Your G&L history?

[coop]

I got to thinking about the long and strange journey from just one Bass to my current lineup. As far as I remember, it's something like this:

1988 - Charvel 3B - my only bass for a long time - still have
2003 - 3TS Tribute L2500 - I was hooked - still have
2004 - Honeyburst SB-2 - still have
2004 - Silver Flake ASAT - gone to Canada
2004? - CAR Tribute L2000 - sold to my drummer friend
2005 - Clear Orange ASAT - gone to Hawaii
2005 - White L5000 - still have
2005? - Black L1000 "B00" - gone to Germany
2006 - Cherryburst SB1 - still have
2006? - Gold Flake L2500 - still have
2006 - Cherryburst L2000 - still have
2006? - Natural El Toro - gone
2007 - 2TS Lynx - gone
2007 - Honeyburst ASAT - gone
2007 - Honeyburst L2000 - gone
2008 - Honeyburst L1000 - still have

I probably forgot something in the list. Also, I did not include a few Laklands, Deans, SXs, a Conklin Rocco Prestia, and a Reverend P/J (I wish I had those last two back! ), and a few others along the way.

So tell us about your sickness.

P.S. (CraigB, feel free to take as many pages as you need).

[oldrookie]

Mine is considerably shorter.

Sometime in the late '70's a Peavey of some sort--I think. Gone since '82.

2007 added a Brice Beatle bass--still have it, reluctantly up for sale.
2007 added a Washburn XB102--still own it, but it's at a consignment shop right now.
2007 added a Fullerton Ventura five--gone, traded in for the Tribute mentioned below
2008 added an SX short-scale--still have it.
2008 added a Tribute G&L Tribute L2000-- going nowhere.
2008 added a TBC AP500M--it's a keeper too.

[Chef]

Jeez...
I;ve bought, sold, traded so many basses I could never list them all.

As to how it started? I was on the road in 1981, doing a "rotating house band" circuit around the midwest. Coupla weeks here, coupla weeks there...I stopped in a music store in St Lou during the day to pass some time. Met a 1981 L2000e Fretless. Loved it, but it was priced to high for me. I kept going back to the store and offering them $100 less every time I stopped in. I think list was ~$1400??? I think I have them $7-800-ish in the end. "Gimmee the money and get out" I think the sales guy said

I beat that sucka up and down the road, playing it alongside my '72P for many years.
It wasn't until 4 years or so ago I added a 2500. Then, and L1000. Somehow or another, I ended up with 12 or so? Two of my lesser played G&L's are going away in the next few weeks...

[hesham8]

History:
2007 Fender Standard Jazz - Sold.
2007 SX Jazz - Keeper.
Twelve days from now: G&L USA L2000, definitely a keeper.

And to be clear - I've been playing bass for years, I've just been borrowing from friends because I was primarily a guitarist.

[mrjim123]

1972 - Gibson EB-O (sold)

1974 - Gibson Ripper (still own)

1979 - quit playing professionally

2008 - decided to play professionally again, bought G&L Tribute L-2000 two months ago

next bass - GASsing for a fretless, will probably get a Squier VM Jazz

[funkythumb]

Way too many basses to list.
Started for me OFFICIALLY back in about 2003-2004. I bought a used silver sparkle USA L2500 with maple board. It sounded like a tank and I never had issues with cutting through. Loved the bass but it was noisy. I pretty much gutted it and replaced all the electronic and one pickup. Sound was much better. I recorded a live album for Rick Founds (contemporary Christian artist) and knew the bass was great for recording.
I later ended up selling the bass to get funds for another axe.
Jump to 2008. Despite my current lineup of great axes which I love, I missed that fat and punchy G&L sound. I ended up getting a killer deal on one on ebay and have gotten lots of compliments on the tone. I'm loving it, especially on my church gigs (rock).

[TDR1138]

1993 - got an Ibanez Roadbass. Still have it, though it's been reshaped/refinished.
1994 - was gifted my '89 L2k. It was a factory promo, and spent the first 5 years of its life unplayed in the case. Doubt I'll ever get rid of it.
1995 - bought a used Ovation Applause acoustic fretless bass from the classifieds. Traded it in a year later for partial payment on my G&L Legacy guitar.
1996-2004 - played more guitar than bass, started amassing a few of those.
2004 - started playing bass in a band again, so bought my '03 Tribby SB-2 from a G&L employee. Bought it to have as a bass to leave at the rehearsal studio (instead of my L2k), but it became my main gigging bass for a while.
2004 - built a Fender Jazz from parts.
2007 - sold a Danelectro guitar to fund an SX fretless P and some upgraded parts for it.
2008 - gassing for more G&Ls...

