MIJ Wolfgang Special Serial Numbers

[Casemeister]

So...

In 2016 I bought a 2010 Vintage White MIJ Wolf Special on eBay, from a seller who deemed it factory second or B-stock. It seemed brand new to me, although there was a slight finish crack on the lower horn where the neck met the body.

This seller would scratch off a few digits of a serial number, replace that serial number with a gold sticker with a new serial number, and also stamp "USED" into the headstock. No big deal for me... I just wanted the guitar.

It's been my #1 ever since, and it's just amazing to play.

Last year I bought a MIM Wolf Special to use as a backup and, while it's a decent guitar, it just pales in comparison.

Another as-new 2010 Vintage White MIJ came up for sale recently -- from a completely different, unrelated seller -- and I bought it. I set it up to be a 1:1 copy of my #1, and it's awesome. Just for kicks, I looked at the serial number. It's #2663. I'll henceforth refer to this guitar as the #2...

The gold sticker recently peeled off my #1, so I took a look at the stamped serial number to compare. The last two digits (plus J) are scratched out, however the first two digits are 00. Whoa.

Does anybody have any further info on what my #1 could be? Obviously the serial would indicate it's one of the first 99 made, but could it be some kind of factory sample/prototype?

I haven't done too much of a comparison between the two, but two major differences are:

- The #1 has an unfinished trem cavity, and the #2 has a light finish in the trem cavity.

- The #2 has the modern "FR" logo on its brass block, whereas the #1 has US Patent numbers.

I was always curious as to how this particular eBay seller got these guitars. What's also interesting is that a friend of mine was interested in a Marty Friedman signature guitar that she found on Marketplace earlier this year. I handled the deal for her, and discovered through looking at photos that it also had one of the gold serial number stickers. I bargained the seller down by letting them know I knew of its lineage as B-stock or a factory second, because that sticker was unmistakable.

I'd love to hear anybody's thoughts on my #1. Perhaps it's just one of the first 99, which is super cool, but part of me wonders if it's a little more unique.