G&L L2000

[Stylee Mousse]

It can also go from well-behaved to nasty-aggressive better than any other bass I own, which certainly has its uses too.

that is exactly why my L-1000 has been my main bass since 1983. I would work that line all day. Smooth to chunk. By comparison a pbass has much less dynamic range and is kinda easier, really.

my wife’s L2000 is also great to play and has a pile of tones I like.

 

[Iridescentone]

I’m thinking of purchasing a G&L L2000 sight unseen. I won’t be able to try it before buying it. I’ve tried listening to numerous YouTube videos and past posts. I thought I would throw it out to see if anyone has any comments to offer in term of the overall tone of the bass. I owned a G&L M2000 years ago but found it to be to midrange heavy despite liking how it played, just couldn’t gel with the overall tone.
My preference are jazz basses with both pickups on or with the neck or bridge pickup slightly rolled back, or a PJ set up. I thought owning a G&L would be a great compliment to my Fender’s. I know the L2000 can offer a variety of tones I’m just not after a bass with an aggressive overall midrange tone. Thank you for any input anyone can offer.

I'd say go ahead and get one, even better if you can find one with some factory upgrades. The L-2000 has been a G&L flagship bass since 1980 for a reason...sheer horsepower and nearly unlimited versatility that borders on overkill. The controls seem a bit counter-intuitive at first but make sense in the end. If you're at all proficient with EQ there's a wealth of sounds inside a L-2000. Some will argue that they're "too this", or "too that", but I'd argue that it's all "in there", for anyone willing to work with it. Cheers.

 

[Drzejzi]

I'm lucky that the Musicshop with the largest selection of G&L basses here in Germany, is just 20km (12,42mi) away from me.

I have been able to test and compare the l2000 extensively and can only say, that it is one of the best basses I have ever had in my hands.

Which shop is it? Maybe I could plan a trip to test some of them. Thomann currently doesn't have much G&Ls.

 

[MattF007]

Thank you for everyone’s help. I’m going to see if I can find a M2000 to try.

 

[TheReceder]

I think the problem for some is that there might be too many controls to deal with? I'm happy with mine. Some people like the simplicity of a Pbass, me I've got one bass that has 7 or 8 different volume pots, so the L2000 isn't too bad. Seems that with the some tinkering you should be able to get most tone shapes. Admittedly with most of my basses I tend to find a couple tones that I like and stick with them.

 

[Abzan_Titan]

Which shop is it? Maybe I could plan a trip to test some of them. Thomann currently doesn't have much G&Ls.

This shop in Frankfurt am Main

https://www.session.de/search?search=g&l+bass

If you there, ask for Marco the man with big grey beard.

 

[2F/2F]

The L-2000 has been a G&L flagship bass since 1980...

1981 should actually be considered the L-2Ks inaugural model year. The 1980 flagships were the L-1K and the F-100. That's all you could buy off the rack from G&L dealers in 1980.

The L-2K started being listed on dealer price lists in late 1980, and promo slicks were printed featuring a prototype that looks more like a Music Man Sabre Bass than an L-2K. That means Sep. '80 is the earliest that dealers could have ordered them – not received them – and their design was still being fine tuned at the time. A very, very low number – if any – were shipped to dealers in 1980. It was really 1981 when they started hitting dealers in numbers and entering the public eye as the flagship. Considering that the only thing the 1-K had that the 2-K didn't was a single coil mode, the 2-K supplanted the L-1K pretty quickly – though it limped on till the '90s in ever lower production numbers.

 

[shirojiro]

The L2000 excels at aggressive mids so much that its hard to dial out if you need to. Even the double humbucker tone that has some built-in scoop is still very middy. I don’t suspect it’s the bass you are looking for.

Totally agree.
I finally got an L2000. To dial out the mids, I have to roll off the volume.

 

[jfh2424]

The L most definitely has more mids than an M. If you thought the M had too much mids after you turned the mids down, you won’t be happy with the L.

This is coming from a huge L fan. Don’t do it.

 

[Iridescentone]

1981 should actually be considered the L-2Ks inaugural model year. The 1980 flagships were the L-1K and the F-100. That's all you could buy off the rack from G&L dealers in 1980.

The L-2K started being listed on dealer price lists in late 1980, and promo slicks were printed featuring a prototype that looks more like a Music Man Sabre Bass than an L-2K. That means Sep. '80 is the earliest that dealers could have ordered them – not received them – and their design was still being fine tuned at the time. A very, very low number – if any – were shipped to dealers in 1980. It was really 1981 when they started hitting dealers in numbers and entering the public eye as the flagship. Considering that the only thing the 1-K had that the 2-K didn't was a single coil mode, the 2-K supplanted the L-1K pretty quickly – though it limped on till the '90s in ever lower production numbers.

