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G&L Club Part 7

#25,201
RL5 said:
Both are Kilotons.

Edit: Both are supposed to weigh about the same (about 9lbs even), both come with a hard shell case, shipping cost is the same, and both are colors I like (although different from each other). Besides place of manufacture, the largest difference seems to be in the neck radius and price.
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Any way you can try a 12" radius G&L? I own 12" and 9.5". I can tell they are different but am perfectly happy playing either of them. If the radius and price are the main differences in your view, then you should try to figure out if the radius works for you. Note "in your view" is not intended to be a harsh comment. Just pointing out that radius and price seem to be the decision variables for you. Given that they likely sound near identical they are probably the two most important variables.
 
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#25,202
IcyApollo56 said:
These types of decisions can be rough. I am personally a believer in getting what I know and am comfortable with. If you're used to the 9.5" radius and are comfortable with it, that would be the route I'd go personally. But that's just me... it might be cool to try something new and maybe you'll love the 12" radius!
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I think I'm leaning in the direction of getting what I know. And I figure the US model will hold it's value better than the Tribute, especially since I'll likely own it for a long period of time. It'll only be my 4th bass and my second "good" one, so no reason to get rid of it in the near term.
 
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#25,203
ahbass2500 said:
Any way you can try a 12" radius G&L? I own 12" and 9.5". I can tell they are different but am perfectly happy playing either of them. If the radius and price are the main differences in your view, then you should try to figure out if the radius works for you. Note "in your view" is not intended to be a harsh comment. Just pointing out that radius and price it seem to be the decision variables for you. Given that they likely sound near identical they are probably the two most important variables.
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Yes, fully understand your comment. "Feel" is a personal issue. Unfortunately, the nearest Tribute Kiloton is about 90 minutes away, up in Denver. I tried a US model here in Colorado Springs and it felt very comfortable. Unfortunately, the color of that one wasn't for me.
 
#25,204
RL5 said:
Yes, fully understand your comment. "Feel" is a personal issue. Unfortunately, the nearest Tribute Kiloton is about 90 minutes away, up in Denver. I tried a US model here in Colorado Springs and it felt very comfortable. Unfortunately, the color of that one wasn't for me.
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G&L has other 12" radius necks if you remove the Kiloton limit. Not sure if that helps you find one to try, but it is worth mentioning.

That said, it sounds like you are leaning towards the American one. While I think the Tributes are a great value, I have always landed on US G&Ls, so I support where I think you are going with your decision.
 
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#25,205
RL5 said:
Yes, fully understand your comment. "Feel" is a personal issue. Unfortunately, the nearest Tribute Kiloton is about 90 minutes away, up in Denver. I tried a US model here in Colorado Springs and it felt very comfortable. Unfortunately, the color of that one wasn't for me.
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You wouldn't have to specifically try a Tribute Kiloton. Any Tribute 4-string should have a 12" radius neck. The LB-100 neck is wider at the nut than the others, and the JB has a 20 fret neck instead of a 21, but either an SB-2, a JB-2, or an L2000 should give you a feel for the neck.
 
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#25,206
IcyApollo56 said:
I'm excited to try it out! It'll be my first experience with one of these pickups. I've heard it has the most authentic traditional P tone out there.
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I put one in my Squier mini p bass. It's dang awesome. I still love my LB100 though too.
D30BAE48-803B-4F5A-8FFF-0A62415651DD.jpeg

7E134CAE-AA41-4727-BC6C-CB5E1CD75200.jpeg
 
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#25,207
RL5 said:
I think I'm leaning in the direction of getting what I know. And I figure the US model will hold it's value better than the Tribute, especially since I'll likely own it for a long period of time. It'll only be my 4th bass and my second "good" one, so no reason to get rid of it in the near term.
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I think that's a good idea. I, too, have a Fullerton Deluxe JB, which I love and can't see ever parting with. I completely understand what you mean about the neck, and going with what you feel you know, what you feel comfortable with. I think you'll be really happy with it.
 
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#25,208
jglunt said:
You wouldn't have to specifically try a Tribute Kiloton. Any Tribute 4-string should have a 12" radius neck. The LB-100 neck is wider at the nut than the others, and the JB has a 20 fret neck instead of a 21, but either an SB-2, a JB-2, or an L2000 should give you a feel for the neck.
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Unfortunately, I haven't found ANY tributes here in the Springs to try. While the Tribute is a good value now, I'm leaning more and more towards the US Kiloton. Long term, I think it will hold it's value better. Thanks for all the input.
 
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#25,209
Ricky Rioli said:
After Boomer 45-105, Roto Bass 45-105, Deep Talkin Flats 49-109, I found Roto Bass 50-110 finally got me to the right spot with my SB-1.

I'm kinda curious to know what played-in (aka "dead") Swing Bass will sound like on it, so I've had a set of the 50-110 RS66 on for the last week or so.

As I wait for them soften up, I'm finding them short of charm for what I want from this bass ....

..... but it has to be said, the combination of MFD + heavy Swing Bass, with the vol on 9 or 10 and the tone on about 5 or 6 is a fantastic sound - the clatter and snarl is quietened, leaving a massive, dark focussed sound with a very firm attack. Not so much cutting through the mix as drawing a thick black line through it.

