Is the G&L MFD tone your favorite, or is there something else?

fourstringbliss · #1 05-19-2007, 05:26 PM

I believe I've found tone nirvana in my L2500 Tribute, but what about you?

Nedmundo · #2 05-19-2007, 05:47 PM

It's certainly among my favorites, along with Precision, Jazz, DiPinto Belvedere, Guild Starfire, and the Dingwall Super J. Among side-by-side humbuckers, MFD's are definitely my favorite.

mainsail · #3 05-19-2007, 07:37 PM

After some 46 years of playing, I've had the opportunity to evaluate a few different basses. Maybe not quite the wide variety as other players.

But, after a late 50's P bass, a 64 Fender Jazz, a Gibson hollow body, a Rickenbacker, (very short term), a CBS vintage Fender Jazz, a Gibson ripper, an American Jazz Bass Deluxe, I finally arrived at my G&L.s And, the MFDs are at the top of the heap for me.

Since I am a finger style player, (any slap technique is OTL), the aggressive nature of the MFDs isn't a problem. They really do the job in any situation.

I'm anxiously awaiting my L-2500 to carry on the legacy.

Larry

Quote:

Originally Posted by fourstringbliss

I believe I've found tone nirvana in my L2500 Tribute, but what about you?

Knives · #4 05-20-2007, 01:28 AM

I voted celery. I really like the MFD but I have not tried every type of pickup on the list. Out of the ones I have tried, I would have to say the MFD is my favorite or rather that the entire G&L package is my favorite. It is hard to put down my new G&L.
Kevin W.

sunbeast · #5 05-20-2007, 02:03 PM

Someone once described the sound of an MFD flat through an amp as what other pickups sound like after you've drastically EQ'd them- that's pretty much how I feel. Both my L2500 and L2000 get that aggressive old-school P-bass sound without hardly any EQ'ing- but then add an even meatier bottom end and no thinned out G and D strings. My SB-2 does a great classic P, but with more grind/ edge- what I would normally try to EQ in (which often required some very drastic EQ settings in the past with a "normal" P-bass).
That said- if someone's looking for a really mellow kinda bass tone it might be more problematic with MFDs....(I don't know- never tried!)

Karl

spideyjg · #6 05-20-2007, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fourstringbliss

I believe I've found tone nirvana in my L2500 Tribute, but what about you?

Duh!

smitcat · #7 05-20-2007, 03:25 PM

Between having Jazz basses, a bongo, peavey cirrus, and a couple others, the G&L-to me- has been the best tone. The others each had their own voices, but this is the tone that I have always looked for. And i love the fact that i can flip a switch and have the different tones pretty much locked in. I will always have a G&L with me.

fourstringbliss · #8 05-20-2007, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunbeast

That said- if someone's looking for a really mellow kinda bass tone it might be more problematic with MFDs....(I don't know- never tried!)

Karl

These basses really respond to different strings. Rounds tend to draw out aggressive grind while half-rounds and flats emphasize middy punch. A lighter touch can make my L2500 more mellow.

fourstringbliss · #9 05-20-2007, 03:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spideyjg

Duh!

You're a given since you have so many G&L basses! It's almost cheating.

fourstringbliss · #10 05-20-2007, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smitcat

Between having Jazz basses, a bongo, peavey cirrus, and a couple others, the G&L-to me- has been the best tone. The others each had their own voices, but this is the tone that I have always looked for. And i love the fact that i can flip a switch and have the different tones pretty much locked in. I will always have a G&L with me.

I almost thought about replacing the pickup switch with a blend pot, but being able to switch sounds quickly is a definite plus. I was playing with some guys Friday and was able to quickly switch tones dramatically in the middle of a song. You just can't do that with a knob.

spideyjg · #11 05-20-2007, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fourstringbliss

You're a given since you have so many G&L basses! It's almost cheating.

Damn, its like I have a reputation or something.

Jim

fourstringbliss · #12 05-20-2007, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spideyjg

Damn, its like I have a reputation or something.

Jim

I've drooled over the pictures!

