G&L Love

[bassbenj]

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.

You could do that. But you'd end up with 13.8 mm spacing. I do own a Modulus TBX-6 with 11.5 mm spacing which is Extremely tight (slapping is out of the question) but I'd much prefer something in the 16 mm range like most of my other 6ers. The 6th tuner would have to go somewhere around the eye-poker which is a rather inconvenient spot for it. But my main objections would be the strings not being over the poles and some non-G&L bridge which would spoil the traditional look in my opinion.

Oddly, I did just buy three 5er G&L necks from the G&L store for a song and own a L2500 tribute ripe for experimentation. But somehow the wrong poles and non-G&L bridge ruining the look just kind of puts me off a bit! Current plan for the Tribby and necks is to get out the steam iron and convert one of the necks to fretless for the Tribute.

 

[Iridescentone]

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...

Huh. Interesting. I don't recall ever seeing a multi-lammed neck like that on a G&L.

 

[Iridescentone]

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...

Wow, nice. Ebony board and Silver. Another unique G&L is born. Does it have a matching headstock?

 

[fender68]

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...

DAAAAUUUMM!!! God i love flame maple necks!!!

 

[delta7fred]

Huh. Interesting. I don't recall ever seeing a multi-lammed neck like that on a G&L.

I bought one on Ebay that had not been fitted (a G&L leak apparently) that is 4 piece 4+1 tuners.

 

[plankspanker13]

Some of us might enjoy playing a Tribute version of the ASAT...but perhaps with the Paul Gagnon 18v circuit, for the sake of simplicity. If only G&L could be brave enough to make the (hereby labelled) "MSAT."

 

[eastcoasteddie]

Family portrait!

View attachment 541070

Two L5000s, two L1005s.

Hhhhmmmm...
I am by no means a G&L expert, but there seems to always be a G&L model that I'm not familiar with....like both of yours!!!
My question to you is, how does the MFD humbucker pickup in the 1005's compare tone-wise, to the P-style pickup in the 5000's? The placement of the pickup in the 1005 looks very close to the placement of the neck pickup in the 2500, and in my opinion, when that pickup is in coil-tap mode, it totally nails a vintage P-sound as close as possible, without being an actual split-coil pickup. What is your opinion?

 

[ggvicviper]

Hhhhmmmm...
I am by no means a G&L expert, but there seems to always be a G&L model that I'm not familiar with....like both of yours!!!
My question to you is, how does the MFD humbucker pickup in the 1005's compare tone-wise, to the P-style pickup in the 5000's? The placement of the pickup in the 1005 looks very close to the placement of the neck pickup in the 2500, and in my opinion, when that pickup is in coil-tap mode, it totally nails a vintage P-sound as close as possible, without being an actual split-coil pickup. What is your opinion?

So, the L1005 is little heard of because it's a limited run model that Rocket Music is currently doing by request, along with the L1000 reissue. Tonewise, it can do three pickup wirings courtesy of a three way switch. The top position on the switch is Parallel, and will sound like the L2500 neck pickup in passive and parallel. The middle position is single coil, which would be like the neck pickup (again passive) in K-wired single-coil-mode on the L2500, or a nice single-coil precision bass. The third switch is the single-coil-bass-boost mode, commonly referred to as OMG. This doesn't sound like anything on the L2500, and is fat with less treble and upper mids.

The L5000 was Leo's only low-B 5er design to reach production. Only 400 of these or so were produced before Leo died and G&L axed it from the lineup. Soundwise, it's very similar to a P, but with more aggression, bottom and a little more top.

How does the L1005 compare to the L5000? Parallel sounds nothing like the L5000. The single coil mode would be comparable to a SCPB, but probably a little louder and bassier. It sounds KINDA like the L5000, but its a little off. Also, single coil mode has some 60Hz hum, whereas the L5000 is dead quiet. The OMG mode gets even closer to the L5000 tone, but has more output and less top end. Also, there is some 60Hz hum in this mode too.

Both the L1005 and L5000 sound fantastic.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

...The third switch is the single-coil-bass-boost mode, commonly referred to as OMG. This doesn't sound like anything on the L2500, and is fat with less treble and upper mids....

