G&L Club Part 7

[BadJazz]

So I was restringing my USA L2K fretted with flatwounds in BEAD, and I literally busted a nut.

What's a good place for a replacement? G&L's site doesn't have any. Thanks!

 

[David Jayne]

You'll just have to buy a blank (stewmac/warmoth /allparts) and get to work. Or have a shop do it. There's really no good 'drop in /turnkey' option. A pre-slotted blank will need work anyway, particularly since you're running big strings.

 

[Handyman]

And that one too : http://www.ebay.com/itm/321617671528

Sweet! Let me check my couch cushions.

Does that have the pickup from the 1st gen sb1?

 

[Glazenn]

You'll just have to buy a blank (stewmac/warmoth /allparts) and get to work. Or have a shop do it. There's really no good 'drop in /turnkey' option. A pre-slotted blank will need work anyway, particularly since you're running big strings.

Or a 1 5/8" TUSQ Graphtech (PQ-1200-00): Invalid Link Removed

To BadJazz:

Note that the bottom of this one is flat and will need reworking (depth and possibly radius, plus filing to the exact string gauge). I have put a 1 1/2" TUSQ nut (PQ-1254-00) on an Allparts Jazz neck without digging the fretboard binding and it's perfect.

This nut breakage might happen again as the string retainer on your L is actually not ideally located, too close to the nut IMHO, so that the D and G (your A and D) strings are not visually in a straight line and apply intense side stress to the nut. On my SB-2, it is close to the A-string tuner. I also suspect something might be wrong with the string retainer as the two strings (more obviously with your A string) are deviated significantly. First check if there are string paths under the string retainer head, it might not be correctly oriented so that the paths are not aligned to the neck and the strings are not where they are supposed to be. Also check if the string retainer shaft is round or with flat sides, and in this case, it must be correctly re-oriented. But the main fault is with the nut grooves that have not been filed to the correct string sizes.
Last, due to the particular position of the string retainer on your L, you may ask a (bass) guitar tech if the fretboard needs to be digged/grooved at an angle behind the nut, just at the corner under those two strings. It will be invisible and it will help to channel the strings and relief side stress on the nut.

Chromes, Yeah!

 

[markbass68]

Not sure if anyone saw my recent comment about fretboard hump on my new LB-100. Has anyone dealt with warranty issues on a new G&L?

I have an LB 100 that is roughly 20 years old and has been played a lot and still looks new. While I have taken good care of it, not leaving it in hot vehicles or trailers or even churches that are not climate controlled 24/7, it has seen a great deal of road duty. If it came like that from the factory, I would put it on the first flight out. I have never had any problems with the bass at all, ever. I would think that G&L would remedy a quality issue such as that immediately and without much question. Please keep me posted as to how this one turns out.

 

[fourstringdrums]

I have an LB 100 that is roughly 20 years old and has been played a lot and still looks new. While I have taken good care of it, not leaving it in hot vehicles or trailers or even churches that are not climate controlled 24/7, it has seen a great deal of road duty. If it came like that from the factory, I would put it on the first flight out. I have never had any problems with the bass at all, ever. I would think that G&L would remedy a quality issue such as that immediately and without much question. Please keep me posted as to how this one turns out.

Oh this is old. They wound up building me a new neck but the bass came back with screwed up electronics. So they rebuilt it completely. I sold it at the beginning of the year because after everything I went through I couldn't get into it.

I have another LB-100 now in the shop because I'm getting some odd buzzing on the 20th & 21st fret of the A & D when the note is initially fretted, but not plucked. I think a fret or two behind is a little high. I'm just hoping it's not another issue of there being a hump. I don't believe so. I checked with a small straight edge I have and a few frets rock ever so slightly but nothing major and the playability is good otherwise.

 

[Adam Wright]

How has everyone's fret level quality been with the PLEK'd instruments? I have to have my LB-100 looked at on Monday. I was going to take it in to get shielded anyway but while it's there I'm going to have him look at a few of the upper frets. The 20th & 21st frets, mostly on the A & D have an odd "bzzzzeeeoowwwrrring" overtone/buzz when the note is fretted, even lightly and the fret almost feels like it's "bottoming out" on the fret before the one that I'm pressing down. When you actually pluck the notes there is no buzz, only when your initially press down and it's not the same sort of clank that you would normally get while pressing down. So I'm suspecting there is a high fret or two on the 18th or 19th fret and it's the buzzing behind the fret that's causing the problem. I have a metal string height ruler that I used as a straight edge to span 3 fets and it does seem like it rocks ever so slightly on the 18th or 19th fret and also the 14th fret I believe.

Obviously an easy fix and not worth returning for, but I'm curious if PLEKing sometimes isn't a perfect process. Obviously in my experience, G&L themselves aren't perfect given my luck with them. Everything else about the neck is fine. The action is really low and the neck is fairly straight, about .011" at the 8th fret. It's just those few frets.

I had a new custom ordered LB100 last year that had to go back because of an unlevel fretboard issue. I had a luthier who's pretty well known for his hi-end basses take a look at the fretboard and he told me that he didn't think the bass had been plek'd at all. He's not one to hate on other companies either.

