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I did a little research. Looks like Gold Metallic may have been an available finish at some point in '81. Got these pics from member bdgotoh. His L2K on the right was an '82 with ebony board, slot poles, and mixed black and chrome hardware, indicating very early '82.
He also sent me a pic that he saved from an ebay listing from long ago. It has all chrome hardware, ebony board, and slot poles, which should place it firmly in 1981. Whether ash (like yours) was used under any solid colors is possible, as I know mahogany was.
Edit; He thinks this one below had a rosewood board, so it may, or may not be an '81.
Check this beauty!
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I am very glad to have acquired my first g&l...hopefully many more to come! I got a 2014 MJ-4 from a fellow forum member, and it seems like it might've passed a few caring hands here on TB. As a G&l noob, I must ask how to lock/unlock the saddle lock bridge for setups - per this link (Invalid Link Removed) the saddle lock should use a 2mm key. I tried this, and it works for the saddle height but it seems like it is the wrong size for the lock. The key is unable to find grooves to lock into - can anyone please advise? Perhaps I am doing it wrong...
Are we still giving out numbers for the club?
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Nice MJ-4 there, 'grats. Ebony board?
The saddle lock allen screw can be a PITA sometimes. I usually remove a knob first, helps to be able to see the screw better, then go in with the long end of the wrench.
The saddle lock allen screw can be a PITA sometimes. I usually remove a knob first, helps to be able to see the screw better, then go in with the long end of the wrench.
It has not been shown on the G&L Facebook page. Maybe a prototype, only one piece available from The Bass Place, as I know... Anyway, for many here, a dream come true... I'd had bet the LB-105 would have come first.
5/64 seemed like a pretty good fit to me. my L1505 didn't come with an allen wrench for it. (bought it used of TB classifieds).
That being said, it seems like after I got the saddle height set, it seems like the set screw doesn't have much surface area to land on, so I was real gentle with it. Its not a big screw.
Is this 1981 L-1000 in 3 TSB likely refinished?
Something about this bass appeals to me. I can't quite put my finger on it...
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The saddle lock screw should have a nylon pad between it and the G saddle, sounds like yours has got lost.
Thanks for the replies! I also emailed G&L repairs and they said that it is possible the "screw set" (I am assuming it is just a hex nut that screws into the lock?) might have worked its way out and gone missing. I removed the pickup blend knob and shined a cell phone light into it and couldn't clearly make out a nut, so I am assuming what happened. Does anyone know if this part would be easily replaceable?
Very easy to replace, just make sure you get the correct thread as the older basses are a different thread to the new ones.
Edit - Oops, link removed because it is wrong.
It's a headless set screw, Allen key type, and there's a small nylon compression plug at the front that actually presses against the G string saddle. You can get a set of 5 or so from G&L directly for very little money.
Thank you! Will definitely will be giving a call to G&L tomorrow to order some. Excited to see what the locking bridge does to the sound of an already great sounding bass.
The Allen wrench size for an MJ4 saddle-lock bridge locking screw is 2mm, same as the saddle height screws.
Allen Wrench Sizes
Thank you for your leads kind Sir. Looking forward in hearing the difference. The saddles are buzzing unlocked right now, which is a getting a little annoying when playing at low volumes
You may have something else going on there, the saddles shouldn't buzz or rattle, regardless of whether they're locked or not.
Not a huge amount of buzzing, just a tiny amount to be heard when I am playing acoustically or at very low volumes in the bedroom - the buzzing goes away once I palm the saddles. I loosened the G string and lifted up the saddle...I was able to poke the truss rod all the way through from the outside of the bridge lock hole, so I guess it is confirmed that the saddle lock nut fell out. I ordered the pack from G&L, so I'm looking forward to it!
A M2000 or LB-100 may be next in order
