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G&L Club Part 7

#7,202
RocketMusic said:
FWIW - I recently had a G&L come back to me because the guy was making exactly the same complaint, fret buzz no matter what he did. Of course, he loved the bass right up until he changed the strings for the first time. When it came back, I confirmed that he was correct - the action was a mile high, and every string buzzed like crazy. I took a chance and changed the strings myself, and the problem went away. So I concluded one of two things happened - he either got his hands on a bad set of strings, or he left a ton of twist in the strings as he tuned them up to pitch.

What I've learned (having recently restrung 2 G&L's in the past couple weeks) is that the Saddle Lock bridge is really good at grabbing the balls at the end of a string. If the bridge keeps the ball from spinning freely while you still have a lot of slack in the string, the string is going to end up very twisted by the time you get it up to tension. I find it helpful to push the ball out the back end of the bridge as I wind the string up to tension. Wind a little bit, push the ball out the back of the bridge. Repeat. Once it's to the point where I can't push the ball out, then I just take it up to proper tension. Each time I push the ball out the back of the bridge, it literally spins as the twist undoes itself.

So that would be my advice to you. Loosen the E string enough that you can push the ball back out of the bridge. Watch to see if it spins, I expect it will. Once you've let the twist out, tune it back up and see if your buzz situation has improved. There's a pretty good chance it will.

Good luck!
Click to expand...

Greg - Great observation and solution!! I'll definitely keep this in mind when restringing all my basses - not just my G&L's!
BTW - I have 2 American G&L's (SB-2 and Kiloton) and neither have any measurable amount of fret buzz. They're just fine, fine instruments.
 
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#7,203
I've been playing professionally since 70's.
I've used G&L's since they first came out and I'm sure I've had over 50 of them in that time.
To say that, as a brand, they all have ridiculous fret buzz everywhere is just completely not true; I've never owned a single one that had this issue.
Either your techs all suck, or you have a singularly bad bass, which if you bought new (and at the price your talking about either you bought it new or got ripped off) is covered by a 10 year warranty.
 
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#7,204
Chef said:
I've been playing professionally since 70's.
I've used G&L's since they first came out and I'm sure I've had over 50 of them in that time.
To say that, as a brand, they all have ridiculous fret buzz everywhere is just completely not true; I've never owned a single one that had this issue.
Either your techs all suck, or you have a singularly bad bass, which if you bought new (and at the price your talking about either you bought it new or got ripped off) is covered by a 10 year warranty.
Click to expand...
+1 ^^^
 
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#7,205
Well I'm back for sure guys. Been a long time fan and a one time certified L2000 fanboy. I've been a G&L advocate and vocal supporter for many a year but have not had full blown G&L addiction until recently. With Greg as a friend and as a G&L pusher, I mean dealer.... it's on now.

I have come back into the fold in force with two new L2000's this week and a LB100 on order and my mind spinning about other Basses.

I see some familiar names from way back to the Dudepit days here and lots of new regulars. I have lots of catching up to do as far as being educated on all things G&L over the past decade but I am happy to be back on the wagon.
 
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#7,207
Chef said:
Welcome back!
It's been exceeding hard for me not to buy one of the new CLF L2000 reisssues.
But then I remember they're four string and I don't.
I'd they'd just make a 5 String like that I'd hit that.
Click to expand...

Apparently G&L might sell the control plate assembly separately, so we could build L-2500s that resemble the CLF L-2000s apart from the headstock. (I'd rather have it installed at the factory though.) I'm thinking clear red over okoume, maple board, maybe the control plate...yum.
 
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#7,210
Chef said:
I've been playing professionally since 70's.
I've used G&L's since they first came out and I'm sure I've had over 50 of them in that time.
To say that, as a brand, they all have ridiculous fret buzz everywhere is just completely not true; I've never owned a single one that had this issue.
Either your techs all suck, or you have a singularly bad bass, which if you bought new (and at the price your talking about either you bought it new or got ripped off) is covered by a 10 year warranty.
Click to expand...
Alan I totally agree.I have owned 10 over the years,and never had that problem with one of them. Don't know what this guy is talking about????
 
#7,213
1981 Series E
2014-11-10152724_zps38247f83.jpg

:cool:
bbb11_zps81f4920d.jpg
 
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#7,215
Soundchaser11460 said:
Alan I totally agree.I have owned 10 over the years,and never had that problem with one of them. Don't know what this guy is talking about????
Click to expand...

Well clearly he is having a problem. Mine are set to .017" and I have no issues with buzz on either my 82 L2KE or my 2014 L2500 and the 82 has a slight ski slope to it.
For the record I'm a pretty heavy handed player. I think that he should first try to take any twist out of the strings and get a good setup. If that does not resolve the problem, that's what a warranty is for.
 
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#7,218
Chef said:
I've been playing professionally since 70's.
I've used G&L's since they first came out and I'm sure I've had over 50 of them in that time.
To say that, as a brand, they all have ridiculous fret buzz everywhere is just completely not true; I've never owned a single one that had this issue.
Either your techs all suck, or you have a singularly bad bass, which if you bought new (and at the price your talking about either you bought it new or got ripped off) is covered by a 10 year warranty.
Click to expand...
I worked on the production line. Nothing buzes when it leaves the factory floor.
 
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