G&L Love

[Glazenn]

Now, I just have to convince these guys to make 5 string versions of EVERYTHING they've got. Waddya say? If everyone on TB sent them a note asking for an ASAT 5, or a JB 5, an MJ5... an SB2.5! Maybe they'll get the message. It seems unfair that the 4+1 crowd only gets two models to pick from! Let's show them that we're ready for it!

At the time Ed posted his stance, there was no 'like' button, so my friends please go back to the opening post of this thread and give him what he deserves so well.
And can someone share an email address for G&L to request them to release a 5 string LB-100 or SB-2? They've started with the L-1005 and the MJ-5 since Ed's prayer was posted in summer 2013... but I am rather a candidate for a LB-105 or a SB-5.

 

[edfriedland]

It LIVES! Just came in yesterday, and it's mighty fine! This one is nice and light… didn't weigh it yet, but it feels sub-9lbs. It's got the J tone, sort of in between "hifi" and "passive" sounding. The EQ is nicely balanced, it doesn't overpower the tone of the pickups…which sound great. The low B may be the best out of the three G&L 5s I have in the house, and it's the first one that is strung only through the bridge. A coincidence? Anyway, I'm pretty stoked about this, it feels just like the G&L 5s that I've become very used to playing, but with a killer J tone. I probably am not at liberty to get specific, but I do believe they are actively working on a 5-string version of another model… one that I'm sure people will dig!

 

[basslifter]

Thank you so much Ed. Looking forward to another one of your excellent demo vids.

 

[Mytola]

According to G&L's facebook page, they are actually working on "a couple of" the five string models we all want, not just ONE!

 

[Gilmourisgod]

Eric
Long time fan of your bass whisperer videos. I bought my L2K in 1983, still had the original headstock design. A few basses have come and gone, but I never sold the G&L. Its a rock, and capable of so many tones. The preamp burned out after thirty years, so I used it passive for a while. A fellow TB'er hooked me up with a replacement, all good again. I feel like these basses were overlooked for years, glad to hear a few props for Leo's finest.

 

[cableguy]

I love my G&L. Will never sell it. Had it since the early 90's. It was modified by Mike Lull to add another MDF pup. Went from a L-1000 to a faux L-2000. All passive and the bass rocks.

 

[lomo]

The ASAT and tele shape in general has always been my favorite bass body shape (in terms of esthetics), but the short upper horn predisposes it to neck dive unless the body is pretty heavy. When they briefly made an ASAT 5 the string spacing was really tight as well. If they come out with an ASAT 5 with 17.5 or wider string spacing (I generally like 18 or wider) and I can find one under 9 lbs I will definitely buy one.

 

[Systolic]

Now if only they'd make a 6'er...i'd be all set

 

[jfh2424]

Now if only they'd make a 6'er...i'd be all set

Yup. Me too. If they made a L or M 6er, I'm in.

Surprising that they don't. I guess they figure the profit margin isn't there?

John

 

[son_of_mogh]

I don't have the $ right now but I would 100% be into an L2600 6-string with a narrow(-ish/-er 16mm or even 15mm, 14mm ) string spacing...

 

[wrench45us]

This is an intriguing strategy. When a certain segment of the market rises up and expresses the desire for 5 string versions of G&L favorites, another segment rises up and says they'd really like 6 string versions in the case of the L2600 where 5 string versions already exist.

Any community organizer will tell you it's better to focus demands of a diverse group to a few simple achievable points and build from there.

Maybe I will hold my breath till they announce an LB105.
Here goes.
Note, I can still type while holding my breath.

 

[bassbenj]

I don't have the $ right now but I would 100% be into an L2600 6-string with a narrow(-ish/-er 16mm or even 15mm, 14mm ) string spacing...

I also would kill of a L2600 with 15mm or 16mm spacing, but I'm guessing chances of it happening are about nil unless I built the thing myself.

4 strings are still most popular and thus most in demand. So getting 5 stringers beyond the L2500 is going to be a strain. And that only involves putting the basses together. The 5 string bridge and pickups and necks and all that is already designed and paid for. All you'd have to do is just whip them onto the other body styles. So yeah, there's a chance of that.

But a 6er? Don't think so. Have to pay for design and production of 6 string bridges and pickups and necks and what have you. and do it all for a market that is according to the TB poll one where 82% of the people play 4 string, 35% play 5 string and 9% play 6 string. So who is going to invest in the tooling costs for that market that is a tiny fraction of say some new new 4 string (or better, 4 AND 5 string models)? I'd say that is why they made the M series rather than a 6 string L2600.

On the other hand adding 5ers to existing models is pretty quick and dirty and easily adds an additional 35%. There is a reason I don't own a Ric. And if G&L only had 4 strings I wouldn't own any of them either instead of the three I've got.

