• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

G&L Fallout Bass

#221
Here’s a picture of the original stripe placement

067DA440-A677-4249-AF28-8468605E6874.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: MattZilla
#222
Road Hat said:
I just picked up a new Launch Edition in British Racing Green last week. Built in April 2020, it's the highest quality production instrument I've ever played. The neck pocket is flawless, as is the paint job. The tone knob does a great job too. I prefer it to the separate L-1000 tone controls, and it's the first really usable tone circuit I've had. Pots are so smooth, and the neck is PLEK'd at the factory, and is flawless. There was a change somewhere between November 2019 and April 2020 where they moved the location of the stripe. It's more vertical, and the top of the stripe now aligns with the middle of the pickup vs the top of the volume knob. I prefer it to the original. It's as heavy as my p-bass was, 8.6 lbs, but balances perfectly. It also includes a nifty Certificate of Authenticity and Custom Build Spec sheet.

Many thanks to @edfriedland for the superlative Bass Whisperer demo of the Fallout bass on Youtube (see Ed's post above). It convinced me that this was the short scale bass I was looking for.

Tone-wise, it speaks with a lot of authority, especially in OMG mode. I did some research on the Magnetic Field Design (MFD) pickups, and found out that magnetic flux units are measured in Gaussian-Webers (Wb), and can be calculated using the OMNI system. As such, this extremely powerful passive mode might also be characterized as an OMNI Magnetic Flux Gaussian-wb circuit.

Here are some pictures:

View attachment 4153093 View attachment 4153094 View attachment 4153095 View attachment 4153096 View attachment 4153097 View attachment 4153098View attachment 4153139

Enough talk about it though - it's all about the sound. I've heard the ideal bass tone described as round, punchy, warm, and clear, so-called "woman tone". This short scale bass is all of that in a pair of tight jeans. I was anxious to hear it an action, but due to COVID and surgeries my band isn’t playing, and I wasn’t sure where I could wring it out. However, due to fortunate circumstances we were able to get the FreakTrain Band together last week for one final jam in Pig Sty studio. We gassed it up to 105db during the solos (our SPL meter was taking a beating), and I'm impressed with how it stood up to the sonic maelstrom. It was in OMG mode with the tone rolled off a little bit. This was the only time I'll get to play it out - it's my last bass on the last song of the last jam in my last band. D.S. al Coda. I'm especially happy that I got to wrap it up with this bass, playing my favorite song from my favorite album - the 1975 Neil Young and Crazy Horse classic Zuma - Cortez The Killer.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Edit: I had a conversation with LaBella, and they said these were the strings used for the Launch Series: RX-N4D-S Rx Nickel, 45-65-85-105, Short Scale. I don't know if they’re different on the Deluxe or Tribute models.
Click to expand...
I have one of the first run geeens, and I love it. But I gotta say I ie rhe new plcemet. Bit better
 
#224
I just bought one from this period like this on reverb. Curious how the setup was from factory?



Road Hat said:
I just picked up a new Launch Edition in British Racing Green last week. Built in April 2020, it's the highest quality production instrument I've ever played. The neck pocket is flawless, as is the paint job. The tone knob does a great job too. I prefer it to the separate L-1000 tone controls, and it's the first really usable tone circuit I've had. Pots are so smooth, and the neck is PLEK'd at the factory, and is flawless. There was a change somewhere between November 2019 and April 2020 where they moved the location of the stripe. It's more vertical, and the top of the stripe now aligns with the middle of the pickup vs the top of the volume knob. I prefer it to the original. It's as heavy as my p-bass was, 8.6 lbs, but balances perfectly. It also includes a nifty Certificate of Authenticity and Custom Build Spec sheet.

Many thanks to @edfriedland for the superlative Bass Whisperer demo of the Fallout bass on Youtube (see Ed's post above). It convinced me that this was the short scale bass I was looking for.

Tone-wise, it speaks with a lot of authority, especially in OMG mode. I did some research on the Magnetic Field Design (MFD) pickups, and found out that magnetic flux units are measured in Gaussian-Webers (Wb), and can be calculated using the OMNI system. As such, this extremely powerful passive mode might also be characterized as an OMNI Magnetic Flux Gaussian-wb circuit.

Here are some pictures:

View attachment 4153093 View attachment 4153094 View attachment 4153095 View attachment 4153096 View attachment 4153097 View attachment 4153098View attachment 4153139

Enough talk about it though - it's all about the sound. I've heard the ideal bass tone described as round, punchy, warm, and clear, so-called "woman tone". This short scale bass is all of that in a pair of tight jeans. I was anxious to hear it an action, but due to COVID and surgeries my band isn’t playing, and I wasn’t sure where I could wring it out. However, due to fortunate circumstances we were able to get the FreakTrain Band together last week for one final jam in Pig Sty studio. We gassed it up to 105db during the solos (our SPL meter was taking a beating), and I'm impressed with how it stood up to the sonic maelstrom. It was in OMG mode with the tone rolled off a little bit. This was the only time I'll get to play it out - it's my last bass on the last song of the last jam in my last band. D.S. al Coda. I'm especially happy that I got to wrap it up with this bass, playing my favorite song from my favorite album - the 1975 Neil Young and Crazy Horse classic Zuma - Cortez The Killer.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Edit: I had a conversation with LaBella, and they said these were the strings used for the Launch Series: RX-N4D-S Rx Nickel, 45-65-85-105, Short Scale. I don't know if they’re different on the Deluxe or Tribute models.
Click to expand...
 
#225
Chadwick123 said:
I just bought one from this period like this on reverb. Curious how the setup was from factory?
Click to expand...

Other than having to tune it up 1/2 step, I didn't have to change a thing. I love tinkering and doing setups and such, but it was better than I could have done. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of attention they paid to it - action, intonation, bridge height, neck relief, wraps around the post, etc. Even the strings were still zingy! However, I just received a fresh set from LaBella yesterday, so I'll be changing them soon (even though they really don't need it).
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chadwick123
#226
Thanks for the speedy reply! This is great to hear. I just ordered one of the Miami Blue ones (I live in Miami, so that just seemed appropriate) sight unseen on an impulse and now I’m feeling a little more confident about the setup.


Road Hat said:
Other than having to tune it up 1/2 step, I didn't have to change a thing. I love tinkering and doing setups and such, but it was better than I could have done. I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of attention they paid to it - action, intonation, bridge height, neck relief, wraps around the post, etc. Even the strings were still zingy! However, I just received a fresh set from LaBella yesterday, so I'll be changing them soon (even though they really don't need it).
Click to expand...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Road Hat
#232
shaggy45 said:
So I bought this for $300 + $60 shipping. Did I do good?

Instruments - TRIBUTE FALLOUT BASS

I’m not crazy about it being red since the last two basses I’ve gotten have been red but I don’t like to pass on a deal. I’ll probably end up stripping it anyway since it has finish defects.
Click to expand...


Well to answer my own question. Yes it was a good deal.



13776857-EB68-4DA5-897E-33950D5DE98F.jpeg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Stevis, LoveThatBass, Adee and 7 others
#234
Is anyone having issues getting a strong, clean tone with this bass at band levels? It seems like no matter what I do I keep getting a bit of a distorted sound especially when using the OMG mode, which is by far my favorite. Any suggestions?
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back