[quickervicar]

1991--Hohner P-copy, short scale, thrown down elevator shaft in 1996
1993--G&L SB-2, tobacco-burst
1995--G&L ASAT bass, clear blue
1996--Fender P-bass, '86ish, black, w/ EMG soapbar, sold in 1999
1997--Ibanez SR400 fretless, sold in 2007
2001--Modulus SweetSpot5, clear blue over quilted top
2007--G&L L2k, cherryburst, converted to fretless Moses neck in 2008

While all my G&Ls are keepers, I think I'm done with them for now. I'll probably be adding a Warwick (or similar neck-thru) someday.

[Madcity Fats]

1992 -- '68 Fender Jazz, oly white refin in "player" condition -- sold
1996 -- G&L SB-2, lake placid blue/rosewood -- still have
2000 -- G&L LB-100, cherryburst/rosewood -- still have
2005 -- Gibson Thunderbird IV, natural-- sold
2006 -- G&L SB-2, honeyburst/maple -- still have
2008 -- G&L SB-1 (2nd gen), sunburst/maple -- still have
2008 -- G&L L-1000, natural/rosewood -- still have
2008 -- G&L Climax, blonde/rosewood -- sold
2008 -- G&L L-1000 Limited Edition, candy apple red/maple -- on its way any day!

I think those dates are right. I also bought an ASAT special (6-string) in there somewhere which I still have although bass is my main instrument. It was too good a deal to pass up and it's a sweet guitar.

There are times I wonder if I need all five (soon to be six) of those basses, but each one is special in its own way. I did, however, promise my wife I wouldn't go over six without selling something else, so I guess that's my stable for the foreseeable long haul.

[Chef]

Hey Madcity: got pics of your first gen SB1?

[craigb]

Originally Posted by coop

So tell us about your sickness.

P.S. (CraigB, feel free to take as many pages as you need).

It would be embarassing to post it all. I keep records and while I know some are missing from the early days before I started keeping records I've run through 142 basses since 1993 when I bought my first one (a POS Applause bass) and really most of them since 1997 when I started playing bass regularly.

While in some ways I wish I had stopped back in '02 when I got my first couple #6/#8 neck G&Ls it's been a fun ride. I've learned a lot about what I like/don't like in a bass and have tried out tons of different things (4s, 5s, 8s, Ps, Js, Stingrays, G&Ls, acoustic, semi-hollows, fretless, headless). I've lost money on some, made money on some and enjoyed trying them all (IMO to really get to know a bass you've got to live with it for a while - and I never go to music stores anyway).

Right now I've got 3 G&Ls:

Tribute SB-2 (sunburst/maple)
Tribute JB-2 (sunburst/maple)
US SB-2 (candy apple red/rw)

A G&L with a skinny neck is most comfortable bass to play that I've found for me. Unfortunately I appear to be always looking for something a little different tonally. My favorite basses are all semihollows (Rumblefish PJ, DiPinto Belvedere Std, Waterstone ME-1/ME-2, Epi JC Sig) and G&L doesn't make a real semihollow (the ASAT SH while cool looking is reportedly not that different than a solidbody tonally). So the search for "the one" continues - something with the semihollow tone I crave and the skinny necked G&L comfort I need (will the inbound Lakland Skyline Hollowbody be "the one"?).

I am and always will be a big fan of G&Ls for the quality, sound and value they provide. I like to think I've help spread the G&L word a little bit on the internet and have put a lot of G&Ls into the hands of a lot of people over the years. Now if they'd just make a real semihollow with an upper horn . . .

