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Post subject: Lead I or II ?
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 3:59 pm
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I was just wondering something. I have an Old Lead I guitar, at least the decal on the headstock says so, but the manual that came with it, says LEad II. And according to how many control and switches it has, it is indeed a LEad II guitar. I wonder how many guitars were shipped and sold this way? Incorecct decal? Ya think this makes my guitar unique and worth lots of money? (Tongue in cheek of course). Just wondering if anyone else here has run accross this mistake? BTW... It was my first ELectric, and I bought in new in 81' I think. I still like it. :)
I always thought it was a Lead I, till the internet came along and I looked it up..lol


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Post subject: Re: Lead I or II ?
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 5:45 pm
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crowhaven2000 wrote:
I was just wondering something. I have an Old Lead I guitar, at least the decal on the headstock says so, but the manual that came with it, says LEad II. And according to how many control and switches it has, it is indeed a LEad II guitar. I wonder how many guitars were shipped and sold this way? Incorecct decal? Ya think this makes my guitar unique and worth lots of money? (Tongue in cheek of course). Just wondering if anyone else here has run accross this mistake? BTW... It was my first ELectric, and I bought in new in 81' I think. I still like it. :)
I always thought it was a Lead I, till the internet came along and I looked it up..lol


Okay - how many pickups does your guitar have? The Lead Is have 1 humbucker (bridge position) and Lead IIs have 2 single coils (one in the neck position and one in the bridge position). Both guitars have a volume, a tone, and 2 toggle switches - a 3-way switch and a 2-way switch. On the Lead II the 3-way gives you the neck pickup, both pickups, or the bridge pickup. The 2-way is a phase switch that operates in the middle position (both pickups).

On the Lead I the 3-way selects the coil of the humbucker - you can select the front coil, both coils, or the rear coil. The 2-way phase switch works when you have both coils selected.

It could be that they just threw in the Lead II manual by accident on your Lead I. If you have the 2 single coils but a Lead I decal on the headstock, then you've got an oddity. Post some photos and let's take a look.

By the way, I have a Lead II; got it new backin '79 and hang on to it for sentimental value. Here's mine:

Image


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Post subject: Re: Lead I or II ?
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 6:28 pm
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Mine looks just like yours, only it has a Lead I decal on it. Oddity yes.. Maybe a treasure..lol
Here's a link to the pic http://www.crowshaven.com/ccc/lead1.jpg

Image

I think it should be worth a lot of money. One of a Kind eh? :wink:


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Post subject: Re: Lead I or II ?
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 6:53 pm
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You know Leads seem to be going up in price a bit; I saw a Lead I on a dealer sit for $700 a couple of months ago.

Definitely a unique conversation piece; I don't think there would be many Lead IIs with a Lead I neck around (or the reverse - a Lead I with a Lead II neck).

I don't know; could be a "Monday Morning" guitar (someone grabbed the wrong neck) or maybe a swap at a dealer before you bought it. Unfortunately FMIC doesn't have records of the old Leo or CBS era guitars (in fact they only have detailed serial number records going back to about 1993; evidently the 1985-1992 records were accidentaly destroyed at some point).


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Post subject: Re: Lead I or II ?
Posted: Thu May 12, 2011 8:38 pm
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John C wrote:
You know Leads seem to be going up in price a bit; I saw a Lead I on a dealer sit for $700 a couple of months ago.

Definitely a unique conversation piece; I don't think there would be many Lead IIs with a Lead I neck around (or the reverse - a Lead I with a Lead II neck).

I don't know; could be a "Monday Morning" guitar (someone grabbed the wrong neck) or maybe a swap at a dealer before you bought it. Unfortunately FMIC doesn't have records of the old Leo or CBS era guitars (in fact they only have detailed serial number records going back to about 1993; evidently the 1985-1992 records were accidentaly destroyed at some point).


