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Redoing the basement, gonna hang these babies on the wall.
L-R: G&L CLF Research L-1000 Pharaoh Gold Firemist, purchased 2/2019; Reverend Thundergun, purchased 12/2019; G&L SB-2 (1996), purchased off eBay in 2007.
L-R: G&L CLF Research L-1000 Pharaoh Gold Firemist, purchased 2/2019; Reverend Thundergun, purchased 12/2019; G&L SB-2 (1996), purchased off eBay in 2007.
In March I purchased a Build To Order SB-1 from my local G&L dealer. It was an early birthday present and I hoped that it would arrive near or on my birthday in May. It was going to be a beauty: Alder Body painted Ruby Red Metallic; White Pearl Pickguard; 1 5/8" Medium C Quarter Sawn Maple Neck; Ebony Fretboard without Top Dots (Dot Delete); Vintage Frets; White Binding; Black Headstock. I was so excited.
A couple of days before my birthday I get a call from my dealer. He leaves a message asking me to call him. He didn't say, "Your bass is here and ready to be picked up." This was my first inkling that something was wrong. Indeed, they installed a flat sawn neck, not a quarter sawn neck. I had a choice to take the bass as is and knock the price down a negligible amount or send it back. I chose to send it back as I wanted my first custom bass to be right. And G&L shouldn't have made such a glaring error.
I have now waited almost two months for the replacement. My dealer had been reaching out periodically but was not getting any return emails or calls. Finally, today he got through.
Now, what I didn't know is that when a bass is returned to the factory, G&L has to issue a 'call tag' to the dealer so that it can be shipped back. Well, it turns out that G&L made the call tag but never sent it to the dealer. All this time my dealer has been calling and emailing them trying to obtain it. So yes, my bass has been sitting at the dealer's shop for two months waiting to be shipped back to Fullerton. I am furious.
After the phone call I wrote an email to the dealer explaining that I felt I was owed a significant discount or that I would ship the bass back to G&L and ask for my money back. The dealer agreed. He forwarded the email to Ron and Memo and got an immediate response from Ron. The bass is being shipped back tomorrow and Ron said that they would get right on the new neck now. The jury is still out as to what, if any, compensation G&L will offer me for their incompetence. But at least something is happening now. We'll see where it goes from here.
A couple of days before my birthday I get a call from my dealer. He leaves a message asking me to call him. He didn't say, "Your bass is here and ready to be picked up." This was my first inkling that something was wrong. Indeed, they installed a flat sawn neck, not a quarter sawn neck. I had a choice to take the bass as is and knock the price down a negligible amount or send it back. I chose to send it back as I wanted my first custom bass to be right. And G&L shouldn't have made such a glaring error.
I have now waited almost two months for the replacement. My dealer had been reaching out periodically but was not getting any return emails or calls. Finally, today he got through.
Now, what I didn't know is that when a bass is returned to the factory, G&L has to issue a 'call tag' to the dealer so that it can be shipped back. Well, it turns out that G&L made the call tag but never sent it to the dealer. All this time my dealer has been calling and emailing them trying to obtain it. So yes, my bass has been sitting at the dealer's shop for two months waiting to be shipped back to Fullerton. I am furious.
After the phone call I wrote an email to the dealer explaining that I felt I was owed a significant discount or that I would ship the bass back to G&L and ask for my money back. The dealer agreed. He forwarded the email to Ron and Memo and got an immediate response from Ron. The bass is being shipped back tomorrow and Ron said that they would get right on the new neck now. The jury is still out as to what, if any, compensation G&L will offer me for their incompetence. But at least something is happening now. We'll see where it goes from here.
Damn, just reading that made me angry, can't imagine how you feel.
I think I would have just asked for a refund at this point, but that is just me.
G&L needs to get it together, yet another reminder why I don't want to buy new from them!
I have been curious about the Reverend basses, mostly because I think they look cool!
