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G&L Club Part 7

#7,362
I've got an L2000 Tribute. I started playing bass in November 2017. I've got an Eden EC210 amp. I'm playing/learning scales and 70s top 40 rock and country rock. I practice 10 to 18 hours a week.

1) How often should I change strings?
2) What brand and gauge strings do you recommend?

Thank you for your time and advice.
 
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#7,363
Corbusier said:
I've got an L2000 Tribute. I started playing bass in November 2017. I've got an Eden EC210 amp. I'm playing/learning scales and 70s top 40 rock and country rock. I practice 10 to 18 hours a week.

1) How often should I change strings?
2) What brand and gauge strings do you recommend?

Thank you for your time and advice.
Click to expand...
1) That can be very subjective. Every persons sweat is different. Tone goals are different. I have left Roto Swing 66 Nickel rounds on my L2K Trib for a couple of years (they do get cleaned regularly) but I have several other basses that get as much or more playing time. I don't like too much zing and finger noise though. And I don't have acid sweat.
2) I just put a set of DR Pure Blues 45-105 on it last week and I'm digging those a lot.

Good luck with your quest. You're already on the right track.
 
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#7,364
Corbusier said:
I've got an L2000 Tribute. I started playing bass in November 2017. I've got an Eden EC210 amp. I'm playing/learning scales and 70s top 40 rock and country rock. I practice 10 to 18 hours a week.

1) How often should I change strings?
2) What brand and gauge strings do you recommend?

Thank you for your time and advice.
Click to expand...
Any good flats. LaBella 760FS or 760FL will do nicely. Change: never.

Practice 10-18 hours a week? Commendable!! You need an excellent teacher to ensure you make only good habits. Enjoy your L2K.
 
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#7,365
Corbusier said:
I've got an L2000 Tribute. I started playing bass in November 2017. I've got an Eden EC210 amp. I'm playing/learning scales and 70s top 40 rock and country rock. I practice 10 to 18 hours a week.

1) How often should I change strings?
2) What brand and gauge strings do you recommend?

Thank you for your time and advice.
Click to expand...

Strings are really a matter of taste. Ill suggest you to experiment a bit.

Regarding the gauge I guess that the standard is 45-105 for 4 strings but I'll personally gonna choose a smaller gauge next time.

I've tried flats and I've kinda liked but after one year I went back to roundwounds.
 
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#7,366
Hi everyone. I noticed that my newly purchased LB-100 string spacing at the bridge feels tighter than a Fender, Lakland or others. Is this the case? I'm sure it's been discussed but I've been researching and I've come up short. I figure this would definitely be the place for the answer to my question. Thanks
 
Last edited:
#7,367
craigb said:
The body shapes are a little different - the SB1 & SB2 are a little bit slimmed down wile the LB-100 is a little wider (more junk in the trunk?). The Legacy was the original name of the G&L traditional P-bass before Zon made them change it and it became the LB-100. Someone else covered the MFD (SB-1 & SB-2) vs traditional P pickup (Legacy, LB-100) difference. They also have different standard necks - the SB2 has a 1.5" nut width standard now and traditionally while the SB-1 & Legacy/LB-100 are wider.
Click to expand...
There were many LB-100's floating out here that have the "jazz-neck". I don't know what percentage that is. I suspect that whichever neck it is, it is a very comfortable one. I recently tried one with a wider neck and was surprised how nice it was. LB-100's are great P basses; perhaps I will never own any other brand.
 
#7,368
Corbusier said:
I've got an L2000 Tribute. I started playing bass in November 2017. I've got an Eden EC210 amp. I'm playing/learning scales and 70s top 40 rock and country rock. I practice 10 to 18 hours a week.

1) How often should I change strings?
2) What brand and gauge strings do you recommend?

Thank you for your time and advice.
Click to expand...

Welcome Corbusier!

Good choice of gear. You have to try and see which strings provide the sound and feel you personally prefer.
Nickles, chromes, steels; rounds, flat, tape wounds, all have their proponents.
You will hear many different opinions on how often to change strings. Old flats have their devotees, as well as, the types that change strings for every gig. You may be the kind whose sweat simply destroys strings (tape-wounds may be for you).

One of my LB-100's has flats and the other rounds. The flats have higher tension, with a heavy and thumpy sound. I have to pay more attention to the fretting hand. I get insane low action with these.

I went with light gauge rounds on the other LB-100 (D'Addario in both cases) and it is a totally different sound and experience. Both basses are identical in specs but strings make them feel and sound nothing alike.

I suspect I'll go through many sets of rounds before considering retiring my flats.
 
