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1981 G&L l2000e? Recommended strings? Recommended amp please ?

#61
Amedee said:
Wow!!! Beautiful
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Probably have at least a couple hundred gigs and countless practices on that bass over the years, so it is obviously no longer in "show room" condition. But it remains the best 4-string I've ever owned or played. So many sounds, and awesome wood tone and electronics. The only change I made was with the neck. I happen to live in the same town as a world-renowned lutheir (Kenneth Lawrence). He reduced the neck to jazz width at the nut (1.5" I believe) and replaced the nut obviously, per my request. I prefer a jazz neck over the wider P style. Just personal preference. The only repair performed on this bass in the 35 years I owned it was replacing a volume pot that finally went bad last year.

Leo Fender openly claimed that the L2000 was his finest creation, and I agree. I've had many basses come and go over the decades, but I will NEVER sell this bass!
 
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#62
Bassheart365 said:
Probably have at least a couple hundred gigs and countless practices on that bass over the years, so it is obviously no longer in "show room" condition. But it remains the best 4-string I've ever owned or played. So many sounds, and awesome wood tone and electronics. The only change I made was with the neck. I happen to live in the same town as a world-renowned lutheir (Kenneth Lawrence). He reduced the neck to jazz width at the nut (1.5" I believe) and replaced the nut obviously, per my request. I prefer a jazz neck over the wider P style. Just personal preference. The only repair performed on this bass in the 35 years I owned it was replacing a volume pot that finally went bad last year.

Leo Fender openly claimed that the L2000 was his finest creation, and I agree. I've had many basses come and go over the decades, but I will NEVER sell this bass!
Click to expand...

I will never sell this bass either.
What kind of amp setup do you run?
 
#63
Amedee said:
View attachment 956480 View attachment 956481 View attachment 956481 View attachment 956480 View attachment 956481 I was able to receive this wonderful instrument from another wonderful TBer. I Believe it is a late 81' but I can't find another one like it. It is a hog with a maple neck. Is there a way to tell if it is an 81' or early 82'? #b008218 . Any information about this instrument would be great.
Thank you so much,
Christian
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My money is on it being an '82. The serial #, the satin black hardware (it's not crinkle), and the small hex poles all indicate an '82. Pull the neck if you want to know for sure.
 
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#69
I have an '83 hog/rosewood, an '85 fretless ash/ebony and an '87 ash/rosewood. I've gigged regularly with the '83 for over 10 years through countless house backlines and P.A.s. None of mine are crazy heavy; They all weigh in at around 10lbs.

To my ear, the MFD pickups from this era don't have a very strong treble response, so I tend to use strings that have a bright sound. The following strings are my favorites on the L2K over the years. All are nickel roundwound. They all have lots of treble, but differ from each other a little:
D'Addario XL - strong upper mids
Ken Smith Burners - strong low mids
Sadowsky Black Label - very even
LaBella Nickel Rounds - very even, slightly more mids than the Sadowskys

Other strings I've tried did not have enough treble for my tastes.
Stainless steel strings will give you even more treble, but I don't like how they feel, so I've stuck with nickel all these years.

The truss rods from some '80s L2Ks can be a little dodgy so I never use heavy strings on these basses. Typically, I'll use 45-105 sets. Normal, medium gauge.

The cut-only bass control is really the secret weapon on these basses, IMO. Once you start messing around with that you open up a huge range of tonal possibilities. It took me a long time to get used to using it, but now I reach for that first when I need to make adjustments and I hardly ever run it past about half-way. Experiment. It's worth the time spent.

Many people use these basses passive only. I usually use the preamp, but there are lots of great sounds in passive mode, too. I use both, depending upon the situation and what amp I'm using. I almost never use the treble boost mode in the preamp.

I don't really have a favorite amp for these basses in particular. Any good amp will sound good with an L2K!

Enjoy your new bass! These old G&Ls are great instruments.
 
