Nedmundo
05-02-2006, 11:57 AM
I picked up my L-1500 yesterday, which arrived at the shop on Friday, eight weeks after I placed the order. It's Electric Blue with matching headstock, #6 neck, and maple fretboard. I played it last night at a three hour rock band rehearsal, so I have some impressions to report. I'm at work, so I can't upload photos, but I posted some last night in another thread. The second one expands nicely if you click on it (don't know why mine always come out as thumbnails :( ):
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=245610
First, the finish is gorgeous. I think G&L's are some of the best in the business, and this is no exception. The Electric Blue is brighter than I might like, but it's beautifully done, and will look excellent on stage. My bandmates dig it. I love the matching headstock. I know some prefer rosewood boards with matching 'stocks, but I think it works with maple too, especially with lighter colors.
The neck feels great, and I'm glad I chose the #6 with 1.5" nut width and 7.5" fretboard radius. I don't like the feel of flat fretboards for some reason. I'm so used to my Fenders that this neck felt foreign at first, because its finish isn't as smooth and it lacks rolled fingerboard edges (love those), but I got used to it quickly. It plays much like my 2003 Jazz, especially in the lower positions.
I absolutely love the tone, which is the main reason I went for ths model. Initially I wanted a P-bass with Jazz neck and Quarter Pounder for a full-range, hard-hitting bass in the P-bass vein. This delivers that and more. It's definitely more full-range (less mid-heavy) than a P-bass, with a tight, growly and focused low end, and excellent clarity all over the fretboard. I'd say the string-to-string response is more even than on my Jazz, and about the same as my Precision. The sustain is excellent, again much like my P. (In fact, acoustically the two sound almost identical.) It handled drop-D tuning exceptionally well, with no buzz, and that low D hits HARD. :D
It's somewhat like a Sting Ray due to the humbucker and its placement, but I think more aggressive, with a more organic, raw tone. It sounds less "modern active" than a 'Ray, even in active mode, and seems more Fender-like to my ears. Its "mix presence," for lack of a better term, is Fender-like, but with more modern energy. (I'd say G&L basses nicely straddle the vintage/modern divide due to their excellent performance in passive mode and Leo lineage, and full range, powerful tone with active boost.) Its responsiveness and punch are inspiring, and push me to play with more passion. To me, that's the litmus test, and this passes with flying colors. It's an outstanding rock tone. Our keyboardist has become an aficionado of bass tone, and he found it inspiring too.
Through most rigs, I suspect the highs (and noise) could be too much with the treble up and the preamp engaged. I thought this testing one through a Fender 400 Pro 2x10 combo, and playing mine through an Ampeg combo. But at rehearsal, I was going through a Behringer head and Peavey 4x10 cabinet that has practically no high end (I've used the cab before), and I preferred active mode with the treble on full. I expect I'll use passive mode through most rigs though. I didn't find parallel mode very useful, but I expect I'll use it for some mellower tracks on gigs.
The pickup placement invites playing down there, but after an hour or so, I was able to play up closer to the neck with no problem. The good balance helps in this regard.
The construction and hardware seem rock solid, much like an MIA P-bass. It's heavier than I expected, but no more than my Fenders.
But unfortunately all is not perfect. I should have spent more time at the shop playing up high on the neck, because at home I quickly discovered nasty fret buzz on the A and D strings above about the 17th fret. The action is not low by my standards, so I was surprised. I raised the saddles slightly, which helped but did not cure the problem. It appears -- and I say "appears" because I'm not a tech -- that the fretboard has a hump at the neck joint, one of those dreaded "ski jumps." I compared side-by-side with my P, and think I can see a difference. Maybe those six bolts create enough pressure to raise the board sometimes; I don't know.
If this is a real problem, I'm surprised it left the factory like this, because I think G&L has excellent quality. But maybe the humps don't develop immediately. I'll bring it to the shop later this week for analysis, and hope it can be addressed with minimal hassle.
