G&L M2X000...Users? Soundclips? - Page 4

Glazenn · #61 11-26-2012, 02:22 PM

Many thanks, Tor, for the 'Phasing Out' article and the wiring sketch.
I find strange (as it seems to me from the pictures) that cavities are not shielded from factory.
My MIA M2500 should arrive this week.
Patrick

TorBass · #62 11-26-2012, 02:34 PM

No problem!
It may be painted with conductive paint? I don't know, but I do know that there's no noise whatsoever. In single coil mode, with just one pickup active, there are some noise. But not as much as I've experienced with fender and other single coil basses. It will not represent any problem, not even i the studio.

Glazenn · #63 11-26-2012, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TorBass

No problem!
It may be painted with conductive paint? I don't know, but I do know that there's no noise whatsoever. In single coil mode, with just one pickup active, there are some noise. But not as much as I've experienced with fender and other single coil basses. It will not represent any problem, not even i the studio.

Grateful.
Patrick

Bass Logic · #64 11-26-2012, 02:47 PM

Yeah, Thank you so much for the pics and diagram!
As it turns out on the Tribute, the yellow and black wire are actually tied off under the pickups themselves.
The black wire soldered to the green wire in the cavity is actually the ground coming from the pickup cavity.
They actually did a really nice job shielding (conductive paint) the pickup routes and the control cavity.
I can't wait to start the mods! I just have to order the switches.

DanHibiki · #65 11-27-2012, 03:39 PM

Wow, the Tribute M series control cavity is really tidy, especially comparing with the spaghetti that's my Tribute L2500 =p

TorBass · #66 11-27-2012, 04:38 PM

Had a tribby L-2500, and it was quite the mess!!

Forgot something important! The schematics of the coil tap switch only shows one switch. If you wire both like this, you will get the front coil on each pickup in single coil modus, and they won't be hum canceling. Mine is set up so that I get the outer coils in single coil modus. If you prefer you can get the inner coils.
Anyway, here is the schematics for the outer coil option: https://www.dropbox.com/s/3p70080j9o...2000.31.12.jpg

And btw, just in the process of ordering another M2500. This will be alder body, quartersawn neck with ebony fretboard. And fretless! And the switches, of course!
Have fun, go mad!

Glazenn · #67 11-28-2012, 02:05 AM

Tor,
Is this the right item ?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1906565276...668%26_rdc%3D1
Thks - Patrick

TorBass · #68 11-28-2012, 02:12 AM

No, you want a 3 position on-on-on switch

Glazenn · #69 11-28-2012, 01:11 PM

There is a review of the MIA M2500 by Dan Veall right here:
http://www.iguitarmag.com/magazine-e...0-bass-review/
It's wrongly named 'Review of the Tribute M2500', but it's actually for the US version (white body, rw neck, check the back of the HS on pictures: the G key is slanted).
The text doesn't says much that I did not know, and I noted even a few mistakes, including in the video.
http://licklibrary.ceros.com/iguitar...sue13/page/132
There is a link to a 8:42 minute video, that is good enough to listen to a variety of sounds.

**Chef** · #70 11-28-2012, 01:19 PM

"1981 saw the release of the original L2000 and L2500 four and five string basses from G&L"

Wrong. The 2500 did not come out anywhere near 1981.

Doug Parent · #71 11-28-2012, 02:00 PM

Played the M2500 at Bass San Diego last summer. Almost bought it on the spot based on the tone alone. Really a strong instrument. Have some misgivings on the string spacing though. With coil switches this could be stellar. The one I tried was full time humbucker. The B string just roared and the overall tone was pretty amazing. Cut city. Love to hear more from actual owners who've had some time with this beast.

DanHibiki · #72 11-28-2012, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glazenn

There is a review of the MIA M2500 by Dan Veall right here:
http://www.iguitarmag.com/magazine-e...0-bass-review/
It's wrongly named 'Review of the Tribute M2500', but it's actually for the US version (white body, rw neck, check the back of the HS on pictures: the G key is slanted).
The text doesn't says much that I did not know, and I noted even a few mistakes, including in the video.
http://licklibrary.ceros.com/iguitar...sue13/page/132
There is a link to a 8:42 minute video, that is good enough to listen to a variety of sounds.

Good audio samples, not exactly a good review since they don't seem to know what they are reviewing (it's not that hard to look at the G&L website and see that they don't offer a white Tribute M2500)...

But I'm surprised that it doesn't sound much different from an L series. Good to know, helps keeping GAS in control

Glazenn · #73 11-28-2012, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TorBass

Other than that, it has a quartersawn neck, and a swamp ash body. Don't understand why they use basswood as standard.....

According to the G&L website,

For US M2500:
BODY WOOD: Alder on Standard and all solid finishes, Swamp Ash on Premier Finishes

Tribute M2500:
BODY WOOD: Swamp Ash on translucent and burst finishes, Basswood on solid finishes

The guy in the video wrongly says 'Basswood'.

