Back at you flash washed out the grain, but this one came with the name "Ligre" from the owner....
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Back at you flash washed out the grain, but this one came with the name "Ligre" from the owner....
I give 'em a big thumbs up. I've had 3 - clear red SB2T I ordered new (passed through a few hands but has a very enthusiastic owner here on TB), clear green L1K I got from my favorite non-dealer source who ordered it from my favorite dealer (passed on to a wunkay afficianado), and a yukon gold JB2 I still have again from my favorite source/dealer connection
I couldn't really tell a tonal difference between the L1K and my 2014 ash L1K I had at the same time/still have. The JB2 sounds the same as all the other JB2s I've had. The SB2T might have been a bit growlier than most other SB2s I've had, but IIRC I kept rounds on it while I had it and I usually swap an SB2 out to flats.
If I could order more G&Ls I think they would all be empress -- the light weight is so easy on the shoulder and I've had nothing but good experience with them tonally and otherwise. The 7.0 L1K & 7.1 JB2 are maybe a touch lighter than I'd like for balance but my wide padded straps make that a non-issue. The SB2T was 7.4lbs IIRC and that was pretty much perfect. I used to think my 8.6lb ash L1K was light until I got these - in comparison it seems a bit heavy (I shudder to think what the old 10+lb SB2 I had once would have felt in comparison to these).
I haven't had any problems with them because of the "softer wood" but I can't in good faith say I can attest to the "durability" because I think that would require that I keep them longer than I usually end up doing
Welcome back to the G&L fold, Scott. If you ever need to unload any skinny necked ones, you know where to find me
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I agree with Craig, empress wood is really great. The tone is excellent for both 4 and 5 strings and the weight is reliably very light.
Ok thanks guys. Good to see some of the old guard G&L crew like Craig and Brad still firmly in the camp. I'm thinking of going with it on either a JB5 or a L2500. They look gorgeous just thought I'd ask about tone ect. All reviews seem to be glowing so I guess i too will soon find out. B
Not sure if it was in this thread but thanks to those who recommended DR Fat Beams for MFD equipped Basses. Solid recommendation and an excellent sounding string.
Oh man, those pickups are the real deal.
Story time: A few months back I traded an L-1505 for a beat up Interceptor here in the classifieds. I'd been playing a first gen SB-2 for six months or so, weening myself off of 5'ers so I can explore and collect more early G&Ls.
On a whim I grabbed the Interceptor for our NYE gig. I listened to the board recording afterwards and was amazed at the depth it had, while retaining a similar growl and snap of my '83 SB-2. It was eye opening.
I decided to use it in a promo video shoot we did in late January and spent the next month or so editing the clips. I fell in love with the tone during that time. I used my normal gig rig—a Tech 21 Bass Fly Rig straight into the board. Both pups / parallel / active / treble -25% / bass full up, playing over the neck pup. Sounds. So. Good. And through a vintage SVT rig? Face melting.
If you ever have a chance to buy or even play an El Toro or Interceptor, don't pass it up.
I had an Empress G&L obsession a few years back, here's a pic from late 2015. The two 1997s on the left and the gold L1000 are ash bodied, the rest are Empress. The Empress L2500 on the right was first, got it off ebay and was very excited to try out an 8.3 lb L2500! I really liked it a lot, the B was amazingly solid feeling and sounding for a 34" scale bass. All the rest of my Empress G&Ls came from Greg at Rocket Music, he knows how to get the good stuff! Next came the burst L2000 4th from the left, I'm not usually a maple board guy but Empress sounds great with both rosewood and maple. It made me want a Jazz neck Empress L2000 so I ordered the CAR L2000 3rd from left, I love that bass. The green L1000 has an Empress body and a super rare factory Alnico pickup. I ordered the gold JB2 around the same time as the L1000 arrived, it was one of the last JB2s made, unfortunately. The burst LB100 and the L1005 arrived last and were both just as great as the others.
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Pretty clean El Toro at Guitar Center Online... Invalid Link Removed
I way late to this party.
Have been playing for approx 40 years and managed to accumulate a half dozen 70's Fenders as well as a 60' (this was when they could be bought used for about $200 or $400 for the 60').
Also have an 83' and 96' SR.
As a huge Leo fan, I just bumped into a LB100 at GC; I didn't care for the color (and I prefer maple necks) or I would
bought it.
Looking for an education:
* SB1 has a hotter pickup and slightly smaller body, and LB100 is more P like?
* Is it really worth it to add a bridge pup as I gather it is not soloable?
TIA for any help or guidance.
Have been playing for approx 40 years and managed to accumulate a half dozen 70's Fenders as well as a 60' (this was when they could be bought used for about $200 or $400 for the 60').
Also have an 83' and 96' SR.
As a huge Leo fan, I just bumped into a LB100 at GC; I didn't care for the color (and I prefer maple necks) or I would
bought it.
Looking for an education:
* SB1 has a hotter pickup and slightly smaller body, and LB100 is more P like?
* Is it really worth it to add a bridge pup as I gather it is not soloable?
TIA for any help or guidance.
What a fantastic collection, especially the vintage burst L-2000 (looks spectacular with the maple neck) and the honeyburst L-2500!
Excellent, informative posts about empress G&L basses above, so what about the recently-introduced okoume? Don't think I've seen anybody post about having one, but I'm considering it for a possible L-2500 build and have read good things about it.
I've been wondering about okoume as well, I was tempted to order my CLF L2000 with that but I wasn't sure how heavy it would be.
Correct. MFD pickup in the SB-1, vintage style P in the LB-100. Two flavors of awesome.
LB-100s are more like a P.
The SB-1 pickup is a MFD which is wound to a lower impedance than a vintage P pickup. However it has powerful magnets to give it the output. It's a got a wide tone. Bright even.
Full range active tone, yes. The L1500, L1505 and Kiloton models have the stingray vibe. Largely due to the position of the pickup. M series, L2000, L2500 do not have the ray vibe.
