G&L Club Part 4 - Page 13

fourstringbliss · #**241** 10-22-2011, 06:01 PM

I've got an L2000 Tribute and have owned other L2xxx Tribute basses in the past - all of which I have modded and then ended up selling. Now I've got this one and it looks like I would want one to look, weighs just over 9 lbs, and sounds GREAT with Ti flats now that I know to back way off on the bass control when I've got the pickups in series.

So, here's my plan...

I'm going to gut it and completely copper foil shield it. After that I'm going to replace the single volume with a 250k concentric volume pot, placing the volume after the switches and the bass control right before the jack. This will eliminate the need for the pickup selector switch, freeing up a hole. Then I'm yanking the preamp, freeing up another hole. Then I'm going to replace the 250k treble pot with a 500k push/pull pot. Two of the switch holes are going to have inner coil/parallel/outer coil switches (one for each pickup), the remaining hole will have a series/parallel switch for the bridge pickup, and I'm using the p/p pot switch for the neck series/parallel switch. I'm replacing the series jumper wires with resistors which should eliminate the series/parallel volume change.

If it all works I think this will be the Swiss Army Knife of basses!

(Two fingers crossed!)

BadJazz · #**242** 10-23-2011, 12:25 AM

^^^ I thought L2K's already WERE the Swiss Army Knife of basses...

fourstringbliss · #**243** 10-23-2011, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BadJazz

^^^ I thought L2K's already WERE the Swiss Army Knife of basses...

I guess mine will be a Swiss Army Knife with an engine.

zuma · #**244** 10-23-2011, 12:51 AM

Hey all! Just came back from BP Live and I played a BRAND NEW model. Sorry, I forgot the name of it but I'll take pics when I return tomorrow. It's basically an L2K with a completely new preamp. It has a 3-band active eq (cut and boost I believe), and a BLEND control for the first time ever. I can't remember if it also had a series/parallel switch. It sounded amazing. I played a 5 string model and the neck is also much improved over the bats of before. It was my favorite bass of the show.

The pickup poles were black as well. I was told they were the same MDFs wound in a slightly different manner. I seem to recall they are a bit LESS hot than usual. I was playing while attempting to listen to the G&L rep so I could be wrong. The bass I played was white with a matching headstock. They also had a beautiful JB in a deep purple color. NICE stuff!!!

Nikoubis · #**245** 10-23-2011, 05:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zuma

Hey all! Just came back from BP Live and I played a BRAND NEW model. Sorry, I forgot the name of it but I'll take pics when I return tomorrow. It's basically an L2K with a completely new preamp. It has a 3-band active eq (cut and boost I believe), and a BLEND control for the first time ever. I can't remember if it also had a series/parallel switch. It sounded amazing. I played a 5 string model and the neck is also much improved over the bats of before. It was my favorite bass of the show.

The pickup poles were black as well. I was told they were the same MDFs wound in a slightly different manner. I seem to recall they are a bit LESS hot than usual. I was playing while attempting to listen to the G&L rep so I could be wrong. The bass I played was white with a matching headstock. They also had a beautiful JB in a deep purple color. NICE stuff!!!

I don't need another bass.

Youngspanion · #**246** 10-23-2011, 05:50 AM

Zuma, Can you bring a camera and post some pics? That would be great. Thats then new M•2000 Bass.

zuma · #**247** 10-23-2011, 09:15 AM

I am already packed up and ready to go with both a camera and a video camera! You are correct, it's an "M" bass. I played the M2500 (5 string).

I forgot to mention the knobs for the three band eq were pretty awesome. They are smaller than the rest so you know exactly where they are. As an aside, I was playing it through their Aguilar Tone Hammer 500/DB112 rig and it was punchy tone heaven.

Nikoubis, I think you need just one more.

zuma · #**248** 10-23-2011, 09:02 PM

I'll post a few more but here are the ones you've been waiting for:

zuma · #**249** 10-23-2011, 09:17 PM

Sadly, I didn't get to shoot any video. I had to continue reserving my seat for the Larry Graham performance so I ran out of time.

You'll have to take my word for it that it sounded pretty awesome. Because the pickups are the same you still have the G&L signature but now it sounds like it has been opened up. It's breathing a lot more with just enough smooth lows and a nice, airy high end. Not brittle at all and no loss of punch in the midrange. I predict a real home run for this new preamp.