ErnieD · #13 05-21-2007, 01:57 AM

Just got a USA L2500 delivered Friday so I am still searching the tones out of this bass, but so far, awesome. 4strngblis snagged that pretty amber Tribute here on TB while I had my thumb up my @@@ on whether or not to pull the trigger on the same bass. So I went on the prowl for another one and found an old ad on bassgear.com of a sunburst L25k. The pics looked great and when I asked the seller if it was a Trib or US he did not know. One pic he sent later showed the matching burst headstock, so I posted a question here and was told Tribs dont come with matching headstocks. So I thought great for this low price its a US and I hope its in good cond. This thing is like new, seller says about 2 yrs old, he took it as a trade in, no nicks, hardly any wear, very lite swirl below the G string. I polished it and it just looks great. It came to me fedX from Oregon to Houston, TX. I thought it would need a setup from the humidity here. The intonation was perfect, its setup great low action and plays so smooth and fast and its gorgeous to boot, it blew me away. I've been playing all 35" scale lately, my 55-01, Cirrus-6, KSD-5, so it felt kinda strange to me at first, but I'm diggin it more and more. I'm flying all over the fretboard. In other words yes to the MFD's. I was about to replace my traded off Sray 5 til I read up on the G&L's here. So glad I made this move. Will post pics asap.

fourstringbliss · #14 05-21-2007, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErnieD

Just got a USA L2500 delivered Friday so I am still searching the tones out of this bass, but so far, awesome. 4strngblis snagged that pretty amber Tribute here on TB while I had my thumb up my @@@ on whether or not to pull the trigger on the same bass. So I went on the prowl for another one and found an old ad on bassgear.com of a sunburst L25k. The pics looked great and when I asked the seller if it was a Trib or US he did not know. One pic he sent later showed the matching burst headstock, so I posted a question here and was told Tribs dont come with matching headstocks. So I thought great for this low price its a US and I hope its in good cond. This thing is like new, seller says about 2 yrs old, he took it as a trade in, no nicks, hardly any wear, very lite swirl below the G string. I polished it and it just looks great. It came to me fedX from Oregon to Houston, TX. I thought it would need a setup from the humidity here. The intonation was perfect, its setup great low action and plays so smooth and fast and its gorgeous to boot, it blew me away. I've been playing all 35" scale lately, my 55-01, Cirrus-6, KSD-5, so it felt kinda strange to me at first, but I'm diggin it more and more. I'm flying all over the fretboard. In other words yes to the MFD's. I was about to replace my traded off Sray 5 til I read up on the G&L's here. So glad I made this move. Will post pics asap.

It's a good thing I got the Trib - I'd much rather have a USA model than the one I've got. Not that there's anything other than tuners wrong with the Trib, but the USA is the USA!

I'm going to put a set of half-round on mine and I'll be back in tone heaven!

fourstringbliss · #15 05-21-2007, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ErnieD

4strngblis snagged that pretty amber Tribute here on TB while I had my thumb up my @@@ on whether or not to pull the trigger on the same bass.

I'll trade ya!

**MAJOR METAL** · #16 05-21-2007, 11:10 AM

Its my favorite out of all of the G&L pick up models , its one of my all time favorite humbuckers.

Infernal Affair · #17 05-21-2007, 11:16 AM

Something tells me that this poll is going to be really skewed.

lug · #18 05-21-2007, 01:25 PM

As much as I love the G&L sound, the real answer is what is right for the job. There are certain songs that my Pbass works better in, some my cheap Johnson ABG works better at, etc. For ballz, the G&L reigns supreme.

Youngspanion · #19 05-21-2007, 04:35 PM

I just put flats on my L2k and I have no reason to own my P bass any more. When I set it on neck/series/passive, I get a tone that is pure beef. Bottom heavy p tone. No EQ. Flat on both knobs but turn the bass cut up some and look out

There is a certain grind or growl if you will, that is so beautiful when I switch to single coil or parallel and use the 2 pups or even one or the other. Its the series mode that really kicks ass.

ErnieD · #20 05-21-2007, 05:01 PM

I bought mine used so no reading material was offered. I got the control knobs sussed and pretty much figured out the first two switches, pups, series/parallel. But the last switch, down by the bridge is it, looking down at it, active/active w/treb boost/passive? It feels that way soundwise to me. I am pretty much using that last switch in the down position for the sounds I am diggin. Am I guessing right or not? If I am wrong on the other knobs pls correct me on that too. But I am pretty much learning the tones by ear to find what I like and then I tried some different amp settings on my GB600 that just opened up a whole new door, very cool.
OH and 4strgblis, you got a pretty Trib there, but think I'll hang onto my new toy for awhile before I think any trades, prolly never. But I may have some 35" scales to get rid of soon