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#7,369
rigorous bass said:
Hi everyone. I noticed that my newly purchased LB-100 string spacing at the bridge feels tighter than a Fender, Lakland or others. Is this the case? I'm sure it's been discussed but I've been researching and I've come up short. I figure this would definitely be the place for the answer to my question. Thanks
Click to expand...
Both mine are 19mm (at the ball end of the strings). They have a 1.5" nut.
 
#7,371
Corbusier said:
I've got an L2000 Tribute. I started playing bass in November 2017. I've got an Eden EC210 amp. I'm playing/learning scales and 70s top 40 rock and country rock. I practice 10 to 18 hours a week.

1) How often should I change strings?
2) What brand and gauge strings do you recommend?

Thank you for your time and advice.
Click to expand...

Congrats on a great bass!

String selection is very subjective, but in general if you are looking to play classic / country type rock a good set of flats will go a long way towards getting that tone. G&L bassses naturally have an aggressive tone if run full open an flats can help soften the edge on that a little. I have DR Legends on my L1505 & I'm happy with that combination. The volume pot on the G&L preamp will add a certain amount of grit to the tone if its spun up to 10, I generally back mine down to about 60 % when playing country oriented stuff & let the amp do the heavy lifting.

Change strings when:
1) you break one
2) you start lusting for another bass because you want a different tone. A set of stings is so much cheaper.

Otherwise you'll end up with 7 basses like me.
 
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#7,372
image.jpg
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I just got a major GAS attack after visiting Rocket Music! These look amazing...
 
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#7,374
Bulky Bass said:
On a different note, I've never owned a Tribute but have my eye on a used Tribute Kiloton. Are these Tribute Kilotons any good? Anyone have any gigging/recording experience with these?
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I own an L2K tribby (bought used), an old USA SB-1 ('90s), and a brand new SB-2 ordered to spec. You sacrifice nothing with the tribute line but options. If G&L offered a lefty tribby Kiloton, I would already own one.
 
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#7,375
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#7,378
Bulky Bass said:
On a different note, I've never owned a Tribute but have my eye on a used Tribute Kiloton. Are these Tribute Kilotons any good? Anyone have any gigging/recording experience with these?
Click to expand...

I've had a bunch of SB2 & JB2 Tributes, converted a few Trib L2Ks with JB2 necks, have a used Trib M2K on the way to put a JB2 neck on, and am actively watching for a Trib Kton. They aren't quite as nice as US G&Ls but to be honest, for my skinny necked preference, I've never found a skinny Trib neck that didn't agree with me while I have had a few US ones that didn't quite work -- so maybe more repeatability on the neck shaping?

I'd say the overall fit-and-finish edge goes to the US models, but I've had no complaints on the Tribs. The US woods are nicer (fewer pieces in the bodies) and and the Tribs are more hit-or-miss on the look with clear or translucent finishes (some have been outstanding, others look like mismatched wood floors with the mistmatched grain on the pieces). The pots aren't as high quality and durable but they work and are easy to swap out. If the Trib has MFD pickups then they are US so no difference there but I believe the preamp boards (if present) are not made in the same locale (although they are the same circuit). While there may be differences in the bridge (cast vs milled saddles? something like that) I've never noticed a meaningful difference there. The tuners are a fairly big difference - nice tapered aluminum post ones on the US models, totally functional but not as nice ones on the Tribs.

I think a Kton falls into a great sweetspot for Tribs - passive electronics with an MFD pickup. So the only drawbacks (to me) are the tuners and import pots. And those aren't bad, just not as nice as the US kit.

I've been perfectly happy with the Trib SB2s I've had that are somewhat similar (passive with MFDs) and truly can't say that there was a noticeable sound difference with the US SB2s I had at the same time that weren't in the range of differences that all basses show (they are all individuals that have slight differences).

TBH the only justification I have for a preference for US G&Ls over Tribs are 1) wanting the US nth degree fit&finish (PLEK on the new ones), 2) "buy USA" (and/or snob appeal), and 3) Tribs don't have options (I require a 1.5" nut width, would love a Trib fretless since I don't fretless much)

I did notice the Trib Ktons are like the Trib SB2s - 4-bolt necks. Must be because the Trib SB body shape is set up that way while the Ls and JBs are 6-bolt.

But don't buy the used Kton I'm watching before I buy it, OK ;) (just kidding)
 
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#7,380
Bulky Bass said:
On a different note, I've never owned a Tribute but have my eye on a used Tribute Kiloton. Are these Tribute Kilotons any good? Anyone have any gigging/recording experience with these?
Click to expand...
I played a few Tribs the other day including a Kiloton. I also tried out a USA 5er. If you have any experience with G&L Tributes in general, the Kiloton was no different in terms of quality and how it stacks up to a USA model. Overall, it seems like a great value for the money. My time with it was brief though.
 

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