The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

Oh, but my old '81 AV-325 had only two knobs, early body shape, and a natural finish! The later '81 AV-325s (stripe on the headstock, bigger logo, glossier neck finish) had 4 knobs (like my current one), and Corsair's booklet catalog shows larger logo/no stripe 325s with 4 knobs. Check the attached pic of my '81 AV-325 (Kahler mod) flanked by two '81 AV-310s!

"Features subject to change", as always!

je

_________________
...doing bad things to good Vantages since 1985...

1981 AV-320
1981 AV-320
1981 AV-325
1982 AV-320
1982 VS-695-12
1982 VSH-445
1983 AV-330
1995 VST 33 CE TBK

OK then! Let's just say: "whatzit looks like a modded guitar!"

You've got three nice whatzits there! Thanks for the pics!

_________________
All vantage-branded guitars were lower-priced instruments aimed at the beginner-to-intermediate market. It has no interest to collectors and very little demand among players! (www.allexperts.com)

I'll meet in the middle at "Whatzit looks like a modded '81 MIJ Avenger", howzat?

I wish I'd taken more/better pictures, but back then film + developing was expensive! I needed to buy strings!

je

_________________
...doing bad things to good Vantages since 1985...

1981 AV-320
1981 AV-320
1981 AV-325
1982 AV-320
1982 VS-695-12
1982 VSH-445
1983 AV-330
1995 VST 33 CE TBK

Thazit!!

Have you ever checked if your '81 two-knob-325 has an "earlier" ser.no. than '81 four-knob 325s ?

First run? Prototype?
Or just a Squid custom order, to leave more space for stickers?

_________________
All vantage-branded guitars were lower-priced instruments aimed at the beginner-to-intermediate market. It has no interest to collectors and very little demand among players! (www.allexperts.com)

I sold that 325 in 1990 or so, and can't find a note of the serial #...my memory says the small logo/lighter neck finish = earlier serial #, and I can't remember ever seeing an exception to that. Still could just be my impression, but I have seen a LOT of Avengers over the years.

Fly Ashtray = 1020088
Squid Head = 1020453
My current (used to be blue, now silver) AV-325, striped/glossy/larger logo headstock = 1110146

This pic, left to right, is Fly Ashtray (early '81 310), Squid Head (early '81 310), Hollywood ('82 310 w/pickguard, 21 frets), a 1983 330 (upgraded string trees, 21 frets), and my later-'81 325 (upgraded tuners, bone nut replacing brass). Of course, I look at that now & see that my "larger logo" description might just be the shift slightly left so that the 'V' lands between the G&B string tuners instead of lined up with the B.

je

_________________
...doing bad things to good Vantages since 1985...

1981 AV-320
1981 AV-320
1981 AV-325
1982 AV-320
1982 VS-695-12
1982 VSH-445
1983 AV-330
1995 VST 33 CE TBK

And, just to throw a typical Vantage-style wrench in the works, here's an AV-325/natural/"small" logo/early body/brass nut/2-knob with no TRC...access is presumably under the neck pickup, which my old AV-325 MIGHT have had, since I easily put a Kahler string lock behind the brass nut on that one.

je

_________________
...doing bad things to good Vantages since 1985...

1981 AV-320
1981 AV-320
1981 AV-325
1982 AV-320
1982 VS-695-12
1982 VSH-445
1983 AV-330
1995 VST 33 CE TBK

...and, another well-worn "whatzit" 2-knob/early body/natural 325.

je

_________________
...doing bad things to good Vantages since 1985...

1981 AV-320
1981 AV-320
1981 AV-325
1982 AV-320
1982 VS-695-12
1982 VSH-445
1983 AV-330
1995 VST 33 CE TBK

Just to confuse matters, my 1981 AV310 (1020311) hasthe truss rod nut at the body end.

All or most of the single-pickup versions do, I think.

Just in case:

"Features subject to change", as always!

je

_________________
...doing bad things to good Vantages since 1985...

1981 AV-320
1981 AV-320
1981 AV-325
1982 AV-320
1982 VS-695-12
1982 VSH-445
1983 AV-330
1995 VST 33 CE TBK

As always, I'm stunned by the depth of knowledge in here; you guys are pretty good, eh!! And I do so like the Avenger body style; thanks for sharing those, je; good stuff!!!