?)
L07847 Goldstar Script ("World" BST: 2=3, NST: unknown)

Tentatively:
14447 Goldstar (logo replaced) matching head SO (BST: 6=7, NST: 6=7)
15076 Goldstar (neck swap->unlabeled RW neck) (BST: 5=12)
16926 Goldstar (Fenderized) FO (U-PUs, BST: 8=2, NST: unknown)

L13538 Goldstar Script, TST50, "MADE IN JAPAN" sticker, U-PUs (NST: 9=3 BST: unknown)
L13948 (or-43) Goldstar Block ("Fanatics", no stamp pics grr)
L14371 Goldstar Script, matching head MR, "MADE IN JAPAN" sticker (no stamp pics)
L14887 Breezy Script (NST: 9=9, BST: 9=9)



Leaving these here for later processing:

1984, 1985?:

20793 Goldstar Script, VII-PUs, Nov 83 pots (NST: unknown, BST: 2=4 or 12=4)
21246 Goldstar Script "MADE IN JAPAN" sticker (NST: 4-27, BST: unknown)
21439 Goldstar Script LH ST55, "MADE IN JAPAN" sticker (no stamp pics, May 84 pots)
22259 Breezy Script TTE50 TEB-PUs (no stamp pics)
23083 Breezy Script TTE50 (NST: 5=1, BST: 8=16, Partscaster?)

L18647 Goldstar Script (NST: 4=1 (3=9 struck through), BST: unknown)
L22647 Breezy Script TTE60 (NST:1=10, BST:unknown)
L24480 Goldstar Script ST (NST:unknown, BST:2 10 or 19)

I tried to enter as many of these as I could. My eyes are burning so it is time to stop.

I did not use examples that had obviously been modded and where the serial number or code made it seem as if it was not all original or was otherwise difficult to pin down.

Until tomorrow...

 

[Sigmania]

L06308 Goldstar Script ST50 ("World", no stamp pics) (very late 82 or very early 83?)
L07847 Goldstar Script ("World" BST: 2=3, NST: unknown)

Tentatively:
14447 Goldstar (logo replaced) matching head SO (BST: 6=7, NST: 6=7)
15076 Goldstar (neck swap->unlabeled RW neck) (BST: 5=12)
16926 Goldstar (Fenderized) FO (U-PUs, BST: 8=2, NST: unknown)

L12125 Goldstar Block, 1-pc "Fanatics", matching head, U-PUs (BST: 5=12 NST: unknown)
L13538 Goldstar Script, TST50, "MADE IN JAPAN" sticker, U-PUs (NST: 9=3 BST: unknown)
L13948 (or-43) Goldstar Block ("Fanatics", no stamp pics grr)
L14371 Goldstar Script, matching head MR, "MADE IN JAPAN" sticker (no stamp pics)
L14887 Breezy Script (NST: 9=9, BST: 9=9)

I am going to take all of these and put them in numerical sequence with the potehrs and highlight the ones that seem odd or out of sequence or are some sort of anomaly.

 

[Sigmania]

L14371 Goldstar Script, matching head MR, "MADE IN JAPAN" sticker (no stamp pics)

Bad link

 

[Sigmania]

L06308 Goldstar Script ST50 ("World", no stamp pics) (very late 82 or very early 83?)
L07847 Goldstar Script ("World" BST: 2=3, NST: unknown)

Tentatively:
14447 Goldstar (logo replaced) matching head SO (BST: 6=7, NST: 6=7)
15076 Goldstar (neck swap->unlabeled RW neck) (BST: 5=12)
16926 Goldstar (Fenderized) FO (U-PUs, BST: 8=2, NST: unknown)

L12125 Goldstar Block, 1-pc "Fanatics", matching head, U-PUs (BST: 5=12 NST: unknown)
L13538 Goldstar Script, TST50, "MADE IN JAPAN" sticker, U-PUs (NST: 9=3 BST: unknown)
L13948 (or-43) Goldstar Block ("Fanatics", no stamp pics grr)
L14371 Goldstar Script, matching head MR, "MADE IN JAPAN" sticker (no stamp pics)
L14887 Breezy Script (NST: 9=9, BST: 9=9)

So I logged all of these I believe, If you add more please start a new post....

so I can keep them separated.

