It's a Corona (has the fender sticker on the back of the headstock), and near as I can tell from reading here is that it may be 2003/4, because the serial number starts with CVP. I read Hans post that CUP was 2002/3, so just guessing, really.
Actually I think the prefix stayed the same for a given model and the numbers just kept going up.
I think I remember that he was clarifying a poorly written label for somebody once, and corrected the year at the same time.
But for sure he can tell you.
It has the chesterfield headstock inlay, it isn't the rosewood veneer, not sure if that means anything.
Don't remember ever hearing anybody say they could tell a difference, but it looks like it got away?
My sympathies.
Acoustic Coronas are underrated in the market but they seem to be just coming into their own.
Buyers in the last couple of years have expressed a higher level of initial happiness (like 99%) than when I first joined when there were a fair amount of reports (like about 15%) of being "underwhelmed". In fact I was one of 'em.
I distinctly remember
somebody, I think it was actually then Fender CEO Larry Thomas in an interview with Vintage Guitar a few years back, saying that he believed well-built guitars didn't really peak until about 10-15 years old and that's exactly where Coronas are at right now.
My D40 certainly bears it out, it really started blossoming about 3 years ago.
But there's also a lot of owners of all eras that believe New Hartford made the best ones of all, and they made D50ce's for a couple of years too.
EDIT (I see Richard just corroborated that and trust me, he's had
several from each factory!)
SO hang in there.
I missed a nice one a month or so ago because my bike wasn't selling, but I have cash now so want to grab one.
