Bill Lawrence BL-3 (Antique Brown, circa 1985)

This BL-3, produced around 1985, features an AB (Antique Brown) finish. The transparent coating beautifully showcases the natural grain of the ash body. It shows signs of heavy playwear, with numerous dents and scratches, but retains plenty of character. The original price at the time was 90,000 yen.

Inside the neck pocket, the marking reads “BL-3 211R AB.” However, I’ve found no record of a model with that exact name in any available references. It’s likely that an extra “1” was stamped by mistake, and that the correct designation was “BL-3 21R AB.” Since this remains speculative, I’ve chosen to list it here exactly as stamped.

The pickups are mid-period L-250s. The bar pole pieces have the same arched design as current versions, but the gray lead wires and slightly different construction details indicate an earlier production run.

Body: One-piece ash
Weight: 3.69 kg (including strings)
(Updated August 19, 2016)