Does the G&L Tribute LB-100 have a baseball bat neck?

[Reif]

Recently, I got my hands on a Squier 40th Anniversary Precision but ended up returning it due to intonation / cheap hardware issues. Now, I'm eyeing the G&L Tribute LB-100. From every YouTube video I've seen, the sound is just killer, and I'm liking almost everything about it.

However, I have a concern about the neck. It has a 1.75" nut width, and some folks have described the neck as being on the thicker side. Now, I have big hands but short fingers. To give you an idea, my fingertips are wide, like a small hotdog. So, while a larger string separation might actually work better for me, I'm still apprehensive about the 1.75" nut width.

Is the neck on this beast as thick as a baseball bat? I'm wondering if it's worth it for me to shell out 3x the cost for the USA version that comes with a slimmer 1 5/8" neck instead.

Anyone who has experience with the LB-100's neck, your insights would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Jim C]

IMO the width at the nut and the expression "bass ball bat" are two different things.
For example, I have a 73' J bass that is bat like meaning very deep front to back but it's 1 1/2" wide at the nut.
OTOH, I have a 60 P bass that is 1 3/4" but really thin front to back. I have long fingers and it feels strange to me. It is possible that this neck has either been slightly modified or just worn from playing as there is no finish on the back of the neck.
I think you've got to try and find one of each to try. The shape of the back of the neck is super critical to me.
I do have G&L tributes (and a US J ) that feel similar to Fenders. If anything, they aren't as deep front to back as a standard Fender

 

[Reif]

OTOH, I have a 60 P bass that is 1 3/4" but really thin front to back.

What's the fingerboard radius in that bass, if I might ask?

Thanks for your reply, it's really helpful.

I'm a bit confused because I just went to a music store where I enjoyed a Fender Precision 60s Vintera II which has a 1.75" nut width, 7.25" radius, and a relatively flat neck front-to-back. The neck on that thing is fantastic.

I hope the G&L is similar, unfortunately I can't try it locally.

One more question, many people have said the LB100 is chunky, or think. Does "thick" refer to the width of the fretboard? Or the front-to-back thickness? Maybe the LB100 isn't shaped like a bat?

 

[badinage]

My G&L LB 100 Tribute that I purchased new in May of 2022 has a neck width of 1.685" at the nut.

The neck depth profile is .843 between the first and second frets, and .935 between the 12th and 13th fret.

I personally tend to prefer a wide-ish neck but a shallow-ish depth profile. I think this neck is a very comfortable width for a four-string. My LB 100's neck depth is at the upper end of my preference, but still feels good to me. When a four-string neck depth gets over .850 between the first and second fret it starts to feel "large" (or "chunky") to me.

My impression is that EVERY Tribute series G&L has a slightly deeper profile to their necks than the corresponding USA version. I've always assumed this is so the manufacturing can use "not-quite-as-select" woods and still maintain a likelihood of acceptable stability in the neck.

FWIW, my LB 100 weighs 9lbs 6oz, fit and finish is great, and it sounds really pretty darn great after a string change (I probably put 7250s or Boomers on it, they're definitely .45-.105). I routinely use nickel-rounds, and I believe that while Squiers ship with pretty-good nickel-rounds on them, whatever strings G&L ships Tributes with are pretty bad, even when new.

 

[Reif]

The neck depth profile is .843 between the first and second frets, and .935 between the 12th and 13th fret.

Thank you so much for the information. It's more than I hoped for. And thank you for using the caliper.

It's strange that the G&L website lists the Tribute as having a 1.75" nut width, but some, like yours, have a 1 5/8" nut.

I wonder why. What is the color of your LB100? Is it swamp ash?

 

[Iridescentone]

Apparently the nut widths can vary a bit. My Tribute measures exactly 1.66" wide at the nut. I wouldn't call its depth chunky at all. Pretty comfy feel-wise. I like this thing a lot and for what it only cost me used, in minty condish...the bang/buck ratio is amazing. (I hope Brad doesn't mind my using his pic)

 

[FearNoEvil65]

Every time I've heard of the Trib LB-100, they have a 1.75 nut width. Maybe different years have different widths. I have a USA L-2000 I like, I tried a tribute L-2000 but didn't like the extra width of the 1.75 nut width it had.
You could ask in the G&L Club, more than likely people there own tribute LB-100s. Good luck !
G&L Club Part 7

 

[FearNoEvil65]

Apparently the nut widths can vary a bit. My Tribute measures exactly 1.66" wide at the nut. I wouldn't call its depth chunky at all. Pretty comfy feel-wise. I like this thing a lot and for what it only cost me used, in minty condish...the bang/buck ratio is amazing. (I hope Brad doesn't mind my using his pic)

Nice looking bass, I love that Emerald Blue color

 

[Eddie Booph]

I had the Tribute LB-100 for a few months when I was starting out. The sound was really good, but the neck on mine was very much in the 1.75" camp, which I personally found awkward to get around at the time (probably wouldn't be a big issue now). I remember the depth front to back being comfortable and not overly bat-like.

 

[Five or Six]

My suggestion is this. If you can't play it, don't buy it. That just may turn into a crap shoot.

 

[badinage]

Thank you so much for the information. It's more than I hoped for. And thank you for using the caliper.

It's strange that the G&L website lists the Tribute as having a 1.75" nut width, but some, like yours, have a 1 5/8" nut.

I wonder why. What is the color of your LB100? Is it swamp ash?

