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So would I. I'd be very surprised if that ever happened, though. The magic is in those pickups. G&L seem reluctant to recreate their discontinued pickups exactly to original spec.
I could be wrong, but aren't the pickups in the reissued L-1000 and the CLF L-series basses outfitted with current spec MFD's, as opposed to being exactly spec'd replicas of the originals? Curious minds 'n all.
They certainly look exactly like the current USA MFDs.
I could be wrong, but aren't the pickups in the reissued L-1000 and the CLF L-series basses outfitted with current spec MFD's, as opposed to being exactly spec'd replicas of the originals? Curious minds 'n all.[/QUOTE]
What’s the difference between current and original,spec MFD’s?
What’s the difference between current and original,spec MFD’s?
It has a long crack running from the nut under the first 2 frets: Crack on a maple fretboard...
I live in France and the seller was in the Netherlands, so I had no possibility to check the trussrod before buying the bass. And he didn't mention the crack at any moment, I noticed it after asking for more pictures. That's a bummer because everything else was looking pretty sexy, especially the wood of the neck.
That the seller didn't disclose that tells you everything you need to know.
First G&L pickups had large hex polepieces - 1980
Second gen had slot polepieces - 1980-82
These both used purplish wire and laquerish sealant on the coils
Third gen used small hex polepieces, orange wire, wax potting, and no bevel at the hex opening - 1983-99?
Somewhere around 2000 they started to overwind the pickups and they started bulging the covers, they also beveled the hex opening
Around the time of the new truss rod (2013?) they got the wind back to normal, no more bulging covers.
I've played around with different polepieces in different era pickups and the coils are what makes them sound great. I couldn't hear a big difference between different poles and even leaving the adjustable polepiece completely out! The knurled insert that holds the polepiece is iron and works well as a non-adjustable pole.
The good news is I've compared recent pickups to older large hex and slot MFDs and the stuff they are making right now sounds really close to the old stuff. So the CLF pickups sound great IMO.
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I've owned a 2003 Tribute L2000 and 2008 Tribute L2500. I currently own a 2007 Fullerton SB-2 and a 2018 Fullerton Kiloton. All of those have MFD pickups in them, and they all sound great. If there is a difference in the pickups in any of them one-to-the-other, it's so small I couldn't notice it--absolutely miniscule. And they've ruined me for any other bass pickup. Every bass I own is now compared to my MFD equipped basses. The only MFDs I didn't like were those in a Tribute M2000 I had for a short time, but I understand those are underwound because the regular wound MFDs overdrove the front end of the preamp. So IMO, if you buy a G&L bass with MFDs, you can count on it sounding great.
I’m amazed at the level of expertise that exists among the members here. Thanks for your detailed response.
Reading that ^^^ sent me off to YouTube to listen to some SB-1s. I was admiring the clangorous noise coming from one
when I noticed the caption:
"....1985 G&L SB-1 with original Schaller PBX pickups...."
I then found this post on a thread about Schallers:
That thread also told me that the PBX was as good as identical to the Dimarzio Model P (which explains why the sound caught my ear)
The video is too dark to be able to get a good view of the pickup, but you can see that the headstock predates the addition of the hook.
when I noticed the caption:
"....1985 G&L SB-1 with original Schaller PBX pickups...."
I then found this post on a thread about Schallers:
That thread also told me that the PBX was as good as identical to the Dimarzio Model P (which explains why the sound caught my ear)
The video is too dark to be able to get a good view of the pickup, but you can see that the headstock predates the addition of the hook.
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This means that you must be smiling, almost exclusively recently.
Very much so! I don’t know if it’s the strings bedding in after a couple of years (Labella 760fx) or just that I’m hearing a lot of P bass in the music I play but it just feels right.
Mine is a 1991 as far as I can tell but it has the non hooked headstock so I’m not sure when they added that.
Mine is a 1991 as far as I can tell but it has the non hooked headstock so I’m not sure when they added that.
I brought mine out for the first time in months last night when a bassist friend visited. We had been playing another bass through my pedalboard with light distortion and compression along with some Alice in Chains.
My friend switched to the SB-1, which has a much hotter output. Suddenly light distortion/compression became HEAVY distortion and compression and it sounded absolutely monstrous through a Barefaced Two10 (a deep cab).
It's my Motown thump machine (foam mute and flats) and I'd never dirtied it before. Talk about a fun accident.
Looks like a nice one!
The SB1 output is just crazy. Compared to my other basses (Celinder, Musicman, Vigier) it’s much hotter, meaning I have to use completely different settings for them. At the same time it’s chewy, fat and detailed.
The SB1 output is just crazy. Compared to my other basses (Celinder, Musicman, Vigier) it’s much hotter, meaning I have to use completely different settings for them. At the same time it’s chewy, fat and detailed.
