Snappy

[sumitagarwal]

It has a diamond volute and no apparent scarf joint, but dot markers. No idea what this is. Maybe a one off?

Yea, that is weird. I'm seeing a CE-180W model, but inconsistent details

For a one-off I'd anticipate a fancier headstock and maybe fancier fret markers. On a Snappy factory reject I could imagine them using up some old stock of tuners rather than their current production tuners, so it could be later than the tuners would indicate.

Who knows

 

[sumitagarwal]

Being that the bridge is a drop-in design and not a slot bridge, that pretty much excludes it from later more premium models. Earlier premium models have way more elaborate inlays and this is bare bones.

Between that and the Tokai branded tuners instead of Grovers I'd say this is probably an earlyish low-end model where they changed the model number to 180 to reflect a lower Snappy pricepoint. Having had some early Cat's Eyes I'm sure the fretboard has been dyed to simulate a darker appearance than the wood's genuine color.

 

[Sigmania]

When I said one off, I meant mistake. But not sure how you put the wrong fretboard on a neck with a volute.

One possibility is it was a repair and was then sold under the Snappy label.

Other than that I’m not sure how that happens.

 

[Sigmania]

And the only W-150 I know of was a Hummingbird Custom guitar that predates this one by 2-4 years.

"Humming Bird Custom" Labeled Guitars

There was also an HW-150 Hay Wagon in 1977 but that had a jacaranda body.

Hay Wagon Guitars By Tokai

Seems made up and arbitrary to me.

 

[sumitagarwal]

Yea, heading in the other direction there is a much later CEV "180S", but obviously not a match for countless reasons. Its a Clarence White style that has a long-slot bridge, no fret markers, bound fretboard, vintage kluson-style tuners, and so on.

Seems like this Snappy is just a mass-produced one they somehow messed up big time and had to find a way to get rid of it.