G&L Club Part 7

[Pilgrim]

Just picked up this poor JB-2, there was an attempt at a de-fretting, there was an attempt at refinishing, and there was a chance to get it for €140 shipped.

The guy, or ladyy, before me routed a jazzbucker in, and did a fairly clean job.

@Pilgrim's wrong neck will get here in a few days/weeks and I'll get tuners for the fretless, once I hit it with CA glue and a new decal.

My initial plan has been foiled.

I wanted to put P bass pickguard and install some split coils and either a 2- or 3-way switch for the jazzbucker.

Alas, it is unfeasible unless I move the split coils up towards the neck. Would that even sound good?

Anyway, the current plan 3 step plan is:
- get one of my friends to bring the new neck from the US to Vienna.

- scrape/sand the body, and either finish it with Euro-Varatheane aka floor WB poly and keep it natural, or dye it blue like in the picture below, then do the satin finish.

- install series/parallel switch, maybe SC too, not sure yet.

- cry that there aren't used MFD humbuckers in Europe, but it'll sound great either way. The fretless neck feels good too.

Any ideas or suggestions for improvement are welcomed!

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It's nice to see where that neck is going. You could move the top pickup closer to the neck if you plan to put a full PG on it, as the hole would be covered. I'm not sure how much difference in sound that would make, if any. I wouldn't bother myself. You have a unique instrument so I'd probably just play with the pickup balance and enjoy it for what it is.

The heel of that neck looks to be a match for the one I'll send you, so I think you're in good shape there. It's a nice neck, 1.5" wide nut, and because of that I find it very easy to play. You should probably confirm intonation length between nut and bridge when it arrives, although I think it's going to be a match.

 

[MrUsefulAlien]

It's nice to see where that neck is going. You could move the top pickup closer to the neck if you plan to put a full PG on it, as the hole would be covered. I'm not sure how much difference in sound that would make, if any. I wouldn't bother myself. You have a unique instrument so I'd probably just play with the pickup balance and enjoy it for what it is.

The heel of that neck looks to be a match for the one I'll send you, so I think you're in good shape there. It's a nice neck, 1.5" wide nut, and because of that I find it very easy to play. You should probably confirm intonation length between nut and bridge when it arrives, although I think it's going to be a match.

What a random lucky coincidence to see your post the other day!

The JB2 feels great, the neck is chunky and the body is beautiful and resonant behind the scratches.

I think you're right, I'll leave the neck pickup as is, I might order a blank black or mint pickguard and do a Precision shape with J pup, it could look great.

It's unique for sure, and it's kinda cool if I salvage the original fretless neck. In the worst case, it's a nice backup neck.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

At last, 23 months to the day since I first ordered an SB-1, here we are

In no order whatsoever, and with varying degrees of banality:

— at 8, MFD split + La Bellas gives a mellow but present tone. Turning up to 10 adds some bite

— playing with a heavy pick brings out a surprising amount of edge

— the Dunlop straplock on just the upper horn does indeed get the frets back where my fingers expect them, and gets the bass under my hands in a much more natural position – amazing the difference a tiny alteration makes.

— either dime the tone or the volume or neither, but never both (at least until these flats have broken in)

— when carrying a bass two miles, a two pound reduction in weight produces an entirely different experience

— before deciding on La Bellas, I felt that 50-105 Chromes were probably the obvious choice of flat for an SB-1 or -2. I still think that. But I'm going to stick with the La Bellas. I want to see if my playing adapts to suit them. I hope so.

— the bass feels so much happier now it's got high tension strings on it. Before it was almost sulking, as if it was affronted by being given such childish strings. Now it seems to be at peace with its lot in life, everything feels balanced, and as a result much more simple.

— the combination of a sensitive MFD picking up everything, a very light right hand and nickel rounds was producing so much fret squeak. The silence I'm now getting.... bliss.

— I think I might have to try a set of 50-110 Swing Bass on it some time, just out of curiosity. They only last a month anyway.....

— an open E on a 109 La Bella really does sound very different to one on a 110 Pro Steel, doesn't it?

