Le Grande Serial numbers ?

[George Webb]

I bought a Black D10 Legrande III (E9 compensator) S/N 1785L from Al Brisco in Ontario, Canada the fall of 1998.
I think he took delivery of it in late August that year.
Still sounds great!
George Webb

[Andrew Ivens]

I picked up a Legrande last fall in Guelph, Ontario. It's black with S/N 586L.

Ron it looks like our S/N's are pretty close!

Could you fellas help me zone in on year of manufacture of Black LeGrande D10, 9 + 6, with silver pedals.

Serial Number 596L

[Tony Glassman]

John in the 800's and 900's I've seen both 4 and 14 hole bellcranks as we know them today. Hal Rugg got the first 14 hole crank guitar. serial # 6xx. I have the 2nd. Serial# 6xx and Jeff Peterson has a 6xx or 7xx with 14 hole cranks. Both Hals, mine and likely Jeff Peterson have the thicker machined 14 hole bellcranks. Mine was delivered in late Oct 1990. But was held up because Ron wanted to go with the 14 hole cranks due to the amount of 1/2 tone stops I had and I load my pedals and knee's heaver than most. Especially for that time period. Otherwise mine would have arrived earlier with 4 hole bellcranks.

Edited to say I'm sure their were a few more machined 14 hole bellcrank guitars than the above mentioned. But I have no idea how many. Also I seem to remember seeing several Lashley Legrande guitars with the counterforce that were branded Lashley Legrandes. This was in the very early days of the counterforce. And they may have even been Labeled LII's. Again, this was a long time ago.

I have an LL2: s/n 7xx that has the thicker machined14-hole bell-cranks

[Tim Carr]

Emmons / Lashley LeGrande purchased circa 1992 stamped 859L. Grey Burl mica with 14 hole bell cranks. Three knees were added to the C6 by Jim Palenscar around 2015 and now it sits as an 8+8.

[Roger Rettig]

Tony G.:

Interesting to see those heavier-gauged bell-cranks! I had completely forgotten this but, several years ago I found that, on my E-Eb lower (LKL in my case), the bell-crank was breaking at the weld (close to the cross-shaft). It would fracture at first and then, under strain, the crack would open up and 'let go'. It was a pain-in-the-neck because it always happened when I was busy, usually wnen I was away 'on the road', and would require me robbing my C6 neck of a bell-crank so I could soldier on.

Passing through Nashville on the way to my FL home, somebody suggested these heavier bell-cranks. I'm not sure who - maybe Bobbe Seymour but it's more likely to have been Dave Robbins at that particular time. If memory serves me right, they were an after-market part and were of a much higher quality than the standard BCs that came as standard om the guitars. I believe that they're cast in one piece and not welded. Whoever did the 'mod' for me had worked out a kind of linked double-bell-crank arrangement - I can't illustrate it here because my steel is currently in transit from the UK - that removed all tension from the function.

I haven't had any trouble with it since and, as I said, I'd quite forgotten it until I saw the photo above.

[Artur Nutz]

Hey,
I've got a Cayman Green Emmons Lashley LeGrande II.
Serial No. is 1600L.
The original owner told me he thinks it's from somewhere around 1994. Could this be right?
Best,
Artur

[Adair Torres]

Mine is 1694 L

?????

[Roger Rettig]

Adair:

What colour is it? If it's black (or, maybe, rosewood), then the preassembled bodies-and-end-plates would have sold faster in those finishes.

Based on my (August, 1998) SD-10 being 1886L, I'd guess 1995 at the earliest, maybe '96.

Hard to tell with Artur's Cayman Green one: a nice finish, but not a best selling one. His '1600' might not have left Burlington until later - '97/'98? But that's a guess and impossible to quantify.

(I reached out to JoAnne Aycoth recently - Jim's widow - simply to stay it touch; they were such good people. I haven't heard back yet. She would know about late-'90s LeGrande shipments.)

[Adair Torres]

Hello....
Mine is Black, I bought it in 1994.

SD10 LLG II

[Roger Rettig]

As black would sell fast, that makes their output only around 200 guitars over four years.

Doesn't sound like quite enough to sustain a business. Of course, the Aycoths took over in '98 and perhaps things were in disarray at that point. Ron Sr 's health was failing and there was considerable debt.

It must have taken some unraveling.

[Harold Power]

I have a Lashley Legrande S/n 539L. According to an email, which I got from Rebecca Lashley back in April 2007 saying it was built 5-24-1988 with 8 pedals and 8 knees. Single coil pickups,Schaller keys,and 11 compensators. The finish is DGRAY. It has 4 hole bell cranks. Due to extreme deafness, I have not played this guitar in the past 6 years. The guitar is in excellent condition and has beautiful tone.H.P.

[scott murray]

my LL3 is 2179L, built in 02 I believe

[Larry Hopkins]

I have a white LEGRANDE lll ,serial no. 2180L,sd-10
Larry

[Roger Rettig]

2179 and 2180 posted consecutively!!!

[Larry Hopkins]

I think Scott’s is a double neck
Larry

[Roger Rettig]

Scott's is most definitely a double-neck; I think he has 10+12!!!

Double-necks or SD-10s, it makes no difference to the run of the numbers. My '98 Sapphire Blue SD-10 (1886L) had the end-plate cut out for a D-10. Quite a few had that. It confirms that, in some cases, the actual configuration could be either, depending on what was next on the build-list; a completed body with end-plates (with two cut-outs) could become an SD-10 or a D-10.

[scott murray]

very cool!
yes mine's a D10 with 10x12. it was 10x11 when I got it, I'd love to know whose it was before me and if it came with 10x11 from the factory or if more was added later. best guitar I've ever played/owned

[Larry Hopkins]

My SD-10 has just the 1 cutout in the end plate
Larry

[Roger Rettig]

Just to add to the general info.....

I have a black D10 Short Key-Head with 8+4.

343L

Original bill of sale dated 6/30/86.

And of course my LG3 #2085L (10/2000).

[Ron Pruter]

This is a good thread. Isn't there anyone with so much time on there hands that they can compile a list from this info. I'd do it but I'm too busy keeping this couch from floating away. RP

[Roger Rettig]

Too technically challenging for me, Ron, but I agree.

I have posted my LG s/ns many times (and am happy to do it) but could it become a 'sticky'?

[Eric Philippsen]

I have what looks to be an early D10 SKH. It’s white and has 9 pedals although there’s an existing crossbar for a 10th pedal, too. I just got it and haven’t had a chance to clean it up and check out all its details. 4 knee levers. It looks to maybe have had a 5th KL. Kind of dirty and grimey but I think it’ll clean up nice.

Serial number is low - 068L. I don’t know what year that might be. I’m guessing maybe the first or second year of production what with its 4-hole bellcranks?

Many years ago I had a black D10 SKH. For some reason I sold it. Should never have done that so this one’s a keeper.

[Lynn Martin]

I have d10 8&5 #1035lL Delivered to me from Emmons in May of 1993. It is grey Birdseye front and back with black top. Is there any way of knowing if this would be a “Strayhorn” build?