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G&L L-1000 decisions, decisions
- Thread starter Drummerdan
- Start date
If memory serves, TB member (and G&L aficionado) "duke plays bass" has/had a sub-B00500 serial numbered L-1000, which he believes indicates a pre-production model. Curiously it also has a cherryburst finish.
That's your winner. I say maple because it's somewhat less common from what I've seen... might be fun. I prefer left body and like lighter weight... so left body, right neck.
I'm sure you know this already, but for anyone else wondering if an "81 body with an '82 neck" necessarily means a non-original neck...it doesn't.
As to sound - no opinion to both, the colors - right is better, as to to electronics - left looks more advanced, so at this case choose from what sound possibilities are coming from both of them.
Wow, so a number before the 500? That would be pretty cool to see! and to know the backstory as well!
I'm a maple only player. I won't even consider a bass without. But in this case, for you, I voted LEFT. A pound lighter, basically brand new.
Seriously, if it was me, I would keep the maple neck (fretboard) with the NOS hardware, on the NOS body.
Seriously, if it was me, I would keep the maple neck (fretboard) with the NOS hardware, on the NOS body.
It's been a while since he posted, but yeah that's how I recall it, a sub-500 number indicating a possible pre-production L-1000. That's what he thought, anyway. Made sense to me.
The Cherryburst finish was unusual, and there was a tug bar on it, too. We speculated whether the finish was original or not. It "looked" original, but Cherryburst was not "officially" offered in 1980, so who knows. Stranger things have happened with G&L in the early days. Maybe I'll ping him.
Edit: I PM'd him. Maybe he'll join in with info and pics. Hope so, if just to see if my memory still works!
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Left. Are you sure the left is rosewood and not ebony? I have had the L1k and L2k hog bodied, ebony necked brethren of the leftie and miss them. Love the esthetic of the chrome control plate.
dukeplaysbass
Supporting Member
Hey there, did somebody say.....Wunkay?
As for the OP, if that 81 has an ebony neck, the value will be a bit higher since that's the killer combo. Unless the one on the right (the 81/82) just feels and sounds killer, I'd keep the one on the left.
@Templar is correct, I do have an extremely early Wunkay. Body and neck both dated prior to the official start of production (July 1, 1980). It's in cherryburst, and from the neck pocket that color certainly looks original. I think it was Greg Gagliano (who you GLeeks /BABPers will remember as GGJaguar and others will remember as one of the writers of Ampeg: The Story Behind the Sound) informed me that cherryburst was not an option for sometime much afterward 1980. The serial number is 526. Again, IIRC, they used 500-549 for various one-offs and prototypes, and 550 was the start of production. I sent an email to Dale Hyatt (who reportedly had all the logs for the early years and could sometimes be convinced to dig into the archives), who told me there was no record of that serial number and it was probably a "Leo tester". It does have a tugbar, which has machine (not wood) screws holding it down; there are brass inserts in the body that the screws fit. It's a weird, wild beast....
As for the OP, if that 81 has an ebony neck, the value will be a bit higher since that's the killer combo. Unless the one on the right (the 81/82) just feels and sounds killer, I'd keep the one on the left.
@Templar is correct, I do have an extremely early Wunkay. Body and neck both dated prior to the official start of production (July 1, 1980). It's in cherryburst, and from the neck pocket that color certainly looks original. I think it was Greg Gagliano (who you GLeeks /BABPers will remember as GGJaguar and others will remember as one of the writers of Ampeg: The Story Behind the Sound) informed me that cherryburst was not an option for sometime much afterward 1980. The serial number is 526. Again, IIRC, they used 500-549 for various one-offs and prototypes, and 550 was the start of production. I sent an email to Dale Hyatt (who reportedly had all the logs for the early years and could sometimes be convinced to dig into the archives), who told me there was no record of that serial number and it was probably a "Leo tester". It does have a tugbar, which has machine (not wood) screws holding it down; there are brass inserts in the body that the screws fit. It's a weird, wild beast....
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I never liked the black control plate they used for a few years and I prefer rosewood or ebony boards over maple, so that's that.
Thanks for the update, Tris. So the production bass serial #'s began at #550, as opposed to #500...ah, did not know that. I just recalled that your # was lower than the first production #'s. I guess my memory is not so bad after all! ("Honey, cancel that Prevagen order!")
Anyway, that is one uber cool Wunkay, for real!
Agreed on the Hogburst/Ebony '81 being worth more. And in that condition is a rare find.
I'm a bit biased, but I say keep the one on the right. (It's my old bass!) The black hardware just reminds me of of seeing basses and guitars from a narrow range of years. The chrome reminds me of the later years. I had a couple 90s G&Ls too...
I don't know if anyone has mentioned it but the recent reissue CLF Research L1000 has only the chrome.
Regarding this can you elaborate? Was it common for G&L to pair bodies w necks a year apart? Thanks!