Here are just the G&Ls that have passed through my hands over the years (there are a few I'd love to have back)

1999
G&L L-1000 aged white, rw
2000
G&L L-2000 sparkle black, rw, #5 neck
G&L SB-1 belair green, #6 rw neck
2001
G&L Climax sparkle black, rw
G&L L-2000 sparkle black one back again
G&L LB-100 nat ash, rw, 1-5/8" nut width
G&L L-2000 tobacco burst, ash, rw, #8 neck, matching headstock
2002
G&L Climax gold?
G&L ASAT
G&L SB-2 black, rw, tortoise pickguard
G&L SB-2 sunburst, maple
G&L SB-2 black, rw, worn
G&L Climax emerald blue
G&L L-2000 nat ash, #6 rw neck
G&L SB-2 burst one for second time
2003
G&L L-2000 LPB, rw #6
G&L Climax metallic redburst
G&L SB-2 burst one for the third time
G&L L-1500 LPB, rw, #6 neck
G&L SB-2 black/silver swirl, rw
G&L L-2000 LPB, maple, #6, mtching hdstck
2004
G&L L-2000 trans red/ash, maple, #6
G&L Climax gold, black headstock
G&L SB-2 honeyburst, rw
G&L L-2000 black, rw, #6 neck
G&L SB-2 sunburst, maple
G&L Climax trans blue ash, maple
2005
G&L SB-2 black, rosewood
G&L SB-2 sunburst, maple
G&L L-2000 flame/alder honey/rw #6 neck
2006
G&L JB-2 honeyburst, rw
G&L SB-2 sunburst, rw
G&L SB-2 clear blue ash, #6 ebony unlined fless
G&L SB-2 white, rosewood, tort guard
G&L Tribute SB-2 cherryburst over ash, maple
G&L L-2000 burst over alder,#8 neck, maple board
G&L L-2000 burst, #8 ebony unlined fretless
G&L SB-2 red swirl, rw
2007
G&L JB-2 trans orange, body binding, maple
G&L L-5000 black/rw 5-string
G&L SB-2 clear green ash, #6 ebony unlined fretless
G&L L-2000 flame/ash honeyburst, maple #8
G&L SB-2 burst/ash? Maple board
G&L SB-2 clear blue/rw
G&L L-5000 sunburst/rw
G&L L-2000 bound emerald blue/GOT maple
G&L JB-2 honeyburst over ash, rw
G&L El Toro clear blue ash, rw 1-5/8"
G&L Tribute JB-2 sunburst ash, maple #8
2008
G&L Tribute JB-2 sunburst ash, maple #8
G&L L-2000 blueburst ash, birdseye, MHS
G&L Climax sparkle black, rw
G&L L-2000 honeyburst ash, ebony, MHS
G&L Tribute SB-2 natural ash, rw
G&L L-2000 BABE blackburst ash/ebony
G&L Tribute SB-2 sunburst basswood/maple
G&L Tribute JB-2 sunburst ash/maple
G&L Tribute SB-2 bordeaux red metallic/rw
G&L Tribute JB-2 sunburst ash/maple
G&L Tribute L2500 natural ash/maple
G&L SB-2 emerald blue/rw
G&L Tribute L2500 natural ash/rosewood
G&L SB-2 candy apple red/rw

And I'm still getting an itchy trigger finger to bid on the clear green/maple SB-2 on the bay and know where I could lay my hands on a fretless SB-2 I'd love to get if my gear funds hadn't all been expended on the HB. It is an illness

[Chef]

Congratulations...You've now surpassed me as the sickest bastid I know

[Nedmundo]

After a few years on guitar, I picked up bass in high school in 1982, and of course it was a Peavey T-40. Early in college, I went back to guitar, then back to bass in 1986, at which point the T-40 got stolen. So I was bassless for two years, then joined a band and bought a used Peavey Patriot. That was it for the next few years, during which I played on-and-off, and I quit playing in 1993 due to demanding career, wife, etc.

Fast forward to 2002, when I again joined a band, and dusted off the old Peavey. I wanted something with better playability, so I bought an Ibanez SRX 500. I quickly discovered the evils of all-active electronics (at least cheap all-active systems), and bought a DiPinto Belvedere. Shortly thereafter, I became hooked on Fenders, and bought and sold a few. I had tried some G&L's -- a JB-2 and Tribute SB-2 -- but they didn't make much of an impression for some reason.

