Invader with no serial number

I just acquired a 1997 Invader that has no serial number. I have determined that it is a legitimate G&L build. It has the birthmarks in the body and the neck. Everything except the blank neck plate and lack of serial number is "by the book" as to what you would expect to find.

After some investigating on this site and Jos' website, it appears this is one of the first Invaders made with the four bolt neck. The first ones made did not have the G&L script on the neck plates. I'm curious though on how many four bolt neck guitars were made with no serial number. I have found CLXXXX examples in the registry with neck/body dates from March of 1997. Did they produce guitars for the whole month of February without serial numbers? Or, was the waterslide serial number simply overlooked? Or, is mine just a handful of four bolt sample guitars built in February of 1997? Was mine sold to a dealer with no serial number? Or, did an employee end up with this one when it was new?

Another interesting note is that the Invader Plus that Jos owns is stamped Feb 4, 1997 and Feb 5, 1997 and has "Guitars by Leo" under the G&L logo on the headstock. Mine is stamped Feb 2X, 1997 (just over two weeks later) and has a Pat Pending waterslide decal.

Just curious on the history and wondered if there was any information or insight available. Below are the references noted above and pictures to prove it exists.

http://www.yowhatsshakin.com/yowhatssha ... _Plus.html
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=20

Looks awesome - Ash?

Yes, the body is swamp ash.

Craig - Were you able to find out anything from your contacts at G&L? Was this a prototype or was this one a mistake/oversight?

Craig - Were you able to find out anything from your contacts at G&L? Was this a prototype or was this one a mistake/oversight?

I just forwarded your post to Spencer Brown and asked if he could check with Johnny McLaren to see if he remembers this guitar. It is a long shot trying to find it without serial number or Sales Order number.

Stay tuned.

Thanks Craig. I can't imagine they would have let too many guitars out the door without serial numbers. I should have looked under the pickups for a sales order number when I was changing strings and had it apart. Next time I change strings, I'll look in the pickup cavities.

Changed strings today and took the pickups out. Nothing under the pickups other than a bunch of short pieces of cut sticky foam to put the pickups at the correct height. Kind of surprised to see a bunch of foam instead of springs. No wonder the pickups wouldn't raise any higher. So, I took out the foam and fluffed them up a bit and put the pickups back in a little higher than before. There was nothing under the neck or middle pickup and just CLF Ebony under the bridge pickup.

Foam is also usually employed on Jaguars/Jazzmasters rather than springs; I use dish sponges when I need more height