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Help me solve this G&L L-2000 mystery

M

MatsD

Oct 12, 2008
15
0
#1
I recently bought a G&L L-2000. The seller claimed it was a U.S. bass, but when I received the instrument, I got suspicious.

The serial number (9060025) doesn't conform with the U.S. G&L format, the neckplate is 4-bolt which I have been told has never existed on the the U.S instruments. Also the tuning machines and the skunkstripe indicates to me that it is not a U.S. made bass.

If you look closely on the front of the head under a bright lightsource, you can se a somewhat brighter area just beneath the G&L logo (it's also visible on the close-up image below, shot with a flash). This suggests a previous owner with a less than impeccable moral statue has erased some bit of text here, like "Premium Japan" or "Tribute Series" in order to obscure the true identity of the instrument.

The seller also told me the bass was manufactured in the early 90's. As far as I know there were no Korean Tribute instruments made before 2003, and I also understand that the japanese built instruments for the domestic market was introduced just a few years before that. The instrument does however look and feel as if it has been around for a longer period of time, but of course it can just have been extensively played.

I have no degree in G&L history, so I am very much confused about the true origin and year of make for this instrument. My best guess would be that it is a japanese bass, but I'm not sure. I bet the brain-trust here at TalkBass can help shed some light on things. Please have a look at the pics below and let me know your thoughts.

IMG_0542.jpg
IMG_0543.jpg

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Thanks,
/Mats D, Sweden
 
#5
I removed the neck just now and added two pics of the neck pocket in the initial post above. On the close-up of the neck end there is some printed text, but that's it. The "TR" could be short for "Tribute", right? Nothing at all written on the butt-end of the neck, and nothing in the neck-pocket

felixxx: Excuse my ignorance, but what exactly is the BABP forum? I just noticed there is also a sponsored G&L forum here att TalkBass. Perhaps I should have posted there instead of here, or?

/Mats D
 
#9
Aspidites said:
It is not a US made instrument so by default that would make it a Tribute.
Click to expand...

Yeah, OK, I think we got that far, but thanks anyway for a deep generic philosofical definition. :-)

There are however different makes of Tributes, the earliest ones made in Japan for the domestic japanese market, of which some I'm told weren't even called Tribute. Then there are the Korean made Tributes, and finally the present ones, which I believe are manufactured in Indonesia. I assume the market value varies some depending on category of Tribute.

According to what I have established so far, the only Tributes with a four bolt neck joint are the ones made in Japan. But I am not 100% sure of this, and it would be nice to certify this and to figure out what year it was built.

Johnny Alien: Thanks for spelling out BABP for me.

/Mats D
 
#11
MatsD said:
Yeah, OK, I think we got that far, but thanks anyway for a deep generic philosofical definition. :-)

There are however different makes of Tributes, the earliest ones made in Japan for the domestic japanese market, of which some I'm told weren't even called Tribute. Then there are the Korean made Tributes, and finally the present ones, which I believe are manufactured in Indonesia. I assume the market value varies some depending on category of Tribute.

According to what I have established so far, the only Tributes with a four bolt neck joint are the ones made in Japan. But I am not 100% sure of this, and it would be nice to certify this and to figure out what year it was built.

Johnny Alien: Thanks for spelling out BABP for me.

/Mats D
Click to expand...

The only Tributes I have ever seen or heard of with four bolt necks are Japanese in origin.
 
#13
Poor Tom said:
the real question is how much did you pay for it and why would you buy it BEFORE finding out if it was real or not.
Click to expand...

I saw it in an ad and the seller was at the other end of Sweden. He also confirmed that it was indeed a U.S made L-2000, and I didn't ask for pics of the back. Now, I don't think the seller knew either, I believe he in turn bought it under the impression that it was a U.S. bass.

As for what I paid, prices are probably different for the U.S. and Swedish market, but let's say I got it for a very good price had it been a U.S. bass, but a slightly too much for a Tribute. So I have asked the seller for a partial refund.

/Mats D
 

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