G&L L200 Disappointed

[Vinny D]

Did you buy from a local dealer or a on-line dealer?

I have ordered 4-brand new G&L's over the past 8-years and have never been let down with there quality.

Something just doesn't seem right here....

 

[PSPookie]

Where do you live, oneillj? Is it far from or does it have a distinctly different climate from SoCal?

I think this is either a statistical anomaly (hey, stuff happens), or you tech is full of it. Have you tried setting up the bass yourself?

 

[domestique]

that really stinks. If the warranty is already voided than you are stuck with either your current tech or getting a second opnion.

I always found G&Ls to be the easiest to set up, so if it can't be done than it sounds like your neck was bad from the factory.... 2 bad necks sounds fishy, maybe a problem with the body setup?

 

[Slackerprince]

I'd still have a real problem if my brand-new bass needed a fret level straight out of the box.
Set-up is one thing, but a fret level?

S

 

[smcd]

I'd still have a real problem if my brand-new bass needed a fret level straight out of the box.
Set-up is one thing, but a fret level?

S

A brand new bass that was PLEK'd that needed a fret level? No way.

 

[ksandvik]

In cases like these, expensive custom built bass guitars, step one is and should *always be* to contact the dealer or company directly first. Not a tech. They might have replaced the neck if this was indeed the issue.

 

[ehque]

In cases like these, expensive custom built bass guitars, step one is and should *always be* to contact the dealer or company directly first. Not a tech. They might have replaced the neck if this was indeed the issue.

+1.

I'm not sure why you decided to void the warranty by having a tech work on it. Addiionally, if a tech can't get a bass like a G&L to play with low action and buzz free even before a fret dress, my accusatory finger wouldn't be pointing at the bass.

 

[bassbenj]

A brand new bass that was PLEK'd that needed a fret level? No way.

It's a DOUBLE no way! You are aware that the Plek machine ALSO cuts the nut as well as levels frets? I had my Conklin Pleked and I must say the nut it cut for me was the FINEST looking nut I've ever seen! Grooves were perfect, the right size for strings and angled excellent! Needless to say Bass now plays like a dream.

There is simply NO WAY a Pleked bass would need a new nut and fret job unless the Plek operator was some body's kid. I'm starting to wonder if when the bass was returned for a twisted neck they just grabbed a neck off some other return and slapped it on and sent the bass back. Something seems really wrong here.

 

[gitlvr]

Most manufacturers do not warranty the frets for wear, which will inevitably necessitate a fret dress and eventually a refret. This is covered under "normal wear and tear", and is not covered. It is common work that gets done locally all the time. I cannot believe a fret dress voids any manufacturer's warranty. Never heard of such a thing.

 

[Showdown]

There is simply NO WAY a Pleked bass would need a new nut and fret job unless the Plek operator was some body's kid. I'm starting to wonder if when the bass was returned for a twisted neck they just grabbed a neck off some other return and slapped it on and sent the bass back. Something seems really wrong here.

I wonder if the tech just wanted to make some money doing an unnecessary fret job.

 

[mcnach]

I ordered a custom brand new G&L L2000. It came and the action was so high, it was ridiculous. I sent it back to the factory and they put a new neck on it. Same thing. When I tried to get it set up, the guy who does my guitars told me the A string slot on the nut was too low and it would need fret dress to get playing right. I didn't want to send it back again so I told him to do it, which voided the warranty. It still plays horrible. I'm so distgusted. My '88 L2000 was a great playing bass but it was stolen. What happened? Did G&L change something in thier design? I just don't understand. I'm thinking about going back to the tech and have him set it really low anyway. Buzzes and all. By the way, the tech that I use is very reputable in the DFW area and has been doing it for over 30 years. So, I take him at his word.

Cut your losses. Go elsewhere.

 

[TinIndian]

Perhaps it is perception on my part, but how come it seems there are more problems with necks on G&L's than other brands? I seem to see a number of threads on the topic or where it has come up. It concerns me because I'd like to pick up a L series or perhaps one of the new M series basses.

 

[Johnny Alien]

It's a DOUBLE no way! You are aware that the Plek machine ALSO cuts the nut as well as levels frets? I had my Conklin Pleked and I must say the nut it cut for me was the FINEST looking nut I've ever seen! Grooves were perfect, the right size for strings and angled excellent! Needless to say Bass now plays like a dream.

