advice for noise and preamps

[physicshammer]

Hey all,

I've been thinking about a 1500 or 2000, but I've read they are noisy and ungrounded? Anyone have a way to fix this - I don't mind doing some work to ground it, or buying a new preamp... also any advise on one or two humbuckers?

 

[Ken Baker]

Hey all,

I've been thinking about a 1500 or 2000, but I've read they are noisy and ungrounded? Anyone have a way to fix this - I don't mind doing some work to ground it, or buying a new preamp... also any advise on one or two humbuckers?

G&L basses are not, by default, noisy or ungrounded. What you've likely read are articles posted by people who, for any number of reasons, are having problems with their G&L; the same kinds of problems that can affect any other bass.

Regarding one or two humbuckers: Within G&L's line, the two pickup L series basses are very versatile, and you should be able to dial in a tone to suit nearly any style of music. The L-1500/1505 basses are a bit less versatile owing to a single pickup, and have a more aggressive native sound than the two pickup basses because of the pickup location.

Ken...

 

[FidgetStone]

Both of my G&Ls are quiet as mice. (ASAT & L-2500)

 

[physicshammer]

sweet.. I had read a lot of people (on harmony-central I think...) saying that their G&L's were totally unshielded.. but actually i read some 1500 reviews and people didn't mention much at all...

hmmm.. so one humbucker might give a really aggressive tone that you can't quite get with a 2000 huh?

 

[Ken Baker]

sweet.. I had read a lot of people (on harmony-central I think...) saying that their G&L's were totally unshielded.. but actually i read some 1500 reviews and people didn't mention much at all...

For the most part, G&L cavities are shielded. That's the dark gray paint you see in the image below. There are a few that aren't though, so you just have to look, and this is probably what you're reading about.

Let me backtrack a little bit and say that one thing you WILL want to do is shield the inside of the cavity cover. In the image below, you'll see that I brought foil strips to the area under, and in contact with, the back of the cover. Then I shielded the inside of the cover and screwed it into place. This is an area that bites some and not others, but now the cel phone in my pocket doesn't make the bass go crazy.

http://www.bassesbyleo.com/images/g&l_tech/l-2000/l2k_control_cavity.jpg

hmmm.. so one humbucker might give a really aggressive tone that you can't quite get with a 2000 huh?

Yup. It's all about pickup placement. The L-2000 can get pretty aggressive, but the 1500 will chew the legs off the front couple of rows.

Ken...

 

[physicshammer]

thanks. I've got an inkling to be different from all the stingrays, and support fender's vision I'll end up with a fretless 1500 with some extra shielding, I think!