Factory Neck Plate Mix-up: Summer of 1990

[LamChop]

I am the second owner of a stunning Grand Am Lam Hollow T. Sometime after purchasing the guitar early in 2001, I went to the Anderson site and did the serial number search to learn more about my instrument (07-26-90), I was surprised to see that the bridge was listed as "Sunken Locking Schaller." Odd thing was, though my guitar's bridge was obviously stock, it was clearly not equipped with the bridge specified.
<a href="http://s87.photobucket.com/albums/k156/edandiz/?action=view&current=IMGP3452.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k156/edandiz/IMGP3452.jpg" border="0" alt="Anderson1"></a>

[A beauty, no?]

Anyway, I recall emailing the good folks at TAG, and was advised that the records kept back in the day weren't always exactly precise. I was fine with this explanation, but for some reason, it nagged at me a bit.

Long story short, I did some poking around on the Anderson site and was rewarded (I think) when I happened to put the serial number 07-27-90 into the search box [for the guitar completed the very day after mine was]. The guitar described there was virtually identical to mine, except the bridge was specified as Non-Tremelo Fixed Bridge - the very bridge on my guitar!

While I'm fairly confident that the neck plates for these two guitars got mixed up and that I actually own 07-27-90, I haven't removed the neck pickup to confirm the switch (if I'm right, my guitar should have an H1- pursuant to my theory, the other would have an H1).

Anybody have any thoughts on this? Thanks - Ed

[ConnemaraGuitar]

Go ahead and pull the pickup, unless you're worried abut stripping the heads of the screws. If so, then take to a guitar tech who can perform the surgery for you.

On the other hand, what is the question you're asking? Is it whether your guitar is an authentic TAG? Or whether some nefarious character might have switched the neck plate to avert some sort of national/natural disaster? If the latter, you might want to have "Roy" investigated. He's been known to impersonate Tom's brother, "Ray."

Can't be too safe these days...

PS: The wife and I are now in the midst of watching season #5 of "24." I think the president Did It. I'd bet a pair of size 10 shoes on it!

[ConnemaraGuitar]

That is a beautiful guitar! Hard to believe it's old enough to vote.

By the time I was 18 I had all sorts of dings and scratches. Not to mention a little buckle rash, which fortunately cleared up after a round of antibiotics. It was the 70s, y'know!

[LamChop]

... for your kind words. I'm such a hack player that I feel more comfortable pounding on my G&Ls and Japanese Fender. This guitar is nicer than I deserve or will ever do justice to. On the bright side, she's in a lot better shape than those of her ilk.

BTW, I really had no angle in posting this admittedly insignificant episode. I just thought it interesting, and was thinking that some other folks might as well.

But once you explained where your mind was at, I was able to better appreciate your view. Peace! - Ed

[pipedwho]

Pull the pickup! You have me in suspense. :D

BTW that is a gorgeous top!

[ConnemaraGuitar]

Mornin', LamChop,
I suspect you really do deserve that guitar, and it deserves you as well.

In spite of what I said before, maybe pulling the pickup is not necessarily a good ides (unless, of course, you need a new pickup). First, I don't know what finish TAG was using back when, but on some older guitars, installed items such as pickup rings can adhere to the top finish and, if not removed properly, can result in removing a hunk of finish as well.

Second, I don't know how TAG was labelling its pickups back in the old days. Today, the pickups have a nice little sticker on the bottom indicating the type...this may have not been the case before. I'd be surprised if Laurie had the time to engrave the information on each pickup the way she did on the neck plates.

It is an interesting mystery, on reflection. TAG's resident historian (writer, comedian, jet pilot, photographer, etc.) "Roy," might have some thoughts on solving it once and for all...in a non-destructive manner!

[LamChop]

... to pull the pickup just for confirmation of my little theory. Just not worth the trouble and given the facts, I'm almost certain that the neckplates got switched. Maybe Roy will chime in. Anyhow, thanks for the kind words! - Ed

[tom]

no need to pull the pickup. i just went back to the tattered hard copy, and neither of those dates has a kahler and both have H1- in the neck. probably a typo when the old books were added to computer data.

[pipedwho]

Well there you go! Now we can all sleep at night. ;)

BTW the top on that guitar must turn some heads. :)

[mdrs]

That's one amazing piece of Swamp Ash you've got there!! One of the coolest tops I've seen.

[LamChop]

... for the kind words about the guitar. The photo actually doesn't do it justice, if you can believe it.

Tom, thank you too for your quick reply. I'm wondering if you update your online database as discrepancies come to light... Thanks again! - Ed