Shame I've no real use for that sound myself. Wish I could go back and find 18 year old Ricky and put this bass in his hands.
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This goes to my belief that in many cases the bass itself chooses the strings it likes best based on how the player intends to use that bass. Playing style and genre count. I want at least one bass that sounds at home playing Blues, Motown, and Southern Soul tunes that were cut in the '60s and early '70s by bassists playing a PBass with flat wounds. But I don't want all of my basses to be focused around that particular tonality.

My Jazz Bass seemed to really come alive for me with GHS Pressurewounds and I've suggested them to many others who also play a Jazz Bass or J-type basses. For me they just seem to find a perfect tonal niche between rounds and flats and they have a great "feel" to them. My Kiloton could probably wear flats and sound great but I'm also using Pressurewounds on it. Typical roundwounds were just to bright and aggressive for my playing style.

The bigger surprise though was how good DR Nickel Lo-Rider roundwounds sounded on my M2000. The combination of the under wound MFDs and the three band active system seems to benefit from the clarity of a roundwound type string where I can use those tone controls to manipulate their tonal range and dynamics. So for me it would seem a shame to limit all of that by using a more limited string type with less range and dynamics.
 
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#25,210
RL5 said:
Both are Kilotons.

Edit: Both are supposed to weigh about the same (about 9lbs even), both come with a hard shell case, shipping cost is the same, and both are colors I like (although different from each other). Besides place of manufacture, the largest difference seems to be in the neck radius and price.
Click to expand...

FWIW there is less of a difference in "feel" between a 9.5" radius fretboard and 12" than you might think. Where you may find more difference in "feel" is with the nut width and neck profiles themselves. The US version has a 1.625" nut width while the Tribute has a 1.5" nut width. Both specify Medium "C" profiles but how Cort carries that out vs how Fullerton does the same can create enough of a difference that you may prefer one to another.

The differences may not be huge but depending on how sensitive you are to the "feel" of a neck you may notice it. I have two Tribute basses. A Kiloton with the 1.5" nut width and an M2000 with a 1.625" nut width both with what G&L calls a Medium "C" profile. I can play either one with equal comfort but if I had the choice I would prefer both used the same neck as the M2000. It's just slightly less cramped feeling in low register only.

All of that aside I'm quite pleased with the Tribute version of the Kiloton and would not pay twice the price or more only to have a slightly different neck. Once I begin to play I tend to forget all about that because my hands and fingers adjust to what I'm playing just as they can easily adjust to the differences between the guitars I own that have 9.5" radius fretboards vs 12" fretboards and even more variance in neck profiles. I just adapt to each.

But this is how I feel about the topic of neck "feel" and it's something I'm also sensitive to. There are certain neck profiles I don't enjoy playing and have ended up selling those guitars I didn't enjoy. But I'm also a bit less sensitive to it on a bass because over the years I've played everything from early '60s PBasses with huge "U" profile necks with a 1.75" nut width and 7.25" radius fretboards to narrower necks with 1.5" nut widths and 9.5" and 12" radius fretboards. My hands, my fingers, and my brain simply adapt to what I'm playing at the moment.

Good luck with your shopping. Hope this helps.
 
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#25,215
Larry Balara said:
Thanks for responding! I gave it a complete set up to .2 at the 7th fret. I think I adjusted the truss a little to make it straighter. But this was all done at least three weeks ago.
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Yeah, could be from that. I would just try raising the saddles at the bride a tiny amount at a time and see if it goes away. Given that its the A and D strings they could be a little closer to fretboard due to the radius of the neck.
 
#25,216
Larry Balara said:
I guess my question is not interesting enough!
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Sorry. I thought I sent in an answer, but maybe not. I had a 2003 Korean Tribute L2000 that had a weird buzzing issue up around frets 11 & 12 on the E-string. I checked for a high fret (didn't find any), raised the action, added more relief, changed string gauge, changed string brand. Since I didn't much play the E string that high up the neck, I finally quit worrying about it, and eventually I sold the bass. Later, I bought an Epiphone Jack Casady Signature bass, and it had the same problem. Then, reading the way Jack set up his bass (zero relief), I actually adjusted the truss rod to have less relief. Surprisingly, it took that weird rattle away. I don't know how similar my problem was to yours, but I hope this info helps.
 
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#25,219
jfh2424 said:
Hello all.

Does anyone know who was painting bodies at G&L in 1997-1998? I'd like to know more about these finishes.

Thanks!
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Not much help here, but G&L referred to these as their Two-Tone Finishes (it was a series of finishes similar to their current Standard, Premier, Metal Flake). They were just the color you see with Swirl in the actual finish name (so that was Green Swirl). Make sure you take care of the finish as they are known for peeling and that one looks pretty clean. Noting that I am not entirely sure what you should use on that finish to prevent peeling.
 
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#25,220
NBD! Decided on the Fullerton Deluxe Kiloton. Neck feel is everything, and since this has the same neck as my JB, I decided to spend the extra money and get this one. Feels great in the short amount of time I've played it.

Have an audition tomorrow night and will be bringing this (along with my JB) and get a better feel for how it sounds in a band setting.

Kilo1.jpg
 
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