Just bought this Blueburst L-2500, older version 4+1 Headstock, solid ash etc...from fenderjazz68. This is just like the clear finish one that I foolishly traded away last year. This will gig along with my L1505. I'm excited, can't wait till it gets here.
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b257/cb56/L2500/bluel2500headstock.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b257/cb56/L2500/Bluel2500front2.jpg
Yeah, I know, not as extensive of a collection as some of you folks have, but I'm happy about it.

Thats a nice bass- I may be crazy, but I'd love to have an older solid body L2500. Something about all that weight just feels better to me- mine is one of the newer ones with the "American Tilia" + ash top. I love the sound, but the majority of basses I've owned have been early 80s basses made of walnut, mahogany, maple, etc....I've just gotten used to holding a significant hunk of wood for hours at a time, my L2500 isn't really that light, but almost feels like a toy in comparison to what I'm used to!

I guess what I'm trying to say is- Anyone wanna trade an older anchor-weight L2500 for one thats only around 6 months old (and super-light)....?

Eh, I'm sure I would miss mine pretty quick if I got rid of it too! Though my new SB-2 is much heavier, which I like alot (and is a beast of sound as well- though not quite like the L2500!).

Karl

My old L2500 was solid ash too.
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b257/cb56/L2500/l2500-2.jpg
I'm kind of a hefty guy so the extra weight doesn't bother me at all. The bass just feels more solid or something. Although my L1505 is the Tilia/ash combo and it's nice too.

Wow, those are both sweet. I almost like the blue more though. And I really prefer the older 4+1 head stocks, don't know why.

Well the blue '95 L-2500 arrived today and it measures up to the clear finish one that I used to own. Has all the same good qualities as my old one plus a couple not so good qualities that are the same as my old one. Buzzes alot in series mode but since I don't use series mode that much it doesn't matter. Just kind of wierd that my newer version L1505 doesn't buzz in series mode at all. Also the B string sounds a little dull with both pickups on, even so that is my favorite setting on the bass. The B has a real nice growl tone when the using bridge pickup only, but hey that's my L1505's job to get that tone. The neck is superb just like I expect fom a G&L. This is the happiest I've ever been with my basses. :bassist:
Oh yeah, one more thing. The blueburst looks even better in real life than it does in any photos I've seen.

That Blueburst is similar to mine... That said, it looks HOT!

Series mode in a L-2500 uses caps which create hum. The L-1505 does not have the caps. The caps suck all the highes from one of the two coils giving the "single coil with bass boost" series setting. If you want to change it up, there is stuff at the Dude Pit I have posted.

You can easily pull the caps out of the circuit and make it like the newer Tributes or the L-1505. Or you can switch the order of the coils in one of the two pickups and get hum cancelling when both pups are on. Stock, the two pickups in series are hum adding (oops ;-) )

On my L-2500, I did not use the series setting with the caps. The D and G string seemed to get lost in the mix. Many love that setting though on the pit. The key may be to back off teh volume and the bass a bit.

Dave

I should have figured you would have some info on this. Not sure i want to go messing with it because it sounds so good in parrallel with both pups on. Oh btw, I tweeked the setup put on some new strings, lowered the neck pickup a bit and now the low B sounds great.

My newer L2500 came with the normal series mode (which is hum-cancelling), but I added a push-pull pot for the treble cut so it makes series mode into "single coil with bass boost" like on older G&Ls. I actually prefer the noisy option, apart from the noise of course!
The B string on mine was also pretty "flat" sounding, until I started using DR strings- now its pretty even sounding, though it does sound best with the bridge pickup soloed like you said.

Karl

The La Bella Hard Rockin' Steel 0.128 B is a good B. It has a taper. Never tried one on a G&L but if steel is your thing, La Bella is a good string.

Dave

You can easily pull the caps out of the circuit and make it like the newer Tributes or the L-1505. Dave

How easily? can an electronics dummy like me do it? How will it effect the tone in parrallel or will it at all?
got pictures of this procedure?

Sounds as if it is like the wunkay and L2KE. You will see 2 little green "chicklets" on the series/parallel switch. Take 'em out and you're done.

