Ditto to 1 and 2. The L2000 humbuckers up that to another level.
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G&L made in Fullerton vs. Indonesia (Tributes)
- Thread starter Pluckoff
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Ditto to 1 and 2. The L2000 humbuckers up that to another level.
Got mine about 5 years ago at Sweetwater. Now that I think about it, the first JB2 I tried there had a wonky pot on it. I asked the guy to please bring me another. He did, and I took that one home. Sorry about your luck!
In a perfect world, someone will order exactly what you want and then trade it in at a local store.
Tribute; "to honor and praise"
Do you want to be the one who is honored or the one giving the praise
My advise if you Gig [steady] or that's your Goal get American; If your Bedroom Only and maybe a get together with friends every once in awhile maybe Tribute; even then well ..... unless it's a Financial strain
Do you want to be the one who is honored or the one giving the praise
My advise if you Gig [steady] or that's your Goal get American; If your Bedroom Only and maybe a get together with friends every once in awhile maybe Tribute; even then well ..... unless it's a Financial strain
The USA models are superb. Dripping with quality, feel, lower weight, etc. My L-1000 (one of the newer ones) is a true “own it for a lifetime” instrument- a penultimate example of Leo’s sense of practical, simple, clever, and MUSICAL design. Dude defined what a bass for professional musicians should be, and the L-1000 in particular is a chefs kiss of an example of that.
I own a Tribute JB and it looks great, sounds nice, is built pretty good, weight is ok, and the chances of it lasting forever or being in my stable for a long time are low. It’s fine but nowhere as pro as the USA models in my experience.
My next G&L acquisition will be a L or M 2500, hopefully with the series 750 (19mm string spacing) bridge. That is, if I can keep myself from getting a 2nd/backup L-1000, since I love it so much. It’s just a special musical object of spectacular simplicity.
I own a Tribute JB and it looks great, sounds nice, is built pretty good, weight is ok, and the chances of it lasting forever or being in my stable for a long time are low. It’s fine but nowhere as pro as the USA models in my experience.
My next G&L acquisition will be a L or M 2500, hopefully with the series 750 (19mm string spacing) bridge. That is, if I can keep myself from getting a 2nd/backup L-1000, since I love it so much. It’s just a special musical object of spectacular simplicity.
Weights (lbs) are:
JB = 9
JB2 = 10
L2000 = 9
Weird because prior to weighing the L2000 felt lighter than the other ones. Pics attached. I replaced the JB's original white pickguard with a tortoise shell to make it look more retro. Not many reasonably priced ($55) specific G&L JB pickgaurds found online so I bought a Fender JB three layer for $12 and had to shave it down to fit. Unfortunately, I got sloppy near the control knobs plate. I might eventually try it again, but it doesn't bother me much.
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JB = 9
JB2 = 10
L2000 = 9
Weird because prior to weighing the L2000 felt lighter than the other ones. Pics attached. I replaced the JB's original white pickguard with a tortoise shell to make it look more retro. Not many reasonably priced ($55) specific G&L JB pickgaurds found online so I bought a Fender JB three layer for $12 and had to shave it down to fit. Unfortunately, I got sloppy near the control knobs plate. I might eventually try it again, but it doesn't bother me much.
New G&Ls are no longer even close to being worth their highly inflated prices. In very recent memory, they started at about $1,250, you got to choose your specs, and their quality was notably better.
But if you compare Tribute prices to used U.S.A. models from 20–30 years ago, there’s no economy in a Tribute. The older G&L will wipe the floor with a Tribute, for about $800–$900.
I find stock Tributes to lack enough build quality for my tastes. By the time I upgrade the things that feel too cheap to me, I will have spent more than I could purchase a ‘90s American one for.
I will (and do) own Tributes, but only if they’re cheap, i.e. in the $250–$350 price range (including tax and shipping).
But if you compare Tribute prices to used U.S.A. models from 20–30 years ago, there’s no economy in a Tribute. The older G&L will wipe the floor with a Tribute, for about $800–$900.
I find stock Tributes to lack enough build quality for my tastes. By the time I upgrade the things that feel too cheap to me, I will have spent more than I could purchase a ‘90s American one for.
I will (and do) own Tributes, but only if they’re cheap, i.e. in the $250–$350 price range (including tax and shipping).
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How long did it take you to get the neck squared away on the one with a broken truss rod? Inquiring minds want to know.
