Hey! Need help with my next bass, deciding on either a g&l jb2 or a fender road worn jazz bass. G&l is cheaper but is the fender worth it?
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G&l or fender bass
- Thread starter 4stringkyle
- Start date
I Have a Tribute JB4 Lake Placid Blue it plays like a dream and sounds better than my 73 Jazz. G&L for me
G&Ls are extremely high quality. The fit and finish is outstanding. They play amazingly and offer alternative tone choices while being able to do Fender tone.
Play one.
Play one.
G&L. Like a Fender with better electronics, fit and finish, hardware, and... Everything else. Except a Fender decal.
G&L. High end fit and finish and great playability. Keep in mind who is represented in the brand/initials of G&L.
I'm a fan of G&L. The only reason I don't have one is they don't make a shortscale with an offset slab body so the Mustang/Bronco body style is more ergonomic for me.
If the G&L is USA made for less than get that one.
If you are talking about a G&L tribute Vs. Roadworn Jazz, Get the one that plays and sounds best to you.
I would probably take the RW jazz over an Asian G&L but they do get a lot of love.....
If you are talking about a G&L tribute Vs. Roadworn Jazz, Get the one that plays and sounds best to you.
I would probably take the RW jazz over an Asian G&L but they do get a lot of love.....
@FunkHead @Nedmundo @chadds Thanks for the input guys. The G&l is a tribute and I like the sonic blue finish over the natural and sunburst. Meaning the body is bass wood. The road worn jazz is the model that still has a rosewood fretboard not pau ferro and I think new G&L uses Brazilian cherry for a fretboard now.
I normally go for G&L, and my herd has gone from one G&L and four Fenders to four G&Ls and one Fender. My favorite four is my G&L USA JB.
But those Roadworn Fenders are excellent, and probably better overall than a basswood G&L Tribute. I'd prefer the flatter fretboard and saddle-lock bridge on the JB-2 for playability, but the Roadworns tend to be light and they deliver classic J-bass tone if that's what you want.
But those Roadworn Fenders are excellent, and probably better overall than a basswood G&L Tribute. I'd prefer the flatter fretboard and saddle-lock bridge on the JB-2 for playability, but the Roadworns tend to be light and they deliver classic J-bass tone if that's what you want.
I forgot to mention there are no dealers where I live to test drive a g&l so I cant play one before purchase. That's a beautiful bass but not really the finish I like and I live in Canada. I've always been told if you like looking at your bass you'll play it more lol.
Funny you say while they last cuz I actually ordered a jb2 online in October. Apparently it was out of stock which was not listed and I still have no idea when its supposed to come in. The distributor cant give me a date so I contact g&l directly myself and nothing.. talk about weak customer service!! That's where the road worn fender comes in. Found one so I've thinking of canceling the g&l to get my money back and buy the fender... should I wait?
unseen and unplayed i'd recommend the G&L over a fender, any day. not even close in terms of value per pound. but in your hands, the story might be different. the color of the instrument wouldn't even be a consideration for me, but i realize that it's one of the 'fun' parts of picking out an instrument. good luck making your choice! G&L 
unseen and unplayed i'd recommend the G&L over a fender, any day. not even close in terms of value per pound. but in your hands, the story might be different. the color of the instrument wouldn't even be a consideration for me, but i realize that it's one of the 'fun' parts of picking out an instrument. good luck making your choice! G&L
Thank JRA, that's why I'm interested in the g&l it's got some hype online. I'd love to try one. I play a p bass now with a 9.5 radius neck, plays well but I once had a stagg mb300 and it felt like a flater fretboard.. damn I loved that neck.
G&l in sonic blue is made from basswood, should this be a big factor?
likely to be much lighter than ash/alder --- important if you're going to move around a lot, or play long gigs.
likely to be much lighter than ash/alder --- important if you're going to move around a lot, or play long gigs.
That's the idea, along with it's the most visually appealing to me lol. Lightweight is huge for me, my band plays 3 to 4 hrs gigs. My back would thank me, although I've read both basses are in the 8lb to 9lb range. Maybe the g&l would be lighter but I've never seen anyone post the weight of their jb2 in basswood
I have a USA LB 100. It’s not going anywhere. I have The JB -2 Tribute, the one sans pick guard, but those are the ones made in ash. The pick guard ones are basswood. The finish on my US A is astounding. After 3 years bought new, I can’t find a swirl after numerous wipe downs. The JB’s finish is not quite so hard and the general feeling of high quality of the LB is noticeable but the pickups on the JB, at least on mine are remarkable alnicos. I don’t give a rat’s ass that they’re Indonesian made. They made them correctly according to Paul Gagon’s specs. The JB-2 isn’t going anywhere either. I fashioned a bone nut for her last year. She’s mine, mine!
I'd love to find a bass to have this relationship with lmao! I really like that the jb2 is p shaped without a pickgaurd, looks clean. I'd assume with g&l that they would put some of the best basswood into they're products. I'm not sure either ash or basswood would make a different to me in tone... Did I just open a new can of worms?? Lol
