Anyone play a G&L?

[john_g]

I have an L2500 Tribute that I dont think I will ever get rid of. The neck is so stable and the tone(s) are so awesome that I cant believe I got it used but mint for 4 bills (here on TB of course). Ive had an L2000 and I am gassing for both an SB-1 and M2000. They really are great instruments, especially if you buy used.

 

[john_g]

G&L JB special edition 2012 here...

great bass, a beautiful work of art, and most important, it has tone for days..

at the price of a Fender Deluxe jazz there is no battle.

Oh and if I didnt just buy a Fender Jazz from my guitard, I would be gassing for a G&L JB too! That thing is gorgeous!

 

[Mastermold]

I spent over $1000 on a G&L . I played it at home and it sounded fine. I played it at a gig and it had no cut thru sound. The tones kind of all ran together and it sounded muddy, dull and not good. I adjusted of course-- to no avail. I played at another gig in a different room where my P and J sound great. Poo Poo I tell you. I got rid of it . So not everyone has a good experience. Every company on Earth that makes guitars has some duds. I seem to end up with a few- now and then. I just move on. Unless it's a Fender I never go back to the brand . Once bitten twice shy.

If you can't get a G&L to cut that's user error, not the bass. But glad you found something else that works for you.

 

[songwriter21]

I grabbed up, online, a blueburst L-2500 Custom (w/ wood body binding and bursted back) yesterday from The Bass Place, and it should be here by the end of the week...can't freakin' wait!

 

[DrumsAndBass]

This is my L-1505 with a second pickup that I bought from G&L. I also had every bit of the original electronics removed and replaced with a 100% passive system that includes a Stellartone tonestyler. I tried a blend knob but did not like it because it really does not make a whole lot of difference for those "in between" tones. It has a simple 3 way p.u. switch - gibson style. The 2 pickups are always in series - parallel really sounded weak to me. I almost always set the p.u. switch to both so that they are both on equally. The neck pickup really adds more depth and warmth to the stock position of the bridge p.u. I much prefer this tone to that of a L-2500 that I tried. The G&L MFD humbucker is one pickup that works very very well up close to the neck. I've found that the stock 2 p.u. G&L's have the pickups less than 1 inch apart! (case to case) - that did not provide me with enough tonal variety.

I always set the master volume wide open. These pickups sound great in this mode. The tone is very strong. I found the original electronics limiting and I despise batteries in musical instruments. At this time, the master volume will pull up to play the two rear coils in single coil mode. But as powerful as the MFD pickups are, their halved power in single coil mode is kind of useless for me because the volume drops quite a bit. I'll have the master vol. knob simplified as soon as I can because I want to set up this bass so that there are fewer things to go wrong over a very very long time period - like life.

The Stellartone is really just a tone knob but it's graduated very very evenly through its range. It's kind of a no brainer improvement. It's super high quality and won't pop or crackle.

But hats off to Leo Fender for designing his basses. The basses from each of the 3 big companies he worked for are all unique. But the G&L's are by far the best for me.

What do I dislike about G&L's ? Only what I changed on mine. It worked out so well that I did the same changes on two L-1505's. What do I like about the G&L basses ? They are so very solidly made. The necks are robust, nice and rigid. They are pretty flexible with their finish options. Mine here has a satin clear coat over the Swamp Ash. They stay in tune. They have an authoritative tone. They still have a Fender personality - a little. And, the U.S. versions are still made in the original factory - I think that's pretty neat.

 

[Wallace320]

I placed a DiMarzio WillPower neck pickup on my natural L2000.

Now it's my one and only three pickupped bass!

Unfortunately I couldn't do the same for L2500s for there ain't no correspondent neck pickup for 5ers

Anyway, keepin' neck pickup always open, whether the bass plays active/passive and/or parallel/serial, gives me that extra low end with trademark ash body to overwhelm every guitar sound I should face on/offstage.

What more can I say?

G&L rules

Cheers,
Wallace

 

[mpdd]

i play g&ls, because they come with all the hot rod stuff i'd end up doing anyway, the pickups, the bridge, the tuners, and the neck finishes are sweet

2011 sb-2 -this thing is stable, punchy, capable of low low action, and super playable (plek'd)

1983 L2000 - warm, super hi output, easy to play, flat profile wide neck, and really resonant

 

[mrjim123]

I LOVE my Tribute JB-2. The neck is thinner, front to back, than most jazz necks (almost like a Geddy Lee) and it is extremely stable. I also love the "small P" body and the no pickguard look. They can be bought new for $450.

I also owned an L2000 at one time, also an excellent instrument.

