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G&L SB-2 on the way!

fourstringdrums

fourstringdrums

Decidedly Indecisive
Supporting Member
Oct 20, 2002
9,721
12,479
45
Massachusetts
#1
I was considering ordering a custom SB-2 and then this popped up. Exactly what I was going to order down to what looks to be the natural satin finish, sans pickguard. I'm having Dennis from the Bass Place look into getting a tort direct from G&L for me. Seems to be the cheaper and more convenient route than having one made.

The bass also apparently has the tone modification. He didn't specify it in the auction, but I noticed the stacked knob and he confirmed it.

The bridge looked to have some discoloration, as well as the back of the body but he said it was just shadows/reflections which makes sense on second glance.

$830 shipped with the OHSC. Not bad! Looks like I need to put my Fender USA P up soon :)

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#3
Looks great! My SB-2 (pic below) also had the mod. (I don't have it any longer.) My stacked knobs were: top knob - neck pup volume; bottom - bridge pup volume. Of course the rear knob was master tone. VERY hot pickups.

If you can afford to keep both, I'd hang onto the P-Bass if I were you. They're different flavors to be sure.

SB-2quarter.jpg
 
#4
Jeff K said:
Looks great! My SB-2 (pic below) also had the mod. (I don't have it any longer.) My stacked knobs were: top knob - neck pup volume; bottom - bridge pup volume. Of course the rear knob was master tone. VERY hot pickups.

If you can afford to keep both, I'd hang onto the P-Bass if I were you. They're different flavors to be sure.

SB-2quarter.jpg
Click to expand...

Yes I saw that. Beautiful bass. Why did you sell it?

No I can't really afford to hang on to it. But I've owned an SB-2 before and I felt that without the tone control even, I didn't mind the higher output one bit. It was controllable enough for me and actually had a punchier tone than my current P which I think I prefer.
 
#5
fourstringdrums said:
Yes I saw that. Beautiful bass. Why did you sell it?

No I can't really afford to hang on to it. But I've owned an SB-2 before and I felt that without the tone control even, I didn't mind the higher output one bit. It was controllable enough for me and actually had a punchier tone than my current P which I think I prefer.
Click to expand...

I probably shouldn't have. It really hit my hot button, so I bought it. But it was my first G&L, and beautiful though it was, I found myself preferring my Fenders. I'm pretty bad about that. I'll get something, then move it after awhile. Usually due to a new GAS attack. I've been fairly stable lately though. Maybe due to my advanced age... ;)
 
#7
Jeff K said:
I probably shouldn't have. It really hit my hot button, so I bought it. But it was my first G&L, and beautiful though it was, I found myself preferring my Fenders. I'm pretty bad about that. I'll get something, then move it after awhile. Usually do to a new GAS attack. I've been fairly stable lately though. Maybe due to my advanced age... ;)
Click to expand...

How did you find the SB-2 vs. a traditional P?

I like guys like Bruce Thomas (Elvis Costello) and Gabe Nelson (Cake) and their tone always runs a little bit hot so it's up my alley.
 
#9
fourstringdrums said:
How did you find the SB-2 vs. a traditional P?

I like guys like Bruce Thomas (Elvis Costello) and Gabe Nelson (Cake) and their tone always runs a little bit hot so it's up my alley.
Click to expand...

I guess I'm kind of an oddball, but I found it a bit, um, unnecessary. I found that I generally preferred favoring the P-pickup with just a hair of the J-pickup. So I didn't really take advantage of the P/J aspect like most of you do. I think I'm happiest either playing a traditional P or a traditional J; and don't really care if the two never meet (so to speak). I know that a lot of people absolutely love P/J's, so I'm probably something of an oddity. Oh well, at least I'm a contented oddity... ;)
 
#10
Jeff K said:
I guess I'm kind of an oddball, but I found it a bit, um, unnecessary. I found that I generally preferred favoring the P-pickup with just a hair of the J-pickup. So I didn't really take advantage of the P/J aspect like most of you do. I think I'm happiest either playing a traditional P or a traditional J; and don't really care if the two never meet (so to speak). I know that a lot of people absolutely love P/J's, so I'm probably something of an oddity. Oh well, at least I'm a contented oddity... ;)
Click to expand...

I prefer P as well and the J will pretty much be useless. But, I'll find it handy now and again. I was going to order an SB1, but since this came up first except for the pickguard it was exactly what I wanted, I wasn't going to split hairs over the extra pickup. The tone mod made the decision even easier.
 
#12
chunkstyle said:
The SB-2 isn't really a PJ, per se. The J will never work on its own. It's there to add subtle tone variation to the P, which is the reasoning behind not having a tone control. When trying to tame the SB-2, you just back off the P volume.
Click to expand...

That actually works for me living in an apartment. I figure I can turn down and it will tame the tone, but not tonally suck the life out of it like playing with "normal" passive pickups.

The SB-2 I had about 6 years ago actually had a really hot J pickup. So much so that it was usable. Someone here has it..or at least I assume they weren't stupid like me and sold it ;)
 
#14
Well the SB-2 arrived and it's going back as soon as the seller gets back to me unfortunately. Thankfully though he has a 14 day return period.

There is a large dent on the side of the body that was undisclosed, but is visible in the pictures if you REALLY zoom in. Also the frets are heavily oxidized, something that wasn't disclosed.

The biggest thing though is that the vol/vol tone modification doesn't function right. The J pickup doesn't work unless the P pickup is on, and even then, it doesn't effect the tone until it's 95% of the way open. So there is an extremely narrow range of adjustment to the point of being useless.

I think I'll be keeping my '97 American P. I was originally going to replace it with something with a smaller neck, but after holding the SB-2 with (I think) the #6 neck, my P's neck feels more right to me.
 

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