Never have seen the innards of a 2500 to say for sure but Dave knows his stuff.

Jim

How easily? can an electronics dummy like me do it? How will it effect the tone in parrallel or will it at all?
got pictures of this procedure?

It won't affect the parallel mode at all- the caps are just attached to the area on the switch that runs one coil through the other coil for series mode. If I were you though, I would just do as Dave suggests and reverse the wiring of one pickup- this makes the noisy mode hum-cancelling when both pickups are on, and "single-coil w/ bass boost" sounds better in my opinion to the normal series mode (which is what you get when you remove the caps). Or, you could bve crazy like me and add a switch which will give you both modes- but it takes a little more work....

Oh, DavePlaysBass also posted a diagram for doing all these modifications on the Dudepit- I linked it here on a post about the single coil mod (I got that idea from Dave's Dudepit post)-

Karl

On the series / parallel switch (12 pins on the bottom of it) you will see two big green "chiklet" caps. If you just unsolder (or clip) one end of each of the capacitors (does not matter which end) and cover the lifted end with electrical tape, you can get hear what series without the caps sounds like. Easy to put back if you do not like it.

Dave

....The first mod is simply removing these two caps.

This will change the series setting a bit. The capacitors take away a lot of highs which result in an overall response that is very bottom heavy. When the caps are taken out, there will be a lot more highs in the series setting and it will not have the “bass boost” function as much as it will just give a 6 dB boost relative to the parallel setting and will roll off at a lower frequency. I have not tried this but I think it would be good.

Should I take this to mean that there will still be bass boost in series, just not as much. Or no bass boost at all? I'm tempted to try this if all I have to do is clip the caps. as long as I'm still getting some bass boost in series.

OK, I just opened it up and see the two green chiclet things (caps?) two larger ones that each have one end soldered to the 12 pin board. The other ends of both are braided together and seem to be soldered to treble control. So if I clip the ends of both caps from the 12 pin board and leave the rest just hanging there still connected, is that ok? Electrical tape on the loose ends of course.

As long as you remove either side you will be fine. All things being equal I'd lift the lead off the switch contacts.

Jim

As long as you remove either side you will be fine. All things being equal I'd lift the lead off the switch contacts.

Jim

Jim is correct. I am an engineer which means I do things quick and dirty and then have a technician clean up when I am done. I believe Jim comes from a technician back ground so we are naturally at odds :) . If you are skilled with the iron you should remove one end. On the other had clipping a lead and then soldering it back together later is probably easier then lifting the leads cleanly and then reconnecting later.

Clipping and resoldering is not as sturdy. But a quick and dirty engineer like myself has done it before and gotten away with it.

Dave

Jim is correct. But a quick and dirty engineer like myself has done it before and gotten away with it.

Dave


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v186/spideyjg/smilies/fryingpan.gif
You do the thinking and leave the soldering to me. :p

If you unsolder the leg at the switch you can reverse it without needing new caps.

Probably no technical reason but if you lift the leads off the pot you remove the ground but the caps are still attached to the pickup leads and if the floating lead touch something you will introduce noise.

Jim

Should I take this to mean that there will still be bass boost in series, just not as much. Or no bass boost at all? I'm tempted to try this if all I have to do is clip the caps. as long as I'm still getting some bass boost in series.

You always give something up. Here's a ballpark simulation to give you and idea what's up technically. But your ears will be the judge in the end.

https://home.comcast.net/~carol7david/GL_Series_2.JPG

The G&L old school series connections (L-2000E, L-1000, L-2000, L-2500, and Asats up until sometime in the last 5 years) do the "single coil with bass boost" arrangement. What they do is connect the two coils in series and place the capacitor in parallel with the bottom coil (capacitor goes from the middle of the series string directly to ground). This capacitor sucks out highes from the bottom coil while aslo boosting lows with a resonance type deal. See graph.

When you pull the caps you gain highes and lose lows. Is that good or bad? In a heavy band situation I did like the Series with bass boost and the Treble boost setting on the preamp. Ultra fat and modern and nasty. However, you will get hum with the stock wiring. If you really dig the series with cap sound and play with both pickups, you can make the two pickups hum cancelling when played together. This is more complicated than just cutting the caps but it is not that bad. If going that route, I would recommend buying a $25 three way switch from digikey and going the series / parallel / single coil route.