Then, in late 2005, I tried an L-2000 at a shop in N.Y.C., and was blown away. I thought it perfectly blended Fender vintage vibe with more modern tones. When I tried an L-1500, I was even more blown away by the aggressive punch, so I ordered one in 2006. It became my main stage bass in my last band, and it has the best playability of all my basses. (It has the #8 neck.)

So I became hooked on G&L, and as a P-bass fanatic, an SB-2 was the next logical step. One of those joined the arsenal in the summer of 2007, and it's one of my top two basses. I could get by easily with the SB-2 and my Jazz, but what kind of fun is that!

I can't imagine getting another bass, unless I need a second five string for some future project. It would probably be an L-2500.

[francisl2500]

Hi there a bit less than craigb but there are mine ...
1976: Gibson Ripper purple metal flakes/ maple ( my first bass) my father paid for,
sold in 1979 (for shure gave backmy father's money ).
1977: Fender mia P bass 1970 sunburst (bought used from a money problem's guy) used
it for a long time as my first to go and still have .
1982: Cort (Steinberger style) black /rosewood (It was a "Did you looked my bass)
sold in 1998 for the same price i bought brand new, it was a cheap bass but
played so many times cause it has a cool look
2005: i was looking for a 500$/600$ 5 strings (ibanez or some like that) and a GnL dealer
near my house told me by phone" you must listen to that amasing sound man"
and i bought a Tribbute L2500 amber /rosewood . it is my first to go and i'm in
love with
Probably my next will be a GnL ....somewhere around 2017 or maybe i will go for craigb sickness
Francis

[Madcity Fats]

Originally Posted by Chef

Hey Madcity: got pics of your first gen SB1?

Look again, good sir. It's a 2nd gen. I've always hoped to stumble on a 1st gen at a reasonable price but the ones I've encountered lately are out of my price range (which really just means too expensive to justify to my wife).

[unclejane]

1979 or so, first bass was an old Hofner copy. Dont remember what happened to it

1982-3 or so, various things, but ended up with 2 ricks, a 70's 4001 and a 4003S. Sold both in college.

I had a G&L SB2 in there at one point, but stupidely sold it for a 74 fender jazz. Piece of garbage - should have kept the SB2.

Quit playing almost completely until just a few years ago, all I had was some old Ibanez that I'd converted to fretless.

2000 - bought another rick 4003 fretted. Still own but no longer play.

2002 or 3. Bought my L2000 fretless. Had had it with trying to make a fretted bass sound good and bought it to learn fretless. Still my #1 instrument.
2004 - bought used Tobias (Gibson) Basic 6 string fretless. Still own, but I've ruined it in my strained efforts to make it playable and give a good sound. Probably going on the wall or something.

Couple weeks ago: scored a factory new MIA L2500 fretless. Only concession is it's lined (I prefer unlined) but otherwise may end up as my new #1 instrument after I get some lighter strings on it and file the nut down.

Eventually plan to get rid of my other stuff and use the L2000 and L2500 as my main instruments.

Only bass left that I desire: L2500 unlined fretless. I'll probably stop there and just have these 3 from here on out.

LS

[BrentSimons]

2005- L2000 Black, Ebony Fretboard #8 Neck-Sold
2007- L2000 Custom -Redburst, Birdseye Maple Fretboard #8 Neck,Single Coil Switching-Too Heavy, Sold (Someone on here still has it I think)
2008- L2000 Custom Clear Red, Maple Fretboard, #8 Neck , Single Coil Switching- Still have it 7 months later! Wahoo love it!
Brent

[Lew]

It all started for me in 1996. I wanted a bass for my birthday, so my mom and I went out shopped around. After trying many basses, I ended up at a store and tried out a bass that I had no clue about at the time called a G&L L-1000. As I was playing it, I had at least 2 people come up to me and say "Buy this bass!!!" So we did!!! Best decision I've ever made.

A refin 2nd Gen. SB-2 followed in 2000 and a Natural L1500 in 2005.

[Chef]

still got that 1000?

[Kompressaur]

owned a black crinkle bridge (late 80s?) sunburst L-2000 from 1999 to around 2003.

then stuck with musicman only for a couple of years but since 2005 I got the G&L bug again and have gotten through

SB-2 (still have)
Asat
Asat semi-hollow
L-1500
Tribute L-2000

also a couple of guitars too - both USA fullerton standards
one a Legacy and the other an Invader XL

Komp