One of many beautiful basses from him.
Nice to see someone willing to finish a bass in something other than black, white or sunburst.
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Ernie Ball Cutlass vs G&L LB100
- Thread starter TemplesOfSyrinx
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- cutlass bass lb100
Nice to see someone willing to finish a bass in something other than black, white or sunburst.
I have a G&L LB100 - fit and finish is great - its a SOLID beast - id say the previous owner of the one you tried, either let it sit somewhere dry (sounds like some fret sprouting) or temp was out of whack. Ive played 2 others - all were great. I didnt like the color of mine at first but it played sooo nice...then..the color grew on me......like mold. 
Sorry to hear about your experience with a G&L LB-100 at Guitar Center.
I own a '95 LB-100 and it's one of my favorite basses to play.
Be advised, I have swapped out the stock electronics (pickup, pots, cap) with after market parts.
But overall, the instrument's tone and build quality are great.
Additionally, most of the instruments I've played at the local Guitar center have not been in good shape.
I am not sure if Guitar Center gets B stock instruments or if people have mishandled the instruments, but the quality of instruments I've seen at GC is substandard when compared to other music instrument stores in my area. I know that is not always the case. There are some good instrument finds in GC, but they can be rare.
The only issues I've experienced with G&L basses involved damaged necks due to the instruments not being stored properly, setup correctly, or just mishandled.
But overall, out of three G&L basses I've owned, they have been great basses.
Thank you all for the replies. Think I just had a lemon. My search will continue.
Bad G&Ls are quite rare, but they're out there. Wish I could say otherwise.
I've owned two (still own one) L-2000s, US made. Excellent basses.
Tried a fretless US L-2000 in Seattle, great.
Tried a Kiloton and JB in Nashville, also great. I haven't found a bad one yet, though my sample size isn't large.
That could be a simple case of "fret sprout". A bass guitar's neck will sometimes shrink depending on the wood and climate. This will cause the frets to "sprout" out either side of the neck. This is a very cheap fix with any reasonable tech. It cost me $50 to have this issue addressed on a Fender CS Dusty Hill Signature I acquired last year.
It sounds like this G&L probably just needs a little TLC vs. being a dog.
The bass you tried was an aberration -- G & L's are excellent instruments. I own two USA G&Ls and one USA MusicMan and I wouldn't say either of these is better than the other.
I was also going to say it sounds like the instrument was exposed to some extreme temps/humidity. I imagine if someone left an instrument next to a heater for example, they could get some bad fret sprout and need a neck adjustment. I never use a used GC bass to judge a line of instruments.
Once the bass leaves the shop, it is subjected to all sorts of hands and environmental conditions. No bass with a wood neck is immune to fret sprout (sharp fret ends). This is due to the humidity where the bass is. Dry weather will cause the wood to shrink, but the frets don't. Loose knobs can easily be tightened. Provided that the pots are decent quality, nothing should be loose or moving.
It really is up to the retailer to keep the instruments well setup and in good working condition. It is unfortunate that the manufacturer gets the blame when they have no control once it leaves the factory.
I agree 100% with what you said. As I have been saying, I'm not trashing G&L. Guitar Center, if they were interested in moving their used gear, should fix these issues before putting them up for sale for the prices they ask.
This thread confirms this, that G&L is an excellent product as I have heard. I'll keep searching for that next LB100.
I got a US LB-100 and the fit and finish is outstanding. One of the finest P basses I've ever handled. Sounds to me like a fluke of the QC or an abused instrument. Always heard only the best about Cutlasses and would love to try one.
I love my LB-100. It is Empress and weighs in at 6.8 pounds! I bought it used and it needed a little TLC when I got it, but after a little love it is an incredible instrument. Also, GOLD.
Never encountered a lemon G&L - have owned US and Tribs. Heck, both the US and Tribs I ended up buying were even set-up great right off the rack. I did however buy a lightly used EBMM 'Ray once that was wonky - just didn't feel "right". Didn't have that "solid" feeling, was as if it resonated weirdly.