Sadly, I think that all of us who've option-ordered gear from G&L have some story like that to tell. Although G&L is growing rapidly in output and market awareness, they've somehow never managed to develop the customer-oriented business savvy that builds customer loyalty. There doesn't seem to be staff there whose sole duty it is to look after dealer and customer relations. It's really too bad. This club is full of folks who love G&L instruments—in spite of the lousy interaction style. Klingons use pain sticks; we order stuff from G&L. The experience is much the same.
It actually sounds pretty gnarly too. Really aggressive and fun to play. I'm not a huge fan of the weirdly shaped body but I fell in love with the blocks and reverse headstock. It's a good fit with the 2 G&L's and I'm happy to have it in the stable. I have yet to put it through its paces at a gig but it has been great at the few practices pre-lockdown.
From what I've read, it doesn't appear clear as to whether the issue is QC, communication, or both.
Ordered an L2000 Korean made Tribute in amber from eBay. I had an L2500 Korean Tribute in this finish and sold it when I gave up on trying to play 5 string. Then I explored Precision, Jazz, and Jaguar basses, but I keep missing the versatility and the muscular tone of the G&L. So I have been searching for an L2K in this amber finish, which is my favorite, but I could only find it on M2000/M2500 basses. Finally came across this one. 9.3 lbs. A previous owner removed the large older style "Tribute" logo and serial number from the headstock, only leaving the small G&L logo, but the "Tribute" logo bridge from the Korean model era remains. It shipped today, en route from Brooklyn to Central California. Can't wait!
![URL] [IMG]](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2F%5BURL%5Dhttps%3A%2F%2Fibb.co%2FfS2h0YD%5B%2FURL%5D+%5BIMG%5D&hash=0f54d682168689a0c4c3d097c0df783c)
i can not tell but your MIK Amber Tribby L2K looks like it could be a one piece body in Swamp Ash. Hope you love it!
- Aug 21, 2003
- 11,619
- 18,701
- Disclosures
- A-Designs Mike Lull GK Tsunami Cables GHS Strings RMI Basswitch Nordstrand Pickups Darkglass
Hi Folks...
@bonin in the boneyard
@Jim C
@jmlee
and anyone else who feels that G&L could do better at something write me directly via PM.
I'm not asking for suggestions on such and such model, but real issues.
Thanks Guys
@bonin in the boneyard
@Jim C
@jmlee
and anyone else who feels that G&L could do better at something write me directly via PM.
I'm not asking for suggestions on such and such model, but real issues.
Thanks Guys
Thanks Tony; will do. As mentioned in another post, I have the height adjustment screws full turned in to get a proper set up. The neck / frets are perfect; just a little odd that the neck sits so high in the pocket. Not worth sending it back but a little sloppy for a new US bass. Otherwise, my favorite J' bass and I have a few.
Considering a USA JB. How's the neck compare to fenders? It says "medium C" so I'm taking that as it's a bit chunkier like a 70s jazz? PLEKd frets sound great to me.
Pretty much all the US G&L neck profiles are 0.820" at the first fret and either 0.920" or 0.940" at the 12th fret. Medium C profile. I've owned a few like this in various fretboard radii and didn't find them all that chunky.
The CLF Research models are a bit thinner at 0.800" and 0.900" at the 1st and 12th frets. They don't make that in a JB model though.
It's always good to mention that the JB is a bit of an oddball in the neck department. The JB neck is not interchangeable with G&L's various 6-bolt neck profiles. It's only available with the 1.2" nut/Medium C profile, though you do have the choice of 7.5", 9.5" or 12" radius. 9.5" is the free/default radius choice.
That said, the JB is a kick butt bass if you like that neck shape. Very much in line with what one might want from an old-school jazz bass.
That said, the JB is a kick butt bass if you like that neck shape. Very much in line with what one might want from an old-school jazz bass.
The LB arrived about two hours ago and I immediately got to work... missed having one of these! Especially with the MFD pickup.
So I guess that means you won't be sending it back? LOL
Nice job hot rodding it, that looks even more awesome now!
