{"product_id":"1983-bill-lawrence-moridaira-telecaster-natural-maple-mij","title":"1983 Bill Lawrence Moridaira Telecaster Natural Maple MIJ","description":"\u003cp class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003eA very cool early-1980s Bill Lawrence T-style guitar, built in Japan by Moridaira during one of the most interesting periods of Japanese electric-guitar production.\u003cspan class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis example carries serial number B35905 and appears to date to approximately 1983. While a definitive factory serial chart for these Japanese Bill Lawrence guitars has proven difficult to locate, surviving dated examples support an early-1980s date, including a documented 1985 natural Tele-style example carrying serial B50384. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe history behind these guitars is particularly interesting. Moridaira — the company behind Morris guitars — became Bill Lawrence's Japanese distributor near the end of the 1970s. Lawrence later described entering a joint venture with Toshio Moridaira, with the instruments being manufactured at Moridaira's Morris factory in Matsumoto, Japan. Lawrence supplied pickups and endorsed the instruments. By 1983, he said he discovered that Moridaira had expanded the line to include very traditional copy-style guitars. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat history makes this traditional blackguard-style T model particularly appropriate to the period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFeatures include:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNatural-finished solid body\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaple neck\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOne-piece maple fingerboard\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e21 frets\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBlack dot position markers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWalnut skunk stripe\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTraditional T-style single-coil pickup configuration\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBlack pickguard\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaster volume and tone\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e3-way pickup selector\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSix-saddle string-through-body bridge\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eVintage-style tuning machines\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChrome hardware\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBolt-on neck construction\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSerial B35905\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMade in Japan\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe body has particularly attractive grain under the transparent natural finish, giving the guitar a great early-'50s-inspired appearance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne thing I would intentionally not claim is that this is a BT2M-70 Trigger II. Later BT2M-70 examples are documented with a Trigger II headstock designation, Black Label T1\/T2 pickups and a different six-section saddle arrangement. The current pickups on this guitar are conventional T-style units, and without removing the neck to look for a model stamp I think the more accurate description is simply an early Moridaira-built Bill Lawrence T model. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe guitar has just been cleaned, restrung and set up with low action.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOverall condition is Very Good. There are light scratches, small marks and other normal signs of use expected from an instrument roughly four decades old, but it presents very nicely overall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe frets show almost no wear and have a tremendous amount of life remaining.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA great example of the Japanese “lawsuit-era” guitar boom, and an especially interesting piece because of the direct connection between Moridaira, Morris and Bill Lawrence during this short-lived collaboration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCase: Soft\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eScale Length: 25.5“\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNut Width: 1.65“\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFret Wear: 10\/10\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAction at 12F (6th): .06“\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAction at 12F (1st): .04“\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWeight: 7lbs 14oz\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOverall Condition: 8.9\/10\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCool Factor: 11 out of 10\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eUSA Seller, check my feedback to see how I value my customers and see my other listings for more rare Japanese Guitars and other unique gear! I use recycled packaging for reduced environmental impact and ship all items 100% insured against loss or damage.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eInternal Use (Bin) - PA-13-1\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Morris","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54338369945964,"sku":"UNI-3240361","price":899.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0991\/9378\/2636\/files\/DSC03082.jpg?v=1788978871","url":"https:\/\/japaneseguitarcompany.com\/products\/1983-bill-lawrence-moridaira-telecaster-natural-maple-mij","provider":"Japanese Guitar Company","version":"1.0","type":"link"}