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G&L vs Fender vs Music Man

Where does your loyalty lie?

  • G&L

    Votes: 186 36.0%

  • Fender

    Votes: 188 36.4%

  • Musicman

    Votes: 142 27.5%
  • Total voters
    516
#161
GIBrat51 said:
View attachment 3790673 View attachment 3790705 As for as my loyalty lying somewhere: based upon numbers? It would be with Danelectro. Based on what I play the most? Gotta be my 4001 Rickenbacker. Why? Fits like a glove; plays like a dream; and, IMO, nothing sounds as good as an old Rick with flats...;)
As for the brands in question?
View attachment 3790679 View attachment 3790680 I have A Fender, and I have A G&L. They're both very nice basses... I like them (I wouldn't own them if I didn't), but I don't prefer either over every other bass I own, or even one over the other. They're just too different. On any criteria that you could compare them with, IMO weight and balance are the only things that aren't a tie. The P-Bass, at 11.1 lbs, has to lose to the ASAT's 9.3 lbs. And the ASAT's slight neck dive loses to the P-Bass (mine has none). The Music Man? I've wanted an HH model for longer than I'd care to admit. But - they never made it as a lefty. And, now that they are making a handful - finally? Sadly, they are, as my father used to say, "A day late and a dollar short". There is only one spot in my herd for "Active Bass", and that blue ASAT is filling it...very well, too. So, I have to say that, as far as those 3 basses are concerned? I like the 2 examples I have - a lot. But my loyalties (such as they are) lie elsewhere...:cool:
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B-Lo said:
The best answer is all three.
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EBMM Stingray HH.jpg Well, I guess I'll find out... soon. I kept going back to EBMM's website and looking at the stupid thing, 'cause I couldn't get that lefty HH out of my head. I finally just told myself "Well, it's a bass that you've always wanted anyway, and if they had made lefties back in the day, you'd have had one years ago. So, it isn't really an impulse buy...:rolleyes: I finally called them, and... God help me, somebody answered the phone. And, even worse, they had a Burnt Amber lefty Stingray Special HH almost ready to ship... So, while it made my credit card squeal like a stuck pig... it's on it's way to me. And, I guess I'll have to go buy some more 9v batteries. 18 volts?!? Really!?! One good thing; at least I won't have to replace the factory strings right away. Slinky are one of the few round wound strings I actually like...:whistle:
 
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#162
Raulplaysbass said:
Musicman for me. Initially the 3/1 headstock got me looking at them. Bought my 1st one, a 76 for $400 from a guy that just didn't know what he had!! Felt and sounded the way a bass should. Bought my 93 brand new. Checks all the right boxes for me. I would like to get acquainted with G&L someday. The headstock never appealed to me, but I hear good things.

View attachment 3797822
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Oh man, you are the guy I have been trying to find for some time.
To explain, I bought a Stingray in '77 and never looked at another bass for 30 years, it did everything I wanted. Then it was stolen, heartbreak. I then became bass promiscuous and tried as many quality basses as my funds would allow. No joy. Then about two years ago I came across a '91 which very nearly did the trick, I love it. However one thing niggles me, the neck profile, it doesn't feel the same as I remembered the '77, it feels to me slightly fatter from nut to about fret 4. Now maybe you can tell me if the profile is changed or if it is just my very old hands (75) and memories playing tricks with me.
I am dying to know the answer to this one !
 
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#163
I have had "bad time" twice with batteries on my wireless where I left the body pack on too long between sound check and show time and well , not fun trying to see the alert light on my rack and running out of juice. I always keep a cord on top on my gear in case..... well so on an active bass never , no matter who makes it for me.
 
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#164
I had played a friend's Musicman so before heading out on my first tour I went looking for my own. The store didn't have any in stock but he pointed out an L2000. I picked it up and it's been my primary axe for the last 25 years. I had to get an L2500 a few years later. I own several others, including a custom fretless P-bass, but the two G&Ls get most of the action.
 
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#165
Isaac J said:
MusicMan has absolutely set the bar recently. Look at it this way - Fender basses are a 50s design yet the "new" ones are pretty much unchanged. The Stingray is some 20 years younger (23?) yet EBMM decided they need to move on and really make a bass for the 21st century, so completely redesigned it. All aluminium hardware, 22 stainless frets, full contouring? I'd rather see that ANY DAY instead of "but we use the same fret press from the 50s!!". I don't want to downplay Fender as I do really enjoy their instruments BUT considering I was born 50 years after the P Bass came out, I want to see a bass designed with new technology and ergonomics ... And EBMM does just that with the Ray Special.
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#166
Haven't had good luck with G&L and Music Man necks - EBMM necks are bad as can be with dead spots so quit buying those - had a G&L 2500 and 1500 and both necks twisted to where they were not playable - had zero issues with fenders unless they have blocks rather than dots - just sayin
 
#167
My vote is for G&L. Their versatility, and consistency are unparalleled. Musicman is a close second. I have owned and played plenty samples of all 3 brands. For a number of years I had a '77 Stingray that sounded amazing in the studio, but didn't cut through very well live, but I had great success using a MM SR5 in a disco band. I've had quite a few '70's Fender P's and J's, but my favorite was a '65 P that had incredible tone, but I was always afraid to take it on the road. In '05, I was turned on to G&L by the guys at Bass NW in Seattle. I wound up selling the '65, and regretted it until recently, when I acquired an early '90's G&L LB-100. My G&L L-2500 has seen the most playing time since I got it in '08.
 
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#168
I'm well aware this is a three-year-old thread, however I'm going to state my opinion on the three. I actually have a 2020, EM MM Sting Ray Special HH-5, 2023 Fender American Pro II Jazz Bass & 2023 G&L L2500 Series 750. All three are top notch instruments and have their own distinct tonal qualities due to pickup type and placement. Of the three, I like the EB best, however this is based on the wider range of tones "that I like" the instrument generates. The G&L is quite good as well more aggressive than the EB, the pickup placement is different than the EB and the humbuckers are ceramic as opposed to Alnico. The Jazz bass does what a Jazz bass does, sound great! As quality goes, each is outstanding, however my nod goes to the EB, ever so slight it may be.
 
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#173
I have a 2000 Trans Red SR5H, 2009 LavaPearl Bongo 5HH, 2000's White Sterling 5HH and Blackberry Burst Sterling 4HH, Fender Deluxe Active Precision, 72P, USA Tangerine Metallic G&L Fallout. Love em all, but the Bongo and Sterlings ain't going anywhere!
 
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#174
I have 1 G&L, 2 MM, and 3 Fenders. MM and G&L (American) have very consistent build quality. My Fender American Precision Pro V came with a loose and rattling tuner that I ended up replacing and my Fender American Ultra Jazz V came with a loose neck. I just had to tighten the screws. My Ibanez ATK805 out performs all of them. (jmho)
 

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