G&L Club Part 5

[MontzterMash]

Originally Posted by brlottermann

Hey guys, I don't (yet) own a G&L, but I'm looking at the L2000 fretless. It sounds great but looks a little clunky, how's the playability on that bass? I currently play primarily on a Ibanez SR700 at gigs, which is extremely easy to play (a very thin, uncoated neck with close string spacing and a comfortable body). How would the L2000 compare?

Thanks

It's one of the most comfortable basses I've played. I have a schecter that I really like for the fast neck, but I always go straight to my L2000 when my hand's tired or achy. Before this bass, I thought I was a think neck guy ... but there's something about this one that just works. Body's very comfy for me too.

They have a large variety of necks. They're hard to find so it may not be so easy to try a few, but just in case, keep your eyes open. Everyone's hands and and taste are different. Mine is a really old 1 5/8" neck with the 7.5" radius. New ones usually have a 12", which would be ok by me, but I love the 1 5/8" width.

[zachoff]

Seems like the new Tributes have the same dimensions as the USAs? I remember them not being the same a couple years ago... I remember the USA choices either being thinner or thicker but not the same as the Tributes. Am I wrong? Has this changed recently? I just looked at the G&L site for the first time in a while and it looks like all necks are 1 3/4" nut and 12" radius.

Anyway, I dig the neck on my L-2000 Tribute. Is it going to be as thin as your Ibanez? Probably not, but I came from a 70s Japanese P bass and that thing has a huge neck. I think it will take not much getting used to if you don't fall back to the Ibanez & it will probably sound better, but I'm not a superfan of Ibanez so take that for what it's worth.

[sratas]

Originally Posted by jfh2424

Re: foreign made pickups...I'm not sure that G&L or Fender have ever said that every single piece of hardware on their basses were made and manufactured in the USA. As a matter of fact, I don't know of any bass company who have ever said this. I could be wrong, though.

I could see where this could be important for some folks as the country of origin thing is important to some people and that's fine.

Personally, I'm not really in this group. And I've never even thought of asking this question. I guess I see that there is a current trend towards globalisation of a lot of things...it would be hard to garantee that anything is made entirely in the USA, by parts made in the USA, by USA citizens.

I guess what I am trying to say is that if we dig around enough, we will see that all or most of our "USA" basses are not 100% USA.

Certainly, a lot of USA boutique basses are made from wood from...Africa, South America, etc. That's pretty clear. Yet they are still considered American made basses, although the major component comes from somewhere else.

Just wanted to add my 2 cents worth.

John

I think that the fact that the PUs in the JBs are made in Japan does not imply an issue with quality at all...as I stated in my post. More...I have tried also some PU swap and finally returned back to the stock G&L 'cause they simply sound better to my ear (tried Nordstrand NJ4, Di Marzio).
Now I'm able to distinguish some specific features in the gagon spec'd PUs compared at least with Nordtrand (that remained on the bass for a while).
The stock G&L Pus are certainly less bassy and have less lower mids but they have also a great, burpy, clear, open response in the midrange with sweeter highs. They seem to sound a lot more woody (you know that particular "colour" that reminds of a piece of wood that is speaking). they have also that kind of a "rotted" or "distorted" quality to the wonderful midrange that I sometimes noted on very old pickups coming form the 60-70' in vintage basses. A sort of a mixture between transparency and warmth that is very difficult to explain and share but that is clearly evident even to non-musicians.
For example, when I change things and try to find a variation in tone for my instruments I perform two tests: the first is a recording of a bass line before and after trying to play with absolute consistence from a take to the other one. After a "sound holiday" of the duration of a night, usually, I listen to the two results in an A/B test.
The second test, that I use sparingly, is even more empirical: I ask my wife, who does not have a clue about what is a good bass tone, she does not play an instrument, and I ask her to comment.
This time we had the same exact feelings and perceptions about changes in tone and I have to confess that after having done the mods, I hugely prefer the stock made in Japan PUs in terms of pure tone.
This was not a surprise for me, I know that made in japan has been frequently associated with great quality, in the past just as these days.
But nonetheless I'm happy I have done those comparisons, I think I have discovered a true fine pickup, very old'ish sounding and in this regard, quite rare...

[funk7856]

[mystic38]

With my SB-2 due to arrive tomorrow .. I have an Ibanez SRA500 with a similar neck profile to the SR700.. the L is wider and thicker than the SR but doesnt seem to be as thick as a P bass.. I suspect you will adapt to it reasonably quickly.. no different than playing a strat and a les paul


and merry christmas

Originally Posted by brlottermann

Hey guys, I don't (yet) own a G&L, but I'm looking at the L2000 fretless. It sounds great but looks a little clunky, how's the playability on that bass? I currently play primarily on a Ibanez SR700 at gigs, which is extremely easy to play (a very thin, uncoated neck with close string spacing and a comfortable body). How would the L2000 compare?

Thanks

[unclejane]

Originally Posted by brlottermann

Hey guys, I don't (yet) own a G&L, but I'm looking at the L2000 fretless. It sounds great but looks a little clunky, how's the playability on that bass? I currently play primarily on a Ibanez SR700 at gigs, which is extremely easy to play (a very thin, uncoated neck with close string spacing and a comfortable body). How would the L2000 compare?

