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

[Gilmourisgod]

The first picture of my '84 G&L L2000e that I located is this one from about 30 years ago, probably 1986, of me and ol' Blue. Back then it was a beautiful trans-blue. 1984 also might have been the first year where they didn't have the control plate on the front (back access instead). I just took photos for insurance purposes on my phone a few days ago so I will try to add that later.

Sweet! Is that a Peavey Mark 3 or mark 4 head? I still have my Mark 3, though it needs a recap, which costs more than it's worth. Somehow can't bring myself to get rid of it.

 

[Plutonium244]

Sweet! Is that a Peavey Mark 3 or mark 4 head? I still have my Mark 3, though it needs a recap, which costs more than it's worth. Somehow can't bring myself to get rid of it.

I think it's a Mark III, kinda wish I still had it. It's been so many years that maybe perception is skewed, but that was a damn good amp and sounded great with the Peavey 2x15 BW cabinet. Truly the days of "heavier is better". I have considered spending $200 and picking up one somewhere, for nostalgia's sake. But then I think of other things I could use $200 for since I have 4 or 5 amps; and I also kinda worry maybe I'd be disappointed if it didn't live up to my fond memories of it.

Did you have your L2000 and a working Mark III at the same time, so that you played the G&L through it? Very "muscular" tone, that combo.

 

[RawOrange]

Well, here are a couple of close ups. I'm thinking definitely ebony, but a light for ebony.

So...I think you are right @dedpool1052 - I think this is ebony with the lighter streaks you are referring to and not rosewood....View attachment 957823

using the wood database as a reference, it looks like it's macassar ebony
Invalid Link Removed
this picture of a flat-sawn piece looks pretty close to your fretboard

Just for comparison, here is a photo of my '82 fretboard. The local experts here on Talkbass thought it was Rosewood due to the larger pores.

It does appear much darker in person.

 

[Amedee]

I think it's a Mark III, kinda wish I still had it. It's been so many years that maybe perception is skewed, but that was a damn good amp and sounded great with the Peavey 2x15 BW cabinet. Truly the days of "heavier is better". I have considered spending $200 and picking up one somewhere, for nostalgia's sake. But then I think of other things I could use $200 for since I have 4 or 5 amps; and I also kinda worry maybe I'd be disappointed if it didn't live up to my fond memories of it.

Did you have your L2000 and a working Mark III at the same time, so that you played the G&L through it? Very "muscular" tone, that combo.

I'm looking for a nice tube amp. I want to have a lot of headroom and have the ability to make this 82 L 2000e have even more tones and more of you know everything. I know a gentleman who makes custom speaker cabinets I just want to know what kind of tubes to use to drive what speakers ?

Anybody have any helpful responses

Thank you

Christian

 

[Bassheart365]

Just for comparison, here is a photo of my '82 fretboard. The local experts here on Talkbass thought it was Rosewood due to the larger pores.

View attachment 958175

It does appear much darker in person.
View attachment 958179

She's a beauty!

 

[Bassheart365]

Just for comparison, here is a photo of my '82 fretboard. The local experts here on Talkbass thought it was Rosewood due to the larger pores.

View attachment 958175

It does appear much darker in person.
View attachment 958179

And @dedpool1052 ...I guess this settles it for my bass. I still have the original brochure for my '81 L2000e, and it indicates the fingerboard options were "maple and ebony." And the other thing about the '81 bass is that the pickup poles were slotted, as indicated in this brochure and the attached photo. Leo switched to hex poles sometime in '82 I believe. The bridges were matte black. Not sure why the brochure shows a chrome bridge.

 

[bonin in the boneyard]

A brief addendum to what I said earlier: I put the Chromes back on tonight after the kids went to sleep and played through my SCR-DI for a couple hours. Some MC5, some Pretenders, some Allman Brothers, some Stone Temple Pilots, some James Brown, and wrapping up with some Meters. With distortion and without, I've been all through the switches and knobs tonight, and no trouble making the L2k+Chromes do what I want for any song.

So basically I'm back to saying that Chromes are again my #1 string for this thing. Not sure what I'm gonna do with these $70 Thomastik strings when they arrive tomorrow

(Also rethinking the cab I'm running my new tube head through, but that's a diff story...)

 

[dedpool1052]

@arrowsun
cool finding the old brochure.
AFAIK, the slotted pickups were an '81 only thing.

 

[Amedee]

You're welcome.

How are you liking the neck?
These early basses had a wide nut and were thinner front-to-back. I dig the neck on my '81.

When on the bridge pick up I can get a harmonic on almost every single fret. What a treat for harmonic masters. Especially when I have the treble boost on.

 

[DirkP]

The pickups and the preamps on these are so strong. Did you try to eliminate an amp completely and just connect it directly to a passive speaker? Should be enough for most gigs

 

[Amedee]

The pickups and the preamps on these are so strong. Did you try to eliminate an amp completely and just connect it directly to a passive speaker? Should be enough for most gigs

Thank you. The possibilities are just endless with this instrument.

 

[Amedee]

The pickups and the preamps on these are so strong. Did you try to eliminate an amp completely and just connect it directly to a passive speaker? Should be enough for most gigs

Right now I have a rumble 150. and just flat it has infinite tone. Wow!!! Just not enough.

 

[mpdd]

i have had my best luck with my 83 with settled down dunlop nickel plated rounds and a mesa boogie d180 through two orange 115s
my friend has had great luck with roto 77 flats on his 82 L2k

 

[Amedee]

i have had my best luck with my 83 with settled down dunlop nickel plated rounds and a mesa boogie d180 through two orange 115s
my friend has had great luck with roto 77 flats on his 82 L2k

Thank you so much
I have LaBella Nickle I think I'm going to play them until I get my fretts Filed level, then I might put on some flats I guess I'm just gonna have to try them all out. Ha ha!!!

