G&L L-1505 questions

[MarkM13]

Greetings,

I've recently heard a CLF L-1000 and was blown away. I really loved the sound. and simplicity of the setup. However, my gigging situation demands a five string. A little poking around Reverb and I came up with the L-1505. Found some videos and really liked what I heard. I know the p/u placement is different from the 1000 but the sound was close enough for me. Did some reading here and there seems to be a love hate relationship with it. I'm wondering if it is the unusual preamp that folks aren't digging. I'm not too concerned as the passive settings worked well and I liked the similar pre on the L-1000.

My main concern is the neck profile. The L-2500 is often revered to as having baseball bat profile. Which just doesn't work for me. I really prefer a slim neck like I have on my BB435 or LTD B205 fretless.

Any info on neck profile would be appreciated. Also, Seems like folks are really into modifying these. I'm wondering if it's because it's easy to or you felt it needed it.

Please post your thoughts,

TIA,

Mark

 

[lug]

If I recall correctly, G&L only offered 1 size neck in 5 string, sorry.

 

[Chuck M]

I would hardly call the G&L 5 string neck "baseball bat" in feel. It is not particularly slender nor is it huge or clubby feeling. I presently have an M 2500 and love the way it feels and plays.

I owned an L 1505 for a while and liked it just fine. I usually use the L series basses in passive mode as it sounds better to me. The active mode has uses but passive usually works for me.

The L 1000 sounds different....quite a bit different due to its unique passive electronics. You will be able to get some nice sounds out of an L 1505 but I don't think you will be able to duplicate the tone of an L 1000. By the way, a very small run of L 1005's was made...I think about 12.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Maybe twelve years ago, I had a 1505 fretless and I loved everything about it. The ONLY reason I let it go as that I was over extended financially at the time. The great thing thing about the classic G&L set up is that it that it really has the same sound active our passive. The preamp just enhances the basic goodness that is built into the instrument.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I would hardly call the G&L 5 string neck "baseball bat" in feel. It is not particularly slender nor is it huge or clubby feeling. I presently have an M 2500 and love the way it feels and plays.

I owned an L 1505 for a while and liked it just fine. I usually use the L series basses in passive mode as it sounds better to me. The active mode has uses but passive usually works for me.

The L 1000 sounds different....quite a bit different due to its unique passive electronics. You will be able to get some nice sounds out of an L 1505 but I don't think you will be able to duplicate the tone of an L 1000. By the way, a very small run of L 1005's was made...I think about 12.

The L-1000 essentially gets a P-bass tone and the L-1505 is much closer to a Stingray sort of sound.

 

[Chuck M]

One of the CLF L 1000's passed through my collection recently and it does sound similar to a P bass....similar but not quite the same to my ears. Both are great sounding and I might have kept it but...I play mostly 5 and 6 string these days and my collection already has some wonderful 4's that get played very little.

Fender was a brilliant designer. The L 1000 was one of his designs that is a masterpiece. Fender had nothing to do with the design of my M 2500 but it is also a fine bass. The close string spacing on G&L 5's suits me just fine.

 

[Rodslinger]

String spacing on the 1505 is tighter than a Fender 5 string jazz. Fende 5 string jazz neck at the nut is 1.876” wide. The G&L L-1505 neck width at the but is 1.75” I’ve owned two and they play fast and smooth. They were the only 5 strings I could play and entire practice set with and be comfortable. They are killer and I’m about to drop loot on another.