I took this in on trade yesterday.... 2022 SB-2T. I've had this model on my radar for a while but nothing really came together for me until this trade opportunity came about locally yesterday. Even swap for a 2019 Fender Am Pro Jazz. We both had our basses listed on CL for the same price. Both were in mint condition, but I really don't get along all that well with the Jazz body shape, so I figured ...why not? She came in at 8lb 15oz. Alder, Jet Black/Ebony, 1 1/2" nut, 9 1/2" Radius, Medium C.
Anyway...the first thing that stood out for me was the starkness of the plain satin finished neck. I much prefer some vintage amber tint, but compared to the jazz, which also had no tint, this thing appears bleached. Having an ebony fingerboard didn't help the matter. The face dots are more of a MOP than just plain white. You can make out a slight rainbow affect ...like abalone in some of them...nice touch.
Aesthetics aside, this neck feels great. Pretty much on par with the Jazz. Fit and finish are superb. I think I read somewhere that G&L no longer Pleks the USA basses, but the fretwork excellent and allows for a nice low setup without notes choking or the saddles being slammed down all the way. No indication of a shim or any telltale pocket cracks from the neck being removed.
Soundwise, my initial reaction was disappointment. Even with the Chromes that it came with, the sound is very brash and aggressive. It took a little while to learn the secrets of the electronics on this bass. Right off the bat...the bridge pickup will not ever be used alone...period, and likely just added in sparingly, in small amounts. Dialing back the neck pickup just a little and you become aware of how versatile this package is... from gritty, grindy, overdriven to P-Bass thumpy CAN actually happen on this bass. It occurred to me that this bass will shine better in a live full band setting than soloed by itself in my music room. This bass was made to cut through... I can't wait to try it out at rehearsal.
The strap buttons supplied are ones I'm not familiar with. They look like a modified Schaller design... Someone chime in if you know...
Like all USA G&L basses released in recent memory, the G&G Tolex hard case supplied with it is crap... It is assembled nicely, with good latches and handle, but the lack of it being form fitted allows some shifting, particularly from end to end, and the lid is very thin and flexy. I much prefer the moulded TSA flight cases that Fender provides. If G&L wants to stay with Tolex, they could take a hint from the Fenders and Music Man cases from a decade or more ago....nice Tolex, form fitting, well built cases.
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