Bill Lawrence “550” Model (EX-LIGHT, c. 1988–1989)

The “550” model appears to have been produced beginning around November 1, 1988, and remained in production for several months to perhaps just under a year.

The advertisement from the November 1988 issue of Player magazine is particularly entertaining:

Bill Lawrence LIMITED EDITION EX-LIGHT – New release at ¥55,000 (55 is delicious!)

The Bill Lawrence EX-LIGHT version. Marking eight years since BL’s debut in Japan, this “limited product” bridges BL’s concept of It’s New Vintage into the 1990s.

1957, 1962, 1972—needless to say, these were milestones in rock history: the years when superstars took flight and the legendary instruments we now call classics were born. Bill Lawrence himself was there, at the very center of those eras. He is the original creator of the new-technology pickups—the U.S.-made Black Labels—that perfectly reproduce the warm tone of vintage sound.

EX-LIGHT—Bill’s proud creation, equipped with those Black Labels and meticulously faithful to vintage detail.

For the rock guitarist thinking, “Maybe next time, it’ll be a Bill,” this is a limited-edition model.

(Note: As the EX-LIGHT is a limited-edition release, it does not appear in the regular catalog. Please try it at your local store, and make your reservation or purchase soon.)

On sale November 1, 1988.

Did you enjoy that? The humor might not fully translate into English, but it certainly captures the spirit of the time.

The identifying feature of this model is the “EX-Light” logo on the headstock.

It was said to be made of lightweight basswood, yet the actual weight is 3.32 kg (including strings)—not especially light, and comparable to that of an alder-bodied guitar. Given that the specific gravity of alder is 0.43 and that of basswood 0.41, the difference is minimal. However, since the body routing matches that of the BL series, I believe that when this model was first sold for ¥55,000, it was most likely made of alder.

There’s nothing in the guitar’s specifications that feels “cheap,” so how could it have been sold at such a low price—¥55,000, later ¥51,000? I would point to three factors:

1. Body routing identical to the BL series (H–S–H configuration), likely made from surplus stock.

2. A traditional 21-fret neck, a design already falling out of favor by that time.

3. The use of jumbo frets, which were unusual for a 21-fret neck.

From these points, I’ve reached the following conclusion:

This guitar was a cost-effective model designed to use surplus materials. The body was probably made from leftover alder stock from the BL series (aside from the more popular BL-1). Ash, being more expensive, was likely avoided. Once that inventory was depleted, basswood probably replaced it. Similarly, unused 21-fret necks and excess jumbo frets from the BL line may have been used up at the same time.

Of course, this is only speculation.
If anyone who knows the circumstances of the time can provide more accurate information, I’d be delighted to hear it.

Weight: 3.32 kg (including strings)
(Updated August 17, 2016)