 

[fourstringdrums]

I had a new custom ordered LB100 last year that had to go back because of an unlevel fretboard issue. I had a luthier who's pretty well known for his hi-end basses take a look at the fretboard and he told me that he didn't think the bass had been plek'd at all. He's not one to hate on other companies either.

Well that's what I asked a few posts back, if sometimes, a PLEK job can be less than stellar.

Honestly I don't care if he has to level the frets. He does a great job and I'd gladly pay the money and it would be worth it. Far more worth it than saving $100 just to send it back under warranty and wait god knows how long for it to be fixed.

 

[Glazenn]

Sweet! Let me check my couch cushions.

Does that have the pickup from the 1st gen sb1?

These look absolutely similar to my 1999 SB-2 bridge single coil MFD pickup.
The attached letter by Keith Hyatt on the ebay post precisely says they are bass single coil MFD similar to SB and Lynx basses of that time.

http://g-l-online-store.myshopify.com/collections/pickups/products/mfd-sb-2-bass-pickups

 

[KPJ]

Hey I have my L-1505 up for sale if anyone is interested.
http://www.talkbass.com/threads/g-l-l-1505.1121566/

 

[fourstringdrums]

My LB-100 is done being worked on. I pick it up tomorrow but it tuns out I had a few high frets and we felt it was best to just give the board a whole once over. It's a shame that a PLEK'd instrument can leave the factory and have some high frets, but I'd rather spend $85 and have it gone over by hand by a tech whose work I trust than ship it back to G&L and have to not only be without an instrument for who knows how long, but cross my fingers that they make it right to begin with.

I still think G&L makes great instruments, but given that this is the second one I've had a problem with in the last year, I don't have a whole lot of faith in their quality control any more.

 

[JES]

Hi Folks,

I hear tell of old G&L L2K settings discussions in earlier threads but haven't had a lot of luck digging them up. I'm looking for a certain kind of mellow P-bass neighbourhood.

Oh, and I have no idea if I'm a member of the club, but I love my L2K -- I had a tribute and like it so much I went for the US one with the #8 neck, rosewood FB and K-switch. The colour is sort of a gold with green hues. I have no idea what it is.

I'm planning to try out my L2K in a country/indy setting (acoustic guitar with pickup, tele playing leads, vocals). I am going for a precision-ish sound with the understanding that it won't be 100% the same and that absolutely nobody in the audience will care (I have a precision fretless but that's not the sound for this act). If others have gone for that tone, I'd love to know your favourite settings. I'm running:

front pickup only, passive, parallel
treble and bass rolled off varying amounts
volume at maybe 70%

I've also tried running series with more bass rolloff to compensate. I'm trying to simulate the low mid punch and the lack of low end on a P (compared with the L2K which has low end for days). I'm playing rounds on it but would consider switching to flats as I'm not gigging with it for anything else at the moment (though it's a hell of a rock bass so I am reluctant to go that route). I confess that even though I'm not supposed to I occasionally strum a chord in this act.

Also, I'm playing through an Orange TB-500 (in has a Fender style tone stack) and a 15" speaker for extra woof. I don't think I've had to turn up past like 1.5 on the amp.

Thank you!

--JES

 

[wrench45us]

I kind of doubt this is exactly what you're looking for, but I really like GHS Brite Flats or LaBella Quarter rounds on my L2500. To my ear those strings take advantage of the range of those electronics -- with enough ways to tweak to where you want to go.

 

[Wallofbasses]

Hi Folks,

I hear tell of old G&L L2K settings discussions in earlier threads but haven't had a lot of luck digging them up. I'm looking for a certain kind of mellow P-bass neighbourhood.

Oh, and I have no idea if I'm a member of the club, but I love my L2K -- I had a tribute and like it so much I went for the US one with the #8 neck, rosewood FB and K-switch. The colour is sort of a gold with green hues. I have no idea what it is.

I'm planning to try out my L2K in a country/indy setting (acoustic guitar with pickup, tele playing leads, vocals). I am going for a precision-ish sound with the understanding that it won't be 100% the same and that absolutely nobody in the audience will care (I have a precision fretless but that's not the sound for this act). If others have gone for that tone, I'd love to know your favourite settings. I'm running:

front pickup only, passive, parallel
treble and bass rolled off varying amounts
volume at maybe 70%

I've also tried running series with more bass rolloff to compensate. I'm trying to simulate the low mid punch and the lack of low end on a P (compared with the L2K which has low end for days). I'm playing rounds on it but would consider switching to flats as I'm not gigging with it for anything else at the moment (though it's a hell of a rock bass so I am reluctant to go that route). I confess that even though I'm not supposed to I occasionally strum a chord in this act.

Also, I'm playing through an Orange TB-500 (in has a Fender style tone stack) and a 15" speaker for extra woof. I don't think I've had to turn up past like 1.5 on the amp.

Thank you!

