G&L Club Part 7

[jefff100]

Who’s using flats on a L2500? I’ve got two and I was thinking about putting flats on one for a different sound. I’ve used flats before on four string basses with varying degrees of success but have no experience with a flat B string. Any advice or recommendations? I played a friends four string mexi jazz last and the flats on it sounded sweet. I believe they were chromes. It just got me to wondering what one of my l2500’s would sound like in passive single coil mode with flats.

Not exactly the same but I run DR Legends flatwounds on an L1505. When I got the bass it had a set of roundwounds that were like playing on sandpaper to my fingers. And I needed to temper the tone a bit. The Legends did both quite nicely.

 

[Papajewrry]

Oh, and here she is!
View attachment 2943282

Is she Irish?

 

[jefff100]

My contribution to the thread! View attachment 2943266

Nice group, but love the El Toro especially

 

[Band Mom]

Is she Irish?

Mmmmmmaybe... I already had the name "Brenna" picked out for her.

Oh, and just got back from first practice with the new bass. Incredible! I was worried that with all the various features that I would be spending all practice dialing in tones, but it was about as effortless as they come. All EQ set to noon on the amp, then had the bass' volume set to 90%, treble to 50%, and bass to 75%, and it sounded perfect for every song in our set. Outstanding bass, and now it's got me looking for a cheaper Tribute to gig with, as I want to hold on to this one for a long time.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

My old G&L has a p-bass type split p/u that has always left me 'meh'. For a week now I've been marvelling at the MFD in my new bass. Truly an amazing P/U. She doesn't hit the stage for the first time til Sunday, and I'm looking forward to it.
This is the only active/passive bass I've ever owned that I think sounds better in passive- Anybody else feel that way?

All my basses are passive except my Mike Kelly Dragonfly V fretless. I see no point in an active bass.

 

[A-Ro]

All my basses are passive except my Mike Kelly Dragonfly V fretless. I see no point in an active bass.

Completely agree!

 

[TomB]

All my basses are passive except my Mike Kelly Dragonfly V fretless. I see no point in an active bass.

Just for perspective, that statement is probably more easily justified than when active basses were first popularized (late '70's, early '80's). At that point, amps were mostly less sophisticated and separate preamps were rare, bass pedals were still a frontier where few ventured, and options for modifying EQ were limited, at least for live applications. Early on-board systems opened a world of control over tone that excited some of us whose tonal options had been limited to "more or less bridge pickup", or, "a little more bass, mid, or treble control" on most amps. So all of that has changed dramatically today. I too find less use for on-board active systems than in the past, and (to return to topic) run my G&L's passive pretty much all the time, other than the occasional pre-arranged "solo setting".

 

[SJLee]

WUNKAY HOG Sighting!!

Here’s another!

 

[dave64o]

View attachment 2943087

You know, that wall looks a LOT like the wall of my freshman year dorm room!

 

[SJLee]

You know, that wall looks a LOT like the wall of my freshman year dorm room!

Small world. That’s my BR in high school. Moving Pictures had come out, and I was all over that album, as well as Hemispheres and Permanent Waves.

 

[mpdd]

I was at the museum working all week. Did any of you guys buy or try out that red L1000 for 650 on LA craigslist?

 

[gunai]

So, G&L finished putting together my SB-1, but there's one thing I'd like clarified. My dealer or G&L themselves are the address, but seeing how it's the weekend figured there's no harm in asking here:
This bass is not Satin Frost, yeah? The description on social media usually includes it in the description and this one's lacks it. While it's not easy to judge 'natural' finishes off of one photograph, it looks glossy to me.
Opinions?

 

[twinjet]

View attachment 2944624

So, G&L finished putting together my SB-1, but there's one thing I'd like clarified. My dealer or G&L themselves are the address, but seeing how it's the weekend figured there's no harm in asking here:
This bass is not Satin Frost, yeah? The description on social media usually includes it in the description and this one's lacks it. While it's not easy to judge 'natural' finishes off of one photograph, it looks glossy to me.
Opinions?

Got a bit more gloss than frost, in my opinion. Images I came across showed instruments with less shine to them.

