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Primoff
Username: Primoff

Registered: 06-2006
Posted on Friday, June 09, 2006 - 7:00 pm:   

I recently picked up a japanese-made artist with serial number F98 30404, black with creme binding. It has perloid tuners (also made in japan) super 58s, gibralter bridge, rubber knurled knobs, rubber ring aournd pup switch....all the good stuff. Thing is, I can't find a model that matches up with the features. Def. factory fin...def made in Japan....can anyone out there help? Backstory claimed it was a one-off but I have no proof...really just want to know what it is. I have pix but don't want to clog up the board unless someone thinks they can help by looking at it. Thanks
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Mr_roadstar
Username: Mr_roadstar

Registered: 06-2002
Posted on Friday, June 09, 2006 - 7:49 pm:   

Could be a domestic model. They've been making cool stuff for the home market non-stop!

Steve
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Johns
Username: Johns

Registered: 02-2001
Posted on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 8:17 am:   

Primoff:

We love solving mysteries. Go ahead and upload the picture. If you have a problem with it, send it to my email (click on the username link, on the left) and I'll do it.

What country are you in?
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Primoff
Username: Primoff

Registered: 06-2006
Posted on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 8:43 am:   

Thanks, John. I just sent some pix to your email. Hope you guys can help me gain some insight about this guitar....I'm in the US....but don't know anything about the history of the guitar, other than the story given to me by the guy I bought it from...which was that it was a one-off made for a band's music video....kinda doubt his version but it's a sweet guitar so I didn't really care....just want to know what it is, beyond the obvious fact that it's an artist of recent vintage that was made in Japan....

Thanks!

Mark
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Dave_g
Username: Dave_g

Registered: 01-2002
Posted on Saturday, June 10, 2006 - 6:09 pm:   

Hey mark, does it look like this ?
1
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Primoff
Username: Primoff

Registered: 06-2006
Posted on Sunday, June 11, 2006 - 8:52 am:   

similar, but covered pickups (guy at Ibanez said they were super 58s) and I can't really see the knobs, are they rubber knurled and is there a rubber bit around the pickup switch? If so, it's close minus the covered pickups....is the one you're showing from Japan?
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Primoff
Username: Primoff

Registered: 06-2006
Posted on Sunday, June 11, 2006 - 8:57 am:   

how do you post pix? I have some, but can't get them to post.......
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Primoff
Username: Primoff

Registered: 06-2006
Posted on Sunday, June 11, 2006 - 8:59 am:   

Oh, and mine has perloid tuners...
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Johns
Username: Johns

Registered: 02-2001
Posted on Sunday, June 11, 2006 - 9:06 am:   

Dave:

Close, but no cigar. Here's the pictures that Mark sent:

98ARFront 98ARFront1
98ARHeadFrnt 98ARHeadBack

Can you send some pictures of the back of the guitar? It would be good to see details like a waist cutout and the neck joint construction.

Right now, it looks to be a black, with chrome hardware version of the '98 AR700.

Considering other "mystery" models that we've seen here, I'd believe that this was a non-US model or a limited run (like for GC), rather than a "one-off" for a video. Something like that would have probably been done at the LA shop and would likely have some indication of it's origin. But anything is possible.
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Johns
Username: Johns

Registered: 02-2001
Posted on Sunday, June 11, 2006 - 9:51 am:   

Mark:

OK, your latest picture of the back has me confused. It has the smoothheel of the AR2000. I don't remember that this was one of the features on the AR700.

Here's the picture of the back:

ARback
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Primoff
Username: Primoff

Registered: 06-2006
Posted on Sunday, June 11, 2006 - 9:51 am:   

One website I just visited referred to the ar-700 as physically identical to the ar 2000, but minus the AAA clear-finish top.....they had a photo of it in a sunburst and it looked identical to mine except for the color.....and sold for about 400 less when it was made (or around 1500 new).....any thoughts?
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Primoff
Username: Primoff

Registered: 06-2006
Posted on Sunday, June 11, 2006 - 11:26 am:   

a black ar-2000.....anyone ever hear of such a thing?.....
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Hasenobu
Username: Hasenobu

Registered: 01-2006
Posted on Sunday, June 11, 2006 - 11:42 am:   

Hello.

Primoff,

This guitar of yours has dot-inlays, and chrome hardware..., then, I would like to call it an AR100BK..., though I have almost no confidence.

Mr roadstar,
>Could be a domestic model. They've been making cool stuff for the home market non-stop!

I don't think that is the case, at least AR series are concerned. Officially, there WERE years when no new ARs were available until 2000, except for some spot production models.

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