Once that's cured and I get a Hipshot Bass Extender, I think this will become my number one gigging bass. (Until I get an SB-2, that is. ;) ) I love the look, feel, and aggressive Fender vibe with a little modern edge, which had been missing from my arsenal but works well with my current band.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=245610
First, the finish is gorgeous. I think G&L's are some of the best in the business, and this is no exception. The Electric Blue is brighter than I might like, but it's beautifully done, and will look excellent on stage. My bandmates dig it. I love the matching headstock. I know some prefer rosewood boards with matching 'stocks, but I think it works with maple too, especially with lighter colors.
The neck feels great, and I'm glad I chose the #6 with 1.5" nut width and 7.5" fretboard radius. I don't like the feel of flat fretboards for some reason. I'm so used to my Fenders that this neck felt foreign at first, because its finish isn't as smooth and it lacks rolled fingerboard edges (love those), but I got used to it quickly. It plays much like my 2003 Jazz, especially in the lower positions.
I absolutely love the tone, which is the main reason I went for ths model. Initially I wanted a P-bass with Jazz neck and Quarter Pounder for a full-range, hard-hitting bass in the P-bass vein. This delivers that and more. It's definitely more full-range (less mid-heavy) than a P-bass, with a tight, growly and focused low end, and excellent clarity all over the fretboard. I'd say the string-to-string response is more even than on my Jazz, and about the same as my Precision. The sustain is excellent, again much like my P. (In fact, acoustically the two sound almost identical.) It handled drop-D tuning exceptionally well, with no buzz, and that low D hits HARD. :D
It's somewhat like a Sting Ray due to the humbucker and its placement, but I think more aggressive, with a more organic, raw tone. It sounds less "modern active" than a 'Ray, even in active mode, and seems more Fender-like to my ears. Its "mix presence," for lack of a better term, is Fender-like, but with more modern energy. (I'd say G&L basses nicely straddle the vintage/modern divide due to their excellent performance in passive mode and Leo lineage, and full range, powerful tone with active boost.) Its responsiveness and punch are inspiring, and push me to play with more passion. To me, that's the litmus test, and this passes with flying colors. It's an outstanding rock tone. Our keyboardist has become an aficionado of bass tone, and he found it inspiring too.
Through most rigs, I suspect the highs (and noise) could be too much with the treble up and the preamp engaged. I thought this testing one through a Fender 400 Pro 2x10 combo, and playing mine through an Ampeg combo. But at rehearsal, I was going through a Behringer head and Peavey 4x10 cabinet that has practically no high end (I've used the cab before), and I preferred active mode with the treble on full. I expect I'll use passive mode through most rigs though. I didn't find parallel mode very useful, but I expect I'll use it for some mellower tracks on gigs.
The pickup placement invites playing down there, but after an hour or so, I was able to play up closer to the neck with no problem. The good balance helps in this regard.
The construction and hardware seem rock solid, much like an MIA P-bass. It's heavier than I expected, but no more than my Fenders.
But unfortunately all is not perfect. I should have spent more time at the shop playing up high on the neck, because at home I quickly discovered nasty fret buzz on the A and D strings above about the 17th fret. The action is not low by my standards, so I was surprised. I raised the saddles slightly, which helped but did not cure the problem. It appears -- and I say "appears" because I'm not a tech -- that the fretboard has a hump at the neck joint, one of those dreaded "ski jumps." I compared side-by-side with my P, and think I can see a difference. Maybe those six bolts create enough pressure to raise the board sometimes; I don't know.
If this is a real problem, I'm surprised it left the factory like this, because I think G&L has excellent quality. But maybe the humps don't develop immediately. I'll bring it to the shop later this week for analysis, and hope it can be addressed with minimal hassle.
Once that's cured and I get a Hipshot Bass Extender, I think this will become my number one gigging bass. (Until I get an SB-2, that is. ;) ) I love the look, feel, and aggressive Fender vibe with a little modern edge, which had been missing from my arsenal but works well with my current band.