Ngd f-55

adorshki

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I was just looking at the pictures again - it is beautiful.
I notice there's no longer a serial number stamped on the back of the headstock and no hand-written paper label inside the guitar and the printed serial number we can see starts with the letter 'C' - are these all Cordoba era changes?

No, they stopped stamping the headstock in Tacoma (production started in late '05).
"C" has been around since Westerly although normally in a 2 letter combination for the model followed by the unit number; in Corona they were all 3-letter combos for the model followed by the actual unit number.
Tacoma switched to a different system altogether that encoded the build date and unit number in the s/n.
The laser-etched heel-block s/n plate is a Cordoba innovation, though.
 
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chazmo

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Bruce, IIRC, Corona-made instruments had serial numbers starting with a C (so it's not unique), but yes, these are all CMG's changes. The paper label has been replaced with a plate that is inside the guitar, attached to the base of the neck block.

edit: Oh, Al's right, as far as the removal of the branded serial number on the back of the headstock, that did indeed start during the Tacoma-era.
 

D30Man

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Al / Chaz - You guys never cease to amaze me the with the brand knowledge you have.. A lot of folks on this forum impress me for that matter. Thanks for making a guy feel inept :)
I will just say the laser engraved heel block seems to be the way to do it.. Very difficult to mess that up over time unless of course you decide to paint the inside of your guitar with flex seal to keep it from leaking.. I seem to recall Neal if I am correct took on a D-35 with a similar situation and brought it back to some degree of glory..
 

D30Man

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I was just looking at the pictures again - it is beautiful.
I notice there's no longer a serial number stamped on the back of the headstock and no hand-written paper label inside the guitar and the printed serial number we can see starts with the letter 'C' - are these all Cordoba era changes?

Thanks Bruce.. Despite the bad photography you can see she is a pretty girl. Prettiest I have ever taken to the dance. I am shopping for a new TRC since Ray sent over that link for blinged out TRC's..
 

chazmo

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Al / Chaz - You guys never cease to amaze me the with the brand knowledge you have.. A lot of folks on this forum impress me for that matter. Thanks for making a guy feel inept :)
I will just say the laser engraved heel block seems to be the way to do it.. Very difficult to mess that up over time unless of course you decide to paint the inside of your guitar with flex seal to keep it from leaking.. I seem to recall Neal if I am correct took on a D-35 with a similar situation and brought it back to some degree of glory..

Oh yeah, a TON of knowledge around here, D30Man. It's rare we can't collectively answer a question.

I like the plate attached to the heel block WAY better than a paper label. I think the plate is unlikely to be lost, but I do think it's removable (I'm not sure how it's affixed) and so that invites some shenanigans... Assuming it's removable, I have to give the nod to the branded serial number in the headstock as the "best" way to do it. Identifying guitars that way was really excellent for finding stolen merchandise because it's so easy to see. And, when someone has mucked with it, it's usually quite obvious.
 

idealassets

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Great guitar. As long as it is not stamped "scratch & dent" anywhere, any factory imperfections appear to be vanished from this fine looking guitar.
 
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