My L2500 is one of the first ever produced, neck and body dated at July and August 1996, respectively.
These first year L2500's came with Series/Single Coil wiring only, no Parallel. The Single Coil has the OMG circuit. It was noisy as heck with both pickups on, which I remedied by placing the .1MFD cap on the hot side of one of the pickups, if I remember correctly...Chef gave me that idea.
That's probably why they stopped doing it in 2-pickup basses....the noise...the very next model year saw the 3+2 headstock and Series/parallel wiring.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Just picked up an L2500 mainly due to Ed's videos. Love it!

 

[Mark Seale]

Wow, nice. Ebony board and Silver. Another unique G&L is born. Does it have a matching headstock?

No, the headstock is natural.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

I bought one on Ebay that had not been fitted (a G&L leak apparently) that is 4 piece 4+1 tuners.

When did they stop doing 4+1? I think I may prefer that over the current 3+2.

 

[Soundchaser11460]

Ed I had an the L-2000 that is in my profile and loved it.I had to sell it and miss it to this day. I just bought an M-2000 in Black Ice finish, which will be delivered on this Saturday.I can't wait.

 

[delta7fred]

When did they stop doing 4+1? I think I may prefer that over the current 3+2.

Rich, I'm not much of a G&L historian so can't really help you but will ask over at BassesByLeo, I'm sure Ken will know.

Edit - Did a bit of searching on BassesByLeo and came up with 1998, in this thread.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

When did they stop doing 4+1? I think I may prefer that over the current 3+2.

As far as I know (by simple
deduction), it was 1998 when they went to 3+2 on the headstock. My L2500 is a '97 (build dates of mid-late '96), and I almost bought '98 model year L2500 with a 3+2.
I can't tell you why they did it...I have heard of neck-dive issues and I have heard of neck twisting issues due to uneven string tension on the headstock (which I don't buy), even about a Patent suit from Fender, but cannot confirm any of it....

 

[edfriedland]

The idea of an L2600 is intriguing… but for me it would have to have 24 frets, and 17mm spacing - and I'm sure that's not going to happen. Not sure what makes a 4+1 more desirable than a 3+2 headstock, maybe it's just that they don't make them any more. I will admit that I like the original, non-fishhook headstock from a visual standpoint, but I believe there was a flap from Fender about that, so they changed it. I'm still trying different strings on the MJ5… while I like D'Addarios on some instruments, the OEM set was a little stiff for me. Swapped them out for Dunlop Super Brights, which are a huge improvement in the stiffness department, and I like the tone. I'll use those until I get my order of DRs in, I have my other two G&L 5vers string with HiBeams, and they seem to like those the best. I guess the pickups are not hot enough for passive mode, but I kind of wish I could hear the MJ without the preamp...

 

[bassdude51]

Love your videos and your bass talent is...........WHOA!

Thanks for your opinion of G&Ls.

It's your other opinion that means the most to me...........your quote, "I've always been a Fender guy..."

 

[PluckyThump]

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?

Original finish is always going to sell for more money no matter what it is. They do have some collector value, not up to Fender or pre-Ernie Ball standards but they have gone up in value quite a bit over the last decade or so. It's only original once, so unless it really bothers you I wouldn't do it. "Usual dings and scrapes" doesn't sound that bad to me.

 

[StuartV]

I tend to disagree. I think original paint is only a big deal on vintage Fenders. For others, I don't think the value would be any less for a good quality, and in good condition, paint job than for the original paint job in "worn" condition. OTOH, I don't think you're likely to get any money back out of a paint job, if it started with original paint job.

IOW, an $800 G&L with worn original paint is probably still going to be worth $800 after you send it to Pat Wilkins for paint - and probably not worth any more. It certainly won't increase in value by as much as what the paint job would cost (if you pay someone to do it for you). That's just a generalization, though. I'm sure there are exceptions.

 

[Gilmourisgod]

I have no intention of ever selling it, so at this point it's just purely cosmetic interest. I stupidly loaned it to a 16 year old nephew while he was learning to play, and he BEAT on it, lot's of new interesting scratches, buckle rash, etc. His grandparents bought him a brand new Aerodyne Jazz, and he whaled on that one too. I suppose I could just give it a light buffing to get the fine scratches out, but some of the dings are right through to bare wood. Sigh.