I have a fairly recent L 2000 Tribute. It’s a great bass, unfortunately I’ve never seen a USA version to do a direct comparison however even without seeing one from the comments I’ve seen on various postings I would expect there to be some visual differences and feel between the Tributes and the USA versions, but whether the difference in cost is justifiable I would imagine this to be a similar comparison to MIM Player Basses and USA Basses. In this instance I would say that I would definitely rather have a USA Bass over a MIM and I would say there is possible the same visual and physical differences between the Indonesian and USA L2000’s. As far as I am aware my L2000 Tribute has USA manufactured pickups but the other hardware I believe is manufactured somewhere in Indonesia or Eastern Asia.
When I received the bass (brand new) the neck pickup was not working and I traced it back to a wire having come off the Active/Passive switch. The quality of the wiring and soldering in my opinion is generally a bit poor and I am fairly confident in saying that a USA Tribute would have a much higher grade of workmanship?
For me personally the Tribute L2000 was at a very good price, and as a left handed model a USA model would be hard to find and obviously be more expensive, I can’t comment whether if available a USA model would be worth the extra cost, although I am very pleased with my Tribby if I had the option I would probably have paid the extra, I just feel that USA models generally are a more desirable purchase.
One downside of the L2000 Tributes is the neck width and I understand the USA model has a narrower neck, I don’t know why the Tributes have a wider neck? I do have quite small hands but the Tribby neck is not too much of a problem for me, I’ve had years of playing P Basses so I am used to wider necks.
To sum up, I would recommend the L2000 Tributes, but if cost is not an issue I would go for the USA version.
When I received the bass (brand new) the neck pickup was not working and I traced it back to a wire having come off the Active/Passive switch. The quality of the wiring and soldering in my opinion is generally a bit poor and I am fairly confident in saying that a USA Tribute would have a much higher grade of workmanship?
For me personally the Tribute L2000 was at a very good price, and as a left handed model a USA model would be hard to find and obviously be more expensive, I can’t comment whether if available a USA model would be worth the extra cost, although I am very pleased with my Tribby if I had the option I would probably have paid the extra, I just feel that USA models generally are a more desirable purchase.
One downside of the L2000 Tributes is the neck width and I understand the USA model has a narrower neck, I don’t know why the Tributes have a wider neck? I do have quite small hands but the Tribby neck is not too much of a problem for me, I’ve had years of playing P Basses so I am used to wider necks.
To sum up, I would recommend the L2000 Tributes, but if cost is not an issue I would go for the USA version.
For what it's worth, I'm neither American, nor currently living / working in America.
I wasn't suggesting that anybody feel duty bound to support Uncle Sam.
It's always been possible to find people locally, who are in a position where they're willing to work for less, and people overseas who are in a position where they aren't able to work for more.
For a long time, the creative industries were somewhat immune to this, due to the high value placed on originality. But that has been eroded for a multitude of reasons, and you can now find talented creatives (throw a rock in the air, and it will land on one) who will work for exposure, or less - and it's not an industry that is entirely immune to automation - it just depends on for how long, and how much the customer / audience actually cares.
Irrespective of where on the globe an instrument company is based, if they have a premium domestic line; it costs what it costs for a multitude of reasons. If they also have a budget import line; it costs considerably less for the same reasons.
Personally, I think it's a mistake for any musician to set their expectations by looking at the budget import line, and then talk themselves up to the premium domestic line.
The premium domestic line is what it is.
But if you're prepared to accept some compromises in materials, finesse, finish options, weight, and the reduced wages, and rights of the work force : you can have a comparable instrument at an absolute bargain price, from the budget import line.
Totally get it.
I was suggesting that people should consider the well-being of their “neighbors” as part of the equation.
I try to buy American, or at least the country that is the origin of the item (Irish fisherman sweaters need to come from Ireland, not China).
I've had a four G&Ls, two from the 90's and two Tributes. If one didn't know the country of origin, they would be hard pressed to tell the difference other than the nicer finishes and fancier woods (quilted maple, birds eye). The pickups and bridge are the same.
I like what they did with the Tributes regarding shielding paint and grounding the pickups. Many of the older US ones would hum when they shouldn't. Both of my Tributes have been significantly quieter. I think the US ones are now done better, and they Plek them too.
My only remaining G&L is a Tribute and is one of my favorite basses. It is strung with Labella Flatwounds. It is old school with a lot presence typical of G&L. I bought it for $390 on Ebay. It's a nice piece of ash with a matching head stock. And I modded the crap out the electronics. The bass does series, parallel as stock but can also do inside single coils and outside single coils which are both hum cancelling when both pups are on. I added the Leo OMG caps to the series setting but made it hum cancelling rather than hum adding like the original Leo design. I modified the preamp eliminating the overly bright treble boost option with a more subdued treble response that is a little less than the normal active setting. And I replaced the bass cut pot with a value that provides much finer adjustment in the sweet spot of the bass cut. All this using the stock holes and about $40 worth of components.