 

[Homer J. Simpson]

Bad link

Fixed that above, not sure what went wrong there, that L14371 guitar is known here.

L14671 Goldstar Script is matching headstock MR, with "MADE IN JAPAN" sticker (no stamp pics)

 

[Homer J. Simpson]

L07847 is a Kleinanzeigen offer, that's why I didn't link to it (too short-lived) but I saw he also posted it on Reverb. It's missing the shot of the body stamp there though:

 

[Sigmania]

I somehow missed that MB matching head Goldstar. Going to add it to the MB gallery and matching headstock gallery. What a looker!

 

[ATO]

L07847 is a Kleinanzeigen offer, that's why I didn't link to it (too short-lived) but I saw he also posted it on Reverb. It's missing the shot of the body stamp there though:

View attachment 37977

That's an odd one. I'd want to see the neck stamp to be sure.

 

[Homer J. Simpson]

That's an odd one. I'd want to see the neck stamp to be sure.

I actually contacted the seller this afternoon and just got a reply:

Unfortunately this is extremely faded but I read the last visible bit as a '3' with even fainter remnants of a '=', so I assume if the lot number is the same, the month is too (more often than not the lot number is different, or both month and lot number are different, but different month and same lot # is rare).



U-Pickups:



Considering the results so far I wouldn't call that odd - the parts were produced in February but that doesn't mean they were assembled in February, which in turn makes the serial more or less plausible (to me). I think it's becoming increasingly obvious that the serial tables are off by at least 2000 for the L-serials '82 -> '83 changeover.

 

[ATO]

I actually contacted the seller this afternoon and just got a reply:

Unfortunately this is extremely faded but I read the last visible bit as a '3' with even fainter remnants of a '=', so I assume if the lot number is the same, the month is too (more often than not the lot number is different, or both month and lot number are different, but different month and same lot # is rare).

View attachment 38071

U-Pickups:

View attachment 38070

Considering the results so far I wouldn't call that odd - the parts were produced in February but that doesn't mean they were assembled in February, which in turn makes the serial more or less plausible (to me). I think it's becoming increasingly obvious that the serial tables are off by at least 2000 for the L-serials '82 -> '83 changeover.

Yes it's the decal not the serial that I find odd. Quality Instruments in Feb 83.

 

[Homer J. Simpson]

There's also this one, L06308, which (if legit and the original decal, alas there are always these variables) could be from roughly the same time as the one super early Dec. '82 "Fanatics" Script logo Goldie. That all raises the question whether or not the "Fanatics" slogan may have been another UK-only thing.

 

[Sigmania]

That looks like a 1 piece decal.

Unless I see a lot more outliers I would tend to think that one (L06308) was re-labeled or some such thing.

 

[Homer J. Simpson]

To be precise, without stamps/PU/whatnot pics this is not even an outlier, it's just a reminder to stay simultaneously skeptical and open-minded.

 

[Sigmania]

Well, we have no month codes, so there is not much to go on either way. Just a SN and a decal.

And I hear what you are saying about keeping an open mind, but after looking at this for quite some time the pattern I have seen is that one piece decals arrive by mid 1983 roughly aligning with the printing of the mid year catalog.

There is a logical evolution of the decals that I am seeing as laid out in these threads:

1982/83 Block Logo Gallery

1983 Goldstars Script Logo

Logos Evolution

I am seeing definite patterns and then outliers. The outliers are a minority of the individual guitars that I am seeing. If they were close to 50% I would have more questions, but so far the inconsistencies lead me to think that some guitars came back for whatever reason, not to mention the Partscasters.

I went through the same thing in sorting out the 2xxxxx serial numbers, etc. etc. You keep gathering examples and then patterns emerge.

So please keep sharing examples and we will see where this leads us.