This is my first 5 string and I just might be hoooked! The band I play in tunes to Eb, so I am used to a 4 string tuned 1/2 step flat. With the 5 string (tuned BEADG) These songs just sound so much fuller. In other words the B string on the 4th fret sounds much better than an open Eb. A low C# sounds pretty mean too instead of playing a C# on a detuned 4-string. The only hurdle is transposing all our songs. I should have that taken care of with a little more practice...

I got the bass from the good folks over at Best Price Guitar (Oklahoma Vintage Guitar). The service was excellent and they even picked out a fairly lightweight bass for me at my request. The finish is excellent and the pickups sound fantastic. What a bass for the price! I need to wire up my jazz with a series/parallel switch. I never knew what I was missing with series wiring.

With a fairly lightweight Ash body, the headstock feels a bit heavy. It's not a huge deal and I know I can get used to it. Does anybody out there know of any lightweight tuners out there that will fit or cover up the existing mounting holes?

My only gripe is that the maple fingerboard has shrunken a bit leaving a little bit of fret sharpness on the edges. I plan to file these down myself slowly but surely. I would't expect this on a USA G&L, but I've noticed a lot of imports need a little bit of attention and they're good to go. My USA G&L ASAT semi-hollow bluesboy was killer from day 1.

Long post - I know, but any info out there about lightweight tuners?

Just to clarify, the series/parallel switch on the L-2500 does not switch the two pickups from series to parallel with each other. What it does is switches each pickup series/parallel with itself, but does both pickups at once. Since I rarely use the preamp anyway (read NEVER), I have half a mind to try either a series/parallel switch for the two pickups, ala J-bass mod, or just put a switch in for each pickup separately, so the bass would be similar to the RB5. FWIW, my L-2500 is about the only bass I have had in a long while that I use and like the neck pickup alone with. I'll run both on a Jazz, but I tend to favor the bridge. The 2500's neck has something I dig.

Just to clarify, the series/parallel switch on the L-2500 does not switch the two pickups from series to parallel with each other. What it does is switches each pickup series/parallel with itself, but does both pickups at once.

Thanks. I figured that since the series/parallel switch has an effect even when only 1 pickup is selected. But I see what you're saying about the J-bass mod. I have Nordstrand NJ4SV's in my Marcus Miller jazz. I don't remember the wiring configuration but if I can wire each pickup in series I might just do that (like a G&L). But I'm having way too much fun with the L-2500 right now.