There is simply NO WAY a Pleked bass would need a new nut and fret job unless the Plek operator was some body's kid. I'm starting to wonder if when the bass was returned for a twisted neck they just grabbed a neck off some other return and slapped it on and sent the bass back. Something seems really wrong here.

A PLEK machine is still a machine. If there IS a twist in the neck or other issue it will compensate for that by doing the only thing it knows how to do and that's level the frets and adjust the nut. The fact that a PLEK machine messed it up is probably a sign that it was a problem neck in some way.

 

[Johnny Alien]

Most manufacturers do not warranty the frets for wear, which will inevitably necessitate a fret dress and eventually a refret. This is covered under "normal wear and tear", and is not covered. It is common work that gets done locally all the time. I cannot believe a fret dress voids any manufacturer's warranty. Never heard of such a thing.

This was pretty much my thought exactly. It's almost like saying that they will void a warranty if you don't get it "setup" by an authorized tech.

 

[Lo-E]

I'm just curious, oneillj,

Have you spoken to somebody at G&L and explained the whole situation?
I've only had a few interactions with G&L, but when I did I had no trouble getting somebody on the phone and they were always very helpful.

Maybe you've already explored this route, but I would get on the phone with them, patiently explain everything that's happened and ask what they suggest your next step should be.

 

[lug]

Then again, someone could have spilled coffee on the Plek machine that day......

 

[smcd]

A PLEK machine is still a machine. If there IS a twist in the neck or other issue it will compensate for that by doing the only thing it knows how to do and that's level the frets and adjust the nut. The fact that a PLEK machine messed it up is probably a sign that it was a problem neck in some way.

"a PLEK machine messed it up"....????????

Yah. That happened. Gotta be the machine. Couldn't be human error on the part of some goober in a repair shop. No way.

 

[Johnny Alien]

"a PLEK machine messed it up"....????????

Yah. That happened. Gotta be the machine. Couldn't be human error on the part of some goober in a repair shop. No way.

Machines are infallible huh? I guess I should tell that to our huge desktop support crew at work.

My point is that a PLEK address the frets and nut. It does not address any potential issues with the neck or fretboard. If the fretboard is not level the PLEK will file the frets to compensate (which is the wrong solution) and if the neck is twisted the only thing the PLEK can do is try to compensate. That is all it is programmed to do. So I am not suggesting the PLEK "messed up" as you suggest. I am saying that if it is a problem neck the PLEK cannot help it but would file the frets and nuts accordingly. That could result in one string being lower in the nut or an uneven fretjob.

 

[Spiritfield]

Perhaps it is perception on my part, but how come it seems there are more problems with necks on G&L's than other brands? I seem to see a number of threads on the topic or where it has come up. It concerns me because I'd like to pick up a L series or perhaps one of the new M series basses.

I think it's probably perception. I've owned 37 different G&L basses (plus more than a few G&L guitars). I've had neck issues with precisely 1 of them. It was a used 5 string L-5000 from around 1993. It had "ski jump" in the neck probably introduced by a former owner who didn't understand how to set up the bass using the precision tilt feature. I have never had any neck issue with a new G&L product, and the one's I've owned that were built after G&L bought their PLEK machine have been universally fantastic.

That's been my experience, fwiw.

 

[smcd]

Machines are infallible huh? I guess I should tell that to our huge desktop support crew at work.

My point is that a PLEK address the frets and nut. It does not address any potential issues with the neck or fretboard. If the fretboard is not level the PLEK will file the frets to compensate (which is the wrong solution) and if the neck is twisted the only thing the PLEK can do is try to compensate. That is all it is programmed to do. So I am not suggesting the PLEK "messed up" as you suggest. I am saying that if it is a problem neck the PLEK cannot help it but would file the frets and nuts accordingly. That could result in one string being lower in the nut or an uneven fretjob.

PLEK machine vs. random guy in TX....PLEK machine vs. random guy in TX.... I'm.... I can't choose!!!




No, you weren't "suggesting" that a PLEK machine messed things up. You were stating as a FACT that a PLEK machine messed things up:

The fact that a PLEK machine messed it up is probably a sign that it was a problem neck in some way.

The likelihood that the OP got a brand new bass with a "twisted neck", sent it back to G&L, got the neck replaced and received another bum neck is beyond the limits of believability. Particularly since both times it went through a PLEK machine AND G&L QC. Could a PLEK machine AND G&L QC let a twisted neck go through? I guess... maybe. Could it happen twice? Not flaming likely.