 

[Glazenn]

My old G&L has a p-bass type split p/u that has always left me 'meh'. For a week now I've been marvelling at the MFD in my new bass. Truly an amazing P/U. She doesn't hit the stage for the first time til Sunday, and I'm looking forward to it.
This is the only active/passive bass I've ever owned that I think sounds better in passive- Anybody else feel that way?

Yes, my L2500 (or my ASAT bass fretless) is in passive mod on nine songs out of ten. And guess what for my SB-2?

Who’s using flats on a L2500? I’ve got two and I was thinking about putting flats on one for a different sound. I’ve used flats before on four string basses with varying degrees of success but have no experience with a flat B string. Any advice or recommendations? I played a friends four string mexi jazz last and the flats on it sounded sweet. I believe they were chromes. It just got me to wondering what one of my l2500’s would sound like in passive single coil mode with flats.

I have GHS Precision flats on both my L2500 and my ASAT bass fretless. Wonderful, these strings scream for a humbucker PU.
Curiously, I don't like them (based on 'facts' ) on all my 5 other single coil basses, that have Chromes or Halfrounds.

I agree, something would have to be sacrificed. So that's two, anyone else interested? I do think it's a great idea and everything is part of a production instument already except for the pickups. Seems like it wouldn't be that much of a stretch to make a 5 version of the split and single coil.

Exactly. G&L have everything in hand except the 5-str. PU and new routings for it in the body and the PG (add the logo decal!). It's no effort to figure the B-string tone would be to die for on an SB-'5'. Every time I play my SB-2 (maple board + Chromes), I'm always asking: why do I also own two P's (a Squier VM 5 and a Fender AVRI '62)?

 

[bhunt1]

Hey gunai, gloss vs. frost is hard to tell from one pic. I do see a spot that looks glossy, but that could be lighting or the angle. In any case, if you are dissatisfied, you could always sent it to me I have two lefty SB-1s and they are the bomb

 

[gunai]

Given that my current inventory amounts to an Ibanez SR300E with an S-curved neck, I suspect that whether glossy or satin, at the end of the day this SB-1 will be seeing quite a lot of exclusive play by my hands.
You're free to help me cop out a Squire tone by gifting me a Rick, though

 

[bhunt1]

haha not sure on that deal I honestly don't play my Ric that much but is sure is pretty to look at. My '96 SB-1 is my #1 bass - it's got the tone.

 

[MG Wolf]

Hard to tell, does not look overly glossy to me. Here's my Satin Frost Monkey Pod for comparison:

 

[MG Wolf]

View attachment 2944624

So, G&L finished putting together my SB-1, but there's one thing I'd like clarified. My dealer or G&L themselves are the address, but seeing how it's the weekend figured there's no harm in asking here:
This bass is not Satin Frost, yeah? The description on social media usually includes it in the description and this one's lacks it. While it's not easy to judge 'natural' finishes off of one photograph, it looks glossy to me.
Opinions?

^ Whoops, forgot to quote

 

[gunai]

Hard to tell, does not look overly glossy to me. Here's my Satin Frost Monkey Pod for comparison:

View attachment 2945121

Thanks Wolf, it doesn't appear overly glossy to me in the photo, either (in fact, I am very happy with how it looks). I'm just worried that when it does arrive here I'll suddenly notice that it very much has the mirror effect glossy finishes have, one I don't care much for unless the neck is glossy as well, which in turn interferes with playing in high moisture environment such as the one I'm situated in. I sent an e-mail to my dealer so the 'issue' or lack thereof will be clarified soon enough, I'm not overly concerned either way.

edit:
Forgot to say, that's one beautiful bass. Not a big fan of tort but the bass looks absolutely lovely.

haha not sure on that deal I honestly don't play my Ric that much but is sure is pretty to look at. My '96 SB-1 is my #1 bass - it's got the tone.

That it does! Your recordings were very helpful so thank you for directing me towards them when I was in need of some.
Ricks are indeed beautiful, especially those walnut/maple ones... But checking even a right-handed one would require getting on a plane, and placing an order means trusting a factory's QC... G&L's reputation for consistently high quality was a major initial factor in not defaulting towards a Fender or some such as my step-up bass from the aforementioned SR300E(L), which is the only bass I've owned thus far.