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Fender vs. Musicman vs.G&L

#105
CapnSev said:
Eh, I’m not sure I totally agree. There’s probably triple the Camrys on the road than 60s Mustangs. Is one better? That’s up to the driver.

As far as basses go, the Fenders were the first big name in electric basses to the masses, and as such they’ve been on thousands of recordings. They found a place in people’s eardrums that everyone seems to like and that’s what they’ve always heard on records, so that’s still the “it” bass.

Musicman brought another really unique sound and voice, and was still early enough in the electric music world to make a big dent.

G&L are really nice instruments, but I think it was just too late at that point. The market was saturated with all kinds of things, and despite the refinements to his own designs, Leo had a lot more to battle; including his own former companies.
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and, as George of George and Leo has suggested, Leo's hearing had depreciated quite a bit by then, which some attribute as the reason L2000 etc has such hyped treble presence.
 
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#110
Marketing, tradition, and capitalization ;-) The legends from the 60s all played Fenders, of course, as G&L didn’t exist then, and G&L is tiny compared to Fender. And while Fender makes some very good instruments at the high end, they’ve diluted their brand with too much garbage at the lower end.

I think G&Ls are on the whole better than Fenders. The G&L vibrato tailpiece is a huge improvement over the Strat. The G&L bass pickups have a wider range than the Fenders. (I do own two P-Basses, but they’re both MIJ basses from the 1980s.)
 
#111
two fingers said:
A 2018 Toyota Camry is a 40X better car than a 63 1/2 Mustang. But baby boomers drive most markets still to this day. And the word Fender was on most basses when they got a drivers license.

End of story.

(By the way, I own and love three P basses and have owned a dozen Fender basses over the years. I am not anti Fender.)
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No, that Camray is infinitely better, because there was no 63 1/2 Mustang. The car (like the guitar) was introduced in 1964. ;)
 
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#113
Didn't read all the responses, so forgive the repetition. I've only owned one MM bass. I knew going in that wasn't my sound, but it was a profitable trade so...

My first ever was a late 50s precision. This was in the sixties, so it was just a used bass, not the Holy Grail. Then I switched to Jazz basses, because that was "The thing". I went through a long period of not playing much, but kept a Jazz around. I've been seriously back in it for about 10 years. Went through several Jazz basses, then another precision. Loved the tone, particularly with a band. It just "fills up" the bottom.

For some reason though, I wanted to love G&L. I love the look of them, including the headstock, and the build quality is undeniable. I particularly love the looks of the ASAT, so that was my first. Super heavy though, and I didn't keep it long enough to sort out the sounds available. Since then, I've owned an L2000, L1505, LB100, and an L2500, which I still own, mainly out of stubbornness.

But when I play a passive Fender precision bass, it's just "ahhhhh". That's the sound. It's not nostalgia or, as far as I'm aware, Brand Fanboism, or any of that. It's the sound. I don't even WANT to like precisions. But I'm back, and I'm done.
 
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#115
Papajewrry said:
Did Leo improve with age? If so why aren’t G&L’s more popular
.
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I have had/played Fenders, G&L, Rick, Gibson, Travis Bean, MTD, and others. The 2009 American made Jazz V has been my go to but developed electronics problems so I recently picked up a G&L L2500 five and am very pleased with its playability and tonal range. The neck is similar to the new Jazz V. Was half the price of a new Jazz V and less weight.
 
#116
Antisyzygy said:
I'm sure there is a good reason why G&L continues to do what they're doing, but I always wondered why they don't make their own interactive "configurator" for the instruments. You could even put an interactive kiosk in a Guitar Center and have the instruments ordered from the kiosk, then drop-shipped after they're done. Give the store a cut based on kiosk sales.

On the other hand, they also don't offer much for imports, which is one area of the business they may be able to do well in if they were to pursue it harder.

It's probably a matter of keeping the lights on, and not wanting to overextend themselves. However taking a few risks might pay off big time.
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Ah, but they have an online configurator. I designed an SB-1 just like the one I own, which is a 1997, and it is one of "the 3 basses that i will never sell". Better than any stock Precision that I have ever played, and I have had many, including a 1963 Precision that I had to let go to help with College fees...
P4240007.JPG
 
#117
Tobiasfin said:
Ah, but they have an online configurator. I designed an SB-1 just like the one I own, which is a 1997, and it is one of "the 3 basses that i will never sell". Better than any stock Precision that I have ever played, and I have had many, including a 1963 Precision that I had to let go to help with College fees...View attachment 2950237
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I think a dealer made that one because G&L didn't have one of their own!

I also have an SB-1, one of the best P basses ever made.
 
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#118
i have a fender 70 P bass - had two MM Stingrays - and a G&L lb100. Wasnt crazy about the MM's, sold one and thought maybe i was missin something - so i grabbed another one - nope. Didnt care for the tones across the board - found their necks and round lower shape uncomfortable. Thats just me - i know there are TONS of fanboys (and girls) ..i do think they look amazing though!
The 1970 is just an all round killer tone, amazing neck, simple no brainer controls, flat out does everything - that I want it too do. The new-ish G&L LB100 i have - has all the love as my 70 does, bigger "shoulders" on the neck though...and i added a stellartone tonestyler JUST to have a different flavor than the others - and it sounds INCREDIBLE. Fit n finish would be the G&L, but in fairness to my 1970 p, after 48 years, i will have to let ya'll know if it'll held up. oh...wait....i will be 96 and only caring if i got poop IN the toilet or in my underwear....nahh..at 96 i prob wont even care about THAT.
I like them all - play and enjoy guys! :)
 
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#119
Lowbrow said:
Boy - I remember the original G&L push had about 10 L-1000/2000s hanging along the wall at Sam Ash on NYC's 48th Street, which is where I bought this once-white L-1000. I was shopping to replace a stolen P Bass, and believe me, I tried everything -- this blew everything away sonically and I threw down that $400 and never looked back. The truth is, I've NEVER seen them in similar numbers since. Whether chicken or egg, if you can't find them, you can't buy them.

View attachment 2944163
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On one occasion in 1987, when my then "only bass", a 1985 MIJ Squier, was being refinished from sunburst to white, ( I know, hey, I was young ), I borrowed a 1981 CAR L-1000 from a friend. I was blown away by it's play-ability and sound in a live setting, granted, although I was using a 1971 Blue line SVT with a custom made fiberglass wrapped 15" cabinet and a mid/highs enclosure with a JBL crossover an 4 specially designed 8" Altec drivers, I still attribute the fantastic sound to my fingers, the MFD pup and soul that bass possessed.
 

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