 

[Fawkesguy]

I've owned a few. Really well built, lots of tones to be had. I tried really hard to connect with them, but never could. Sold them all.

 

[metron]

If you can't get a G&L to cut that's user error, not the bass. But glad you found something else that works for you.

Unless the pickups were broken, I agree. The L2000 has some settings that don't cut but overall it's one of the things it excels at. IMO.

I still have my 1980 L1000 Cherry Hog. It's a monster of a bass.

 

[jim777]

Yup. Super-nice......(of course with the L2X00 basses you have to be into chunky necks, and knobosity which I am)

Ihaven't played one recently, but I thought the necks were fairly slim? Does the L-2500 have a fairly deep (fret to back of neck) size? More P than J I guess?

 

[Iridescentone]

I've owned a few. Really well built, lots of tones to be had. I tried really hard to connect with them, but never could. Sold them all.

Not to be nosey but that beautiful Belair asat is identical to one that I had. Did it come from a TB member? (I didn't connect with it either)

 

[lowfreqgeek]

Ihaven't played one recently, but I thought the necks were fairly slim? Does the L-2500 have a fairly deep (fret to back of neck) size? More P than J I guess?

My '00 fretted L2500 had a round/thick neck. My '03 fretless L2500 has a THIN neck, like a Geddy Lee Jazz. The fretless feels really good, but it is NOTHING like the fretted neck.

The newer M-2500 I played a while back was definitely on the thinner side, more like a narrower Lakland 55-02.

 

[Fawkesguy]

Not to be nosey but that beautiful Belair asat is identical to one that I had. Did it come from a TB member? (I didn't connect with it either)

Yes it did, but for the life of me I can't remember who I bought it from. Very cool bass, and it had a nice thick, round tone. It was freakishly heavy - must have weighed over 10 lbs. easily.

Me playing it at a crappy backyard gig several years ago when I was several pounds lighter.

 

[2saddleslab]

Yes it did, but for the life of me I can't remember who I bought it from. Very cool bass, and it had a nice thick, round tone. It was freakishly heavy - must have weighed over 10 lbs. easily.

Me playing it at a crappy backyard gig several years ago when I was several pounds lighter.

That is purdy!!!! Looks like you have an ASE in use.

Now problem connecting w/ mine.

 

[Runlikegregg]

I love my LB-100. circa 2000 or so.
Plays beautifully, nice balance.
i have a Lollar pickup in there that just sounds killer.

 

[TGLbass]

I know what you mean. Fender NEVER turns out a dud bass!



I like my GnLs for their range and ability to become agressive. If I want to cut through the mix like nothing else I play my Modulus not my Fenders.

Oh yes they do. I've had more than a few. I'll still buy Fenders because of all they seem ( IMO)to be the most dependable as far as "you know what you're getting". I think it has a lot to do with the wood and finish and other things of course. I play std 440 tune Rock, Heavy Rock, Country, Jazz, Fusion, etc. I tune down to D also. Been at it a long time. I have 5 amps so I can play any of my basses thru them and get the broad listen to what the bass actually sounds like. By the time I take the guitar to a performance I'm pretty sure of what will happen. Notice I said pretty sure. It's not written in stone that a bass will sound like I want it to when the rubber hits the road. I'm sure G&L put out some killer sounding basses. I've had problems with Music Man basses too but that's a whole nuther story.

 

[Iridescentone]

Yes it did, but for the life of me I can't remember who I bought it from. Very cool bass, and it had a nice thick, round tone. It was freakishly heavy - must have weighed over 10 lbs. easily.

Was it Dr Ben King per chance? I bought mine new from Wild West Guitars. Traded with Ben for a Rumblefish.

Strange how the ASAT semi's are not the lightweights one might expect, eh?

 

[zachoff]

Tribute L-2000 - Dislike? Nothing really. I don't put a battery in it, so the active channels are useless to me but the output and tone are awesome. I guess it's kinda heavy and the neck is kinda fat but neither are uncomfortable. Like? Everything else. I love this bass. It's my #2.

Tribute SB-2 - Dislike? Absolutely nothing. I love this bass. It's my #1.

 

[Chrome Dome]

I just purchased,a G&L Asat a few weeks ago. I had one when they first produced,signature model. Let it get away from me. Decided I would try another one. Saw one on a different post with a pick guard,looked good to me. Thought I would show you a before,and after. I didn't drill holes in the body. The company I purchased it from,put an adhesive back on the pick guard,so I wouldn't have to drill holes to mount it on the body. Makes it look like a,50's Telecaster.