And if you really want to get crazy, I have the ultimate mod getting drawn up at this time. I will first do surgery on the Climax (simpler) and then move on to the L-2000 if it works out. Don't ask unless you want more geekdom :hmm: ....
Dave

OK simple is best for me right now. Do you ever feel like you're talking to a passenger on an airplane who has to land the plane 'cause the pilot just died?:eek:
Anyway I got brave and clipped the two ends at the switch and it works just as you guys described. No hum, still has bass boost but maybe not as much (a good thing IMO), More highs but not piercing, MORE volume but I can cure that by turning down at the bass' volume control. I'm going to leave it this way. Any reason why I shouldn't clip the two braided wires going from the disconnected caps to the treble control or should I just leave it as is. I covered the caps cut wires with electrical tape and kind of moved them to the back of the control cavity out of the way.

OK simple is best for me right now. Do you ever feel like you're talking to a passenger on an airplane who has to land the plane 'cause the pilot just died

lol

Sounds like you got the results. I would leave things as they are so you can easily fix things in the future if your tastes change or you decide to sell it. I remember a guy telling me that nearly ever bass you buy you will ultimately think about selling. For me that is true. The only one I have not thought about selling is the 61 Jazz.

I have a graph for you on the previous post in case you missed it. Looks like we were posting about the same time.

Dave

Cool, thanks alot again,
Now both my basses L1505 and L2500 have improvements that you suggested.:cool:

And if you really want to get crazy, I have the ultimate mod getting drawn up at this time. I will first do surgery on the Climax (simpler) and then move on to the L-2000 if it works out. Don't ask unless you want more geekdom :hmm: ....
Dave

Whatcho doing to the Climax Dr. Dave? I drew up an L1K type mod for the pup switching and then got thinking about a passive/active w regular treble boost and/active w Climax treble boost job but need to do the resistance math to figure it all out before gutting it.

Jim

Whatcho doing to the Climax Dr. Dave? I drew up an L1K type mod for the pup switching and then got thinking about a passive/active w regular treble boost and/active w Climax treble boost job but need to do the resistance math to figure it all out before gutting it.

Jim


Sounds like you are going down the same path I am thinking. I have done the math. There is a resistor on the preamp board that needs to be pulled and replaced with a 21K or so. That is in the sticky area the Pit. And then you wire it like the L2K diagram where you switch a 10K in parallel with the 21K on the preamp board. There is a resistor on the preamp board that gives you more treble as it gets reduced. I even considered putting a 25K pot there and you could have an active treble boost knob. I just don't want to drill any new holes.

The Climax mod I am considering is:

Preamp Switch => 3 way like the L2K with the preamp modified to be like an L2K

Pup coil switch => 3 way like the L1K

Treble pot replaced with a 500K push pull pot => Use DPDT switch on the push pull to do two things. If in parallel mode, I will get the other single coil when pulling up (pole 1 on the DPDT). If in series mode, I will add the bass boost capacitor when pulling up (pole 2 on the DPDT). I have a feeling that the bass boost mode on the Climax could be killer given my experience with bass boost series on the bridge pup of a L2.5K.

And if all this works out, I move on to the L2K. I will wire it volume / volume so I can blend pickups (bass and treble done on a concentric 500K x 2). And I will have a seperate 3-way switch for each pickup. I am really interested in blending a parallel neck pup with a series bridge pup.

I was going to sell the Climax and the Sadowsky, but then common sense kicked in and I am going to keep them all.

Dave

Cool, thanks alot again,
Now both my basses L1505 and L2500 have improvements that you suggested.:cool:

Glad to help. I like hearing other people's experience on the qwest for tone.

DAve

Sounds like you are going down the same path I am thinking. I have done the math. There is a resistor on the preamp board that needs to be pulled and replaced with a 21K or so. That is in the sticky area the Pit. And then you wire it like the L2K diagram where you switch a 10K in parallel with the 21K on the preamp board. There is a resistor on the preamp board that gives you more treble as it gets reduced. I even considered putting a 25K pot there and you could have an active treble boost knob. I just don't want to drill any new holes.

