USA Guitar - no headstock dot?

Hi,

I am considering a purchase of a Butterscotch ASAT Classic. The guitar has a Certificate of Authenticity and a proper looking spec sheet identifying the build date as 9/28/16. The logo and model name have the black outline and the serial number (CLF078xxx) is on a waterslide decal in the proper place on the back of the headstock. The tuners look to be American. The guitar was featured on G&L's Facebook page as being shipped to Musician's Friend on October 11. The previous owner purchased the guitar from MF, decided it was not for him, and traded it to the shop. The case is correct. If it makes a difference the neck is a modern classic (9.5 radius) with gloss vintage tint. Everything matches the spec sheet.

The only thing that I wonder about is that the back of the headstock does not have the signature dot - or at least none that I can detect. I like the guitar very much but want to be sure what I am getting. Is the lack of a visible fill dot a cause for concern?

Thanks
Ken

Hi,

I am considering a purchase of a Butterscotch ASAT Classic. The guitar has a Certificate of Authenticity and a proper looking spec sheet identifying the build date as 9/28/16. The logo and model name have the black outline and the serial number (CLF078xxx) is on a waterslide decal in the proper place on the back of the headstock. The tuners look to be American. The guitar was featured on G&L's Facebook page as being shipped to Musician's Friend on October 11. The previous owner purchased the guitar from MF, decided it was not for him, and traded it to the shop. The case is correct. If it makes a difference the neck is a modern classic (9.5 radius) with gloss vintage tint. Everything matches the spec sheet.

The only thing that I wonder about is that the back of the headstock does not have the signature dot - or at least none that I can detect. I like the guitar very much but want to be sure what I am getting. Is the lack of a visible fill dot a cause for concern?

Thanks
Ken

I don't think it's a cause for concern. I believe that the factory had recently changed neck fixtures which no longer use a pin to mount the neck blank prior to cutting on the CNC machine.
I have emailed your post to one of my contacts at the factory to get details of this change. I expect to here from him in a day or so.

Stay tuned.

Thanks, Craig. I honestly believe this guitar is fine but I like to dot my i's and cross my t's.

Ken

Hi,

I am considering a purchase of a Butterscotch ASAT Classic. The guitar has a Certificate of Authenticity and a proper looking spec sheet identifying the build date as 9/28/16. The logo and model name have the black outline and the serial number (CLF078xxx) is on a waterslide decal in the proper place on the back of the headstock. The tuners look to be American. The guitar was featured on G&L's Facebook page as being shipped to Musician's Friend on October 11. The previous owner purchased the guitar from MF, decided it was not for him, and traded it to the shop. The case is correct. If it makes a difference the neck is a modern classic (9.5 radius) with gloss vintage tint. Everything matches the spec sheet.

The only thing that I wonder about is that the back of the headstock does not have the signature dot - or at least none that I can detect. I like the guitar very much but want to be sure what I am getting. Is the lack of a visible fill dot a cause for concern?

Thanks
Ken

I don't think it's a cause for concern. I believe that the factory had recently changed neck fixtures which no longer use a pin to mount the neck blank prior to cutting on the CNC machine.
I have emailed your post to one of my contacts at the factory to get details of this change. I expect to here from him in a day or so.

Stay tuned.

I just heard back from Spencer (who is the factory Foreman):

Hi Craig,

We re-tooled our neck line last summer. In order to increase accuracy and consistency we went to tooling points off the end of the neck so we
can use the same holes for both the front and the back. In the past, we’d use the face dot holes when machining the back of the neck.
This would be problematic when doing face dot delete as you might imagine. Now when the neck is complete we simply cut off the tabs and
there are no tooling holes left on the neck.

This was a rolling change that ran from June to about September.

I’ve attached a couple pictures with the new system.

Thanks,

Spencer

Hope this helps.

That piece of Ebony......Oh My God!!!

I think I want a guitar neck with Ebony, no frets cut but exquisitely finished with something like a Broadcaster headstock just to use as a piece of art. That is one fine piece ow wood!

Tom

Thabkjs, Craig. Exactly what I was hoping (and expecting) to hear!!

Regards
Ken