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Fender Vs. G&L Vs. Sire

Which should I get?

  • Total voters
    116
#41
G&Ls are great. But if I were you, I wouldn't buy an L2000 without playing one first. It sounds different than a P or a J and it's not to everyone's liking. My G&L JB is still my #1.

Incidentally, if you come across any of the new Tribute G&L Kilotons, they are worth a look too. I love my US Kiloton. But again, might not be to everyone's liking.
 
#42
I would vote G&L; I have an M-2000 and a fretless L-2500 (both USA), and I love them both. I also have a Modulus and a USA Peavey, but the G&L's are what I reach for most often.

For what you're playing, I would actually lean more towards the M-2000 than the L-2000. While the L-series can probably give you a wider number of tones, I find that there's only a handful that I use consistently. Those few tones sound great to me, but there are some combinations that I just don't really care for and never use. The M is a bit more intuitive in terms of controls, and also has a bit narrower nut width; I also think it has a better slap tone, but that's completely subjective. I've owned a couple MIM and MIJ Fender jazz's and the G&Ls, at least the USAs, are at another level in terms of feel, playability, etc. G&Ls seem to transmit every tiny nuance of what your fingers are doing right to the speaker, right now, that the cheaper basses I've tried don't.
 
#43
I love my G&L, I just couldn't vote for them because I have no experience with the Tribute series, but from what I read here, they are among the better quality import / 2nd string lines from the big names. And of course I do also love Sire. Can't go wrong either way it sounds, but I'd put them both way above the MiM Fender.
 
#46
lewink said:
Is it me, or am I the only one who hates G&L headstocks? I know they are good basses, just always hated the tear drop.

No disrespect to G &L fans, just my 2 cents.
Click to expand...
I don't mind them. I think they were designed that way to not breach Fender™ copyright to leo fenders original design.
On a personal note, i think of all of leo fenders designs the musicman headstocks are the best
 
#47
My 83' L2k has the original Leo designed headstock, which is only subtly different than a Fender headstock. They made Leo change it as a "Trade Dress" violation after the first couple years. The newer ones don't bother me one way or the other, its the whole package I like.
 
#48
lewink said:
Is it me, or am I the only one who hates G&L headstocks? I know they are good basses, just always hated the tear drop.

No disrespect to G &L fans, just my 2 cents.
Click to expand...

Never gave any thought to headstocks. Do not seem to influence me about a bass one way or the other. Everyone has different taste.
 
#49
So something I've just realized is that my Toby Deluxe-IV has the same radius as the tributes: 12". It also has a slightly wider neck than the M2K at the nut(1.68" for the toby, 1.625" for the M2000), but narrower than the 1.75" of the L2k.

For comparison my HB P-Bass has a 1.65" nut width, however idk it's radius. It's probably 9.5".

MIM Precision has 1.625" width and 9.5" radius. MIM Jazz has 1.5" width with 9.5". (specs from fenders website)

All of these are C shape necks.

I think I'll have a hard time picking between the M and L series, as both basses seem similar enough to me. I'm not a fan the fact that the M is active only, but I really like that is has a pan pickup sector rather than a 3 way switch, and that it has a smaller neck than the L.

A real bummer is the fact that I'll probably not be able to play these basses before purchase as almost no shops in ireland stock g&l, let alone a tribute m and l series. If you know of one in Dublin or Enniskillen/Belfast that stocks them, please do tell.
 
#50
I have an L2500 USA (with the single coil K-switch and the OMG caps, and Chromes flatwounds) and a Sire V7-5 (alder, fretless, nickelwounds). Both are 5 strings.
I love playing them both, but I find the tone of my L2500 is huge and extremely versatile. In addition to the humbuckers that are very powerful (hot) even in passive mode, I can get - thanks to the K-switch - any tone close to a Jazz Bass, a Precision, or even a Stingray, etc.
The V7 is versatile too, 'cause of its excellent preamp, but it's single coil only.
So, I vote for the L2000 Tribby (very same US pickups as on the USA models).
 

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