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

[Amedee]

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.

So sorry to hear that. I too was sold this base by a man who has the first right of refusal if ever were to sell. I don't think I will ever sell my 2k. I don't think I'll be loaning it out anytime soon

 

[2Bellz]

So sorry to hear that. I too was sold this base by a man who has the first right of refusal if ever were to sell. I don't think I will ever sell my 2k. I don't think I'll be loaning it out anytime soon

Your a lucky man. I wouldn't and I shouldn't have. They are heavy, but have what I used to call a nasty greasy sound.

 

[2Bellz]

And as a side fun fact, 1981 and 1982( if I remember correctly) were the only years with that headstock before Fender sued them and G & L' s had to change and went with the horn.

 

[Amedee]

Your a lucky man. I wouldn't and I shouldn't have. They are heavy, but have what I used to call a nasty greasy sound.

Yup. It's almost like it has a built in overdrive. And that's on passive.

 

[Amedee]

And as a side fun fact, 1981 and 1982( if I remember correctly) were the only years with that headstock before Fender sued them and G & L' s had to change and went with the horn.

Yes. the lawsuit headstock.

 

[2Bellz]

Yup. It's almost like it has a built in overdrive. And that's on passive.

The engineers used to ask me to trim it back or ask " do have another bass that's less HOT"?

 

[bonin in the boneyard]

Congrats on the new ax!

I know it's not really helpful, but I've found that I like different strings on my L2k depending on what amp I'm using. With my Phil Jones solid-state amp I love D'Addario Chrome flats for a nice moderate tone that just feels good anywhere. DR Nickel Lo-Riders are the ticket when I want something aggressive and guttural. But I just picked up an Ashdown tube amp with a bit of a dip at 500Hz, which makes the Lo-Riders sound boxy and the Chromes sound boring, so I'm on the hunt again...

 

[InhumanResource]

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

Great snag!

 

[Amedee]

'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.

When you pulled the bass out after a couple of years, have you put it back yet. Ha ha ha

 

[Plutonium244]

When you pulled the bass out after a couple of years, have you put it back yet. Ha ha ha

Ha!, no. Played it at a gig yesterday afternoon, and Friday night. One thing I'd forgotten, is how much of a war horse it was. Lots of dings and chips, mottled finish in a couple spots from sweat, and the varnish worn off the back of the neck from about 2nd to 7th fret. It needs a good cleaning too, some of that dirt and grime might be decades old, lol. Gotta get to work on that.

One unique thing about mine is that it has a Kahler bass tremolo set-up (which I seldom-to-never use so I don't have the bar installed-- but still have it). Will Lee had a Kahler bass trem back in 1984 and it looked cool at the time. It actually looks much nicer than the standard L2000 bridge, and still stays in tune perfectly.

 

[Amedee]

Ha!, no. Played it at a gig yesterday afternoon, and Friday night. One thing I'd forgotten, is how much of a war horse it was. Lots of dings and chips, mottled finish in a couple spots from sweat, and the varnish worn off the back of the neck from about 2nd to 7th fret. It needs a good cleaning too, some of that dirt and grime might be decades old, lol. Gotta get to work on that.

One unique thing about mine is that it has a Kahler bass tremolo set-up (which I seldom-to-never use so I don't have the bar installed-- but still have it). Will Lee had a Kahler bass trem back in 1984 and it looked cool at the time. It actually looks much nicer than the standard L2000 bridge, and still stays in tune perfectly.

How was the sound ?

 

[Plutonium244]

How was the sound ?

Excellent. Could maybe use some new strings, lol. I also ran it only in passive since the battery is (of course) dead and I didn't change it out. One thing I always liked by the L2000 is that the bass and treble controls work in passive mode too. If I can find one I am gonna post a pic of the beast.

I found out recently that my L2000's tone was semi-lengendary (within its small, limited area of course) back in the olden days when I was in a popular college band in the late 80's. A high-end guitar maker that I am friends with who was also gigging the same scene then asked me, when he was getting ready to prototype a bass for his line a few months ago (guitars only up until now), if I still had that G&L bass. Shocked that he'd remember that specific bass 30 years later.

 

[Bassheart365]

Rosewood? Seems unsual for an '81 as I believe the standard "dark" fretboard for these were ebony, while rosewood was introduced in '82/'83. Can you post a pic?

Can anyone else weigh in on this? Did these early G&L's have ebony or rosewood fingerboards?

 

[BassFool61]

Can anyone else weigh in on this? Did these early G&L's have ebony or rosewood fingerboards?

I'm fairly certain that both Ebony and Rosewood were available, along with the Maple. Although both the 1980 & 1981 catalogs only list Maple and Ebony. They also had the "skunk stripe" construction until late 1983 when the headstock design was changed. It's hard to read but here's the 1980 L-2000 page.

 

[Plutonium244]

I fairly certain that both Ebony and Rosewood were available, along with the Maple. Although both the 1980 & 1981 catalogs only list Maple and Ebony. They also had the "skunk stripe" construction until late 1983 when the headstock design was changed. It's hard to read but here's the 1980 L-2000 page.

If by the "skunk stripe" you mean on the stripe back of the neck, my '84 has one. Perhaps you're referring to something more specific with the headstock.

 

[RawOrange]

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

Christian

Christian,

This was actually the way some of the early L2000's were wired from the factory. There are numerous threads here and elsewhere that describe it in more detail, but basically when switched to bridge pickup only, treble was fully on. The treble control pot was wired only to the "rhythm" pickup.

Here is a link with wiring diagrams if you are interested: BassesByLeo • View topic - 1981 g&l l2000 preamp questions

 

[Bassheart365]

I fairly certain that both Ebony and Rosewood were available, along with the Maple. Although both the 1980 & 1981 catalogs only list Maple and Ebony. They also had the "skunk stripe" construction until late 1983 when the headstock design was changed. It's hard to read but here's the 1980 L-2000 page.

It is very dark and snappy...so I'm thinking you might be right that my L2000e has an ebony and not rosewood fb. I'll take it to my local lutheir next time I visit him and he will know...

 

[Amedee]

Christian,

This was actually the way some of the early L2000's were wired from the factory. There are numerous threads here and elsewhere that describe it in more detail, but basically when switched to bridge pickup only, treble was fully on. The treble control pot was wired only to the "rhythm" pickup.

Here is a link with wiring diagrams if you are interested: BassesByLeo • View topic - 1981 g&l l2000 preamp questions

Wow!!! I'm pretty new to this game so I learn something every day. thank you so much.

 

[Plutonium244]

Wow!!! I'm pretty new to this game so I learn something every day. thank you so much.

That was news to me too, about the treble from the bridge pickup from some of the early L2000's. My 1984 is not wired that way.

That's the great thing about TB -- a lot of people know a lot of stuff I don't know, and they share.

 

[dedpool1052]

It is very dark and snappy...so I'm thinking you might be right that my L2000e has an ebony and not rosewood fb. I'll take it to my local lutheir next time I visit him and he will know...

A close up pic of the fretboard would help. Ebony has smaller, tighter pores compared to rosewood. Some of the Ebony they used was not completely black. Mine has some lighter streaks in it.