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#71
Amedee said:
I on the hunt for the right one however I have to wait for $. I am just getting Finnished raising my 3 children and I do not have the means to look seriously. The 2k will have to do for now.
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'Will have to do" obviously understates the value of a 80's L-2000e. I have an '84 L-2000e, which I bought new that year.... so, I've had it 32 years. I hadn't played it in a couple of years until I pulled it out last week, realized how this "new" bass is now vintage... then I realized that now, I am vintage.
 
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#72
Lo-E said:
To my ear, the MFD pickups from this era don't have a very strong treble response, so I tend to use strings that have a bright sound.
Click to expand...

I am not sure what year the started this (or if they always had it) but my '84 L-2000e has a passive/active/active+treble boost 3-way switch, so I never felt it lacked treble when I needed it. Usually I didn't/don't use the treble boost except occasionally when it's in series mode cuz it's super fat.
 
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#73
Lo-E said:
I have an '83 hog/rosewood, an '85 fretless ash/ebony and an '87 ash/rosewood. I've gigged regularly with the '83 for over 10 years through countless house backlines and P.A.s. None of mine are crazy heavy; They all weigh in at around 10lbs.

To my ear, the MFD pickups from this era don't have a very strong treble response, so I tend to use strings that have a bright sound. The following strings are my favorites on the L2K over the years. All are nickel roundwound. They all have lots of treble, but differ from each other a little:
D'Addario XL - strong upper mids
Ken Smith Burners - strong low mids
Sadowsky Black Label - very even
LaBella Nickel Rounds - very even, slightly more mids than the Sadowskys

Other strings I've tried did not have enough treble for my tastes.
Stainless steel strings will give you even more treble, but I don't like how they feel, so I've stuck with nickel all these years.

The truss rods from some '80s L2Ks can be a little dodgy so I never use heavy strings on these basses. Typically, I'll use 45-105 sets. Normal, medium gauge.

The cut-only bass control is really the secret weapon on these basses, IMO. Once you start messing around with that you open up a huge range of tonal possibilities. It took me a long time to get used to using it, but now I reach for that first when I need to make adjustments and I hardly ever run it past about half-way. Experiment. It's worth the time spent.

Many people use these basses passive only. I usually use the preamp, but there are lots of great sounds in passive mode, too. I use both, depending upon the situation and what amp I'm using. I almost never use the treble boost mode in the preamp.

I don't really have a favorite amp for these basses in particular. Any good amp will sound good with an L2K!

Enjoy your new bass! These old G&Ls are great instruments.
Click to expand...
Thank you so much. I'm doingThe same LaBella as you mentioned. And I agree with the base cut and treble cut for that matter. Just the slightest movement and cuts can make a huge difference in the base I have. It's incredible. And my truss rod is perfect. The only thing I might have to do some time is redress the frets. It'll keep me pounding away
Thank you for all the info.

Christian
 
#74
Plutonium244 said:
'Will have to do" obviously understates the value of a 80's L-2000e. I have an '84 L-2000e, which I bought new that year.... so, I've had it 32 years. I hadn't played it in a couple of years until I pulled it out last week, realized how this "new" bass is now vintage... then I realized that now, I am vintage.
Click to expand...
Have to do was merely a roll on the ground laughing joke. Ha ha Ha

Christian
 
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#78
Lo-E said:
That's pretty odd. Treble pot works on both p'ups on all three of my L2Ks. Is yours wired stock?
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RawOrange said:
Try adjusting the treble pot with only the bridge pickup selected. With my '82, it won't do anything. Apparently this was part of the wiring design! Not sure when they stopped doing that though.
Click to expand...


Sorry your trouble pot doesn't work properly.I think you might need to get it rewired. my treble pot works perfectly.

Christian
 
#80
I had a L2000e S# B003108 that was sold to a freind of mine with first rights to buy it back. Nasty bass. He loaned it to a so called freind and he and the bass never returned. Cigarette burn on headstock near E string and the body was stripped and finished with gun barrel oil. Would love to have it back or at least know who has it.
 

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