Post by Tony Ravenscroft on Mar 6, 2022 17:52:50 GMT -6
Randomly clicking around Reverb, I spotted two listings for Washburn BT-4 that happened to be in colors I haven't encountered recently, so I figured I'd log them here.
So, like tres nifty, right? Then, I noticed they were a couple years apart, and I figured, "hmm, let's show a common difference" -- the easiest of which is the serial number.
In the latter '90s, Washburn's vendor (generally Cort) typed out -- yes, really -- the serial number on a little strip of sticky paper, which would be pasted somewhere, usually the headstock back but alternatively the heel plate, the heel end, or even on the neck proper. Here, we know the red was late 2001, the purple early 1998. (Actually, it's Dark Blue.)
But then the differences started to get my attention. Look at the photo right above this, and compare:
The cavity covers are entirely different.
Then I compared the fronts. Okay, the knobs are different, but check out the change in pot placement. And the space between the neck pickup and fretboard. And the dot size.
Finally, I happened to glance over at the BT-3 I'd just tuned up, noting the reassuring chunkiness of the big Grover tuners. The full-size (102) Rotos have the mounting ear pointing down, as opposed to the 45-degree Mid-Size (305) and even smaller Mini Rotos (205).
On my BT-3, I can barely squeeze a fingertip in between the ear of one and the case of another, and I've got smallish hands. On the red BT-4, the gaps are pretty large... and, sure enough, there's the 45-degree ears -- Mids, maybe even Minis.
So, both Cort yet maybe two different factories. Two distinct variants on the same model. If you were thinking about adding circuitry, there'd be more space in the '98.
So, like tres nifty, right? Then, I noticed they were a couple years apart, and I figured, "hmm, let's show a common difference" -- the easiest of which is the serial number.
In the latter '90s, Washburn's vendor (generally Cort) typed out -- yes, really -- the serial number on a little strip of sticky paper, which would be pasted somewhere, usually the headstock back but alternatively the heel plate, the heel end, or even on the neck proper. Here, we know the red was late 2001, the purple early 1998. (Actually, it's Dark Blue.)
But then the differences started to get my attention. Look at the photo right above this, and compare:
The cavity covers are entirely different.
Then I compared the fronts. Okay, the knobs are different, but check out the change in pot placement. And the space between the neck pickup and fretboard. And the dot size.
Finally, I happened to glance over at the BT-3 I'd just tuned up, noting the reassuring chunkiness of the big Grover tuners. The full-size (102) Rotos have the mounting ear pointing down, as opposed to the 45-degree Mid-Size (305) and even smaller Mini Rotos (205).
On my BT-3, I can barely squeeze a fingertip in between the ear of one and the case of another, and I've got smallish hands. On the red BT-4, the gaps are pretty large... and, sure enough, there's the 45-degree ears -- Mids, maybe even Minis.
So, both Cort yet maybe two different factories. Two distinct variants on the same model. If you were thinking about adding circuitry, there'd be more space in the '98.
I've been trying to sort out the Mavericks for a dozen years, and my eye usually goes to little quirks.