Rgds - Patrick

TorBass · #74 11-28-2012, 11:43 PM

The funny part, Patrick, is that when I ordered my M2500, basswood was standard on the us series as well. That's why I paid for the ash body. If aldre was standard, I would have gone for that.

lowfreqgeek · #75 11-29-2012, 12:48 AM

That was an early M2500 - it still had the same string retainer as the L2500. The new M series have the Fender-style round washer type. It's quite possibly that the one in the video had a Basswood body. Even so, the guy in the video didn't seem very knowledgeable about the bass.

I've tried an M-2500 here and it is a BEAST. Very different from my L-series basses. It sounded a whole lot more like EMG DC's than the L-series, especially with some adjustments to the on-board EQ. The one I've played locally has some very nice features, but it's a particular color I've just had too many of (Tobacco or Sunburst - I forget). If it was just about any other color, I'd seriously consider it. Shallow, I know, but enough is enough.

TorBass · #76 11-29-2012, 01:23 AM

hmmm.....this is kinda funny... I find my M2500 more refined and controllable than what I did with the L2000 I had. But I run it in single coil/parallel most of the time...
This is on of the best basses I've had. And I've had close to 50 basses.
And since these are made to order, you can get it in any color you like... Blackburst, with body binding

MysticMichael · #77 11-29-2012, 01:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowfreqgeek

I've tried an M-2500 here and it is a BEAST. Very different from my L-series basses.

Geek, could you kindly elaborate?

I've got a G&L thread going elsewhere on the forum, and one cat regards the two series as "two totally different animals", while another one regards them as "quite similar" - with several other players weighing in with a range of additional takes.

I'm in the market for either an L-2500 or an M-2500 sometime in the new year, and while at some point I'll obviously need to schedule a couple of test drives, for right now I could use some additional comparative tonal analysis.

Thanks,

MM

Glazenn · #78 11-29-2012, 02:20 AM

Does anyone know when they changed the serial number CLFxxxxx on M2X00 US models from directly engraved in the wood at the back of the HS to a screwed tin plate (or maybe it was the other way round)?

lowfreqgeek · #79 11-29-2012, 02:23 AM

Well, my experience with the L2500 has been that it's down right "rude". It's snarly and aggressive. It can be kinda like a "Pbass", or kinda like a "Music Man", but it always has this sort of "lo-fi" thing about it. It's got a lot of bottom and it's bright, but everything is kinda in the mid-range. Lots of low mids and high mids. The treble doesn't actually extend very far up - it never sounds "open" like a jazz bass w/single coils, and the low end is huge, but it's mostly low mids rather than deep bass.

I felt like the M-series sort of has more polite, polished mids. The bass and treble extend farther, while the mids are more tame. It still has a certain G&L aggressiveness to it, but the EQ opens up a lot of options, and the rewound pickups are more even sounding. Now I was easily able to get a GREAT slap tone and a really burpy finger-style tone, as well as a warm Pbass type sound, but also a "rock" tone that rivaled my former Spector Euro5 w/EMGs. The treble was just much cleaner and more open than the L-series pickups, and the bass was bigger, with the mid range dipped out of the way. The B-string was every bit as good as my Spector's. The M-series has a certain punch that my Spector had. You can really feel each note hit you in the chest.

In some ways, The M-series is almost like running an L-series through an SWR Aural Enhancer - extends the bass and treble, tames the mids, only the treble is even more open sounding. I can sorta get close with an ACG filter preamp cutting everything above about 100Hz, leaving everything below that alone, and boosting the highs from about 3k up.

That's the best way I can describe it. I'm not sure how useful it is, and I'm not sure if anyone else will agree with my assessment. FWIW, I ran an L-2500 in single-coil mode for a couple years. I also tried various EQ and wiring schemes and never could get it to open up like my Jazz basses and Spector. I still have a fretless L2500.

Hope that helps.

TorBass · #80 11-29-2012, 02:41 AM

Agree with you, Lowreqgeek. Always felt the L-series as big and brute. If I had a gig with angry band like Skunk Anansie, the L-series would be the perfect bass. It will cut through and be heard in the mix, no matter what. A also felt that taming the L-series was not that easy. I read that some people installed Audere preamp in them, with good results.

The M-series can be almost as barky and loud, but it has a lot more to offer. Bear in mind that I've had this switches on mine, that really should be standard! Most of the time I run mine in single coil or series operation. When I need a bit more spunk, or b-string punch/definition, I switch the bridge coil to humbucker. The b-string is as good as anything else I've tried, except for my Alembic Europa. But nothing is as good as the Alembic. A more fair comparison would be with the Warwick Streamer stage II I had. And sold after I got the M2500.
The M-series, with these switches!, is a very versatile and good-sounding instrument that will fit any gig and any situation. I didn't feel the same about the L-series.