NGD: 1997/2013 ASAT Special Honeyburst

[schmike]

Hi all! Back on the forum after a decade-long hiatus. Sold the S-500 (I miss it), bought a Legacy (love it) and today got an ASAT Special (amazing!). I wanted to share because I think it's a beauty (although I think a cream pickguard will improve it!) and also because I have some questions.

First, photos!




Questions: Trying to figure out its story. The neck looks like a "neck only" build from January 2013. The body dates to June 1997, so presumably someone ordered a replacement neck.

(1) Wanted to see if you all could help me decode the codes on the neck. I think the first line means ASAT Special Quartersawn Maple. Not sure what HI and UTE mean. The rest makes sense except for the '102656'. Any ideas?

Neck:
NECK ONLY
ASAT.SPL.HI.QS-MP.UTE?
S/N decal x drill for Schaller
1st 25+
890 970
102656
1-29-13



(2) Any insight on what the squiggles on the body mean? RW? That blue underneath? The random stamped D?



Thanks for any guesses! Always fun trying to figure out the story of a guitar from some scratches and stamps.

[Craig]

Hi all! Back on the forum after a decade-long hiatus. Sold the S-500 (I miss it), bought a Legacy (love it) and today got an ASAT Special (amazing!). I wanted to share because I think it's a beauty (although I think a cream pickguard will improve it!) and also because I have some questions.

First, photos!




Questions: Trying to figure out its story. The neck looks like a "neck only" build from January 2013. The body dates to June 1997, so presumably someone ordered a replacement neck.

(1) Wanted to see if you all could help me decode the codes on the neck. I think the first line means ASAT Special Quartersawn Maple. Not sure what HI and UTE mean. The rest makes sense except for the '102656'. Any ideas?

Neck:
NECK ONLY
ASAT.SPL.HI.QS-MP.UTE?
S/N decal x drill for Schaller
1st 25+
890 970
102656
1-29-13



(2) Any insight on what the squiggles on the body mean? RW? That blue underneath? The random stamped D?



Thanks for any guesses! Always fun trying to figure out the story of a guitar from some scratches and stamps.

Here is my interpretation:

This was likely a replacement neck for a customer who ordered it from a G&L dealer.
It seems that the customer wanted a #1A neck with a custom neck shape of 0.890" at the 1st fret and 0.970" at the 12th fret, Quarter-Sawn with Maple fretboard
with Vintage Tint Glossy neck (VTGN). They also wanted the S/N to be waterslide decal instead of the current screw on metal plate (2013). The "102656" is the dealer's order number for the neck.

The stock neck on an ASAT Special was a #2 neck. Reference post: What are the USA neck size options, past and present?.
The standard #1A neck measures 0.820" at 1st fret and 0.870". Reference post: 2009 - 2013 USA Neck Profile Tables.

The RW in the body neck pocket indicates that the original neck should have a Rosewood fretboard.

Hope this helps.

[schmike]

Thanks Craig! That all makes sense. Appreciate your taking the time to reply. An interesting history.

[sam]

Hey schmike!

Great score and thanks for the details. Love honeyburst finish. (Thanks to Craig too )

Also welcome. Looks like first couple of posts, tell us about what brought ya to G&L, do you have other G&L’s, what else are you playing?

[glvourot]

Wow, your Asat is certainly a looker. The top looks great , and the binding complements it very nicely. I 'm sure it is lovely to play. Nice buy ! Welcome to the forum.

[schmike]

Hey schmike!

Great score and thanks for the details. Love honeyburst finish. (Thanks to Craig too )

Also welcome. Looks like first couple of posts, tell us about what brought ya to G&L, do you have other G&L’s, what else are you playing?

Thanks for the welcome! I do have another G&L - a Candy Apple Red Legacy dating to early 2010s. Other than that I play an Ibanez AS153 for jazzier stuff and a Larrivee D-03R acoustic. Love the G&Ls - the sustain and unique sound of the ASAT Special give me something I can't get anywhere else, and this neck is super smooth. The Legacy gets used for classic blues and traditionally "Stratty" stuff. I just love the quality and the trem system. The only Strat-style body I've played that competes with it is a 2004 Fender Highway One my brother once had - fantastic guitar with a neck that fit like a glove - but I hated the trem system and always felt much happier coming back to my Legacy. Below some photos - also included a photo of my brother's blueburst Comanche with ebony fingerboard and saddle-lock bridge.

[sam]

Yessiree now we’re talking’.

Some beauties ya got there. Like the Ibanez as well. My son has a ES 335 copy that is great.