• 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 freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

G&L L2500 shielding

I recently picked up a 2007 l2K and found it a bit noisy. I took it apart and found it that it did have shielding paint in the control cavity but the control cavity cover was not shielded. I did find that there wasn't any shielding under the pickups. I shielded the pickup cavities with copper tape/sheet. I also shielded the control cavity and the cover and tied the pickup cavity and control cavity shielding to ground. The bass is extremely quiet now.
 
I have noise only in parallel pickup mode...i suppose it's problem of the bridge PU, i can be mistaken. In series mode - it's all right.
I can tell the exactly when it was made, i suppose about 2004-2006.
Have somebody such trouble? Or it's particular?

Thanks, Serhiy.
 
Hello i have a trib L2500 and it's as quiet as a empty tomb, so quiet you can ear a fly breathing throw a closed door... even in serie or parallel mode, in active or passive mode with/without treeble boost...when i say quiet you know..
Francis
 
My Trib L2500 is dead quiet. I only removed the back once on it so far, and the cavity was painted black. It looked like there was shielding paint underneath that. While it can be a pain, I've reshielded several basses (not G&L's) I've owned just to make them quiter. I think copper foil tape works better than paint IME, but since this one hasn't needed it, I haven't bothered.

Also, with a few basses (not G&L's) that had noise, it wasn't the shielding that was the problem, but improper or loose grounding. Either way, I've never had a bass that couldn't be fixed in about 30 mins.
 
Many things IMHO are important to check when you got noisy guitar, it begin with the wall outlet if it give you the right voltage (plus/minus 10% of variation). This variation percentage could make noise in your guitar, radio or other appliances ( just like a razor in the same outlet than a radio for exemple). You also got to check if this outlet is right grounded, just try a ground lift between your amp cord and the outlet and ground it to a steel screw anywhehe( like plumbing , heating appliances), Then check also for neon light pluged in the same circuit or very near in the eletrical board ( see that many times in old concert hall and clubscene with neon light...). Also check if there is a dimmer switch on a light circuit ( to varry the light intensity.. you know?) that also made big noise (stand in the center of a quiet room, varry the light with a dimmer and you could hear the noise very well. I first prefer try others avenues when some musical instruments are noisy and not just try to check the instrument first.
Francis
 
Power source quality is certainly a factor for creating unwanted noise but my approach is that additional shielding doesn't hurt and is an investment to limit future frustrations!

When I first got my L2K I did not have any noise at home or at practice. My first gig was the complete opposite. The noise was unbearable and I had to keep my hands on the strings at all times. I completely shielded the bass and played at the same venue this past weekend with absolutely no noise.

I maybe an odd duck but I enjoy the process of shielding a guitar / bass. It's part of my "welcome home" process for a new instrument.


Many things IMHO are important to check when you got noisy guitar, it begin with the wall outlet if it give you the right voltage (plus/minus 10% of variation). This variation percentage could make noise in your guitar, radio or other appliances ( just like a razor in the same outlet than a radio for exemple). You also got to check if this outlet is right grounded, just try a ground lift between your amp cord and the outlet and ground it to a steel screw anywhehe( like plumbing , heating appliances), Then check also for neon light pluged in the same circuit or very near in the eletrical board ( see that many times in old concert hall and clubscene with neon light...). Also check if there is a dimmer switch on a light circuit ( to varry the light intensity.. you know?) that also made big noise (stand in the center of a quiet room, varry the light with a dimmer and you could hear the noise very well. I first prefer try others avenues when some musical instruments are noisy and not just try to check the instrument first.
Francis
 
I don't understand why skipping a good shielding on an instrument is an option for any manufacturer. It's so easy to do when the electronics are already out of the instrument. Takes maybe 10 minutes and a couple of dollars worth of materials. It seems to me that it would be common place on all instruments, regardless of price.
 
That's strange. I almost always get some noise, though barely audible sometimes, in series. In parallel I've never gotten noise.

Hm..that's actually strange.
In order to be not any questions - parallel/series switch mode such as at the demo:

Link Removed

Mine is also dead quiet in parallel mode and can get some noise in serial mode. For me Parallel = recording and Serial = playing live. :D
 
thanks guys for your reply's, i am getting ready to order my G&L L2500 next month or so, i am getting a killer deal i feel, i was quoted $1400 as the cheapest i could get it here in town, but buffalo brothers just quoted me $1249 including shipping and hard case, that is a killer deal, i am getting an alder wood body with rosewood fretboard in sunburst, by the way do you guys know if there is much of a difference in tone between alder and ash wood G&l L2500?
 
Sounds like a great deal.!
Those are tangible bucks.

When I got my first G&L, I asked the question about the wood differences and was told the alder probably produced tone more across the spectrum and the ash might enhance the lows a bit more.

Both my L2K and L2500 are alder and there is no lack for lows or highs.

Larry
thanks guys for your reply's, i am getting ready to order my G&L L2500 next month or so, i am getting a killer deal i feel, i was quoted $1400 as the cheapest i could get it here in town, but buffalo brothers just quoted me $1249 including shipping and hard case, that is a killer deal, i am getting an alder wood body with rosewood fretboard in sunburst, by the way do you guys know if there is much of a difference in tone between alder and ash wood G&l L2500?