Bill Lawrence BL-2 (Gold Hardware, Late 1980s)

This BL-2, fitted with gold hardware, represents the final specification produced in the late 1980s, just before the BL-2 series was discontinued.

At that time, band music in Japan was in decline, and the demand for guitars was shrinking. To survive, many Japanese guitar manufacturers were forced to relocate production overseas to countries with lower labor costs.

While technology could be exported, craftsmanship and the spirit of the artisan could not. As a result, the overall quality of Japanese guitars declined, and instruments produced abroad no longer lived up to the “Made in Japan” standard.

For that reason, Japanese-made guitars built up through the late 1980s are now highly prized as “Japanese vintage” instruments.

According to the neck pocket marking, this guitar should have a rosewood fingerboard, but as you can see, it features maple instead. This is not unusual—such inconsistencies are quite common among Bill Lawrence guitars.

The BL-2 is equipped with three L-250 pickups, known for their distinctive nasal character and expressive tone, qualities that have earned them a loyal following among discerning players.

Body: Alder
Weight: 3.31 kg (including strings)
(Updated August 18, 2016)