Any how, here are the rest of the photos. That JB was a real nice sounding one too.

fourstringbliss · #**250** 10-23-2011, 09:31 PM

I'm sure the M-2000 is super cool, but you can make your L-2000 into an M-2000 (without the black pole pieces) by yanking the stock preamp and installing an Audere Classic 4-Band preamp. It's a pretty easy install and works really well with these pickups.

lowfreqgeek · #**251** 10-23-2011, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fourstringbliss

I'm sure the M-2000 is super cool, but you can make your L-2000 into an M-2000 (without the black pole pieces) by yanking the stock preamp and installing an Audere Classic 4-Band preamp. It's a pretty easy install and works really well with these pickups.

Not quite... The M2x00 has new pickups that are wound a little less hot, with no switching options; series only. Much as I love my (remaining) L2500, I can't get the kind of treble extension/clarity I'm after - especially in series mode. No matter what I do, it's just not there. I still love it, but... My point of reference is a jazz bass (well, 2 of them) with crystal-clear highs. Very open and airy sounding. I want that open/airy top with the huge bottom of the L2500. I'm hoping the M2500 is just that. I've been waiting for this bass!

That pic above of the CAR M2500 is darn hard to ignore! I just let my fretted L2500 go recently, partly with the thought of potentially picking up one of the new M2500s. CAR/maple?!?! That's tough to not think about!!!

zuma · #**252** 10-23-2011, 09:41 PM

You know what I'm waiting for? What about an M1505? Stingray placed pickup with this new combo should sound killer!

lowfreqgeek · #**253** 10-23-2011, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zuma

You know what I'm waiting for? What about an M1505? Stingray placed pickup with this new combo should sound killer!

Before I sold my fretted L2500, *that* ^^^ was my new dream G&L. Deep down, I'm really waiting for an M2600 and/or M1506...

zuma · #**254** 10-23-2011, 10:28 PM

A 6 string G&L huh? That would be quite a sight. I'm sure you're not holding your breath!

lowfreqgeek · #**255** 10-23-2011, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zuma

A 6 string G&L huh? That would be quite a sight. I'm sure you're not holding your breath!

I'd be turning blue if I was!

I had my fretted L2500 strung up E-C for a while. I also had an EMG preamp in it and I really liked the tone of the bass in series mode with the treble cranked and the bass rolled off a bit. It got me darn close to what I want. However, it lost something when I converted back to B-G tuning. Not really sure what or why or how, but it just didn't sound the same. Still had a monstrous B-string, tight sound, etc. I think the "twang" of the lighter strings and the fact that I could hit all the same notes down further on the neck (that twang thing again...) really opened up the E-C strung bass.

Naturally, *that* tone with the superb B-string would be perfect for me. Well, that and 24 frets...

zuma · #**256** 10-23-2011, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowfreqgeek

snip... Well, that and 24 frets...

Now you're getting crazy!

Youngspanion · #**257** 10-24-2011, 07:52 AM

Thanks for the pix Zuma.

I gotta say. I do not like the look of the pup with the black pole pieces. I thought it looked cool when I first saw them in an up close photo when the bass was being shown at Bassesbyleo.com. But now it's a turnoff to me. Reminds me of a different bass company. Dean maybe. Yamaha? Thats the idea I suppose. Get the bass to look different from the L2K.

I'd love to hear it too. To compare it to my L2k.

Did you notice how the back looked? Was there a battery compartment?

**Chef** · #**258** 10-24-2011, 09:05 AM

I'd bet you could scuff the black off the pole pieces real easy with emery tape.

Youngspanion · #**259** 10-24-2011, 09:14 AM

Yeah Chef,

I was wondering about that. I thought that the allen key hole would look messy after a few in and outs with the wrench. I thought either that or the metal was black all the way through.

jasonbraatz · #**260** 10-24-2011, 09:23 AM

I played an L2500 for a few years because it was the closest production bass to what I wanted, but there were still things that bugged me about it (thickness of neck, preamp) so I had Chris Stambaugh make me something that was exactly what I wanted.

He's a few months out from finishing my third and final bass, and G&L comes out with a bass that looks to be exactly what I wanted from the get-go.

Oh well.