— I still hate the feel of these knobs and pots. Yeugh. Oh well.

— I can't see the state of the tuners when I'm playing the bass

 

[TDR1138]

"And could those knobs," I asked, "be a bit tighter?"

I still hate the feel of these knobs and pots. Yeugh. Oh well.

Just curious about what specifically you don't like about the pots/knobs? Not enough resistance (physical, not electrical) in the rotation? Or something with how the knobs are seating on the pot shafts?

 

[Ricky Rioli]

Just curious about what specifically you don't like about the pots/knobs? Not enough resistance (physical, not electrical) in the rotation? Or something with how the knobs are seating on the pot shafts?

They feel flimsy – so yeah, not enough resistance – the surface of the knobs feels like cheap tat, and they wobble. I dislike everything about them I don't know what the previous owner fitted to my Squier, but whatever they are, they feel majestic in comparison with these.

 

[RocketMusic]

They feel flimsy – so yeah, not enough resistance – the surface of the knobs feels like cheap tat, and they wobble. I dislike everything about them I don't know what the previous owner fitted to my Squier, but whatever they are, they feel majestic in comparison with these.

Some nice CTS pots should be fairly cheap to acquire and install (or have installed). Ya just need to make sure you get the right impedance, taper, and shaft type and length for each function. And while you've got it apart, that's a great time to do a proper shielding job.

G&L uses a solid shaft on the volume knob(s) and a split shaft on the tone knob. I'm not sure why the split shaft on the tone knob, but that split shaft often gets crushed together when they install the knob. The result is a wobbly tone knob. That sort of stuff drives me batty, too. I'd be tempted to go solid shaft on all of them, assuming you can find the right taper for the tone pot in that configuration.

 

[TDR1138]

They feel flimsy – so yeah, not enough resistance – the surface of the knobs feels like cheap tat, and they wobble. I dislike everything about them I don't know what the previous owner fitted to my Squier, but whatever they are, they feel majestic in comparison with these.

Im not sure what brand of pots G&L is using these days, but I did just check my 2022 SB-2T, and the volume knobs both have a small amount of play in them if you wiggle them. The knob moves slightly up or side-to-side. You can tell that the knob is grasping the pot shaft and that the shaft itself is where the play is. That said, the resistance is fine to me (doesn't feel like it will get turned inadvertently or anything) and the taper is smooth, so I probably won't monkey with it. Funnily enough, the tone pot (which is a mini pot due to spacing) it completely solid.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

(or have installed)

This is most definitely the way I roll

Here in the UK, basses and strings are relatively expensive, but excellent thoughtful guitar techs are very much the opposite.

Oh I just remembered, when I was picking up the SB-1, I peered doubtfully at the fretboard. "Did you oil this....." To which he laughed, and said the rosewood had sucked it instantly. So it still looks matte, but now in healthy way Doesn't look like it's dreaming of throwing itself apart some time soon

 

[LoveThatBass]

I was looking at the Audere pre as an option as well. I watched a few YT videos and it seems to fit the bill especially the price. So this pre doesn't add color but boosts or cuts what is already there?

I put an Audere Pro Z 4 band preamp in my 2017 Fender American Professional Jazz Bass. I really like it. Especially the 3 position mini switch that allows me to select 3 useful tones on the fly . Fwd position bigger fatter but darker tone, mid standard pickup tone and backward position brighter tone without having to redial tone controls.

 

[jglunt]

Nice!

 

[Kawai2g4b]

I guess it's time I did something I haven't seen done on an L-2K before. I went ahead and ordered an Awesome Guitars T4 switch and VT-3 wiring harness and decided switch out the factory wire harnesses from an Indonesian Tribby L-2500 that I pickup up recently as a project piece. To sum up, this harness setup allows you to use two dual coil/4-conductor pickups and the switching matrix allows for each individual pickup to run series, parallel, inner coil, outer coil, and out of phase. The volume and tone harness has a push-pull tone control that allows for placing both pickups in parallel or in series when both pickups have coils activated. So, there is a rather stupid variety of sounds available with this setup and I had only previously seen it used in electric guitars, but basses. And since MFDs have such high output, it made sense to use these as the out-of-phase sounds would be less anemic than with other pickups.