Good point. But there were definitely some passive L-2000's shipped to dealers. To be more precise, I know that at least one was shipped for retail sale. My local dealer got one in 1980, along with a buncha L-1000's in different configs. Apparently all from the first batch, as this dealer was among the very first G&L dealers in the country. I could have bought the L2K for $50 more, but didn't think it sounded any better than the L-1000's, and neither did the other bassists that hung out there.

MSRP for the passive L2K was $600 w/tolex....$500 for the L-1000 w/tolex. As the owner was a friend, I always got everything for dealer cost (the G&L's were "A" items, or 50% multiplier). As an incurable gear whore and unable to pass up a bargain, I chose two L-1000's for my greedy self. A trans-blue/ash/ebony, and a trans-red/ash/ebony. Walked with both for under $600 otd.

Someone else bought the lone L-2000 pretty quick. He had several requests for more L-2000's, but that was the only one he could get. When the series-e basses finally arrived L-1000 sales dropped off sharply.

How many 1980 passive L-2000's were built?....50?....5?....1? I doubt anyone alive today could say for sure. All I know is I have never seen another one since. To find one (or that one) someday would be a remarkable snag for any G&L fanboi!

 

[2F/2F]

Good point. But there were definitely some passive L-2000's shipped to dealers. To be more precise, I know that at least one was shipped for retail sale. My local dealer got one in 1980, along with a buncha L-1000's in different configs. Apparently all from the first batch, as this dealer was among the very first G&L dealers in the country. I could have bought the L2K for $50 more, but didn't think it sounded any better than the L-1000's, and neither did the other bassists that hung out there.

MSRP for the passive L2K was $600 w/tolex....$500 for the L-1000 w/tolex. As the owner was a friend, I always got everything for dealer cost (the G&L's were "A" items, or 50% multiplier). As an incurable gear whore and unable to pass up a bargain, I chose two L-1000's for my greedy self. A trans-blue/ash/ebony, and a trans-red/ash/ebony. Walked with both for under $600 otd.

Someone else bought the lone L-2000 pretty quick. He had several requests for more L-2000's, but that was the only one he could get. When the series-e basses finally arrived L-1000 sales dropped off sharply.

How many 1980 passive L-2000's were built?....50?....5?....1? I doubt anyone alive today could say for sure. All I know is I have never seen another one since. To find one (or that one) someday would be a remarkable snag for any G&L fanboi!

I believe of know of three specific passive examples that I have heard mentioned – one of them being the one you're talking about (and have talked about before). IIRC, the other two I have heard of went to pro musicians as demos.

1980 2Ks, of any type, are very, very rare basses. As I was saying, and your story supports, In 1980, they weren't in shops in any numbers that would make the 2K a model that had been generally "released." It was known they were coming, but they weren't really there yet.

 

[Robiin]

I’m thinking of purchasing a G&L L2000 sight unseen. I won’t be able to try it before buying it. I’ve tried listening to numerous YouTube videos and past posts. I thought I would throw it out to see if anyone has any comments to offer in term of the overall tone of the bass. I owned a G&L M2000 years ago but found it to be to midrange heavy despite liking how it played, just couldn’t gel with the overall tone.
My preference are jazz basses with both pickups on or with the neck or bridge pickup slightly rolled back, or a PJ set up. I thought owning a G&L would be a great compliment to my Fender’s. I know the L2000 can offer a variety of tones I’m just not after a bass with an aggressive overall midrange tone. Thank you for any input anyone can offer.

Did you ever get this bass?
They are incredibly good. Trick is to keep both bass and treble at about 10-15%, and use strings that aren't overly bright (ernie ball cobalt flats suit my bass perfectly)

 

[fishdude101101]

Did you ever get this bass?
They are incredibly good. Trick is to keep both bass and treble at about 10-15%, and use strings that aren't overly bright (ernie ball cobalt flats suit my bass perfectly)

You're keeping the tone controls rolled off almost all the way? Seems like midrange city.

 

[Robiin]

You're keeping the tone controls rolled off almost all the way? Seems like midrange city.

Not really - if anything it adds a 10-15% boost in bass and treble. Plus, I always have mids turned down on my amp, regardless of the bass. It sounds truly phenomenal with these settings & strings

 

[fishdude101101]

Not really - if anything it adds a 10-15% boost in bass and treble. Plus, I always have mids turned down on my amp, regardless of the bass. It sounds truly phenomenal with these settings & strings

Sorry, but this makes no sense, if you are rolling the bass and treble controls off 85-95% it cannot boost treble. It's a passive, cut only tone circuit. You cannot use thise controls to add bass or treble.

 

[FearNoEvil65]

Not really - if anything it adds a 10-15% boost in bass and treble. Plus, I always have mids turned down on my amp, regardless of the bass. It sounds truly phenomenal with these settings & strings

I usually run my L-2000 in parallel, passive with both treble and bass %100, volume full up also.
I generally boost mids a little on my amp also and use nickel plated rounds.
I love the tone I get! To each his own I guess.