I like what they did with the Tributes regarding shielding paint and grounding the pickups. Many of the older US ones would hum when they shouldn't. Both of my Tributes have been significantly quieter. I think the US ones are now done better, and they Plek them too.
My only remaining G&L is a Tribute and is one of my favorite basses. It is strung with Labella Flatwounds. It is old school with a lot presence typical of G&L. I bought it for $390 on Ebay. It's a nice piece of ash with a matching head stock. And I modded the crap out the electronics. The bass does series, parallel as stock but can also do inside single coils and outside single coils which are both hum cancelling when both pups are on. I added the Leo OMG caps to the series setting but made it hum cancelling rather than hum adding like the original Leo design. I modified the preamp eliminating the overly bright treble boost option with a more subdued treble response that is a little less than the normal active setting. And I replaced the bass cut pot with a value that provides much finer adjustment in the sweet spot of the bass cut. All this using the stock holes and about $40 worth of components.
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I was thinking about this recently, with regards to Ernie Ball Music Man, and the Indonesian Sterling by Music Man line.
I've heard a lot of people saying that they almost never see EBMM in stores anymore, and it's all SbMM nowadays.
So I went into a bunch of stores in, and around London, and on the south coast, and what I found was there were almost as many EBMM StingRays as there ever were (not quite as many as there were in the early / mid-90's, which is when the StingRay really peaked, and was the bass to have. And certainly not as many 5 string StingRays as back then), but in addition there were huge numbers of SbMM StingRays too.
So the impression is false, but it's easy to see why there is that perception, because there are so many more SbMM instruments available (a line that didn't exist in the 90's), outnumbering the EBMM instruments.
SbMM haven't supplanted EBMM. They've reinforced them, in what is now a two pronged attack / pincer movement.
This makes sense, because EBMM understands it's market reach, and has scaled its business (factory / work force / output) accordingly - so that it remains an agile, family owned business, with a valued, and fairly paid work force.
And whilst that means that it's products can be built to a certain quality, and cost. And command a certain price - it also means that even if they could increase production significantly, they might not actually want to.
There's no hassle, or associated risk for EBMM, by having SbMM cater to the entry, and middle tier market.
It's much more economical (probably significantly cheaper, and more profitable) to export tons & tons of SbMM instruments from Asia, into Europe, and they're priced so they sell like hot cakes, which raises the ubiquity of the StingRay design, and the profile of the EBMM "real deal" - which is also available, right there in the store.
I'm assuming G&L have the same philosophy, and I'd say it's working, because in that 90's StingRay heyday, the only G&L instruments I ever came across (about 3 in the whole decade) were second hand, and not very desirable because 99% of musicians had never heard of the brand.
I knew one guitarist (who was very much an outlier - particularly in that Paul Kossoff / Stevie Ray Vaughan mould) who played a G&L through a Music Man amp.
He and I were the only people we knew who were aware of the brand.
In the intervening years, I've seen a couple more second hand G&L L2000's.
But it's only since the Tribute line has started getting into shops (Andertons, and GuitarGuitar seem to be their main U.K. dealers), and due to the high quality / low price, into peoples hands, that the brand and it's legacy have gained any traction.
It's still incredibly rare to see a brand new U.S.A. made G&L in the U.K. but second hand SB-2 basses seem to be readily available (if played five different ones in the last three months), and the Tribute line is seriously establishing itself now.
Go buy one of each and you’ll understand.
Better fit
Better finish
Better fretwork x 10
Kinda like a a Cadillac vs Chevy.
Both do the same thing.
One feels really exceptional , one is great
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Nice basses, I really like your L-2000 ! I read the older Korean made are really nice. My Lakland Skyline 44-01 and 44-02 are made by Cort in Indonesia, just like the G&L Tribute versions and they're great basses.
For fun here's my 2 of my USA made G&Ls, 2020 SB-1 at 8.8lbs and 2019 M-2000 at 9.4lbs
JeezyMcNuggles
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The neck didn't move, the nut broke, I called them, I sent it back.
They sent me another one that was jacked up cosmetically. I called them, I sent it back for a refund. I bought a 100 dollar Harley benton instead. It had no problems whatsoever, and sounded great.
The one tribute I got that had zero issues at all, was a kiloton. I just returned that within the 30 days because the pickup is so damn hot that It's fairly impossible to get a clean tone out of it. But, it looked and played amazing.
