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G&L Club Part 7

#22,641
richwag said:
What's happened to Empress as a body wood option? I really crave a sub eight pound G&L and it seems like they're no longer doing these?
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I thought you were mistaken until I checked their site.
No more empress would mean I'm not so interested in G&L anymore.
My 7 1/2 lb JB is awesome and I see more manufacturers using empress.
It would figure that one of the things they really got right would now be discontinued.
 
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#22,642
richwag said:
What's happened to Empress as a body wood option? I really crave a sub eight pound G&L and it seems like they're no longer doing these?
Click to expand...

They still offer it! It's always been an "off the menu" sort of thing, but I keep ordering it and they keep shipping it. :)
 
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#22,644
G&L folks...specifically SB-2 owners,

I recently bought a used SB-2 and the previous owner modified the electronics to include a master volume, tone control, and three-way pickup selector. After one gig, I can tell that this bass it not well served by the pickup switch. I just ordered a new pickguard from Chandler and my plan is to restore the bass to the original two volume/no tone control circuit. I've been reading some old posts about the SB-2 and opinion seems to be divided on whether adding a tone control is necessary. I'd like to hear from other SB-2 owners and get some opinions on what you would do if this was your bass:

upload_2022-1-22_15-28-17.jpeg


- Steve
 
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#22,646
I just put a medium-ish set of Pro Steels on my P, which has a Dimarzio pickup. The combination sounds really clear and strong, without trying to impose a personality on top of the P's own.

Naturally I'm wondering how they would be on the SB-1 I'm daring to hope will reach me one day. Has anyone tried Pro Steels on an SB-1 (or -2) ?

(btw, if anyone else has been feeling tempted to find out what a 50-65-85-110 set of rounds feels and sounds like, definitely give it a go! :woot:)
 
#22,649
Ricky Rioli said:
(btw, if anyone else has been feeling tempted to find out what a 50-65-85-110 set of rounds feels and sounds like, definitely give it a go! :woot:)
Click to expand...

Right? I once put a set of 50-110 Roto 77 flats on a SB-2. Ran it through my SABDDI (like I do every bass) and got the BIGGEST sound I ever got from any bass. With a pick and palm muting...totally bowel movingly addictive. But man, those big-tension cables were a lotta extra work to play on. Worth the effort for the big tone?...not for me, I pussy'd out and went back down to 105's after a couple weeks of hand pain. I don't know how Steve Harris can use those 77's.
 
#22,650
bassfiddlesteve said:
G&L folks...specifically SB-2 owners,

I recently bought a used SB-2 and the previous owner modified the electronics to include a master volume, tone control, and three-way pickup selector. After one gig, I can tell that this bass it not well served by the pickup switch. I just ordered a new pickguard from Chandler and my plan is to restore the bass to the original two volume/no tone control circuit. I've been reading some old posts about the SB-2 and opinion seems to be divided on whether adding a tone control is necessary. I'd like to hear from other SB-2 owners and get some opinions on what you would do if this was your bass:

View attachment 4553605

- Steve
Click to expand...

Hey, that finish cleaned up real nice! :thumbsup:
 
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#22,652
Iridescentone said:
Right? I once put a set of 50-110 Roto 77 flats on a SB-2. Ran it through my SABDDI (like I do every bass) and got the BIGGEST sound I ever got from any bass. With a pick and palm muting...totally bowel movingly addictive. But man, those big-tension cables were a lotta extra work to play on. Worth the effort for the big tone?...not for me, I pussy'd out and went back down to 105's after a couple weeks of hand pain. I don't know how Steve Harris can use those 77's.
Click to expand...
50-65-85-110 Pro Steels adds up to a lot less pain than 50-75-95-110 Roto flats! Under ¾ of the tension of the 77s, and then without the flats natural stiffness, too.
 
#22,653
bassfiddlesteve said:
G&L folks...specifically SB-2 owners,

I recently bought a used SB-2 and the previous owner modified the electronics to include a master volume, tone control, and three-way pickup selector. After one gig, I can tell that this bass it not well served by the pickup switch. I just ordered a new pickguard from Chandler and my plan is to restore the bass to the original two volume/no tone control circuit. I've been reading some old posts about the SB-2 and opinion seems to be divided on whether adding a tone control is necessary. I'd like to hear from other SB-2 owners and get some opinions on what you would do if this was your bass:

View attachment 4553605

- Steve
Click to expand...

I'd go back to VVT. The 3-way switch serves two useful purposes: (i) to isolate the two pickups so that you can get a pure P- or J-pickup without loading from the other, and (ii) providing an optimized 50/50 split in the middle position. The problem with that concept on an SB-2 is that the bridge pickup isn't really useful on its own and the best tones are achieved by feathering the two pickup levels back from 100% and relative to each other. That means VVT.:smug:
 
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#22,654
jmlee said:
I'd go back to VVT. The 3-way switch serves two useful purposes: (i) to isolate the two pickups so that you can get a pure P- or J-pickup without loading from the other, and (ii) providing an optimized 50/50 split in the middle position. The problem with that concept on an SB-2 is that the bridge pickup isn't really useful on its own and the best tones are achieved by feathering the two pickup levels back from 100% and relative to each other. That means VVT.:smug:
Click to expand...
I've always found V-V to be enough, but hey, you've already got the extra hole, so… Def the wrong bass for a 3-way switch, IMO.
Beautiful finish, BTW!
 
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#22,655
TomB said:
I've always found V-V to be enough, but hey, you've already got the extra hole, so… Def the wrong bass for a 3-way switch, IMO.
Beautiful finish, BTW!
Click to expand...

Thanks, and I agree about the switch. The pickguard has two extra holes plus a crack and missing piece around the output jack, so I ordered a new one. If I do decide to add a tone control I'll opt for a stacked pot.

- Steve
 
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#22,656
View attachment 4553356[/QUOTE]
woodyng2 said:
No, but I'd like to.
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TDR1138 said:
Just ogling a pretty one on my local Craigslist.
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dedpool1052 said:
I believe @strost has one.
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strost said:
Oh yeah!!

I friggin' love this bass. Best neck ever and super fun to play. I run LaBella flats on in and stay in Series. With no effects I get a nice upright sound. But this also takes effects really well.

If I had to keep only 2 of my basses, it would be my JB and this one.View attachment 4553356
Click to expand...

I cured my fretless kilo jones by spending a little time watching a few demo videos, then spending way more time playing the G&L I have (a jb fl) and decided I can already make all the noises I need. I think the moral here is play what ya got. Although the dealer of the one I was looking at made a nice offer.
 
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#22,660
ProbablyTooLoud said:
You like that pickup location?
Seems too close to the bridge.
Click to expand...
Yes. Very Much.
One of the main reasons I like it there is because that's where my right hand falls for plucking or picking,
so having a pickup right under my fingers really helps push the sound. It seems to give the bass a more distinct timbre that works well for me. My L1k has a fuller, fatter sound, which the bass rolloff pot comes in really handy for keeping under control.
And I usually find myself dialing the neck pickups back a bit with my 2-pickup instruments.
 
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