The Climax mod I am considering is:

Preamp Switch => 3 way like the L2K with the preamp modified to be like an L2K

Pup coil switch => 3 way like the L1K

Treble pot replaced with a 500K push pull pot => Use DPDT switch on the push pull to do two things. If in parallel mode, I will get the other single coil when pulling up (pole 1 on the DPDT). If in series mode, I will add the bass boost capacitor when pulling up (pole 2 on the DPDT). I have a feeling that the bass boost mode on the Climax could be killer given my experience with bass boost series on the bridge pup of a L2.5K.

And if all this works out, I move on to the L2K. I will wire it volume / volume so I can blend pickups (bass and treble done on a concentric 500K x 2). And I will have a seperate 3-way switch for each pickup. I am really interested in blending a parallel neck pup with a series bridge pup.

I was going to sell the Climax and the Sadowsky, but then common sense kicked in and I am going to keep them all.

Dave

This is exactly what I did to my L2500- thats funny! I started with the push/pull 500K treble pot to get "single w/ bass boost" for both pickups + more treble, then I took out the preamp altogether (the push/pull took up too much room, considering how tightly its already packed together!). Actually, I started with your 3-way switch mod....
I had always wanted the 2 volumes, but wasn't sure if I should use dual 1Meg pots or 500Ks- the fact that a dual 1Meg pot would have to be special ordered kinda made up my mind on that one (and that it would cost around $40 at the only place I could find one)...When I took out the preamp, I made that switch into a seperate 3 way for the bridge pickup- I'm probably going to try to fit the preamp in again somehow though, since I don't need the pickup selector switch anymore (I could also save some room by swapping out the current 4PDT on-on-on switch with a normal DPDT like the other switches).
My favorite (at the moment) is neck in single w/ bass boost and bridge in single coil- I just dial in enough bridge pickup to add a nice edge- which I probably wouldn't even need if I'd kept the darn preamp in there (although there is something cooler about being a "passive only" kind of guy:p ).

The funny thing is that I just did all these mods, and now I'm just stuck on my new SB-2...it wails in a way that no other bass I've ever had can.


Karl

The funny thing is that I just did all these mods, and now I'm just stuck on my new SB-2...it wails in a way that no other bass I've ever had can.

Karl

I had my SB-2 out today doing an A/B with the El Toro on bridge pickups. That SB-2 is really bright compared to the 'hog ET but the ET has a "richer" sound to it.

Jim

I played a Tribute SB-2 a couple years back that was basswood / rosewood and whaled like a mother. Should have bought it for the $300ish price tag. When I went back it was gone. The good ones go quick around here.

Dave

I was never really a big Cliff Burton fan (or anything to do with Metallica past or present,for that matter), but I'm surprised how closely my SB-2 can sound to his Rickenbacker when I play it cranked through an all-tube amp (which is to say that I really like that sound all the sudden!)- I may have to give him a second chance!

Karl

Lately, I've been LOVING the Series mode on my L2500, but the HUM is driving me nuts. I don't have the stock preamp (have a Pesa/Shur) and it does away with the treble boost setup.
When in series mode, I have to totally roll off my bass pot, otherwise I will overload my preamp. However, when in parallel, I keep the bass pot 1/2 way up. If I clip the caps, exactly how mych bass will I lose? Would it be about the same as in parallel?

I de-soldered the braided end of the caps that is pretty much ground (soldered to the treble pot case).
It did change a little, some of the funky frequency (sounds a little like a flanger pedal) is gone...but I ony lost maybe 20% of the bass frequency, if that. I now keep the bass pot at 1/4 instead of 0 in Series mode. Tone-wise, it sounds a lot like parallel mode except with a lot more balls.
That's what I loved most about series mode, the fullness of the sound, the mid range that parallel just doesn't have. Parallel sounds like it has no mids at all.

I'll play it this way for now and see if I miss that weird mid-high frequency that is gone.
Oh yeah, and most improtantly, the HUM is gone!!