Help me identify this fretless G&L

[sugarsand]

I have a fretless unlined G&L neck on an ASAT body, it looks similar wood wise and the same pilot holes, the filled tiny machine holes, same tuners. Mine is ebony, that looks like ebony to me, the craftsmanship is great on G&L usa necks. The ebony is hard as hell, no dead or over buzzy spots, I never did anything to my bass except play the hell out of it and it has zero problems The Mojave desert where my bass lives has temperature changes of up to 115 and back down to freezing and it takes it toll on micro adjusted necks. No problems with those necks. Mine is a three bolt which indicates an older neck. Ask to look at the neck plate. Don't take your cord out with the preamp off you can fry the pre amp chip.

 

[superbee66]

I also understand that the swirl /bowling ball finishes are somewhat rare as well. I have seen 4 or so others posted here on TB, but no one seems to know if these were custom ordered, a dealer only option or what.
It would be cool to know more about these finishes.

Yes, I believe it was a $400 option. I have an sb-1 with blue bowling ball finish. It only lasted a year or two because it was expensive and chips quite easily. Mine has some dime to quarter size chips in the finish.

 

[Jeff Scott]

My bet is it's an ebony FB (black with brownish areas..)

I agree. Here is part of the ebony fingerboard on a guitar I own.

Also, here is a photo of a camera I used to own that is made of ebony and titanium.

And, another Ebony camera, not mine, showing a close up of the back standard showing the streaking in the ebony.

 

[Glazenn]

Just FYI, G&L considers ALL of their basses customs, and they do NOT have "custom" basses as you infer here.

This is not totally true, as they have a Custom Creations Department.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
My son has a 2014 Savannah Collection Bluesboy Classic ASAT with this logo on the back of the headstock:

However, it seems the ASAT Bass in the same collection does not have it.

 

[Glazenn]

FYI
I have modified both of my 2500s to full passive with full coil tapping. A fairly simple modification by upgrading two switches to on/ on / on. I never used the active mode on any of my G/Ls and have been playing this brand since 1986.
I found the how to's on the G&L fourm here on TB and have those files if anyone wants them.
I did not mean to hijack this thd , but I love to talk about G&L and can do it all day long.
IMVHO G&L is the best in the world
Thanks for your indulgence
Duke

This information is great and it is helping me out, I appreciate your posts. If it were a Fender I'd be in much more familiar territory, for some reason I never fell in love with the G&L's - I don't know why, they make awesome instruments.

I too have installed coil tap switches on both my L2500 and my M2500. I plan to also have it on my ASAT Bass and already have the ON-ON-ON replacement switch. I like the single coil tone of the MFD in passive mode (I play them passive the vast majority of time). I also have a G&L SB-2, a Fender AVRI Jazz '62 and a Fender AVRI P '62, all are MIA, and I like them all equally.

 

[dedpool1052]

Glazenn, how would you compare the passive tone of the M-series pickups to the L-series?

 

[Glazenn]

Glazenn, how would you compare the passive tone of the M-series pickups to the L-series?

Sorry, what I said above is partly wrong . I did install dual coil tapping on my M2500 (serial/outer single coil/parallel, separately for each PU - see picture below), but there was no passive option. Having two individual switches added subtle differences to the tone capabilities. I (mistakenly) sold the bass more than a year ago, the playability of that #10 neck was a dream (for a fiver).

On the L2500, I replaced the two-position switch (OMG serial/parallel) with a three-position one (OMG serial/outer single coils/parallel). I am close to do the same (aka: K-switch) on my ASAT Bass.

I think I have not heard of any passive/active switch modding on a M series. The tone pots would not work without a preamp, right? Apart from making it totally passive.

 

[dedpool1052]

Thanks for the response, Glazenn.

 

[sugarsand]

This is random G&L pick up remark, I took the battery out for true bypass, in passive mode. With the battery out it changes in a good way, the output in passive mode, they are still plenty hot and you can get a cool gritty sound and fat and thick if you hit hard and with a stiff pick t get the strings really moving across the magnets. I like the MF pick ups that way ( no battery), rolled to the back PU easy to get Geddy Lee type sound, nice for recording straight to tape in studio. Great basses.

 

[Glazenn]

This is not totally true, as they have a Custom Creations Department.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
My son has a 2014 Savannah Collection Bluesboy Classic ASAT with this logo on the back of the headstock:

However, it seems the ASAT Bass in the same collection does not have it.

@guy n. cognito

This is a G&L Custom Creations L-2000. Gorgeous.
SOLD - G&L L-2000 Exotic Spalt top Limited Edition 50 Ever Made, Trade for 5 string

 

[Lowness]

Hi

It is a fretless G&L.

Cheers