Washburn B15 Force ABT serial #

[Vyvvyan]

G'day,

First post

A while ago I scored a Washburn B15 for $50 from a garage sale.

Yeah....I know, right !

So anyway, for some stupid reason I decided to go through all the axes I have and figure out their history from serial number.
Yeah, bored doesn't even begin to cover it..... ;-) :-D

So the B15......all of the info I can find says the serial # should be on the back of the headstock. It isn't. ...and the headstock hasn't been messed with. The whole axe is pretty tight and original. Needs a clean and some love, but seeing as it's so tidy and plays so well, that can wait for another day.

So, back to topic, is there somewhere else the serial number could be ? I have removed the pot and battery covers and looked in there. No dice.

Under the neck would seem like a silly place for it, and I can't imagine it's under the tiny truss rod cover.

Yep. I know about the G. It came strung like that from the garage sale, and with the string unwinding/coming apart. It stays in perfect tune, so until I pull the whole show apart for a thorough clean, it can stay like that.
The thorough clean will probably happen when the G finally lets go.... ;-) :-D


Oh....This information isn't sought in regards to it's resale value, it's for my own curiosity. I buy. I don't sell.

Thanks in advance.

 

[kodiakblair]

Hiya @Vyvvyan

You're right,the serial should be back of the headstock. I've had a rake of those Force ABT Washburns over the years.
The crazy crackle finishes started late 88 or 89 but the headstock on your B-15 has the new shape. Think the Force ABT got renamed Force AXcess or AXxess,something like that.Those had the new shape.

The red crackle here was 88, the red B-105 from 89. Note the change of headstock. Those years are IF the serial uses the first number for the year



BTW that green is well cool There's a fella on here @MEKer should be able to steer you right,runs the 2 Washburn threads.

 

[MEKer]

G'day,

First post

A while ago I scored a Washburn B15 for $50 from a garage sale.

Yeah....I know, right !

So anyway, for some stupid reason I decided to go through all the axes I have and figure out their history from serial number.
Yeah, bored doesn't even begin to cover it..... ;-) :-D

So the B15......all of the info I can find says the serial # should be on the back of the headstock. It isn't. ...and the headstock hasn't been messed with. The whole axe is pretty tight and original. Needs a clean and some love, but seeing as it's so tidy and plays so well, that can wait for another day.

So, back to topic, is there somewhere else the serial number could be ? I have removed the pot and battery covers and looked in there. No dice.

Under the neck would seem like a silly place for it, and I can't imagine it's under the tiny truss rod cover.

Yep. I know about the G. It came strung like that from the garage sale, and with the string unwinding/coming apart. It stays in perfect tune, so until I pull the whole show apart for a thorough clean, it can stay like that.
The thorough clean will probably happen when the G finally lets go.... ;-) :-D

Oh....This information isn't sought in regards to it's resale value, it's for my own curiosity. I buy. I don't sell.

Thanks in advance. View attachment 3073395 View attachment 3073396 View attachment 3073397 View attachment 3073398 View attachment 3073399 View attachment 3073400

View attachment 3073394

Heya Vyvvyan,
Interesting things about the B-15 you have is that the B-15 came out in 1986-1988...supposedly. All have the sharp pointy headstock. The --what we we call--Shark Fin headstock came out on the ABT basses in 1989---like what you have. So that says 1989 for your bass.The lack of a serial number occasionally pops up on all models and that's OK because other things can tell us the year. Another interesting thing is I have only one file on a 1986 B-15, none at all on 1987 and all the rest I DO have on file are all 1988's (sharp pointy headstocks). They are listed in the Washburn price page at $579 in the 1988 page, not to be found in the 1987 price page (can't find my 1986 price page) BUT NOT found in the 1989 price page with the other B models, yet yours is obviously 1989! Again, Washburn often had discrepancies between ads, price pages and catalogs! Not to say the product was bad---we love our Washburns as they are for the most part quite excellent. In 1990 the ABT basses were replaced by the AXXESS series basses ( eg: XS -4, XS-5, etc).
So, enjoy your 1989 Force ABT (Advanced Bass Technology) B-15 which is missing a serial number on the back bottom edge of the headstock where it usually was printed.

By the way, a 1988 would start with the last number of the year and you are supposed to know the decade. Example is 800767---with the 8 meaning 1988. A 1989 would start with a 9. Other models and years used other methods. I believe I have posted a couple of time in the past the 6 or 7 different ways Washburn has done their serial numbers depending on the models and the years involved.

I can get you a Washburn Club member number and put your bass on our databass list if you'd like. Let me know---always welcome new Washie members!!

PS: I noticed your magma green color is not officially listed---but there it is--staring right at us!

P.S.S. $50! You scored!

 

[Vyvvyan]

Thanks both of you for those replies. MEKer, that info helps out a lot. The whole scenario was starting to confuse me, as the only reason I could put down to the lack of serial number was the possibility the neck had been replaced at some point. Confusing because there's not a mark on the fixing screws from neck to body, or any of the other usual signs.

It'd be great if you want to hook me up to the Washburn club, and it's nice to know that my $50 score is also an idiosyncratic little number.

I have to say, I am impressed as a first time Washburn player at the action, balance, sound and feel of this thing. I literally haven't done a thing other than plug it in. No fret buzz, no nasty or annoying little anything's with it.

I have to also confess to being new to bass. Used to play a lot of guitar before kids came along. Now I own a few, play them little, and mostly enjoy the process of buying cheap stuff (Squire, Epiphone etc) and making them play like expensive stuff. I scored that bass as $100 package, 1 guitar and the bass and expected to have to work on it to make it good. Nup. It's a real gem of a thing ! Pretty much find it hard to put it down and pick up the guitars instead now. It's been a great and satisfying journey so far , learning little things like James Brown numbers, trying to learn Stevie Wonder riffs ( the two usual suspects.....still tripping myself over with Sir Duke, but hey....still fun) and a few other, to most players I suppose, basic tunes.

Again, thanks for those answers...and yeah, sign me up !



Cheers !

 

[MEKer]

Heya Vyvvyan----You are officially Washburn Club Member #171 and you can see it here on our main club thread:
The Official Washburn Club (Part 3)

Also, your B-15 is now on our database list thread right here at post 574:
What Washburn Bass Do You Own (Database)?

So much information on Washburns in all the posts on these two threads! About anything you'd wish to know.

BTW: here is what the earlier models of the ABT B-15 did to help with what each pot did for your bass. You'll notice the pot descriptions are not on 1989 models of the B-15 and the 1987 ad shows EMG pickups where the other years had standard Washburn pickups.That's Washburn for you! But we forgive them! Also notice the ad says the B-15 (along with the other 3)is NEW for 1987 so I will disregard the file I have where the owner swears he bought it in 1986 (it, like yours, has no SN). I should have caught that earlier. Dumb me. Duh! So 1987-1989.

 

[wot4m8]

Hi , I came across this page & post the other night whilst looking for info on my own . So I thought I just HAD to join in . I"VE got the exact same Bass ! Same ( apparently unlisted) colour , the green crackle ,back has original colour , front face seems a little faded ( Sun maybe ) ,... I read something about the green crackle not being listed and I see Vyvvyan is from Tasmania Australia , …. I'm in Australia , so maybe the green is an Aussie thing (?) The ONLY difference I can see is that the words " Chicago Series " are not on my headstock . The Serial Number on mine is 8090262 . Still got the sticker on the back as well . Would appreciate any info on mine as well Thanks

 

[wot4m8]

Sorry ,maybe I should have tagged MEKer or Vyvvyan here , or go to the Facebook page (??)