 

[Amedee]

View attachment 964294

Thank you so much
I have LaBella Nickle I think I'm going to play them until I get my fretts Filed level, then I might put on some flats I guess I'm just gonna have to try them all out. Ha ha!!!

I really want to try flats and see what they sound like. My friends L1k had flats and it was definitely the way to go for that instrument.

 

[Andrew 17]

As always, appreciating seeing and learning about vintage G&L basses. These are often less recognized and under-appreciated instruments, however, for myself and a number of us, these are eminently well-crafted, versatile, beautiful sounding, attractive and ultimately playable instruments. Also, still a relatively good value for vintage instruments. Clearly, an evolution in Leo Fender's contributions to the bass guitar, and apparently, in the case of the L-2000 E bass, his favorite creation. No matter, I very much enjoy owning and playing these, having been fortunate to find a number of "keepers" over time. The attached photo features all L-2000 E basses, including a 1981, slot pole, rosewood, "root beer" finish, chrome hardware; a 1981, slot pole, ebony, sunburst, matte black hardware, fretless; a 1982, hex pole, maple, Bahama Blue, matte black hardware (very cool looking); and a 1982, hex pole, rosewood, white, matte black hardware. Feel very fortunate to have and enjoy each of these. In terms of strings, I am using D'Addario Chromes on the Fretless, D'Addario round wounds on two of the basses, and DR rounds on another. While open to trying other types of strings, I have been satisfied with the D'Addarios overall.

 

[Andrew 17]

Addendum. Regarding amps, I truly enjoy the sound of the L-2000 E basses through my Ampeg B-15n amp pictured behind the basses. Beautiful, warm and round tones in the combination. As I only use the Ampeg at home, for general, smaller gigs, I use a newest version Fender Rumble 200 watt amp. This works well for what it is. In the rare event that I need a stack for a larger gig, I use my older, tried and true Gallien-Krueger amp, with a 4-10 cabinet, 1-15 cabinet and an 800 RB amp head. That said, ultimately, these G&L basses sound good through just about anything!

 

[Amedee]

As always, appreciating seeing and learning about vintage G&L basses. These are often less recognized and under-appreciated instruments, however, for myself and a number of us, these are eminently well-crafted, versatile, beautiful sounding, attractive and ultimately playable instruments. Also, still a relatively good value for vintage instruments. Clearly, an evolution in Leo Fender's contributions to the bass guitar, and apparently, in the case of the L-2000 E bass, his favorite creation. No matter, I very much enjoy owning and playing these, having been fortunate to find a number of "keepers" over time. The attached photo features all L-2000 E basses, including a 1981, slot pole, rosewood, "root beer" finish, chrome hardware; a 1981, slot pole, ebony, sunburst, matte black hardware, fretless; a 1982, hex pole, maple, Bahama Blue, matte black hardware (very cool looking); and a 1982, hex pole, rosewood, white, matte black hardware. Feel very fortunate to have and enjoy each of these. In terms of strings, I am using D'Addario Chromes on the Fretless, D'Addario round wounds on two of the basses, and DR rounds on another. While open to trying other types of strings, I have been satisfied with the D'Addarios overall.View attachment 967844

As always, appreciating seeing and learning about vintage G&L basses. These are often less recognized and under-appreciated instruments, however, for myself and a number of us, these are eminently well-crafted, versatile, beautiful sounding, attractive and ultimately playable instruments. Also, still a relatively good value for vintage instruments. Clearly, an evolution in Leo Fender's contributions to the bass guitar, and apparently, in the case of the L-2000 E bass, his favorite creation. No matter, I very much enjoy owning and playing these, having been fortunate to find a number of "keepers" over time. The attached photo features all L-2000 E basses, including a 1981, slot pole, rosewood, "root beer" finish, chrome hardware; a 1981, slot pole, ebony, sunburst, matte black hardware, fretless; a 1982, hex pole, maple, Bahama Blue, matte black hardware (very cool looking); and a 1982, hex pole, rosewood, white, matte black hardware. Feel very fortunate to have and enjoy each of these. In terms of strings, I am using D'Addario Chromes on the Fretless, D'Addario round wounds on two of the basses, and DR rounds on another. While open to trying other types of strings, I have been satisfied with the D'Addarios overall.View attachment 967844

your blue one with the maple neck/fretboard looks black. I bet is sounds amazing.

 

[Andrew 17]

your blue one with the maple neck/fretboard looks black. I bet is sounds amazing.

Thanks for the comment. Yes, indeed, it could easily be mistaken for a black finish. The photograph (and likely my lack of photography skills) does not do justice the the beautiful blue hue of the bass. Having only recently acquired this instrument, I am impressed by the clarity, fullness and overall quality of the sound. Full of mojo and an absolute joy to play. P.S. attached photo from the store I bought it from better shows the color.

 

[Amedee]

Thanks for the comment. Yes, indeed, it could easily be mistaken for a black finish. The photograph (and likely my lack of photography skills) does not do justice the the beautiful blue hue of the bass. Having only recently acquired this instrument, I am impressed by the clarity, fullness and overall quality of the sound. Full of mojo and an absolute joy to play. P.S. attached photo from the store I bought it from better shows the color. View attachment 968189

Wow that's nice!!! If I had any money I would be trying to get A few more nice G&L's. like I would love to have a L1000
With an Ebony board. I will just have to keep playing my L 2000. Thank you for sharing.