G&L L100

BellBottomBlues · #1 07-27-2007, 11:26 AM

I've got an opportunity to buy an old L100 bass from a friends dad.

Its a wine/burgundy satin type of finish and feels nice. Overall it looks in good condition with lots of play wear on the arm contour and the back. Used but not abused type of deal.

Problem is, is it doesn't have any strings at all. The truss rod was loosened about 10 years ago so the neck wouldn't warp. So I won't be able to test it to see how it sounds. When I asked him, he said it sounded pretty fat sounding.

He's asking for $100 and it includes cables (which are old and probably half dead) case and all the assorted paperwork from when he got the bass.

Does anyone here own an L100? How does it sound?

Is it worth the $100?

spideyjg · #2 07-27-2007, 11:40 AM

For $100 I'd grab it. Even if the neck was toast you could part out the bass for a good chunk of that $100.

Bridge probably $40, and the tuners, if tapered, probably $60+, case, if Tolex, that would go $100 right there.

You won't lose a dime.

Jim

BellBottomBlues · #3 07-27-2007, 12:53 PM

Its tolex but it has a small tear on one of the edges. I don't know/remember if the tuners were tapered or not.

I'm looking for a solid gigging backup bass for my precision while adding a little variety.

spideyjg · #4 07-27-2007, 01:02 PM

Buy it now! Folks in the know say they are great P sounding basses. They have one of, if not the best bridge in existence for a bass.

You won't need to modify a thing to make it sound good.

Like I said a tolex case could get you damn near $100 even in the event the neck was toast. If the neck is fine and you don't like it you can resell it for $300+ in a blink.

Color, fretboard wood etc????

Jim

BellBottomBlues · #5 07-27-2007, 02:11 PM

The color is a dark red satin. I liken it to a wine or burgundy finish. Its really thin and you can see the wood grain. Perusing the G&L website, they no longer offer the L100 nor do they have any finishes that look like mine does. It might not be the original finish.

I think the body wood is ash. It light with really thick dark grains, but I'm not a wood expert so I'm probably wrong on this one.

Its reasonably light from when I picked it up and seemed well balanced. I didn't try it standing up or with a strap. I just held it and looked it over.

Neck is maple with a rosewood board. It has stylized sun inlays instead of the dot markers on frets 1-9. The 12th fret has two half moon half sun inlays and frets 13 on down have stylized half moon inlays. I think they're painted plastic with glossy stuff over them. It looks professionally done.
Back of the neck is smoother than butter. When I looked down the nut towards the body, it looked pretty straight.

I'll ask for more info on Sunday on the bass and take some pics with my camera phone.

**Chef** · #6 07-27-2007, 02:22 PM

Buy it.
If you don't like it I'll give you $150 for it

spideyjg · #7 07-27-2007, 02:27 PM

$200!

Dude, it is an obscene deal on a great bass. Probably an aged trans red finish on it.

Go find a cheapie set of strings, or buy new strings for your #1 and take the old ones, to stick on the LB and test it out fully.

Jim

fenderjazz68 · #8 07-27-2007, 02:38 PM

I'll buy the case from you if it's the right one (need pix)...

BellBottomBlues · #9 07-27-2007, 05:23 PM

Alright. I guess I'll go get it on Sunday. i'll post up some pics when I get them.

Its my drummers dad, whose been a bass player for 30+ years. He gave me a MIM jazz bass for $150 that was like new. Which promptly broke to pieces...

He believes that if you don't play a bass you should sell it to someone who will, so i guess I benefit.

If the neck is shot, I might just take out the fretboard and find another neck that will fit it. Its a really nice fretboard, which is one of the reasons why I was buying it. Just wanted to know if it was worth anything because of the mods.

I actually just ordered strings. I just ordered two sets of james jamerson signatures so I'll slap a set on the G&L.

BellBottomBlues · #10 07-30-2007, 02:12 PM

Got the bass last night. The inlays aren't plastic but painted clay. Haven't strung it up yet, but the old "hold another bass close to this one and hit the strings" means that the pickup still works.

How can I tell if the neck has gone to hell or not?

PS. I tried uploading the pics from my camera phone to my computer and it wouldnt send

spideyjg · #11 07-30-2007, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BellBottomBlues

How can I tell if the neck has gone to hell or not?

Tweak the truss rod both ways. If it moves freely, string it up then try to adjust it in.

Jim

**Chef** · #12 07-30-2007, 02:47 PM

Clay dots? Really?

Trussrod adjusts neck tension, creating or relieving a little bow in the neck.
I prefer mine just shy of completely flat. Clockwise tightens the nut, flattens the neck. Counterclockwise loosens, and creates more bow.
1/4 turn at a time, once a day. Wood likes time to acclimate to change. Give the bass 3-4 days to get used to your home temp/humidity before making any changes at all.

BellBottomBlues · #13 07-30-2007, 06:11 PM

His dad says they're clay, I think they look too shiny to be clay but its his bass.

I'm gonna have my neck bowed forward a little as I like a lot of string height. I'll try later tonight on the truss rod.

Also, does anyone know how to get camera phone pics onto the computer? I dont have a cable, but I tried texting it to my email and it wouldn't load.

duke12 · #14 08-07-2007, 07:52 PM

I just saw this thread....

Is this an L-100 (or LB-100) -- a p-style pickup?

Or is it an L-1000 (one MFD G&L humbucker)?

Templar · #15 08-08-2007, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duke12

I just saw this thread....

Is this an L-100 (or LB-100) -- a p-style pickup?

Or is it an L-1000 (one MFD G&L humbucker)?

Heh, I was wondering when someone would ask that.

Picked up the scent of a possible wunkay, Tris? LOL

spideyjg · #16 08-08-2007, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Templar

Heh, I was wondering when someone would ask that.

Picked up the scent of a possible wunkay, Tris? LOL

No, no, no, no, remember "they find him".

Jim

Templar · #17 08-08-2007, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spideyjg

No, no, no, no, remember "they find him".

Jim

Oh right, I forgot.

duke12 · #18 08-08-2007, 06:34 PM

I see that my reputation is following me.

BellBottomBlues · #19 08-25-2007, 02:22 AM

its the p-style pickup. It was supposed to be a gigging backup to my gigging p-bass.

Unfortunately the neck is broken. The truss rod turns both ways without any resistance whatsoever. so now it sits in its case till i figure what to do with it.

Templar · #20 08-25-2007, 05:24 PM

Well that explains the cheap price.

Bummer.