 

[Fit4pain]

These two are all your fault Ed. Thanks, Love Them both. My LB is my go to bass but I Just picked up a M2000 GTB that I am really digging right now. I can't thank you enough for what you do for the bass community.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

I've been thinking about restoring my 83' L2K, paint is pretty beat up, the usual dings and scrapes you'd expect on a 30+ year old bass. It's just black laquer and clearcoat far as I can tell. Do these basses have any collector value I'd be damaging by refinishing?

 

[StuartV]

I also would kill of a L2600 with 15mm or 16mm spacing, but I'm guessing chances of it happening are about nil unless I built the thing myself.

4 strings are still most popular and thus most in demand. So getting 5 stringers beyond the L2500 is going to be a strain. And that only involves putting the basses together. The 5 string bridge and pickups and necks and all that is already designed and paid for. All you'd have to do is just whip them onto the other body styles. So yeah, there's a chance of that.

But a 6er? Don't think so. Have to pay for design and production of 6 string bridges and pickups and necks and what have you. and do it all for a market that is according to the TB poll one where 82% of the people play 4 string, 35% play 5 string and 9% play 6 string.

This logic is not entirely sound, I don't think. I'd guess that a LOT (more than half maybe even?) of bass players in general don't even know about G&L. Or, don't know anything more than the name exists and makes basses. Of that poll on TB, I'd guess a lot of the respondents wouldn't even consider a G&L, either. There seems to be a pretty big camp of "I only play Fender" and another pretty big camp of "I don't play anything as expensive as a G&L".

I think a relevant statistic to look at would be the people who own, have owned, or would like to own a G&L and see how many of them also own, have owned, or are interested in owning a 6-string. That would be more likely to yield meaningful data regarding a potential market for G&L.

That said, I have a suspicion they make so few basses, in total (here in the U.S.), that the numbers still probably would not support making a 6'er. The fact they've taken so long to make the MJ5 makes me think they must be just barely skimping by financially.

Or maybe they're limited by production capacity and they are barely able to keep up with current orders, without adding news model to their catalog. That might explain the seeming increase lately in reports here of bad G&L basses right out of the box.

 

[StuartV]

I don't have the $ right now but I would 100% be into an L2600 6-string with a narrow(-ish/-er 16mm or even 15mm, 14mm ) string spacing...

If you're willing to go that tight, isn't the L-2500 neck already wide enough? If so, it's just a matter of a new nut, drilling and installing a new tuner, and replacing the bridge with a 6-string bridge (if you can find on that support string spacing that tight).

The pickups would only have 5 sets of pole pieces, but I bet it would sound just fine, regardless.

If the neck is wide enough, it probably wouldn't cost you more than a couple of hundred bucks. Maybe a little more, if you bought the bridge and tuner and had a tech/luthier do the nut, and install the new hardware.

 

[Mark Seale]

Well, I'm new to bass and had been playing borrowed basses as I got used to the instrument and learning more about what I liked and didn't. I totally dug Ed's impressions of the various G&Ls and I played (seemingly) every bass in a shop in Austin. I fell in love with the SB-2 as a model and ended up buying a custom SB-2 that was a shop demo. Going by the case candy it was built in 2011, looks new from the factory now. The smallish body, the #8 neck, and the best part - ebony fretboard, and I'm absolutely in love. We're going to have a lot of fun together...

 

[StuartV]

Well, I'm new to bass and had been playing borrowed basses as I got used to the instrument and learning more about what I liked and didn't. I totally dug Ed's impressions of the various G&Ls and I played (seemingly) every bass in a shop in Austin. I fell in love with the SB-2 as a model and ended up buying a custom SB-2 that was a shop demo. Going by the case candy it was built in 2011, looks new from the factory now. The smallish body, the #8 neck, and the best part - ebony fretboard, and I'm absolutely in love. We're going to have a lot of fun together...

Looks sweet, but the picture almost looks blank and white. What color is the body?

 

[Mark Seale]

It's silver metal flake, but not as aggressively flaked as the example image on the G&L webpage.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

Believe it or not, they exist. Rare, as you can imagine.

Oh! My word!!!
I would love an ASAT 5....LOVE....

I have loved G&L basses since I got my '97 L2500 Custom...traded a '94 Stingray 4 fretless + cash for it.

This sucker weighs damn near 13 pounds!!!! And I like it that way!
I actually don't like my basses to weigh less than 9 pounds...

Funny, because at the time, I didn't realize how "special" that bass was, until I really looked at it in comparison to more contemporary models years later....being that it has the coveted 4+1 headstock...

and a 4-piece flame maple neck....yes the whole neck.

Now...if only we can get G&L to bring back that headstock...