YW. Like @Templar, my LB100 Tribute is "Emerald Blue". It is advertised to have a Poplar body with a Maple neck and a Rosewood fretboard.

 

[jd56hawk]

My first G&L was a Tribute and I never ever realized it had a slightly wider nut than the USA-made G&Ls until someone pointed it out.
Not even close to a baseball-bat neck.

 

[Stranger Danger]

What's the fingerboard radius in that bass, if I might ask?

Thanks for your reply, it's really helpful.

I'm a bit confused because I just went to a music store where I enjoyed a Fender Precision 60s Vintera II which has a 1.75" nut width, 7.25" radius, and a relatively flat neck front-to-back. The neck on that thing is fantastic.

I hope the G&L is similar, unfortunately I can't try it locally.

One more question, many people have said the LB100 is chunky, or think. Does "thick" refer to the width of the fretboard? Or the front-to-back thickness? Maybe the LB100 isn't shaped like a bat?

Thick means front to back chunkiness

 

[smtp4me]

Recently, I got my hands on a Squier 40th Anniversary Precision but ended up returning it due to intonation / cheap hardware issues. Now, I'm eyeing the G&L Tribute LB-100. From every YouTube video I've seen, the sound is just killer, and I'm liking almost everything about it.

However, I have a concern about the neck. It has a 1.75" nut width, and some folks have described the neck as being on the thicker side. Now, I have big hands but short fingers. To give you an idea, my fingertips are wide, like a small hotdog. So, while a larger string separation might actually work better for me, I'm still apprehensive about the 1.75" nut width.

Is the neck on this beast as thick as a baseball bat? I'm wondering if it's worth it for me to shell out 3x the cost for the USA version that comes with a slimmer 1 5/8" neck instead.

Anyone who has experience with the LB-100's neck, your insights would be much appreciated.

Thanks!

I have owned a G&L LB-100 Tribue since June 2022. I love everything about the bass. Leo & George took the classic P bass design and improved it. Just to name a few: six screws holding the neck in place, the "extra" 21st fret, the bottom cutaway is different than standard Fender and actually allows easy access to the upper frets (I have big hands), the high-mass bridge which is partially sunken into the body for extra resonance. And more.

Yes, the neck is wider and thicker (front to back). Yes it kind of feels like a baseball bat, to me. It is unplayable? Absolutely not. Other than a Ric 4003, I have owned/played only Fender Jazz and Ibanez basses for the past 45 years. I definitely noticed the difference. But within a short time I had fully adjusted.

 

[2F/2F]

You're talking of the nut width as neck thickness. It is not. G&L has never released a "thick" neck profile, on any bass.

For me, 1 3/4 is easier to play on than 1 1/2 or 1 5/8. And I have fingers on the shorter side.

American G&Ls are no longer worth the money when purchased new. Their quality has slipped significantly in the past 20 years, and the prices have doubled along with this slip. I have played $200 Squiers with better fret work and fit and finish than many recent Fullerton made G&Ls I've played. If you want G&L, buy used, and the older, the better.

 

[ok-djmiller]

American G&Ls are no longer worth the money when purchased new. Their quality has slipped significantly in the past 20 years, and the prices have doubled along with this slip. I have played $200 Squiers with better fret work and fit and finish than many recent Fullerton made G&Ls I've played

I don't think any new American basses are really worth their cost, but I'll strongly disagree on your last point. I've got a 2017 US LB-100 - PLEKed neck, overall fit & finish and frets are immaculate - far better than almost every recent American Fender I've touched.

 

[Reif]

Thanks. I'm now trying to figure out whether I should get a Tribute LB100 sight unseen or just purchase the more expensive Vintera that I was able to hold. Maybe one gets used to any neck and I'm just overthinking this.

Here's a long shot question, but you never know: has anybody here played a Fender Vintera Precision (it has a 1 3/4" nut)? If so, is it similar to the Tribute LB100 neck?

 

[sabre79]

No but it has a Golden Gate bridge.

 

[2F/2F]

I don't think any new American basses are really worth their cost, but I'll strongly disagree on your last point. I've got a 2017 US LB-100 - PLEKed neck, overall fit & finish and frets are immaculate - far better than almost every recent American Fender I've touched.

Completely the opposite of my experiences. I have had a hard time finding a new G&L without issues. Meanwhile, I've been incredibly pleased with what I've received from Fender and Squier in the past several years.

I bet we just have different standards of "quality."

 

[eccles77]

Thanks. I'm now trying to figure out whether I should get a Tribute LB100 sight unseen or just purchase the more expensive Vintera that I was able to hold. Maybe one gets used to any neck and I'm just overthinking this.

Here's a long shot question, but you never know: has anybody here played a Fender Vintera Precision (it has a 1 3/4" nut)? If so, is it similar to the Tribute LB100 neck?

Having owned both basses, the neck on the Tribute is more of a handful than the Vintera. The Vintera is like a 50`s P bass, 44mm width. Can`t remember the nut width on the Tribute but it`s only a few mm difference. I had a natural/maple neck Tribute and whilst it sounded good, it was heavy, over 10lb`s so bear that in mind if ordering online.

The Vintera I had was the first version and was a great bass and they seem to hold their price well.

Re the US G&L. I agree with 2F/2F above, they aren`t worth the money now. I bought a US LB100 last year and the earth wire was not connected to any pots inside the cavity, the wire wasn`t even stripped to be soldered and the pick guard wasn`t cut well. The year before I bought a CLF and a tuner key was loose and rattled, it was a major faff to sort out as I`m in the UK so no more US models for me.