--JES

View attachment 527371

Hi Folks,

I hear tell of old G&L L2K settings discussions in earlier threads but haven't had a lot of luck digging them up. I'm looking for a certain kind of mellow P-bass neighbourhood.

Oh, and I have no idea if I'm a member of the club, but I love my L2K -- I had a tribute and like it so much I went for the US one with the #8 neck, rosewood FB and K-switch. The colour is sort of a gold with green hues. I have no idea what it is.

I'm planning to try out my L2K in a country/indy setting (acoustic guitar with pickup, tele playing leads, vocals). I am going for a precision-ish sound with the understanding that it won't be 100% the same and that absolutely nobody in the audience will care (I have a precision fretless but that's not the sound for this act). If others have gone for that tone, I'd love to know your favourite settings. I'm running:

front pickup only, passive, parallel
treble and bass rolled off varying amounts
volume at maybe 70%

I've also tried running series with more bass rolloff to compensate. I'm trying to simulate the low mid punch and the lack of low end on a P (compared with the L2K which has low end for days). I'm playing rounds on it but would consider switching to flats as I'm not gigging with it for anything else at the moment (though it's a hell of a rock bass so I am reluctant to go that route). I confess that even though I'm not supposed to I occasionally strum a chord in this act.

Also, I'm playing through an Orange TB-500 (in has a Fender style tone stack) and a 15" speaker for extra woof. I don't think I've had to turn up past like 1.5 on the amp.

Thank you!

--JES

View attachment 527371

Hey Jes,

I think you' re in the ballpark for a P type setting. I play rock in my band, but for our bluesier tunes I use the front pickup in series ( I never use parallel), passive, bass and treble near 50% (+ or - a bit to taste) and volume around 50%. Pickups are set fairly low because I find their output is so high. On my SVT 2 I boost the mids and have some mild OD. Sounds P like enough for me. For a real old school tone I roll off the treble a bit more and play closer to the neck. I find the L2K is very responsive to the R hand playing position.

Hope this helps,
Brian

 

[David Jayne]

Hi Jess. I would say just dial in a sound that works. You won't get the exact 'P' tone from your bass. Doesn't matter. Just play well and get a sound that works. If you absolutely must have THAT sound, get a P bass.

 

[Freddels]

Not sure if anyone saw my recent comment about fretboard hump on my new LB-100. Has anyone dealt with warranty issues on a new G&L?

I don't think I've ever seen anyone with as many "issues" with new basses as you. You must have the worst luck.

 

[Glazenn]

Well that's what I asked a few posts back, if sometimes, a PLEK job can be less than stellar.
Honestly I don't care if he has to level the frets. He does a great job and I'd gladly pay the money and it would be worth it. Far more worth it than saving $100 just to send it back under warranty and wait god knows how long for it to be fixed.

In addition to ruining the PLEK treatment for sure, wouldn't that also make the manufacturer's warranty void forever?

 

[Turkeypills]

How has everyone's fret level quality been with the PLEK'd instruments? I have to have my LB-100 looked at on Monday. I was going to take it in to get shielded anyway but while it's there I'm going to have him look at a few of the upper frets. The 20th & 21st frets, mostly on the A & D have an odd "bzzzzeeeoowwwrrring" overtone/buzz when the note is fretted, even lightly and the fret almost feels like it's "bottoming out" on the fret before the one that I'm pressing down. When you actually pluck the notes there is no buzz, only when your initially press down and it's not the same sort of clank that you would normally get while pressing down. So I'm suspecting there is a high fret or two on the 18th or 19th fret and it's the buzzing behind the fret that's causing the problem. I have a metal string height ruler that I used as a straight edge to span 3 fets and it does seem like it rocks ever so slightly on the 18th or 19th fret and also the 14th fret I believe.

Obviously an easy fix and not worth returning for, but I'm curious if PLEKing sometimes isn't a perfect process. Obviously in my experience, G&L themselves aren't perfect given my luck with them. Everything else about the neck is fine. The action is really low and the neck is fairly straight, about .011" at the 8th fret. It's just those few frets.

Terrible luck indeed. I have to ask, how often are you playing the 20th and 21st frets of the A and D strings? I realize the issue is getting an instrument without any problems, but realistically does this actually hinder your playing in anyway whatsoever? How often do you fret without plucking? Does it happen with hammer ons? Do you do a lot of tapping?

It just seems to me like what you want is a totally custom bass from a high end luthier and not a production instrument. Maybe I am off base though. I don't mean to offend btw, it just seems like a lot of hassle you have gone through for pretty miniscule issues.

I didn't catch it the first time around but what issues did you have with the electronics of a passive P?

 

[Stranger Danger]

In addition to ruining the PLEK treatment for sure, wouldn't that also make the manufacturer's warranty void forever?

The PLEK is only good until the weather changes. Instruments are made of wood and hence they expand, contract and move. PLEK is not going to prevent fret sprout at all. All it really assures is that the frets are level after its done for the moment, not forever.

How would fret leveling affect your warranty?

 

[JES]

Thanks for the tone suggestions. Next practice is in January (been playing an ABG but not feeling it for this act). I will report back.