I had to rout out some more space in the control cavity to accommodate the pre-wired switch assembly, specifically the wood between the battery compartment and the control cavity. I tried to reuse the factory preamp but am still working out some grounding issues. If that gets fixed, the stock preamp will be wired back in. For now this is the overkill passive bass that I have long wanted and now finally have to work with.

 

[Daniel Piper]

Just ordered one of these. I would say "can't wait!", but this thread would suggest that I've got a lot of waiting to do!

Will be a partner in crime, the ying to the yang, to my current main player:

I wanted a Leo designed 4 banger, something with more meat, and something blue/maple.

 

[Iridescentone]

I was just doing some window shopping and stumbled across this MIA LB-100 demo at a discounted price. I have no affiliation with the manufacturer nor the retailer. Just passing along info for anyone that might be interested.

G&L Fullerton Deluxe LB-100 Bass Guitar - Old School Tobacco Sunburst

Looks pretty nice.

"There is contamination on the bass side of the body's top."

I wonder what that means...

 

[jglunt]

Looks pretty nice.

"There is contamination on the bass side of the body's top."

I wonder what that means...

Dang, I hope it's not Covid!

 

[woodyng2]

Dang, I hope it's not Covid!

…or munkeepoxx!

 

[Kawai2g4b]

Thanks for the info. Are they at the standard as the modern tributes? I have a USA L2K but have heard the tributes are pretty close nowadays. How are earlier ones regarded?

I have 3 of the L2K variants right now:

2005 Korean L2500 with k-mod and OMG: it absolutely stacks up well with a USA. Ash body and oddly not heavy.

2012 Indonesian L-2500: same, though the poplar body makes the bass a tad bit brighter.

1991 USA L2K fretless: can't use this one to judge the other two for obvious reasons.

I have owned two previous G&Ls:

1988 L2K: this was my matching standard for how the Tributes measured up. Sold this to help get my house. No regrets because I got a house with the funds.

2018 Indonesian Tribute L2K: the same goes here for the Indonesian L-2500.

To sum up, the Tribute series in the whole gets you damn close to the real thing, though the poplar used in some recent Indonesian Tributes give those instruments a slightly brighter, more aggressive sound.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

I've a multi-effects box full of amp + cab sims. It's fun to use but I suspect most of what it allows me to build virtually would be impossible in reality.

I just made a patch for my SB-1 with its DTFs. Once I was feeling pleased with the result, I learnt that bassists don't play an STV through a Soldano 4×12. Oh well

Combining a 10-band EQ and the amp tone controls allowed the strings' individual characters to be negotiated. I'm now getting bite and depth across the bass, with no mud in the full warm sound. Nicely responsive to touch, too.

At the front end of this virtual nonsense I've got a virtual Xotic RC Booster pedal. When that's on, there's a tighter, more modern sound. Less expressive, more cutting. Useful.

With 2 options there, 2 on the volume knob, and the tone knob to play with, it's almost too much for me

I'm still so confused as to what is behind the instrument demanding heavier strings. These flats have so much more tension than anything I've had before, the action is no lower than anything I've had before — and yet it still feels no bother

No matter, ignorant bliss will do me

 

[Baker69]

G&L uses a solid shaft on the volume knob(s) and a split shaft on the tone knob. I'm not sure why the split shaft on the tone knob, but that split shaft often gets crushed together when they install the knob. The result is a wobbly tone knob.

If you have old bank card or credit card etc they are just about the right thickness for cutting out a small sliver fitting into the slot on the split shaft, it then makes it a more secure and solid fixing to fix the control knob to.

 

[Ian774]

I haven't even received my LB-100 (should be here tomorrow, stay tuned), that I'm already thinking of getting a JB-5 ordered too…

 

[80jazz]

I'm still so confused as to what is behind the instrument demanding heavier strings. These flats have so much more tension than anything I've had before, the action is no lower than anything I've had before — and yet it still feels no bother

No matter, ignorant bliss will do me

Sometimes the bass tells us what strings it wants.