Thanks

If possible, order it with the #8 neck. That's if you want the jazz dimensions that is. That's what I have on my 90's FL L2K and it's about the most comfy neck I've played. Without the frets, it's absolutely pencil-thin in terms of depth up in half position and your hands will really thank you if you like thin necks.

The rest of the dimensions like string spacing are about identical to the jazz bass, so if that's what your comfortable with, it'll be ideal.

My L2K is even more "ergo" for me than my Bunny, one of the most ergonomic basses ever made ...

LS

[Chef]

Well done sir!

Originally Posted by funk7856

[sunbeast]

G&L+Mesa+Bergantino= pure sexy bass! Those are some super clean old G&Ls too!

[benlauziere]

Count me in !

[banebass]

Just got it ... good bass !!!
Never had or tried G&L before, they are not very popular in this part of the world. What a mistake

[lakefx]

I'm rejoining the G&L world. I had a '96 L-2000 that I sold a few years ago when I needed cash. Sometimes I regret it, but I really only plan fretless now.

A couple weeks ago I got a bargain off eBay and bought a U.S. L-2000 that had been traded to a luthier with a neck issue. They built it a brand new fretless neck with ebony fingerboard and did a great job matching the profile of what I remember my L-2000 neck feeling like. So I guess I now own half an L-2000 and I'm loving it!

It's on the left. Sorry for the bad pic. Camera battery was dead so I used my phone and the lighting in my office is pretty bad.

[Green Lantern]

I was interested in a JB bass. I prefer the more open sound it has over the Fender J bass. Then I found out that G&L does not make 5 string JB bass. Looks like I have to go with a American Fender Jazz and throw Augilar pickups in it instead.

[funk7856]

Thanks fellas. Can't seem to get enough of these early G&L's lately. The HT115 pictured really brings new meaning to OMG mode...

[supakneegrow]

So, like I mentioned before I often find that I have to ride the volume pots (particularly the top one) carefully to keep my SB-2 from overdriving many amps. While I love the growl she can produce, I sometimes try to tame it down for a more soulful sound. Any suggestions?

[SturmUndDrang]

Originally Posted by supakneegrow

So, like I mentioned before I often find that I have to ride the volume pots (particularly the top one) carefully to keep my SB-2 from overdriving many amps. While I love the growl she can produce, I sometimes try to tame it down for a more soulful sound. Any suggestions?

I have an SB1. When I want to clean up the tone and shave some of the hair off the assertive overdrivey split coil mfd, the simplest thing is to adjust the ratio of gain to master volume on my amp. Favor more master than gain and things should clear up. Hopefully you have an amp with master and gain controls.

[BadJazz]

The JB-2's arrived today. $279 a pop!



There are 2 more G&L's hanging on the wall but I'm out of stands...



I haven't played them yet. Going to let them acclimate a bit. The first one I ordered (mine) has two imperfections: The logo is slightly off and a little blurred, and one of the neck screws is a bit crooked, although the neck feels fine and the pocket is tight. The second one (roommates) seems perfect.

More after I play them.

[ClassicJazz]

Originally Posted by ClassicJazz

Well I pull the trigger on having my ASAT Fretless re-wired. Love the bass....but can't stand only having a pickup selector switch only. Don't know why G&L uses that over a blend control.

So I am having the treble and bass control combined into one stacked control knob. Kind of like the bass and treble control on my Sadowsky.

Than the remaining two control knobs will become the front and rear pickup volume controls. So when done I will be able to blend the pickups rather than just selecting just one or the other...or both full on.

The pickup selector switch will remain functional.

Stay tuned!

Update

My tech cracked her open a almost fainted when he saw the horrible wiring job inside the control cavity. I also was shocked how sloppy wiring was done. There seemed to be more wires then the space shuttle! And mind you this bass is stock, never modified.

Now compared to my Sadowsky, the wiring on that bass is a work of art. The wiring is nicely bundled together and harnessed. But in the G&L it looks like a free for all.

Well my tech is not too confident working on this puppy, he admitted it is over his head trying to figure it out.

So we might enlist the help of Kevin Kaufman (yep, Jaco's old tech) to take a look see. He is good with electronics, installed a Sadowsky preamp into a Fender Jazz I had. So.......stay tuned!

[BadJazz]

^^^^ I just got an M-2K and it has a blend knob instead of the switch. I really prefer the switch on my L2Ks myself. So therefore you are totally wrong. *cough*

[kellyrojo]

[/quote]

I haven't played them yet. Going to let them acclimate a bit. The first one I ordered (mine) has two imperfections: The logo is slightly off and a little blurred, and one of the neck screws is a bit crooked, although the neck feels fine and the pocket is tight. The second one (roommates) seems perfect.

More after I play them.[/quote]

Where and why were they so cheap?

[BadJazz]

Where and why were they so cheap?


Hello Music. Took two weeks to get.

Speaking of which, hot DAMN! I really really like this bass. The neck is slim but not as thin as the M2K neck, nor is it all shiny. It felt kinda clunky at first but after ten minutes or so there is no doubt it's a keeper. I already like it more than the M2K, which is certainly a fine instrument in it's own right.

The controls are not what I expected: each pickup has a volume nob, and the far right nob is a master treble control. I really dig the simplicity, and I REALLY like the tone I'm getting from the Tiny Terror and Bag End 15. It's passive (unlike all my other G&Ls) so I turned the gain up on the amp a bit and it just kills. Single coil goodness. *cough Chef cough*