i'm not sure it's the right thread to speak about visual variations, because it's thread about motherboards : ask me if it will be better to have a new thread for visual variations and MFRS informations
Nice photo collection! Is that just a problem with my eyes, or are some 464's a few centimeters longer than others?
optical effect due to my Nikon wich have large anglular lens
The bottom one on http://i623.photobucket.com/albums/tt313/lezone/lezone-collection-8bits-cpc5.jpg, that is the "missing" german amstrad 464 one isn't it?
it is the 664 german version, with grey keys instead of blue (it cost me a lot but i'm happy to have one of it)
Hmmmm, you don't eventually have photos (or scans) of that boards?
i own some of it, others are from internet but if i have the motherboard information that means i have a photo somewhere in my digital archives
i'll take a look (due to space problems, my amstrads are not with me for now, i'll change my home soon, so i think i'll be able to make all photos possible after january 2011, i just ask you to wait some months)
I am sure the "MFRS or colored sticker" thing did have some meaning - but I've no clue which one. Could indicate the hardware in it, or location or date when or where it was assembled, or shipping/distributor destination info, or whatever. Guess you haven't found out its meaning, or did you?
i found some tracks to understand it, but it is not 100% perfect : each MRFS new letter = new modification of the hardware, it can be motherboard or keyboard or language roms or something other visual aspect
Oldest have round colored sticker and serial number on a small sticker, newest have MFRS white sticker ans serial is write on main plate
i sort hardware by country, then by MFRS or yellow round sticker wich can be yellow, orange or red
because mfrs grow up with serial number on the same country, but i'm not sure the same mfrs on english computers means the same french version of hardware inside
464 with big keyboard have colored sticker yellow
note : 464 english models with big keys have sticker with "British Electrotechnical Approvals Board"
letters grow with every modification, then one day, yellow sticker is replaced by MFRS white and restart from A
464 with short motherboard and english+spanish texts in plastic, restart MFRS from A
464 with yellow sticker ; serial start with K31 or K32
464 with MFRS ; serial start with 531, 533, 535, 544,
472 with normal keyboard have yellow sticker
472 with spanish ñ key have orange sticker, or red sticker
472 have not MFRS white sticker (use this to detect fakes on ebay)
664 have yellow sticker ; serial start with K32-53 , K32-54 , K32-55
664 have not MFRS white sticker
6128 have usually yellow sitcker or white MFRS
BUT i own one with red sticker!
6128 with short motherboard (arnold4) have MFRS O, serial start with 671- or 672-
plus versions have a square colored sticker with letter, it's the same in computer/console and in the box, on the plastic cases in the box (usually green)
there is a variation of the upper plastic case of the 6128+ computer (under amstrad logo)
monitors and other peripherals have MFRS too
the only yellow sticker i know is on a GT64 old english monitor
that's a big list i made since now 6 years, with some internet photos and with my computers, some people help me to add computers to my list
i'll be happy if some of you can help me to add devices to this list
i'll make this list available to public probably in 2011 when my real life will be more clear than now
here are the models i have referenced, it miss some extra variations like small motherboard on 6128 for example :
english 464 / old logo / big keys
english 464 / old logo / small keys
english 464 / new logo / small keys
english 464 / new logo / small keys / short motherboard ?? never see one
french 464 / old logo / qwerty / big keys
french 464 / old logo / qwerty / small keys / 2 AMPS on label
french 464 / old logo / qwerty / small keys / 2 AMP on label
french 464 / old logo / azerty / small keys
french 464 / new logo / azerty / small motherboard
spanish 464 / old logo
spanish 464 / big logo / small motherboard
german 464 / schneider big logo / big keys
german 464 / schneider big logo / small keys
german 464 / schneider small logo / small keys
german 464 / amstrad logo / small motherboard (keyboard with grey keys) (i own this one)
spanish 472 / without ñ key
spanish 472 / with ñ key
english 664 / FDD (floppy disc drive)
french 664 / LDD (lecteur de disquettes)
german 664 / schneider logo, grey keys
english 6128 / old logo
english 6128 / new logo
french 6128 / old logo / qwerty
french 6128 / old logo / azerty
french 6128 / new logo
french 6128 / new logo / silver plate on floppy disc (called the Alsacian model)
spanish 6128 / old logo
spanish 6128 / new logo
german 6128 / big logo
german 6128 / small logo
english 464+ / qwerty
french 464+ / azerty
spanish 464+ / with ñ key
english 6128+ / qwerty
french 6128+ / motherboard v6
french 6128+ / motherboard v7
spanish 6128+ / with ñ key
GT64 english amstrad
GT64 german schneider
GT65-2 new logo
CTM 640
CTM 644-2 old logo
CTM 644-2 new logo
CTM 644-2 schneider big logo
CTM 644-2 schneider small logo
MM12
CM14
MP-1
MP-2F
MP-3
CT-1
i miss some other peripherals
oh and at last, i own the rare and famous american 6128 modified by INDESCOMP (wich was sold in europe because amstrad never sold the cpc in usa), it's english amstrad, qwerty, with centronics connectors
here the plate, photo as a gift for you

as you can see, this one is exceptionnal, yellow round sticker with A letter, serial is on plate on chrome, INDESCOMP text ... Amstrad hardware is crazy to collect, enjoy