That's a bummer. I just looked in the case, the receipt is in there. It says Lead II on it. I bought it in August 1981 brand new. If the neck was the wrong neck, then it was done at the factory. Possible. Maybe it was during the transistion? When did they stop making the Lead I's? This one could have been hanging on the wall at the store for a while. But he sold it as a Lead I. Because of the decal I guess. I always that it was a Lead I...lol.
Funny after I looked them up on the net, I went and looked at the Manual, and its a Lead II. Maybe they just put the wrong decal on it I don't know. As all guitars do, this old thang has it's own personality, and I stil enjoy playing it. It's aged pretty good, kinda looks like a relic now with the finish worn off. I wouldn't sell it for anything. I tried to trade it in at another store years later, and the guy that worked there talked me nto keeping it. he said he liked it and I should hang on to it. I'm glad I did.


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Post subject: Re: Lead I or II ?
Posted: Fri May 13, 2011 11:26 am
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crowhaven2000 wrote:
That's a bummer. I just looked in the case, the receipt is in there. It says Lead II on it. I bought it in August 1981 brand new. If the neck was the wrong neck, then it was done at the factory. Possible. Maybe it was during the transistion? When did they stop making the Lead I's? This one could have been hanging on the wall at the store for a while. But he sold it as a Lead I. Because of the decal I guess. I always that it was a Lead I...lol.
Funny after I looked them up on the net, I went and looked at the Manual, and its a Lead II. Maybe they just put the wrong decal on it I don't know. As all guitars do, this old thang has it's own personality, and I stil enjoy playing it. It's aged pretty good, kinda looks like a relic now with the finish worn off. I wouldn't sell it for anything. I tried to trade it in at another store years later, and the guy that worked there talked me nto keeping it. he said he liked it and I should hang on to it. I'm glad I did.


No, Leads were firmly CBS guitars since they were made from '79 through '82. Lead I and IIs were made that entire time; Lead IIIs were only made in 1982 (although they could have possibly started in late 1981). I suspect that an assembler at Fender just grabbed a Lead I neck by accident since the only difference is the decal and nobody in QC caught it that day.

The transition from CBS to FMIC was in February 1985; by that point the Leads had been gone for 2 years.


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Post subject: Re: Lead I or II ?
Posted: Sun Jun 05, 2011 7:55 am
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It's a Lead II body with a Lead I neck. Now, if you took it apart and saw the body was cut for two humbuckers, then you'd have a further oddity. But, I doubt it makes much difference in value. These things, in near mint shape, are still available for between $400 and $700 (June, 2011).


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Post subject: Re: Lead I or II ?
Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 11:47 am
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Hey there!
It could of been a "Monday" guitar....(although Thursdays were my tough day after Wed. Load/drive/unload/setup/play 5 hrs/drive 2 hrs home/sleep from 4 to 6/work), but also could have been a neck swap at a dealer (although technically a no-no) due to possible availability of maple or rosewood Leads at the store (Hypothetically speaking of course!)
I really liked these guitars and was lucky enough to get a Lead 1 1/2 proto (hum and a single i think) at an employee sale way back then. Unfortunately, I'm also dimwitted enough to have loaned it out shortly thereafter and haven't seen it since (*Kicks self*)
Anyway, sweet guitars.

All the best,
rob

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Post subject: Re: Lead I or II ?
Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 12:48 pm
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Arent the decals applied after the necks are assembled with the guitars?


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Post subject: Re: Lead I or II ?
Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 1:15 pm
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They were, yes.
My point is.....that if its a mistake, it could just as easily have been made "Post-factory" as well as in the factory. And again, I'm just theorizing here, but here's a possible scenario.
Store has a Lead II with a maple neck in stock. Customer says, "Got any with Rosewood fretboard" Dealer says "sure" or "no but I can swap a neck with this other one." Again....not saying this is the case.....saying that it isnt outside the realm of possibility.

just something to consider....no way of really knowing.

All the best,
rob

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Post subject: Re: Lead I or II ?
Posted: Wed Jun 08, 2011 2:11 pm
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If the body could be identified a far off different date than the neck, it would prove your theory that it happened post factory. The OP bought it new, surely an amusing anomaly.


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