Broke Down and Bought a G&L L1000 CLF

[Spupilup]

I owned a G&L L1000 back in late 1980. It was clear blue with a rosewood neck and absolutely gorgeous. I loved that bass but sold it a year or so after the band I had been playing in broke up and I was disgusted with playing. It was the perfect foil to my '74 4001 and I always rued the day I let that magnificent instrument go for $350.

The only bright side of the story was the person who bought the bass from me had actually seen the bass at the shop where I bought it. He, too, had fallen in love with it and was heartbroken when he went back to the store only to find it had been sold, to me! Karma, I guess.

Fast forward to about 5 years ago and I started playing again. I picked up an Epiphone Casino for a few hundred bucks and loved playing, again. That led to a Bass VI, a Les Paul and then a beautiful American Original 50's Tele. Well, today I finally pulled the trigger on a gold L1000 CLF. It will be here tomorrow and I'm feeling like a kid on Christmas Eve.

I'll post up photos once the bass gets here.

 

[Spupilup]

I thought the bass was shipping out of NJ which would have meant it would have been delivered today. Instead, it's coming from a warehouse in Mississippi. It won't be here until Tuesday. Oh well, patience is a virtue.

 

[murphy]

I was looking at one at long and Mcquade here...Stunning bass

Shame they did not use the original body shape or I may have gone for it

 

[lildrgn]

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts! I had to wait about a week for mine, then a snow day. But it's a wonderful bass and that color is insane!

 

[Spupilup]

If you haven’t already watched this video by Anderton’s, it’s worth the time. At around 39 minutes in they watch one of the employees from G&L talk about how special their metal flake is. Overall, it’s a great video with tons of worthwhile info about Leo and this final company.

 

[twinjet]

Nice. Looking forward to pictures.

I'd love an '81 hog, with the maple fretboard. Beautiful.

 

[Spupilup]

The bass came today. Here are some photos I took earlier today. I was actually impressed that all I had to do was slide the case out of the box, open it up, tune the bass and play. It felt light (8 lbs. 4 oz. on my postal scale) and played great. I'll adjust the height when I have time later in the week. I'll also work on the intonation with my Peterson strobe tuner. But, overall, I'm really happy. The gold metal flake urethane finish is sick. It's so deep you could get lost in in. The woodgrain of the Caribbean rosewood neck is really beautiful as well.

Today was also a new/old amp day do I have a lot to try out. I picked up a '68 Ampeg Reverbojet J12R to go with my Telecaster. What a sweet little amp with buckets of power (18 BIG watts) through an original Jensen. It really captures that late 60's, early 70's rock sound.

I'll post up more as I have an opportunity to really play the bass. I'm not crazy about the gauge of the round wounds that came on it. I have a set of Thomastik Power Bass round wounds (al bit heavier) I'll put on it then I get a chance. The Thomastiks Power Bright heavy gauge strings are all I'll use on my American Original 50's Tele.

 

[lildrgn]

Congrats! It is a lovely bass. I have mine out right now, working on putting toothpicks in the rear strap pin hole. For some reason, the Dunlop screws I've been using in other basses don't like this bass. I have yet to put new strings on mine, but will eventually, of course. Looking forward to hearing more about your impressions!

 

[Basshappi]

POW!
Love the sparkles, Congrats!

 

[maplenecked]

Beauty!

 

[JIO]

I take my hat off to G&L for reproducing a fully accurate RI of these basses - really exceptional. Enjoy yours.

 

[Spupilup]

I just wanted to post back with one issue I found with the bass. The G tuning key rattles like a MF. There's no way to tighten is so I checked the G&L website and found a new one was only $17.99. I called Zzounds a little while ago and they are ordering up a new tuning key. I told them I was more than happy to install the part myself rather than package the bass up and ship it back. They were happy, I'm happy. In a world filled with so many real issues, it's always nice when a simple problem can be resolved so quickly and easily.

Now, back to playing.

 

[BackToTheGroove]

Thanks for the post …which I know its a few years old, but… I am pretty sure my trigger finger is going to twitch any moment on my own L1000. Funny enough I also own a ‘74 4001 (since ‘83), and its staying, as is my ‘13 G&L SB-2T and Epi JCB… and it’s gold finish along with seeing your L1000’s, has me thinking another Goldylicks over the Tobacco burst? Such tough decisions in life… cheers.

 

[murphy]

fully accurate RI of these basses

Except the body shape!