prototype Breacdwinner with serial numbers scratched in
wagnerro1
Posted 2022-01-18 10:20 AM (#556866)
Subject: prototype Breacdwinner with serial numbers scratched in
Joined:
January 2022
Posts: 7

I picked up an early Breadwinner, serial number E00318, in Lyrachord white. It's in great condition, but it has a code scratched expertly on both the back (to the left of the battery compartment) and at the very top of the headstock. This code, S0803805, seems to be scratched in underneath the paint.

Anyone got info on this? I'll post some photos.
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wagnerro1
Posted 2022-01-18 10:28 AM (#556867 - in reply to #556866)
Subject: RE: prototype Breacdwinner with serial numbers scratched in
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January 2022
Posts: 7

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wagnerro1
Posted 2022-01-18 10:29 AM (#556868 - in reply to #556866)
Subject: RE: prototype Breacdwinner with serial numbers scratched in
Joined:
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Posts: 7

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wagnerro1
Posted 2022-01-18 10:30 AM (#556869 - in reply to #556866)
Subject: Re: prototype Breacdwinner with serial numbers scratched in
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Posts: 7

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wagnerro1
Posted 2022-01-18 10:31 AM (#556870 - in reply to #556866)
Subject: RE: prototype Breacdwinner with serial numbers scratched in
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Posts: 7

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Mr. Ovation
Posted 2022-01-18 12:08 PM (#556871 - in reply to #556866)
Subject: Re: prototype Breacdwinner with serial numbers scratched in


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December 2001
Posts: 7209

Location: The Great Pacific Northwest
Looks like an early production model. No idea what the "code" is, and that wouldn't leave the factory like that. Don't see anything to indicate prototype
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wagnerro1
Posted 2022-01-18 1:42 PM (#556872 - in reply to #556866)
Subject: Re: prototype Breacdwinner with serial numbers scratched in
Joined:
January 2022
Posts: 7

I thought the placement of the jack indicated it was a prototype/pre-production model. What would indicate that a Breadwinner is a prototype? Thanks for the fast response! :-)
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Mr. Ovation
Posted 2022-01-18 3:10 PM (#556874 - in reply to #556866)
Subject: Re: prototype Breacdwinner with serial numbers scratched in


Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 7209

Location: The Great Pacific Northwest

Well, I own the prototype. It has a bridge carved from aluminum, and the pickups are as well I think (it's not in front of me). Then, there were 10 pre-production guitars built to the final spec, and I have one of those. The fact that it has a serial number pretty much puts it in production. The pre-production models shown at NAMM had X-001, X-002 etc. The proto doesn't have a serial on it.

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wagnerro1
Posted 2022-01-20 10:53 AM (#556904 - in reply to #556866)
Subject: Re: prototype Breacdwinner with serial numbers scratched in
Joined:
January 2022
Posts: 7

Very cool. Is that your guitars at http://www.baronaudio.com/collection/ ? Is the tan one (042) the prototype and the white one (101) the pre-production model?

I seem to remember seeing a list of pre-production Breadwinners that were sent to professional musicians gratis, but I can't locate that list now. Does that sound familiar to you?

I've got a black Lyracord Breadwinner with humbuckers too, it's a great player. I looked at the Date Your Ovation page at http://www.ovationtribute.com/Date%20your%20Ovation.html and that says E + 4 digit serial number = 1973-1975, and E + 5 digit serial number = 1975-1980. Mine seem to be the reverse, the white single-coil model shown above is E00318 and the black humbucker model is E3249. Do you know if they have it backwards on that webpage? I'm trying to estimate the date of production on the white Breadwinner above.
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Mr. Ovation
Posted 2022-01-20 11:39 AM (#556905 - in reply to #556866)
Subject: Re: prototype Breacdwinner with serial numbers scratched in


Joined:
December 2001
Posts: 7209

Location: The Great Pacific Northwest
Yes and yes as for as the guitars go. To my knowledge non-of the Breadwinners were sent gratis.

The website list is fairly accurate and e+4 digits came before e+5 digits etc. It could have been made during the transition from single coil to humbuckers. They were not very good with tracking back then. There are a bunch of scenarios I can think of, but the dates on those pages and here in the reference section are as accurate as you're going to get unless you have an exception.
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